Paris is Burning: Scandal Episode 503 Recap
Season 5 of Scandal has brought on clue-dropping through the emoji following the #Scandal hashtag on Twitter. Episode 1 was an emoji of a black woman and white man with a heart between them (clearly Fitz and Liv). Episode 2 was a red power tool (because Gavin tried to use that as a weapon). This week, it was a white hat. I’m digging this new addition to the live-tweeting of the show because we can start figuring out off the bat what we need to look out for.
Last week, Olivia dropped the gauntlet on everyone when she answered “YES” to the press when they asked if she was the First Mistress. The fallout is huge, and what she thought she was ready for might not be afterall. Let’s talk about it.
Close Your Legs – Olivia walks into the Oval Office, where a steaming Mellie is, and Fitz is looking relieved to see her. Red dress FLOTUS immediately throws a palm tree of shade Liv’s way with “Oh look. It’s the girl who can’t shut her legs. Or mouth.” OOP. She storms out, leaving the star-crossed lovers alone. I was getting what I NEEDED from Olivia’s black jacket with white lapel. YESSS. The moment President Ghost is alone with bae, he goes to her and starts kissing her. He’s all geeked that his mistress has claimed him publicly. Aawww.
Poisonous Pairing – Abby walks into Mellie’s office and tells her that if she does a press interview with Fitz, she could make it work for her. She’s interrupted by Cyrus Beene, though, who is there because he is now officially Senator Grant’s top advisor. He’s rocking a red tie himself, and they match which is telling me they are on the same team. Cy kicks Red out and asks Mellie what she wants. “I want to destroy Olivia Pope… I want their every breath to reek of poison.” He asks her again what she wants, using one of his epic pep talks. He riles her up until she finally blurts out “I want the Oval Office.” There you go! Cyrus and his “get your shit together” pep talks be having me ready to run up 100 steps while “eye of the tiger” plays in my iPod.
Not Needed – Back at Olivia Pope and Associates office, Quinn is fielding thirsty phone calls from press who want to find out about their boss’ admission. Huck is defending their system from hackers from all over the world. They are in protect and serve Liv mode when Jake from State Farm rolls in. He starts unplugging shit from the walls, closing their computers, shutting off the wifi. He tells Huckleberry Quinn to have a damb seat proverbially and stop tryna be Captain Save-a-Liv because there is nothing here to fix. “Do not lie. That was it. That was her plan. The plan is done. Liv finally stood on her own and we are done.” Ok then.
Divorce Demands – For the interview that they need to do, Mellie wants Cyrus to negotiate so she gets what she wants before agreeing to it. Mr. Beene tells Liz North that he ain’t got shit to say to her and he will only talk to Abby. His petty is long and strong but I get it. Mellie’s requests include Liv and Fitz not rubbing their love in her face public, especially not before she becomes President. They still have to be discreet about their relationship because who wants to see that? I get it, girl. Who’s tryna see the ex-bae on Instagram cheesing with new bae? NOT ME, man!
Also, Fitz has to campaign with and for her when she’s on the trail to become President. He gotta kiss and hug all the babies and tell people she cannot be outdone. Abby presents it in the Oval Office President Ghost fusses and says he ain’t gon do it but Liv disagrees immediately. 20 years of marriage means you better give Mellie what she wants. You gon take these pics with her and you will deal. Shit.
Friendship Fail – Abby is standing there, looking mad at Liv and she storms out the office. Olivia follows her to her office and asks what her beef is. Red is hurt because her friend ain’t tell her the truth about this affair even though she asked her to her damb face. She points out that she could have made sure none of those pics leaked because all those cameras that caught them could have been turned off. Liv made everyone’s life hell with her “YES” and didn’t think to tell her best friend who would have to deal with the fallout. Abby points out that it’s really because her old boss doesn’t trust her to do her job well. WELP.
Speaking of failing at friendship. Liv calls Jake and is all “I think I made a mistake.” MA’AM! This ain’t the time for doubt because it’s too late now. You said “YES” so all that comes with it must be dealt with. Meanwhile, Jake gotta learn to make himself less available to her.
