S04.E05: The Key

[Tara Ariano]

Conclusion. Jake doesn't return Olivia's calls, which distracts her from Catherine's case. Elsewhere, Cyrus continues to get tangled up with Michael; David gets a taste of victory; and Fitz wants answers about Jerry's demise.

[TheOtherOne]

I can't believe Olivia believed her father. Jake isn't the one who knew Olivia desperately wanted Fitz to win--Rowan was. She should know this. She said it RIGHT TO HIM RIGHT BEFORE THE KID WAS KILLED. I kept waiting for her to say, "No, YOU are the one who knew how badly I wanted Fitz to win. Plus, you wanted to break us up, and you hated my mother enough to frame her." And yet somehow, despite having her father clearly articulate a motivation that only works for Rowan himself, she buys it as a motive for Jake? Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid.

 

I can't stand characters being this willfully stupid--and bad guys just walking around getting away with it because of the stupidity. It's not entertaining. It's So Fucking Frustrating.

Edited October 24, 2014 by TheOtherOne

[CofCinci]

Mellie's taking a shower, y'all!  She's totally going to kill Jake.

 

Rest of the episode: Meh.

[againstthewind]

Olivia is an idiot.

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Really, Shonda?

[janeta]

Hooo boy, Mellie's gone over the edge.

Someone please tell me what happened in the cold open? I missed it... Thx.

[prospazzinator]

Fitz is so freaking stupid and Olivia Pope isn't even Olivia Pope anymore. No wonder Papa Pope is winning. These people are self-absorbed morons.

[PrincessTT]

If either Fitz or Olivia stopped to actually think about it then the truth would be so blindingly obvious to them.

[bmoore4026]

The theme for tonight's episode was "You were better off..."

 

Olivia and Jake, you were better off in the tropics.

 

David, you were better off without those files.

 

Huck, you were better off when you didn't know your family's location.

 

Fitz, you were better off before you became president.

 

Mellie, you were better off before you married Fitz.

Edited October 24, 2014 by bmoore4026

[slayer2]

How did Olivia Pope survive so long being so incredibly stupid? As it happens, Olivia is so self-involved that she actually thinks Jake would kill a kid just to make her happy. Wow. I got nothin' folks.

Edited October 24, 2014 by slayer2

[lunastartron]

I feel terrible after sitting through that. Like, morally unclean.

 

And yet conflicted about continuing to watch until the conclusion of the current story arc.

 

I understand Kerry Washington's participation in this grotesquerie; $3 million annually is simply too much money to decline considering the premise had so much promise originally. But Shonda and the entire writing team should be ashamed of themselves. This is the first marquee network program in four decades with a black female lead and they deliver an aggressively stupid, ethically hypocritical twit who literally stampedes to eat shit flung at her by an abusive white male romantic interest. "Sick" is really the most accurate word to describe Olivia and the entire narrative exercise Shonda has constructed around her.

 

When Fitz decided to exploit his son's murder as a means to exact revenge on the sexual competitor currently banging his erstwhile slam piece, I was disgusted but also relieved. The character had long ago passed the threshold of irredeemable for me, but tonight I was offended enough to determine I could tune out permanently. Olivia's gullibility cemented that instinct.

 

However, I found Bellamy's climactic scene riveting. Partially because of the performance, but mostly because Mellie read the situation and her husband dead to rights, almost in spite of herself. I realize it's possible to read her reaction to Fitz's reveal as a sign of mental instability, but I thought she made perfect sense. I understood she was clinging to the cause-effect logic that the reality of her son's death afforded her in her grief, but I thought she was absolutely correct that Jerry had died for his parents' sins, incompetence, and reflexive grip on power. Was anyone else hoping she was about to right hook Fitz with the tumbler when she was yelling at him?

 

How did Abby suddenly become so awesome? I have always found her the most irritating character on the show, but her newfound assertiveness and refusal to take shit is props-worthy.

Edited October 24, 2014 by lunastartron

[ToukieSmith]

 

Wow. I got nothin' folks.

