Happytobehere

I decided to watch this season upon hearing of Tim O's casting in a multi arc guest spot. It started out to be much better than I would have guessed and I thought I might stick around permanently. However, the last three or four episodes turned into Fox's version of a bad CW show, pimping a chemistry-less couple, whose interactions are eating the show. So once Tim O goes, I'll be gone as well. To bad, so much promise trashed in the name of silly twu-luv angst.

However, in E's defense, something I never thought I would say because, she really is the worst of all her daughters rolled into one package, if you know that she is bitter towards Braxton and chooses not to interact with him on any level, you should tell her when he is coming. This will allow her to prepare for his presence and find a way to at least be civil to him. She managed to swallow her bile when they met to discuss Tamar later, and that was because she was not caught off-guard. I just can't with Toni and Birdman. Aside from his look, which I can look beyond because the content of his character and all, but knowing the little I know about him and the Wayne situation, I can't accept him on any level and am troubled that Toni, the mother of two young boys seems to be perfectly okay with having this guy around. I still love Toni, but I watch her with the crooked-eye whenever this aspect of her life plays out on-screen.

I like this theory. I was more on the line of thinking that Lady Mae had decided to go off with a Tim Reid's character when she discovered she was pregnant with Grace, thereby forcing her to stay with the husband and life she had decided se didn't really want. This explains her resentment if not outright hatred of Grace makes sense as Lady Mae blames her for ruining her chance at the life and happiness she wanted. The Bishop being completely Team Grace only serves to exacerbate her disdain towards Grace because it almost becomes a scase of 'Of course you would love this child who chained me to you and took my dreams away.' I think Charity is setting herself up for a fall if she walked away from Kevin because of Jabari, who I suspect might be gay. I think she should have ended he relationship with Kevin because at the very least he is bisexual and lied to her. At most he is gay and will be having affairs with men sooner than later because if he was struggling with his desires when she didn't know, her getting back with him would allow Kevin to see Charity as co-signing on his interests.

I felt no sympathy for Abby when Liv was smacking the taste out of her mouth. Being a domestic violence survivor does not mean she gets a pass on the ish she does. Abby is simply a horrible person (yes, they all are), but she's been drinking her own snowflake laced koolaid for far too long. IMO, Quinn should have been allowed to beat the living crap out of Abby. Not forgiving her, not now, not ever. I'm just glad my DVR prevented me from seeing Liv forgive her, or I might have been begging for a sniper to take them both out. Fitz is a trashbot and I can't stand him. The ultimate example of entitlement, privilege and unworthiness defending and insisting on the forgiveness of his female counterpart. The only person truly worth caring about on this show was Susan Ross, so naturally, she could not be left standing in the cesspool of Scandal. Having said all that, I loved this episode, and I am actually happy that Huck lives because he is probably one of the characters least deserving of a horrible death. Given that he's a sociopathic, torturing mass murderer, what does that say about the rest of the bunch?

Last week Chris Brown, this week Raven Simone --- Why show why? My girl a Ruby: Blew up Pops' boat. Shot Pops. Blew up Pops other boat. Shot Pops again. I don't blame her because how did a man too poor to buy his children Christmas present get money for not ONE but TWO boats. Not mad about the cheating either, Pops cheated on her multiple times and is never called on it, but aruby's reactions to him are discussed all the time. That's some Black Mamma love sleeping with Dre's teachers to help him succeed. Junior's gonna Junior. Dre remains a b***h baby. Bow's attack on Zoe and defense of Junior, speak volumes about her and not in a good way. Will she do Junior the same way? Doubt it.

I really like this entire post. We have been so focused on Scottie and Tom and their true identities, for the reveal to be that Tom is Christopher and Scottie is Scottie, but Howard is the fake would be great. It would also solidify Scottie and Tom's connection. I initially thought the reveal would be that Tom is not Christopher, but now I really want Tom to actually be Scottie's son, and I would also love to see the look on Solomon's face once the connection is confirmed and revealed. If I could be presumptuous and change one thing, I would change the timing of the Howard switch. Scottie has referrenced the change in Howard's behavior more that once, what if Howard was switched put sometime ago, via the same Russian town or some other similar plot. Unfortunately, the show doesn't seem to be doing well in the ratings, which is a shame because I really believe being saddled with The Blacklist tag, which prevented people from tuning in. IMO, this show is much better than the mothership, but with my luck, Redemption will be cancelled and the mothership will go on for at least one more horrendous season.

TV Line's latest on Pitch's chances for renewal: Pitch: Pitch: A safe bet

I'm more distracted by the massive amount of plastic surgery Helen Hunt has had. It does her no favors.