Demands Met – Mellie has more demands. She wants Olivia to agree to never taking the Grant last name. There shall be no 2nd Mrs. Grant. Fitz is of course like HELL NO but Liv is all “give her that too.” So Abby prints up the agreement, which Cyrus hands to Mellie. Everything she asked, they gave her. Including $500,000 annual allowance for her to use as she wishes. Senator Grant flips out, saying she wants more. What else do you want, lady? DAMB. Doing the most. She turns to Cyrus and calls him soft. She thought he was better than this and was a beast. This agreement ain’t gon cut it.
I get it, because she wants to unleash the animal in him. But really, she is hurt and she wants to be wanted by her husband. No amount of ink or ask will bring her that, though. Also, how much damage can Mellie do against Fitz? They have JUST as much dirt on her as she does on them. If she wants to start playing dirty, they could just start World War 3 against each other. ALLADEM got skeletons in the closet.
Unfair Sacrifice – Cyrus goes to the Oval Office to talk to Fitz and Liv is there too. He plays gracious, almost cowering when he tells the President that his wife is not signing the agreement. She does not want all those things. What she really wants is for him not to leave her. Beene tells his old boss that the only way all of the back and forth will end is if he takes her back. Can he at least do that until he is out of the office? Fitz thanks him for the advice, he leaves and Liv grabs her coat. She needs some air.
Olivia is walking through the White House and she runs into Mellie who is searching through her giant room/closet for hooch. She needs a good DRANK. I do miss Drunk Mellie and her UGG boots and fried chicken. She finds it and offers Liv some. When she declines, FLOTUS/Senator Grant says “You don’t get to say what you don’t want. Not in here. Your wants, your needs, no one cares.” That “here” is the White House when you are there as First Lady. She points out that Liv will not be able to work with her Land of Misfit Toys Gladiators either. MELLIE, KEEP IT CUTE! Don’t be calling the Gladiators some thugs! Yes, they cut off fingers and pull teeth out. STILL. The point is, Olivia might become First Lady but that is also when she will become ornamental. All that glitters ain’t gold.
Giving Up – Liv walks into the Oval Office and says she is not going through with shouting her love of Fitz from the rooftops. President Ghost asks if she’s giving up and she says she is not ready to give up what he’s worked for her entire life.
All these damb sacrifices for what? FAH WUT?? Whatever she says goes too because President Ghost heads to the White House balcony. Who’s there? Mellie and her hooch. I peep that Fitz is wearing a red and blue tie, which kinda mirrors her dress. She tells him she will get out his hair and he turns to her looking all sincere and starts to apologize. He says he knows she will be the first female President of the United States and that he’ll support her. “I took everything you offered me over the years… I took it all and used it to get here… I didn’t always say thank you.” Fitz. These apologies of yours. They always come late and short. And at the spurring of someone else. Never from YOU. Ennehweighs, she turns to him and asks what he’s ever sacrificed for her. He, of course, does not have an answer. BUT at least he apologized and acknowledged the role she’s played in his ascent to power.
Friendship Feels – Mellie has decided to do the press interview with Fitz, and as preparations continue for it, Abby and Olivia handle their tension. Liv tells her that she absolutely believes in her ability to do her job, but she’s just not used to being the one who is the fixee, not the fixer. She apologizes to Red and all is well between them again. GOOD! I don’t want them to beef.
Later, Cyrus walks into the Oval Office to thank Fitz for taking his advice of keeping Mellie to keep the peace until he is no longer POTUS. A still shaky-voiced Cyrus then launches into a plea for his job back. He begs his friend (at one point) to see that he is his spine, “Deep down, I hope you know this. I have your back. Always.” START THE BROMANCE AGAIN!!! Take him back, Fitz!
Beene’s Bad – Because President Ghost majors in hustling backwards, he looks at Beene and tells him to leave, because he no longer works in that house. He does it in a way that was so dismissive and cold that Cyrus’ request for his job now looks like groveling. It was humiliating for him to be so utterly rejected, especially after pouring his heart out. Gahtdambit, Fitz! You need that dude on your site. But nooooo. Ugh. I just knew Cy was gon flip the table.
He goes to Mellie’s office and finds her in a black dress, getting ready to do the interview in minutes. Cy tells her to remember that her husband is a politician, and that she needs to keep herself from being played by him. A formerly confident Mellie looks like she just got a cold bucket of water thrown on her. WAKE UP, girl.
