Productive Bingeing--Scandal--Season 5.1

And...We’re Back...Again… (Note: Spoilers Ahead)

Well! All the damn’s have gone out the window in this season opener. To quickly catch you up, Goddess Pope (Kerry Washington) has moved, quite comfortably, into the White House to be with Prezie Bear (Tony Goldwyn); a Princess Diana plot that isn’t particularly season premier worthy is at the episode’s helm; Mellie (Bellamy Young) is trying to maintain the puppet show she and Fitz have going on which ends in the giving of PAPERS; Huck (Guillermo Díaz) is sad, which will lead to any number of uncertain horrors to be unleashed and Sally Langston (Kate Burton) continues to be an uncomfortably well written blowhard Republican who’s hating on everyone. Ah, Scandal is back in action!

Now, don’t take my sarcasm to mean there’s an avalanche of “hate” lying in wait (just in my deadpan phase of reviewing at the moment) because I love Scandal. The heat, the speed, the somewhat entertaining nonsensical actions of the characters time and time again, Olivia’s wardrobe and satisfying sex life; it’s just that with the introduction of Season 5, shouldn’t there be some evolution by now? Yes I know, no one is tuning in to watch Liv going about her well polished life with everything perfectly planned, limited drama and chai tea latte-ing it up with dignitaries yet, as the episode’s plot cuts here and there I couldn’t help but feel that we’ve been here before...a couple of times and no one has changed.

I mean, Liv is still melancholy about being with Fitz which helps them fall out over their priorities and roles in regards to the “National Crisis of the Week” which takes a sharp turn into Rehashington Court, throw in a shot of desperate, depressed puppy dog Huck who’s dragging poor Jake (Scott Foley) back into the fray as his Shefu, mix it up good with a “down and out” Mellie convincing Cyrus (Jeff Perry) to come outta exile to continue their Reindeer games and BOOM! You have a nice Routine Scandal cocktail, oh and with a pinch of Abby not knowing what the hell is going on, on top.

For real, the whole Royal Family storyline was completely unnecessary because everyone’s updates were story enough. Liv and Fitz’s new living arrangements, Mellie’s fourteenth self-destructive decline into her feels, Abby (Darby Stanchfield) and Elizabeth (Portia de Rossi) butting heads to be best Best White Woman Killing It, Huck attempting to get “help” and Sally doing her best to dismantle the whole sha-bang was all the story we needed. The whole thread of Princess and her Bodyguard with a baby on the way trope has long been done and the semi-twist of the Royal Mother-in-Law being responsible for their demise to save face is dooper predictable, as is the last-minute three-pointer Olivia shoots at the end of the episode that wraps up the “Injustice of the Day” in a perfect little bow. Come on guys, let’s do something else! Sure, it took Liv awhile to get back on track after dealing with PTSD from Season 4 but in TV time that as well have happened in the 90s, so what’s next? Right now the only new ground being tread is the Healthy Relationship Road Fitz and Livy are skipping down, which I’m glad to see ‘cause really who could deal with another full fledge blow-up between these two in the first episode? Finally, problem solving people! And they’re actually listening to one another, instead of falling down the rabbit hole of miscommunication, kudos! But what about tackling more timely subject matter? Now I don’t know what the show’s turn around time is but it’d be great for OPA (Olivia Pope & Associates) to be a little more challenged in their ethics by looking more critically at their work and the US Government who seem to rely rather heavily on said work.

On that note I have a question, what’s making Olivia Pope so dedicated to protecting Fitz’s legacy as a President? Like for real, what’s she getting outta the deal, ‘cause he hasn’t done a single thing in his two terms that makes me feel like he’s the best man for the job other than having Olivia’s blessing. Has he ever passed really progressive legislation? Is he planning on raising the minimum wage and lowering income tax for the lower and middle classes? Is he an outspoken Environmentalist demanding Green alternatives to industrial entities? Is he giving big corporations incentives to move their factories back to America and paying a livable wage? Did they have a plan to make America better together? Honestly, why are we so strongly behind keeping Grant in office?! I suppose he’s the better candidate when compared to the vile Sally Langston but standing alone...he’s really kinda meh. But that might be another post, today however let’s start pitching episode ideas.

One I would love to see is a day in the Scandal-verse where nothing happens. Yep, that’s it. Just a full 24 hours where Liv and Co. just cut their toenails, go grocery shopping, paint the house, binge watch House of Cards, get their hair done, go mani-pedi-ing (cause I’m sure Liv and Cyrus still do despite their differences), go to Condo Association meetings, you know, whatever. To my crazy sense of humor this would be hilarious, oh and imagine if they became self aware of it too! All the laughs, all around. Something deviating completely from the norm would be awesome and yes I’m demanding perfection here, that’s not too much to ask from Shonda “I Just Can’t Lose” Rhimes, ‘cause with every season Scandal pulls its audience deeper into its simmering embrace which too will be my fate, just want that simmer to get back to a boil.

For a more detailed episode recap check out Aramide A. Tinubu’s article here.