 

This basically describes tonight's show.  I agree with Fitz on one thing - I want the Mellie back that I know.  I want season 1 Mellie back who had her own side piece and was not concerned about her idiot husband outside of him keeping his job.

 

 

However, I found Bellamy's climactic scene riveting. Partially because of the performance, but mostly because Mellie read the situation and her husband dead to rights, almost in spite of herself. I realize it's possible to read her reaction to Fitz's reveal as a sign of mental instability, but I thought she made perfect sense. I understood she was clinging to the cause-effect logic that the reality of her son's death afforded her in her grief, but I thought she was absolutely correct that Jerry had died for his parents' sins, incompetence, and reflexive grip on power. Was anyone else hoping she was about to right hook Fitz with the tumbler when she was yelling at him?

 

I did not think she was crazy; I thought she was grabbing on to something solid.  Its easier to deal with her son being murdered instead of being killed by a random bug.  I took her explanation as someone trying to explain their feelings, but being unable to really articulate the meaning.

 

It was incredibly ironic that he was sickened by her comments.  Who the crap is Fitz to look at Mellie in disgust when his objective is to punish his rival for having sex with Olivia instead of concerning himself with the welfare of his family.

 

I hate Fitz.

Edited October 24, 2014 by ToukieSmith

[buttersister]

Welcome to the completely unbelievable, let's angst the audience, forget the previous seasons, Rowan Pope Show. Is he putting stupid juice in Olivia's wine? Pumping dumbshit gas into the Oval Office?

[MrsRafaelBarba]

Seeing Jasika Nicole, reminded me how good the show was the last time she was on.

[Cementhead]

Yeah, this was pretty much the worst episode of Scandal ever.  Just Blah. 

 

To try and add at least something else to the discussion other than that, how about Jake antagonizing Fitz about how he was screwing Olivia for months on the island so that Fitz got even more ragey whilst beating the shit out of him.  What? He wasn't pummelling you hard enough, Jake, so you had to rile him up some more? 

 

That and Olivia's brain was apparently removed for this episode. 

[MrsRafaelBarba]

When Jake called himself a White Hat, my eyes nearly rolled out the door.

My sister was like, James and those two ladies you slaughtered might beg to differ.

Somewhere, Judy Smith LHAO and counting her CBS development deal $$$$$$$

[Happytobehere]

Jake said what he said because Fitz wouldn't hear the truth opa out his innocence. At this point making Fitz admit to himself that he wants Jake to be guilty because of Olivia is the best chance Jake has for getting out of this mess that he so stupidly created by letting Rowan know that he knew the truth. I still think that when all is said and done, Jake will be left standing, Rowan will be disappeared and and Jake might actually become competition for Fitz. Did you hear Olivia refer to him as her boyfriend.

Poor Huck. He never should have tried to see his family. The damage has been done and can't be undone. Kimberly can never agora to trust him. The risk is too great emotionally for both her and Javier.

[slayer2]

Welcome to the completely unbelievable, let's angst the audience, forget the previous seasons, Rowan Pope Show. Is he putting stupid juice in Olivia's wine? Pumping dumbshit gas into the Oval Office?

I think it's in the wine. Explains A LOT. We've been drinking it too. Explains why we're still watching. 

Edited October 24, 2014 by slayer2

[CofCinci]

Poor Huck. He never should have tried to see his family. The damage has been done and can't be undone. Kimberly can never agora to trust him. The risk is too great emotionally for both her and Javier.

Quinn will probably go talk to the wife and make everything better. During some sad Christmas montage, she'll watch the happy family from afar and then go hate-sex creepy Charlie because she's lonely.

[Eolivet]

I had no memory of the Catherine/Sonya Walger/Penny from LOST case -- that was two weeks ago -- so I had completely forgotten that she didn't kill her daughter or that it was some creepy guy working for her husband. After not addressing the case at all last week, the fact that they expected us to jump back into it as if we remembered what was going on was asking a little too much. So, we're supposed to keep track of all the random plot threads and drink those gallon-size glasses of red wine that Olivia does during the show? Those two things should be mutually exclusive.

 

Fitz and Jake's "duet" was random, creepy and yet, somehow completely appropriate for this show.