Fitz and Mellie walk together to go to the interview but she stops right outside the door. She remembers all the bullshit she’s been through with him, and she turns around and walks away. No dice. Ain’t gon be able to do it. Thank Mr. Beene.
Fixing Things – Mellie and Cyrus bounced from the White House so the interview is dead. In the oval Office, Abby asks the President to let he fix this. He scoffs but Liv tells him to trust Abby to do it. She and Liz head to the press room while Olivia stays behind to tell Fitz that her friend is about to throw her under the bus. He gets mad and wants to go stop it but she tells him to sit his ass down. “Sit there and watch me choose you.”
HEYYYYY!!! He does, and they sit on the couch in the Oval Office watching Abby handle it like Liv would have.
Burning Paris – The Gladiators are watching the news, waiting on the First Couple interview that wasn’t coming. Quinn points out that it’s crazy because the Louvre is in flames and it isn’t even being covered in anything but scrolling text at the bottom of the newscast. Jake looks concerned and leaves immediately to go run an errand. That errand is a visit to the prison where Papa Pope is. Eli is in his behind bars uniform and giggles when he sees Jake. What do you want now?? Does Olivia need saving? Ballard says nah. He ain’t here for that. He’s there because the Louvre is burning. Command looks hella interested. This must be a B613 code for something.
The cycle continues. Fitz tells Olivia he wants to make their love legit. She looks like the prospect makes her want to wall-slide all over the White House. Then she gets close to owning their affair but something always prompts her to run. In the meantime, she calls Jake from State Farm. But ultimately, when she is placed between a rock and a hard place, she finally chooses Fitz. It is usually because she is coerced, though.
Olivia’s “watch me choose you” line is a callback to season 2 episode 20 when Fitz told her the same ting as he sat on her couch in her apartment. I love when that happens. Still, their choosing is always on shaky ground. They never get to choose each other for anything more than a fleeting moment. Will that change? We shall see.
Throughout the episode, Liv was in mostly black clothes with slivers of white. It was like her white hat was battling to come out but it ain’t quite make it. I need to know the details on that jacket she first donned. She wears some striking pieces! The person donning the white hat was Abby Whelan. She took care of business, and didn’t even have to be too dishonest to do it. She invoked the spirit of Old Olivia Pope and did her job like the BAWSE she is.
Again, Fitz STAYS making wrong decisions. He should have known that Cyrus could bring his house of cards tumbling down. Mellie was totally about to do what he wanted and needed and he went ahead and messed it all up by not having the foresight and the smarts to know that Cy could be the reason it wouldn’t happen for him. Fitzgerald Grant NEEDS a puppet master because when he controls himself, he is the master of fugging up.
Meanwhile, Mellie had on her power color of red all episode. In fact, that lace dress she had on is one of my favorite things she’s ever worn on this show. I loved it!
Chile… B613 will never go away. They are roaches. The Louvre burning seems like one of their codes. What does this mean, doe? Either way, I’m glad Papa Pope is back. I have missed him terribly. Also, I’m excited at the prospect of B613 squading up again. This is going to be a heckuva ride.
Anywho, Gladiators ROAR in the comments!
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46 Comments
Lazarus One… Now we wait to see what it was, is, and will ever be
I’m over Liv and Fitz. Looking back, they both were against Mellie with Andrew but what they are doing is ok? Not ok with me. Mellie need someone in her life.
So Jake is on Papa Pope’s visitor list? That’s interesting. I’m so glad he’s back. Now we need an epic read.
Cyrus looks younger. Has lost some weight and has good hair. Nellie and Cyrus together is a dangerous match.
Also so far this season Liv hasn’t had much wine, if any. That has to mean something too.
Oh, and I’m glad Cy put that bug in Mellie’s ear. Her flashback of all those moments when Fitz want there for her was epic.
I am over Liz and Fitz as well! The back and forth is getting annoying! I miss that one season when Liv wanted nothing to do with him!
Papa Pope will come back reading and snatching edges!
I’ve noticed Liv not drinking too, she even told Jake to “have a drink for her”. Though she did have a drink at the end pf the show, I wonder if these are clues?
