I spent last season of Scandal reviewing every episode of what seemed to be the beginnings of a remarkable series. Somewhere along the way, however, the show got a bit too entangled with the soap operatics of a forbidden romance and somehow became a drag. I never would have imagined that a series that preoccupied itself so much with that — and which aired the most laughable (and not in a funny way) death scene in history, when Quinn pulled out the scissors — would ever make it on my top 10 list, but it did. The second season of Scandal sort of went full force with the Olivia and Fitz romance, at times to a degree that somewhat offended me. I even wanted to write up about it. And I don’t mean to say that it offended me as a person who is just tired with the romance storyline, I meant to say that as a viewer who is invested in Olivia as a character and a person. The scene in which Fitz basically yells at her like a child in the woods and then she makes out with him was a bit revolting in that sense. Then again, I think it sort of proves the tumultuous relationship that they share. All that said, I haven’t had much time to talk about Scandal, which is mainly why I stopped reviewing it. But I was able to watch last week’s episode “One for the Dog” a couple of weeks ago and decided it was a good time to check in on the series. Then I got really lazy over the holiday and never did, but I still think it’s important to check in.
Because as much as the show has decided to play up Olivia and Fitz, it’s also tried to prove to us that the show isn’t just about them… and that’s all for the better. The rigged election storyline has allowed the show to expand the boundaries of what it had originally set out to be, but it wasn’t truly until tonight that we ever got into the whys and hows of the entire situation. In a distinct way, tonight’s outing is fantastically pivotal — and somehow all-important, even if half of the episode, the return of Fitz episode, was spent in flashback. As we’ve known her, Olivia seems to be someone bound by whatever the social norm of “good” and “bad” is. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t bend the rules to cross the finish line; that finish line, however, is always grounded in morally correct intentions.
That’s what gave this episode utmost importance. What would make Olivia commit a felony this grand herself? Though it is illegal, that’s not what’s so iffy for Olivia. It’s the fact that she lied to the American people and cheated them of a president who they actually voted for. By the end of tonight’s episode, what was the real reason? “What do you want, Olivia?” Surely enough, Olivia could have genuinely thought that Fitz deserved to be president more than the other guy. And the show kind of treats Olivia’s thoughts as the final judgement in morality for most things that take place, so that’s understandable. The problem is that Olivia is not. She makes mistakes, and in the coming weeks, I can only assume that we’ll see the inner backlash she has with herself about that moment of weakness where she just wanted the man she loved to get something he yearned — for him, for herself, and to prove his father wrong.
Though I’m sure all of the hot… uh… coitus… that takes place between them doesn’t hurt, what is truly keeping the relationship between Olivia and Fitz going anyway? More and more I find myself sort of losing sympathy for Fitz in any way, for reasons like the one I mentioned above and the overall fact that he seems a bit entitled. And beyond that, he’s sort of not the most loyal or trustworthy, regardless. Lest we forget that the series opened with him entangled in an affair that he repeatedly denied? There’s something inherently shady about Fitz that the series has yet to explore further, though that may be brought up again now that he has stated plainly to his wife that he wants a divorce. After a tight race, two years of lying, and a gunshot to the head, it very well may be that Fitz is tired of playing the game. (Or maybe he’s just damaged, who knows?) If and when Fitz finds out that his election was rigged, he is definitely going to feel even further compelled to give up the façade and finally relax with the woman he wants by his side. But so much of his decisions seemed forced, well by other people, but also because he’s supposedly what’s so “good” for the country. And why is that? His track record has proved anything but.
“You can’t divorce your wife and step down because this country needs you (not a real quote).” Of course, as an institution, the country needs its president. But on Scandal, it’s almost as if Fitz is the only choice. He’s some sort of guiding hero who can be replaced by no one else. Everyone weirdly puts him on a pedestal. Tonight’s episode also explained that a bit, as well.
As for Olivia and her current boyfriend… need we actually discuss? Though I will mention that Olivia’s five-point speech to him was absolutely necessary and totally undervalued by the fact that she does have an inappropriate relationship with the president. But it doesn’t matter because I was rooting for her the entire time.
We’ve got to wait another two weeks for more Scandal, which sucks twofold: (1) We want more Scandal NOW; (2) But also because the show has been on a HUGE upswing, ratings-wise, so I hope it doesn’t hurt its momentum. Until then! (If I have time, hopefully I will.)
(Also, as I just proposed on Twitter, we should call Olivia’s flashback hair “flashbangs.” This is a thing I will be doing from now on.)
Michael loves TV. You can find him at home, where he spends all of his time watching TV with his best friends couch and cable access.