This makes no sense. When Abby was told that Jennifer was dead. She specifically asked about Huck and was tod he would not be talking. So please, she knew that Huck was a casualty and by asking what about him, it was clear to me that she was at best aware of and at worst fine with that outcome.

I too think Trina is out as a suspect in Tamar's mind, and I'm not just saying this because she's my favorite sister and it being her would break my heart (so you know I think Trina's in the wrong if I sided with Tamar in their battle), but because of both the money offer and Trina knowing first-hand what tabloid leaks designed to embarrass you in your relationship feels like, so I don't think she'd go there. The move also doesn't seem to fit with the Trina we have seen these many seasons. Towanda is not above doing it because I remember her comments to the media about Vince and Tamar and their finances in the past, but she actually did that in the open, so I think Tamar has nixed her based on the prior incidents. Traci's hostility and now more present need than ever for Tamar to be in the wrong suggests someone who is protesting her victimization too much, and that's usually a sign of someone who feels guilty about something. So yeah, Traci is my pick as well.

I agree that Tamar leaves a lot to be desired and have always and will always say so, but where is Trina's responsibility in all of this? If Tamar is so nasty and has a nasty energy, then why ask her opinion? More importantly, Tamar said nothing wrong. She was asked and offered a response. She said the chicken was too sweet and needed salt, so she put salt on it after getting clarification on why the chicken was so sweet and asking if salt was part of the flavoring process. She did not refuse to eat the food; she didn't say the food was disgusting; she didn't spit it out or gag on it; she said it was too sweet. Then in the nasty attack of all nasty attacks, Tamar said Trina should have fries in her restaurant, something the other sisters co-signed on and Trina's own cook said people ask for all the time; how dare she be so vicious. If the issue is you don't like how Tamar says things, again the answer is simple and on Trina, simply don't ask her. If the issue is you don't want the perception of excluding her, do your tasting when Tamar is at home in California so you don't have to worry about extending the invite. Tamar also did not attack Trina's ability to run a business. Again, she was asked and stated without any venom that Barchicks was just getting started and opening a new restaurant before the flagship is on fully solid footing -- something the financial advisor told her. Just because Tamar didn't tell Trina what she wanted to hear doesn't make Tamar the villain, nor does it mean that she was insulting Trina's business skills. The fact that Tamar offered to assist with financial backing shows she wasn't anti-Trina, but rather anti-Trina starting something she might not be able to maintain financially, a move which could cost her the business she currently has. I also don't see Tamar's miscarriage reveal was a manipulation. She had the miscarriage a week before she went to Atlanta. All the sisters mentioned at various points that they hadn't really connected in a while, so when was she supposed to have told them; something like this is not a thing people want to share over the telephone, or tell three separate times in three phone calls. Even if she saw them everyday, it is not unusual for people to keep a pregnancy secret until they are months in and certain the pregnancy was on solid footing. This would be especially true for someone with fertility issues. The fact that it just happened the week before is also important to note. Can Tamar actually deal with her loss and her pain before running to tell a group of women who clearly don't care for her as a person. Even if she felt loved beyond love from her sisters, sometimes, the pain is too raw and too fresh to share until you can fully process. Tamar made her reveal in the midst of being made to feel that she was less than and not someone who had actual feelings. Her response was in defense of herself because she was once again being attacked, the tone and the comments, especially from Trina were designed to be hurtful to Tamar. We have seen other situations where Tamar is the one being made to apologize and the response she gets be it from Trina, Traci, and Towanda is the same -- B***h face and posture that says I'm not here for it. If Tamar comment on the reactions she get, the responses are similar to hers, questioning the sincerity of what was said and being told it is too soon for whichever sister to be out of her feelings. Just as Trina's comments about Mommy watching Logan was not delivered in a "I'm concerned about Mommy's age and the toll watching Logan might take on her" posture, it was delivered in a why are you using Mommy when you have other resources. While Evelyn's age might be an issue, it wasn't the true source of the jab, it was to insult Tamar. Considering that Trina wasn't a stay at home mother, and that Gabe did a good deal of the parenting when Trina was not there, something she herself has acknowledged, that comment was hitting below the belt and designed to be just that, a nasty and unnecessary comment. To me, as others have also posted, the reaction from the sisters when Tamar revealed the miscarriage and why she was in a bad space revealed so much. The "So what, who cares?" looks said it all. Compare those reactions to the reaction from Toni. Were I Tamar, I would feel no need to rush and share my business with these women either. The thing that I find that was glossed over is Tamar asserting that one of her sisters was telling tabloid stories about her. I don't know if it is true, and I hope it is not true, but the fact that it was mentioned to Tamar and she could believe it speaks volumes about the relationship that exists between her and the three sisters. Sadly, if it is true, based on what we have been seeing from Tamar's interactions with Traci, Towanda and Trina, I can speculate as to which one is behind the leaks. Overall, I guess it is just sad that we as viewers can see all sides, even if we are not necessarily on the side of the sister perceived as being in the wrong. But then again, we are not in the argument, and as bystanders we are in the position to have a more objective reaction to the points being made. To end on a positive note, I hope the sisters can work through their issues. I really like this show as someone who does not care for reality tv because it is about real sisters and their interactions and I love when the ladies are in harmony in their sisterhood as it seems to make them so happy and that happiness really shines through.

