What is the Scandal Season 4 Cast Photo Trying To Tell Us?
September 25th is THE DAY! In two and a half weeks, Scandal season 4 premieres and I AM GEEKED. Just released today is the cast’s promo picture for it and they’re dressed up all fancy like they’re going to a bad ass prom. Katie Lowes even hashtagged the picture with #ScandalProm.
Being the super fan that I am, I like to read all deep into these photos like I’m playing a game of CLUE. I did that with the season 3 rainy day photo shoot. So what is this picture trying to tell us?
Naturally, Olivia is the only woman who isn’t in color. She’s rocking her signature black and white for formal wear but it’s of note that there’s more white on this dress than black. Our girl is gonna get some mojo back. But she’s rocking black gloves. Does this mean she’s gonna get her hands dirty? Her hands are also behind her so that could be it. I also think she looks like a fabulous cake topper. Just pretty dinnamug.
Olivia is standing between President Ghost and Jake from State Farm (if you haven’t, read my post on A Guide to Scandal Nicknames). The tug of war will continue. But, Fitz is standing and Jake is sitting. What does that say about the triangle dynamic? Seems to me like he’s ready to fight for her honor and Jake might not stand (HA!) a chance.
Cyrus is right by his friend and boss. Always at the ready. Next to him is Abby, in jewel forest green. That makes sense because Abby has always represented envy to me on this show. Shonda said that season 4 is Abby’s so we will learn more about her. It’s pretty odd that she’s placed next to Cyrus and not next to David. I wonder what that means. *strokes chin*
Click to read the 4 things we already know post I wrote last month.
On the far left is Mellie, who is one of two people in the photo not looking forward. She’s angrily looking to the side at Fitz and Liv, I presume. I really hope to see more of Drunk Mellie in season 4. The First Lady is rocking a pink dress, and like my girl SanTara pointed out, she looks like a rose, which is a play on her southern belle-ness. She definitely looks isolated from the group, though. She’s the only one in such a playful color but the look on her face is anything but cheery.
Let’s go to the other side. Next to Jake is David, who is sitting on a chair that is lower than the other men. They can’t help but shade that dude. Poor David. He is also looking to the side at Olivia an’ ’em.
What’s most interesting in this photo is that Huck is not in a defensive stance or looking bad ass like he usually does. He looks all vulnerable sitting on the floor. The bad ass here is Quinn, who is standing behind him in a dark blue dress, almost like she’s protecting him. Huckleberry Quinn ain’t done.
Chile, I don did a lot here. If assuming was a game, I’d be a gold medalist. GLADIATING AIN’T A GAME! Oh and all I know is that I want Old Olivia back. This one:
BTW, Shonda said Papa Pope will be back. I’m not sure how much but YAYYYY. I CAN’T WAIT! Catch me on the live-tweets tip at @Luvvie.
So what do you think about the picture? What message is Shonda sending us, Gladiators?
P.S. No, I didn’t watch that teaser trailer. I like to avoid those so I can get the full surprise.
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I have a girl-crush on her WALK! I missed it last season. We’ll see it again!
HAHAHAHA so do I 😛
Where are Mama and Daddy Goon? They couldn’t get in the family pic? Really? I know Mama Goon’s edges are close up ready and Daddy Goon has a 1970s type parenting rant at the ready!
Can we get some more color in the cast please…we need some more black folks up in there.
Where is the VP? We need Mellie at her “brain” giving best. She needs to be getting his PAYNUS meat on the regular. Where he at?
We still ain’t fired Quinn? *yawn* I hope Abby gets to smack fire out of her ex-husband. I hope my HuckaBabe gets to see his family this season.
I happy that Harrison is gone, I was so over him (and in real life he’s a mentally unstable simp)
I see Jake from state farm is still there. He’s really going to hang all up on Liv’s labia? Shonda is really trying to make “fetch” happen. He really is the kim kardashian of this cast…uninteresting, untalented, and BORING. I’m still not here for him…NOPE.
Ms. Cyrus…I can’t wait I know the devil himself is taking notes from Ms. Cyrus! YES LAWD!
I need Shonda and nem to bring it! Last season was subpar. Shonda has broken my heart before. I’m giving her this season to pull me back from the edge. This season better be finer that frog hair!