You know, when I think about it, I must say you have a point. The top Liv was wearing was kinda loose fitting. Sooooooo, I’m wondering if there will be a baby on board. THAT would be interesting, to say the least. 🙂
Ok I thought THE SAME THING! Maybe she’s preggy????
This show just keeps recycling the same tired storylines…. I really don’t see how they’re squeezing entire seasons out of this same round and round:
-The tragic love of Liv and Fitz
-Fitz being worthy of being President/he’s a “masterful” politician
-Cy, Mellie being manipulative
-Huck looking crazy
-Jake
Jeez they’ve got to be boring themselves, acting on this show. All the actors are more talented than staying in this rut of a storyline.
Before you ask, I did love this show, and I read the recaps hoping for some breath of fresh air in this plot; a new character or something that does more than rehash or reinforce the already overstated “badassery” of the characters. Le sigh.
My first thought when I heard “Lazarus” was Mama Pope is back to doing her terrorist thing. She has 20 years of being “dead” to make up for…
Fitz proves time and time again that he is indeed the “little boy” & “child” that Rowan & Cyrus call him. He is the most easily manipulated, lead around moron ever.
I think it’s interesting that throughout this episode Mellie, Fitz, Liv & Cy all wore red, black, white & gray. These 4 are completely intertwined. Loved Mellie’s red lace dress. While red is her power color usually she wears a suit or solid red sheath dress. This has shades of black. Perhaps as an indicator of her dark side since part of her request were out of hurt as opposed to a qwest for power. Notice she is wearing a similar lace dress for that last press conference that she runs out on. Cyrus got to her and now her actions are based on hurt. When she and Cyrus ride off she has donned a gray & red coat. She and Cyrus mirror each other .
Jake is wearing blue cause he’s true blue and reliable. I want him to get a girlfriend and stop being at the beck and call of Liv and her woes.
B613 and Papa Pope scare me. They truly gonna start some mess.
Mellie’s dress reminded me of the Dress Mrs. Obama wore on inauguration day…
I was thinking that also.
It would be pretty awesome if Jake had a girlfriend.
What if…? Jake had to meet with Mellie about something and they realized they had some chemistry? That would be interesting. That would piss off Fitz and Liv to no end.
I’m mad you used a GIF of my boo-thang Dean Winchester to make a point. I hollered when I saw it. YAAAASSSSSS! I can’t wait for Daddy Pope to start fugging things up again and doing his Minister Daddy Pope Farrakhan dialogue. Because we all know it’s coming.
Olitz. *yawn* But when Cy and Mellie drove off, I was like…its about to go down! THEM 2??? They are the ones to watch. His pep talk to Mellie, his dismissal of Liz, Mellie’s monologue in the closet (coming out of the closet has been a theme before), Mellie wearing black when she saw the light…I was here for all.of.it! #unleashthebeasts
I ain’t gon never love the Fitz and Liv story. Chile he is somebody’s husband–period. It’s called cheating. That’s not romantic or sexy to me. End of story.
Anyways that flashback Mellie had hit to the core. She is alot of things but it reminded you that she has been through hell being married to the likes of Fitz. She had a choice to leave or stay but in that politics game divorce is a career death sentence for the politician and the former spouse. Either way I was pissed how Fitz treated Cyrus so I hope Cyrus old evil ass gives him pure hell.
Okay, but…in fairness, Fitz has said for ages that he doesn’t want to be this woman’s husband any more. As much as I despise Fitz and think Liv is the biggest fool breathing, Mellie doesn’t have the right to hold him hostage the way she’s done for years and years. The man doesn’t want to be president and doesn’t want to be Mellie’s husband, and he has gone through great lengths to try to break him off. A lot of this is on Mellie. She could’ve gone out with dignity had she left the poor guy go.
I totally agree with EVERYTHING you said ????????????
Cyrus#awomanscorned
Ma’am. MA’AM. LOL A woman scorned?!
Yes Lawd. Cyrus might have ghost wrote a few chapters of Diary of a Mad Black Woman. Just evil.
Olitz is everything!
Looking forward to watching them fight for their love.
Best scene: Liv chooses Fitz in return!
I agree Anne. I will never tire of their love. It’s not right, but I want it to be okay! They have so much chemistry it’s ridiculous.
Shoot, I am not even sappy like that, but it’s something about those two that get me going.
