Scandal: Yes Review

This Scandal review contains spoilers.

Scandal: Season 5, Episode 2

First off, I must start by saying that I am loving Olivia Pope’s slowly recovering team. While Abby is still at the White House, she is still gladiating from there while Huck made his comeback, much to Quinn’s chagrin, with Jake at his side. Quinn still hasn’t let go of what Huck did last season, but the Huckleberry Quinn team is bound to happen again. Jake of course took on the “Olivia’s savior and protector” role as he always dashingly does, despite her love for Fitz.

Oliva did exactly what she would advise a client to do if they were in a similar situation: lie low and don’t talk. So, while everyone returned to OPA last night to help Liv, they instead joined Liv in her avoidance and took on a new client. It was a nice distraction, I suppose, at least for Olivia. She got to do what she does best even while in hiding. I had to say, it was nice to see Olivia in her casual Friday ensemble (no designer clothes, rocking a baseball cap) and also back with Jake. Not romantically (even though she did recruit him for a brief spooning session in the motel. Stop torturing him, Liv!), but as fellow gladiators. Jake knows how to swoop in and save the day as he acted as a human shield between her and the press.

While I know most Scandal fans are Olitz shippers, the moment Scott Foley was on board as a love interest for Olivia, I was all about that. However, while it seems more than likely now they will not be a “forever” couple, Jake is still a character I need on this show. He is a “fixer” as Huck pointed out when he told Quinn that Jake fixed him from his sickening obsessions. But he doesn’t fix people so their problems go away, he fixes them so they can stand on their own and deal with their problems on their own. The gladiators need him, so Shonda, thank you for not killing him off back in episode 19 last season when he was nearly stabbed to death.

When Olivia went M.I.A., Fitz went a little crazy, not wanting to say anything to the press until he talked to Olivia. However, after some advice from Cyrus, Abby stepped up her game and started making decisions for the president on how they would handle this situation. Unfortunately I have to admit, Cyrus was right, Abby knows Olivia the best and therefore knew how she would handle all of this.

Or so she thought.

Finally, after some persuasion from Abby and the Vice President, Fitz agrees to have Mellie come back to the White House and make a statement that there is no affair between Fitz and Liv. Abby gets the press buying the story. However, when Liv leaves Jake in the car and pummels her way through a sea of paparazzi who ask her the undying question of whether or not she is the president’s mistress and, well…we know how that one went.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what I was expecting Olivia to say. I suppose there was only yes or no, really. However, if she had said no, then we would be back to where we started. Fitz hating Mellie, but using her as an alibi, having a secret affair with Liv while still running the United States however, incredibly unhappy.  Something had to change or else they would be repeating the beginnings of Scandal all over again. Not to mention with Jake sticking around…I mean how many times can you rebuild a love triangle after tearing it down over and over again. No, it’s Fitz. No, it’s Jake. Fitz. Jake. Fitz…no more! It’s Fitz she chose and fits are all she’s going to get.

Another big reveal tonight was that it wasn’t Mellie who leaked the photos, it was the new Chief of Staff, Elizabeth North. David Rosen gave Abby that and decided that it would never be mentioned as long as Elizabeth agreed to work side by side with her, instead of as her superior. Abby is on fire this season and we are only two episodes in. Not to mention that with Quinn doing the main investigative work right now for OPA, she’s being a badass too.

Scandal has always been filled with these powerful women characters, but this season seems to be putting them front and center. Huck is still recovering, the President is having an affair with his former campaign runner and Jake…well, he’s still great, but nowhere near the kind of leadership and command that Abby is exhibiting in the White House.

Next week we will see the aftermath of Olivia’s confession and whether not she is really all that ready for a life truly, exposed. Until Thursday!