Girl, you reached like the hopes and the dreams of the slaves off this one promo shot. And I love you for it. I cannot wait for Scandal.
My thoughts:
~David and Mellie are sitting on the outside, looking in. Are they on the outside of what’s going on?
~Huck & Quinn are together but they look more like their own team.
~Abby is in between Mellie and Cyrus. Is she going to be on Mellie’s side protecting her from Cyrus and the Prez? You know she likes to help the woman scorned.
~Jake is sitting like he isn’t going anywhere. But he is leaning into Liv a little. Is he Liv’s backup like Cyrus is Ghost’s. They are equal in size.
~Ghost is turned into Liv but she, Jake and Quinn are facing forward. Power. But Jake can be in power but not where Liv is concerned.
So glad it’s back. I love reading between the Scandal lines.
This show is already giving me anxiety. I can’t watch the promo cause I’m going to analyze it too much. Like I’m doing this picture. Now, aside from this picture, in Kerry’s last appearance on Jimmy Kimmel, she gave a sneak peek of the script. It was all blacked out, but Jimmy flips to a page where you can see that Olivia says hi and somebody says hi back. It’s safe to say that President Ghost is probably the somebody. So it looks like Fitz will find her in the first episode.
And this is why I can’t look at promos. Here’s the Kimmel clip:Kerry Washington on Scandal Season 4: http://youtu.be/8bRDM-6jpbQ
I love that Mellie is giving Scarlet O’Hara realness. I take her look as similar to Scarlet’s vow to get Rhett back.
My take on the picture is Olivia in B&W is 1. a classic and timeless style which is Olivia. 2. the light and dark colors which is Olivia’s personal professional battle between doing bad for good reasons. And 3. is Fitz and Jake and romance battle between the two. I like the explanation of Mellie off to side sitting southern belle-ish (in Luvies explanation above) and being the only 1 in a happy color. We all know Mellie is great at fronting and faking. Which will be in the fore front this season. She’s gonna do a lot of pretending. I also think she’s off to side to explain a split between her and Fitz and the hellish road they are about to travel since their son died. She’s looking his way to either win him back or let him go for good. I also believe Abby standing on the left side alone instead of next to David means they’re gonna break up. Why?? Because Abby will be in charge of OPA or will be at the White House all the time (because offically OPA is closed). Which means she’ll be a mini-liv all up in the WH. Look at who she’s standing by…Mellie, Cyrus, and Fitz. WH, fixer, dealing with them. Bam!!! Quinn and Huck are alone this season which is why they’re off to the side. With Quinn taking the lead protecting Huck in his vulnerable state, is why she’s standing over him. She’s gonna be fixing what she messed up for Huck last season. Jake is Jake…cool, calm, and collected, but really ready to pounce like a cat to kill anyone at any moment. I think that’s why he looks so relaxed. David will be fighting to get back with Abby which is why he’s looking toward her. Anyhoo that’s my take.
Mellie is all out in the booniest of boonies; off in a corner somewhere like she’s on the 2014 reincarnation of “Dirty Dancing”. Also, no sign of the new “Harrison”…here’s hoping they pull that off better than that whole Fresh Prince – Aunt Viv situation circa 1993.
And notice how far removed Huckleberry Quinn is from the gladiating team, tho…like, even Jake and David are closer to Liv than they are…#troublebrewing.
En-tee-ways, color me HELLA excited! 😀 #teamshonda #scandal
You did way too much here and just enough! I’m about to be a hype waiting for that 15hr time difference to free me from no-watching Scandal prison!
I need more color in this shot. Atleast Mama and Papa Pope,,,,
I know in Shonda we trust but this is a disappointment,,,,
With that bright pink color, Mellie is the 1st person I saw in the picture. so maybe she is going cut up this season. I just can’t wait!!!!
Love this promo pic. Thinking ABC is doing this for all their shows, Modern Family’s promo pic is similar with everyone dressed up to the nines.
Nope, not watching that trailer either. I can wait!
I don’t think Huck looks vulnerable at all, I think he looks like he’s chilling. Maybe he becomes more at ease this season?
And of COURSE Shonda is bringing Joe Morton back. That man is now an Emmy winner attached to this show.