Poor Jake still thinks he has a chance. He needs a boo and a bae and some business of his own. Didn’t he have a job before he met Liv? He’s like that bugaboo that Destiny’s Child used to sing about. Begone brother! Liv doesn’t even respect him. She cares for him, but he does not have her heart.
Is it bad I only got interested in this episode when they said the Louvre was burning? I’m so beyond done with this Olitz thing.
No it’s not bad! It’s truthful! Let’s get back to “somethings burning in Paris” cause Papa and Mama Pope are about to turn up the heat! Any Why Papa Pope look so cool in prison! Like he’s the daddy of all inmates! Maybe he’s recruiting for new “soldiers”
I’m definitely over Olitz. I wasn’t nearly as moved with her choosing him as I was when he chose her back in season 2. Probably because I hate the way he’s playing with Mellie’s emotions. It’s just cruel. And the red and black lace dress Mellie was rocking was giving me major Michelle Obama inauguration dress vibes. It was almost identical in its design.
First let me say, Luvvie, I love your recaps (I live for them) and I love how you read colors. I never pick those things up.
Secondly, let me say, I hated last night show and at one point I was 100% Olitz, but now I find them to be two ridiculous people. Fitz is weak and mean. Olivia is selfish and silly. I agree with the person who said this is not romantic, it is cheating and anyone who thinks a happily ever after can come out of this foolishness is … The only thing worth watching about last night’s show was Jake and Papa Pope. Everything else was so cartoonish. I mean really Olivia was curled up on the sofa in the Oval office. Fitz put Mellie out in front of his whore, like she was trespassing. What did Areatha say, oh yeah, “Aint No Way” Well I say Aint no DAMN way, you gone put me out of my house for your sidepiece. Secret service would had to sit on my head after I tore them and that Oval office up. Olivia should have been ashamed to see a man talk to a woman like that. My grandmother always said, he leave her for you, he is going to leave you for the next her. This really showed that Olivia has no class or upbringing. I know my Scandal days are numbered because I lost all respect for OLIVIA POPE.
Most divorces start out with one spouse (the man or the woman) finding love in another place, and yes, second marriages do work out and people do have happily ever afters.
I don’t believe a woman OR a man should stay in a marriage when the love and sex is gone – and I also believe if the tables were turned and Mellie wanted out of the marriage conversations on this and other message boards would be different. People would vilify Fitz for NOT letting Mellie out of the marriage to find happiness.
As for a side piece, Fitz has never treated treated Liv as a side piece – the man is willing to move mountains for her. Millie has a marriage on paper only, which entitles her to his social security benefits and pension plan.
I have no respect for women like Mellie – she a pathetic creature that doesn’t deserve my respect. Millie should have left the marriage a long time ago – but she clings onto Fitz for dear life even though she knows the marriage is over. She doesn’t even use the words Love, but instead partnerships – like they are in a business arrangement – who wants to live like this.
If I could lift more than one finger from this fainting couch Scandal left me lying across, I could type a little faster. I can’t ride roller coasters like I used to.
(Side note: have you seen Ms. Rimes slim, sassy and snatched to the Gods self lately? Looking good ma’am – looking real good.)
Mellie did every shady, underhanded thing under the sun to be FLOTUS and now she’s crying like somebody did something to her?! Heffa please. You don’t get to pray for rain then cry when you get wet.
Why does everyone have to apologize to Poor Mellie for the wrongs done to her and the “sacrifices” that no one asked her to make, but mellie never has to take ownership or apologize for the things she has done? Why does she get to hypocritically spew “whore” at Liv when she not only facilitated their relationship when it benefited her, but was caught on her knees by her daughter with Uncle Andrew’s ballsack between her horse teeth?
Oh that’s right, because she’s the poor, defenseless white woman–sanctified by rape–who’s too good for this world and the victim of her evil husband whose the Worst because he doesn’t love or want her, and thus deserves to have everything handed to her entitled ass because she’ll be damned if she actually has to work for it.