I agree. This is the first time in forever that I didn't watch live and actually ff through the commercials and some part of the actual show. I feel nothing for Abby and no amount of spin-doctoring will change the fact that she arranged for Jennifer to be killed and was told clearly that Huck, who was there when the murder took place, wouldn't talk. You are in league with murderers, just arranged a murder yourself and somehow didn't know that Huck was the latest victim? The thought that this mess has been renewed for another season is actually depressing at this point. Unless things magically turn around, I suspect that will watch the remainder of the season, like I watched this episode. If I return for what will hopefully be the final season, it will be because of the completionist gene in me. I've been watching Scandal since the first episode and it saddens me to watch what this show has become. Wish I had listened to the people who tried to warn me and others about the abyss that is a Shondaland show.

I deleted it the minute I realized this was the episode Brown was in. I usually watch right after Empire, but no this week.

You are either in my head or we are long-lost mental twice because these are my thoughts word for word. ??

I'm fine with the Abby twist because Abby has shown her deep-seeded hatred for and jealousy of Olivia and her power-hungry head-tripping multiple times, and as the saying goes, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them." It is people's refusal to do this that would cause surprise about the Abby reveal. Just as people continue to try and believe Liv isn't utterly awful despite her repeatedly showing what a nightmare she is. (I personally could get behind the show more if they acknowledged the truth about Liv and made Scandal about her growth, redemption and return to being a gladiator via the use of the old CotW format). I think they might go with Huck being dead because although like others, I too thought of the head shot thing, but if you go back to the shooting scene, as the scene cuts to commercial, you hear the gun go off again, which is presumably the head shot. Additionally, there has not been a major character taken out since Harrison's death and that was dictated by the ass-holery of the actor, so I could see Shonda saying it is time for a major character to go, and they eliminated a great deal of the Huck support/sympathy when they had him go all psycho a season or two ago, so, with his back-story resolved, and not being able to really move forward with him romantically because of said psycho turn, it makes sense that his character would be the one to go. However, the verbiage used when talking to Abby gives the show an out if they decide to have Huck be alive. Granted the out will be ridiculous but then, so is this show. If I'm not mistaken, I think the poster meant these character focused episodes are being done for Kerry the person not Kerry's character because they have to shoot around her pregnancy, which is the reason behind the shortened season to begin with. With each of these episode, Kerry likely did a day or two of shooting at most for each episode, and then got to leave the heavy-lifting as it were to her co-stars.

I think jealousy is at the root of most of the sisters' problems with Tamar. They are jealous of her relationship with Toni. As the youngest, Toni always babied her and was identified as being responsible for the creation of the "TaMonster." When their parents' relationship fell apart, Toni took Tamar in and essentially finished raising her. Tamar lived with Toni for years, thus solidifying and deepening the closeness that was already there. Towanda all but admitted as much during early seasons and we saw her trying to sabotage that closeness. Add to that Tamar's ability to actually have a successful career independent of Toni, something none of the others have been able to do. Lastly, they know that were it not for Tamar and her ability to get Toni to do things (albeit this was aided by Toni's financial problems) there would be no show, so now the other sisters are begrudgingly beholden to Tamar because she is the cause of their celebrity and income. Notice their fury at the Tamar and Vince spin-off, which is a constant reminder that she can survive absent BFV and their hostility towards the broadway show, which they saw as an opportunity for Tamar to take center stage over them, rather than an opportunity for them to broaden their brand and deepen their pockets. And I say all of this as someone who has long been on team Tamar's Too Much, but it is what it is and it's getting pretty obvious at this point. Like others, I agree that while Andre may be a leaching load, he was the primary care-giver and people on this board have long speculated that these free of charge services played a large part in her keeping this guy around. And as Watermelon noted, if the roles were reversed and Towanda stood at home while Andre was mostly away pursuing a career no one would question Towanda asking for primary custody of the children. Based on what we have seen, I think Andre has a strong case for custody and possession of the primary residence, and substantial spousal support, if nothing else. Also, let's not forget the long, shady past of these two that people referencedduring the first season, with the implications of scamming people, and I have always wondered if part of the reason Andre was allowed to hang around as the show launched, even though he and Towanda were supposedly conscientiously uncoupled for some time prior to the launching of the show was that he had dirt on her that they didn't want coming out as they were crafting the BFV brand. Now several seasons in and further removed from these actions, Towanda now feels free to jettison the baggage that is Andre.