This photo is pretty devoid of color which is sort of disappointing considering. I guess they make up for it with support cast but this right here is not the picture of diversity.
Girl! you read alot into this pic but you are the expert! so we’ll see when the season starts!! : )
I hope olivia ends up with Scott.i know she told him that she’s in love with Fitz. But he’s getting on my nerves. I hope he understands what mellii told him and gets back to becoming a faithful and supportive husband….its time to shake it off and move forward. There is to much back and forth between Fitz and Olivia. Its getting to irritating to watch.
I hope that Olivia stays with Jake for a little while, just to experience that lackluster relationship fully and then I hope she comes to realize that she can’t be with someone she just merely likes. I hope she realizes that she’d rather work on herself for a while and then I hope she realizes that she’s an all or nothing type of woman and she starts making demands of the man she really loves. No more toe curling sex. No more spine tingling kisses. Nothing until they are fully committed to each other(aka he’s single and ready to mingle) AND THEN THEY CAN MAKE IT DO WHAT IT DO…I hate Jake for putting his hands on Liv and for being so mediocre. HE PUT HIS HANDS ON HER!!! THIs BITCH!!! Like dude, you’re not that great. Seriously, the character is boring as hell. Why should I care about you when you have nothing to say. Shonda needs to let dude go. He doesn’t have chemistry with Liv like that and every time he came on screen during season 3, I felt like that gif of Joseline Hernandez, the one in which she says “Bitch, why is you here?” I’m tired of the love triangle. Olivia chose Jake. Ok… I’m hoping that she comes to her senses and realizes that she needs to be alone for a long ass time– press pause on all romantic interludes. I’m hoping that Fitz stops chasing your ass and focuses on his family and properly grieves for his son. Also, he needs to focus on the country. I hope Fitz gets himself together mentally and emotionally and allows Olivia to make a decision for herself. No pressure. I hope he realizes that he doesn’t need her as much as he thinks he does and begins to gain some clarity about their relationship. I hope he realizes that he loves her, but he can live without her if she decides to walk away forever…sic They’ll never be without each other. I don’t see it happening. Hmmm
I like Jake better than fitz. I hate love triangles because I believe they use it as a tool just to drag the season further. Perhaps he is boring, but you can tell that he’s a more humble guy. Fitz is full of BS. If he were to care and loves liv, then he should’ve stopped running for prez a long time ago. You either choose one or the other. I’m tired of all this love and hate crap. And i definitely agree with u about the sex and kisses part. It’s time for liv to act like an adult and start moving on with whatever dignity she has left. I can’t believe she stoops so low as to hook up with a guy that’s still married. JMO
The placement of the characters implies that Abby will have gotten closer to the Grant administration in Olivia and Harrison’s absence. She doesn’t seem like the type who would stick with Quinn and Huck in the event Olivia ran off. Likely, closer to the Grants and away from David, who looks on wistfully. Mellie is going to blame the loss of her son on Fitz. The look suggests that she’ll be looking forward to some vengeance. Jake will likely find himself 2nd again after he and Olivia return, hence him being seated at the table behind them. Huck and Quinn are on and Cyrus continues to have Fitz’s back.
My take: Power players always stand forward. Never flinching or slouching, never turned inwards showing vulnerability like Fitz. He’s leaned into Liv, but she isn’t looking at him. She’s looking straight forward. He cares way more than she does, perhaps at this point. Much about Fitz and how he operates is dictated by Olivia. She’s his Achilles heel, just like Mellie has said in the past. David is looking lost as if he doesn’t know his place or he’s waiting to be told what his place is. Quinn has become a force where she can slay Huck since she now is so entrenched in B-613 drama. Mellie is all innocence outside but unrivaled fire on the inside, hence her look at Fitz/Liv. She won’t be denied her due. She’s the woman scorned and you need to tread carefully with her. Abby is looking quite regal and statuesque. That shade of green with that red hair is FIRE!!! She is not in Liv’s shadow anymore. Liv has always the duality of light and dark…black/white. There’s a fine line. Jake is seated, straight back, unwavering. He’s going to fight for Liv. Now, will he get her? That’s anyone’s guess. He’s relaxed though and ready. Cyrus is in his place by Fitz’s side playing the constant gardener. This should really be a thrill seeking kinda season.