She didn’t just happen to sign up for life as a political wife. She wanted to be FLOTUS as a little girl, and schemed with her own father and Fitz’s to get that life. She married a man she didn’t love. She had kids she didn’t want. She exploited her rape for political capital. She pimped her husband out to another woman. She faked a miscarriage for sympathy to get the female vote when she and Fitz hadn’t had sex in over a decade. She completely exploited baby Teddy, after she willingly risked killing him by inducing early to manipulating Fitz into stopping divorce talk. She’s been a sketchy, underhanded, dishonest bitch to get exactly what she wanted but now she wants to cry “Martyr!” like somebody pushed it on her.
Girl, bye.
All of this is true, but you speak as if Mellie is uniquely awful in this regard. Everyone one of these damb fools needs an exorcism on this show! But while we’re watching, I’m willing to tolerate Mellie’s villainy. even admire her opportunism and cunning. But Liv has fast become my least favorite part of the show. Her manipulative-ness knows no bounds, but she imagines herself morally superior to everyone. When has she ever taken responsibility for anything? I’ll wait. At least when Mellie’s schemes blow up in her face she admits that she has only herself to blame, and she never waits on anybody else to dig her out like a doe-eyed princess. Blecch!
When has Mellie ever taken responsibility for what she has done? Millie blames everyone except herself. She was the one who encouraged Fitz’s affair with Olivia (remember, she invited Olivia to the state dinner because Fitz needed to see her). Millie did everything to encourage Fitz and Olivia’s relationship except turn back the covers on the bed.
Mellie blames others at first but then she always eventually contemplates where she effed up so she can scheme better next time. Unlike Fitz who doesn’t seem to learn from anything and lets everybody clean up his mess. And unlike Olivia who has yet to acknowledge even on the most basic level of shame the way she uses people and expects them to stick around. I’m not saying Mellie is a good person.. I’m saying she’s self-aware in ways that nobody else is on the show, except maybe Cyrus.
I watched every show (bought Season 1 and 2) and admit, I have never seen Mellie contemplate shit. Mellie just strikes me as having the typical “white women entitlement” syndrome. She feels that she is “owed” because, according to her, she sacrificed so much – but newsflash – nobody asked her to do it. I’m on point and told my friends, family and associates, if you do something for me and if its not from the heart and if you are going to constantly remind me that you did it, then don’t do it. As Fitz stated, nobody asked Mellie to make these sacrifices. Hell, the type of person that Fitz is, if Mellie would have had the “balls” to run for office, there is no doubt in my mind that Fitz would have supported her politically. But instead, she latched onto Fitz coat strings because she felt that he was very well liked and had all the attributes that she doesn’t have (reference her dinner with her sister)
I don’t like Mellie – I don’t like women like Mellie. I don’t like white women like Mellie. There, I said it.
Girl, I’m gonna need you to make a list of all the times that Mellie has taken responsible for something that she did. You literally just made that shit up, because it has not happened in five seasons.
Did Mellie take responsibility for Sally Langston murdering her husband after she and Cyrus set him up with James? As I recall, she didn’t give two shits that he was dead. She clapped her hands in glee because this surely meant that Sally wouldn’t run. What they hadn’t bargained for was the guilt that Sally would feel, so she got on the debate podium ready to confess her sins on national TV. Something that would have landed Cyrus and Mellie in jail with her bible thumping ass. Guess who took responsibility though? Yes, Fitz. In order for Sally to feel saved, Fitz had to get up there and deliberately throw the debate.
Did Mellie take responsibility when she told the families of the Kashfari hostages that America would negotiate with terrorists, and she was caught by a reporter saying so? No she did not.
Did Mellie take responsibility for her daughter catching her on her knees, with Andrew’s dick in her mouth? No she did not.
Has Mellie ever acknowledged that she had a heavy hand in killing hers and Fitz’s marriage after she was raped by bargaining with Big Jerry for the California governorship instead of just telling her husband that his father had raped her? No she did not. Instead she blamed Fitz for ten years, while he stayed faithful and sexless. She told Andrew though, so it’s not even like she didn’t tell a soul.
Did she take responsibility for forging the letter reinstatement while Fitz was lying in a coma after getting shot in the head for something that he played no part in? No she did not. Instead Olivia had to do all she could to buy them time, and then Fitz had to get up from his hospital bed a week after getting shot to go to Sally Langston to make sure that Mellie’s ass didnt land in jail.
Did Mellie take responsibility for the terrible relationship she has with her sister, and the terrible way she’d apparently treated her all her life? No, she did not, she blamed Fitz and he had to go and smooth things over for her.