The ridiculousness of this episode proves that Scandal should not have been renewed for another season. It was bad enough that B613 was an impossible agency, now we get the even more impossible, blatantly racist agency that makes B613 look like a joke. And as per usual, Olivia remains the absolute worst.

Just binged this. So everyone correctly guessed that Piper was the killer and Kieran was her accomplice by about the midway point of Season One and it was revealed to be true. Kieran's capture still doesn't address who the other killer was be that personmhis accomplice or simply a second killer. I would like for it to be one of the core four, but this show won't go there, so as viewers suspect, it will most likely be Stavo.

I thought based on the comments made that James was dating Mavis and ditched her for the perhaps more surface respectability of Lady Mae. People speculated last season that Gigi was actually the product of that relationship, but given Lady Mae's contempt for Gigi, I think she would have mentioned it at some point with the blaming Gigi for everything that is wrong with her life. I too wouldn't be surprised if it turns out that there is a love child that will pop up at some point during the show. As much as I dislike, or the least don't always care for Lady Mae, I never thought she knew about Mack molesting Faith. Nothing in her demeanor or actions last season, or in this episode lead to me think that the thoughts and feelings she presented were anything other than honest. What I did think last season was that Mack definitely knew about the father molesting Lady Mae, it was in the subtle, nasty comments he would make about Mae's relationship with the father. Given the issues of colorism that seem to be at play in how Mavis feels and the way she was treated, I find it interesting that she has a super close relationship with Gigi and doesn't appear to have much of a relationship with the lesser favored, dark-skinned, Charity; which could give credence to the Gigi is her daughter speculation. It would also lend a deeper level to Lady Mae's dislike for Gigi, if she is the product of James' relationship with Mavis. I actually would like to see the issue of colorism addressed because it is real and continues to damage black people. Mack needs to get what is coming to him. He is absolutely vile.

Laurence Fishburne has launched a podcast that he runs along with Lorenz Tate. It is a throwback to the radio days where they are telling a serialized story about an African American community. It is really good and draws you in almost immediately. The name of the podcast is Bronzville, it is available on iTunes and has actually spawned its own fan cast of people coving each serialized episode. In addition to running the cast, he serves as an actor on it (his voice sounds so smooth), so does Tracee Ellis Ross. I imagine getting the podcast underway and running it along with continuing to do other acting jobs is taking up a bulk of his time. But yeah, I too anxiously await the return of Pops.

Great episode. Highlights include: Above mentioned Charlie realizing that his son might be his nephew. Diane being on point in all things -- this is a presentation of her character I can work with. Jack being stepped on by Diane and remaining on the ground so that Dre stepped on him. Dre pointing out the preposterous fact that having already been stepped on, Jack remained on the floor, which enabled someone else to step on him. Ruby being all kinds of awesome -- the show is really making good use of Jennifer Lewis this season. Problems with the episode: Junior being made a creepy stalker Dre's blatant favoritism of Zoe -- I never blame Diane when she lets him know she is not here for Dre, as he is less than loving toward her.

It was great to see Vince and Tamar's faces when he talked about not having to take 13 or more pills a day.

I'm with your on this. I didn't think Frank killed Mahoney when it happened and the confession never rang true to me. The closest I came was when he said it to Wes in the car as a means of proving he didn't kill Rebecca. However, if Im not mistaken, Frank had the gun that was used to kill Mahoney -- he had it when he framed the son, although, that too can be reasonably explained away if you assume Frank knows who actually did it. But if the show ever chooses to revisit this, I would not be surprised if it was evealed that Frank didn't do it, but with Wes gone, I dont know what would prompt the show to revisit this topic.

Because the horrid Higlemonster luvs the equally horrid Ava as much as she despises Kayla. She has a long tack record where she have proven this repeatedly. I came back for the wedding and was out again because I knew that Higlemonster giving the viewers the wedding was the precursor to her letting her Kayla hate fly. I am back out until her reign has fully ended and that kid better go te way of Higlemonster herself, cause I'm not here for Kayla to continue to be the repository for the shit-show that is Steven Earl Johnson's existence.Kayla deserves a man whose love does not require her to be hurt as frequently as people breath, while being made to take it lest she is a bad person.

TBO, Scandal needs to end this season. The final episode should be the resolution of the presidency and some sort of indication of what happens to the characters -- Please don't give me Liv with Putz as a series ender. I would like to have Cyrus orchestrate Liv's downfall. I'm still team Jake, but right now, I don't think that even Jake at his worst should be saddled with the horror that is Olivia Pope.