And there are so many other occasions that Mellie has screwed up shit, and Olivia and Fitz have had to rescue her stupid ass.
Your comments that Mellie always takes responsibility for her actions makes it obvious that you watch this show with one ear and half an eye, then wait to see what other people are saying.
This last episode was the worst. All that pandering to Mellie, a woman who’s husband has been trying to divorce her for eleventy nine years, and she keeps digging her heels in. She is the architect of her own destruction, let her drown in her white privileged tears. She chose the life she’s living, and she continued to choose it, even when given plenty of opportunity to choose a different path. Let that be a woman who was trying to divorce her husband and he used every trick in the book to bind her to him, you all would be screaming “patriarchy!” at the top of your voices.
When a woman begs her husband’s mistress to come and service him like she’s a plantation mistress, and Olivia is her light coloured house slave, she’s got no room to complain about her lot in life because she chose to do those things.
Now, run along and get me that list of Mellie taking action for the shit she does, you’ll soon find tHat she blames everybody else for her mess. Every time. I accept your apology for being a bandwagon jumper who apparently can’t see the wood for the trees though.
Bull.
You have obviously chosen to confuse Mellie with Olivia. You can hate on Olivia’s beauty and resourcefulness, etc. but do not ever think that you can tell a blatant lie about utterly lazy, entitled, short-sighted mellie taking responsibility for her actions or digging herself out of the messes she’s created because that ish has NEVER, EVER happened. And no, her fake-ass apology to Fitz in 501 doesn’t count– she was just trying to beg her way back into the White House. All of her wrongdoings are couched in history-rewriting “I”ve sacrificed!” and “Everyone owes me for my bad life choices!” sentiment because she refuses to own the fact that she is the architect of her own miserable existence.
I will never be here for her pathetic, entitled, retconned, martyr-ed cloak of white woman privelege.
“slowly claps”. I don’t get into this white women victimization bullshit that Scandal has turned into. This show went from a powerful black fixer with a messy love life (affair) to Martyr Mellie and I hate it. The heavy handedness the writers are using to make Mellie some type of hero is flat out sickening. And now she is running for President – what the hell has she done that makes her qualified to be president?
Other than being an entitled brat who “wants to run the world”? Not a thing.
All the applause to this post. I tuned into the show to watch Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope; I am NOT here for some bullshit bait-and-switch where the limited BY gets way too much screen time, endlessly screeching and growling through gritted teeth about what a fucking victim she is when nothing could be further from the truth.
I don’t like Mellie and will never care about her character–no amount of
retconned rapes that magically appear out of thin air, or neglected children are offed for sympathy points will make this happen. If I wanted to watch a show about a TRULY wronged political wife, I would watch The Good Wife.
I couldn’t agree more. You said everything I was thinking. Why is everyone feeling sorry for Mellie? She brought all of this on herself. When a man doesn’t want you, have some dignity and let him go. Fitz has told her many times that he loves Liv. She knew he was never going to give up Liv and she was content to hang in there for the sake of appearances and because she wants the connection for her plan of becoming president. At one point she was happy when Liv was back in the relationship with Fitz. It was okay for her to sleep around with Andrew and help with the cover up when Sally murdered her husband, but now she’s a saint. I don’t feel sorry for Mellie or Cyrus who was willing to have his husband killed a couple seasons ago. Yes, the affair with Liv and Fitz is wrong, but that’s the point of the show. If it wasn’t for their love and relationship, the show would just be Quinn and Huck cutting people up.
One last thing–why do we need Lizzie Bear AND Abby at the WH. Either get Liz out or send Abby back to Olivia’s business.
You betta say it!
“Girl bye” Thanks for that!
I am trying to hang in there with Shonda and them but these storylines are tapdancing on my last good nerve with all this back and forth. Either you want the man or you don’t, and Liv cannot make up her mind. And Jake needs to stop letting her treat him like one of her homegirls. He is lurking in the wings just waiting for her to change her mind so he can come on back and be the clean up man.
When Fitz dismissed Cyrus without even bothering to look up from those papers he was looking through, I thought that all hell was about to break loose. First Mellie called his man a whore (just because it’s true doesn’t make it right) and said that he was soft, then the boy President brushed him off like he was a gnat. You do not treat someone that petty with that kind of disregard – he knows where alllllllll the bodies are buried and is not going to keep silent forever.
Mellie can forget about occupying the Oval office and ought to be glad she managed to win that senate seat. I do feel sorry for her to an extent, but this sense of entitlement is ridiculous. You don’t get to be president because you put in your time with a selfish cheat.
You know, I thought I was the only one who picked up that Mellie called Cyrus’s husband a whore. I was taken aback because I like Michael, and my heart bled when he had the dinner with his parents (the ring is one of my favorite episodes of scandal).
I’m tired of the back and forth also. I seriously think that Shonda and writers are winging it at this point. There is no clear cut path for the story line and they have retconned the characters so many times I lost count. Everything that is happening in Scandal right now should have happened during Season 3, when Fitz told Olivia that he was running down the clock on his marriage and chose her. It seems as if Scandal is going around into one big circle with absolutely no movement.
Yeah, she likes throwing that word around like she has some kind of moral high ground.
Cyrus may be a low down dirty monkey with a wig on, but at least he is honest about what he is.
I too think the writers are winging it and wonder how the show is going to wrap up. I mean those two can never be together or that is the end of the show right there. But all this back and forth is maddening.
I’m just glad that Daddy Pope is back on the scene because this season is getting off to a rough start.
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I remember when I used to get really excited for Scandal to come on. Like put the kids to bed at 6pm and unplug the phone, pop the corn and pour the wine. Nowadays, not so much. I’m trying to stay loyal, but I need for Liv and Fitz to stop being CEO and Driver of the Struggle Bus and get it together. Either you’re in it or your not. Mellie and Cyrus ain’t going to let it happen, so stop acting surprised when they keep at their shenanigans. I’m hanging in through the season, but I hope that some of the Season 1 flair comes back.
these words aren’t mine, I found them as part of a larger conversation, but it perfectly illustrates the problem with Mellie Grant and her woe-is-me rhetoric that’s being currently used by the writers to demonise Fitz.
“Picture this:
A man saying “I’ll never sign” divorce papers.
A man making enormous demands in exchange for a divorce, then getting it all and still saying “No, it’s not enough”.
A woman asking her husband for a divorce and her husband endangering the life of one of their children to keep her from leaving.
A woman asking her husband for a divorce and her husband going on live television and telling everyone that she is cheating on him.
A man colluding with two other people behind a woman’s back to get that woman to marry him so he can reach his lifelong goal of the White House.
A man telling his wife that it doesn’t matter that she never asked for all the things he gave her, she still owes him everything.
A woman being told that since she had kids with her husband, she needs to stay tied to him for the rest of her life.
A man withdrawing from his wife emotionally, physically, and sexually, and giving her a fake reason while making those connections with other women, then blaming her for not reading his mind.
A man hiding traumatic experiences like rape and a suicide attempt from his wife, then telling her “You were never there for me”.
A man throwing his wife’s suicide attempt in her face.
A man telling his wife who has found another person she loves, “You see him again and I’ll blow you away.”
A woman telling a (unsolicited) critic that she had an affair because she fell in love and said critic responding “You don’t get to be happy or human like the rest of us.”
A woman being fired from her job/blacklisted in her field because others don’t approve of her personal life.
And see if every single person rooting for Mellie doesn’t stroke out from sheer rage.”
@Kendall – I’ve been screaming the same thing (on different websites). I can’t believe women, especially black women, would sympathize with Mellie Grant.
She was raped (plot device because those of us who watched Season 1 and 2, the rape came out of the blue) – I get it, but you don’t hold someone you supposedly love (your husband) hostage for 10 years, denying him emotional and sexual companionship – instead you get help.
If, as you state, the tables were turned, and what is happening to Fitz happened to the Mellie, I don’t know a female in the U.S. who would be rooting against her. And to cap it off, I don’t understand how Mellie can stay in a marriage, or be willing to endure this marriage without any type of physical contact from her husband. Is Mellie asexual and don’t need the touch of a man?
Abby took her shoes off to run to cancel the interview
Mellie had her shoes off when Abby spoke to her in her office
Olivia had her shoes off AND feet up on the couch in the oval office
What does it mean????