[wanderingstar]

Olivia is an idiot.

 

 

She has to be in order for this plot to fly. Kind of like how Cyrus has to be an idiot in order for that prostitute mole plot to work on him. It's one of my lasting frustrations with this show. 

 

I could not bring myself to care about the case of the week. My friend actually texted me during the ep asking "who's the dead person?" 

 

I was glad Jake taunted Fitz about being on the island with Olivia. Fitz remains the worst.

[lunastartron]

"You're a decent human being. You're a good man. I know this because she loves you." Um, what?

[Oblique Angle]

He wasn't pummelling you hard enough, Jake, so you had to rile him up some more?

Reverse psychology. Fitz thinks he's breaking Jake down but Jake--by taking the hits--is breaking Fitz down. Or at least that's what should be happening...I wouldn't be surprised if Fitz grabs one of the Secret Service agent's guns and pops Jake right there and then calls Olivia to come clean up the mess. Because Fitz is just that vile.

 

I was glad Jake taunted Fitz about being on the island with Olivia.

Payback's a big ol' female dog. Fitz used that same move on Rowan and that's largely why Rowan killed his kid. Not saying Rowan was justified but maybe this is when Fitz will finally realize that his penis-driven behavior has led to fatal consequences for someone he loved.

 

Fitz remains the worst.

Understatement of the century.

Edited October 24, 2014 by Oblique Angle

[Sidney]

Where is Shonda going with the character of Mellie? She's all over the place.

 

David had the line of the night: Why would anyone want to be Olivia Pope?

[Dowel Jones]

He wasn't pummelling you hard enough, Jake, so you had to rile him up some more?

 

I figure it's an attempt by Jake to get Sugar Ray Grant to injure him enough so that any public appearance Jake makes, such as in a trial, will immediately draw attention to himself.  That, and the inevitable bruises on Gran'ts hand could be connected, at least in public opinion and the cyber world, so that Grant would immediately be suspect.

 

As much as I detest the characters, I had to cheer Mellie when she unloaded on Fitz about their son's death's purpose.  Nothing like being shanked in the gut to bring down his curtain of self-righteousness.

[Artsda]

I'm glad someone remembers that Jake murdered James. Thank you Cyrus for telling off Olivia and pointing out that her boyfriend murdered his husband. She dares call Cyrus for help to save Jake? Is she for real? Everything Abby says about her is spot on.

 

Jake may be innocent of these crimes, but he did murder James and she knows it. 

 

Rowan convincing Olivia was pretty good, he convinced me and know Jake was innocent of killing Jerry&Harrison. 

[wineaux]

If either Fitz or Olivia stopped to actually think about it then the truth would be so blindingly obvious to them.

 

 

Totally.  It's gonna be a (slaps forehead) "I coulda had a V-8" moment for both of them.

 

 

How did Abby suddenly become so awesome? I have always found her the most irritating character on the show, but her newfound assertiveness and refusal to take shit is props-worthy.

 

I agree that she's always been quite irritating, but her 'assertiveness and refusal to take shit' is all Abby.  She has always been the one to get in Liv's face.  Right or wrong, she was in her face.  And sometimes she would say things to Liv that were down-right mean and ugly.

 

But even thought she went to Liv's home to read her the riot act, when she realized Liv was in distress, the 'friend' Abby showed up. In as much as I don't care for the Abby character much, I like that last scene between the two of them.  Liv was a friend to Abby and rescued her from her abusive husband…now it was Abby's turn to be strong for Liv and be a friend.  (and we all know that Pop Pope has, again, done a number on Liv, and she is thoroughly corn-fused right now.  Ugh!  Pop Pope…just go away. )

[ProneToCheerfulnes]

I'm glad someone remembers that Jake murdered James. Thank you Cyrus for telling off Olivia and pointing out that her boyfriend murdered his husband. She dares call Cyrus for help to save Jake? Is she for real? Everything Abby says about her is spot on.

 

Jake may be innocent of these crimes, but he did murder James and she knows it. 

 

Rowan convincing Olivia was pretty good, he convinced me and know Jake was innocent of killing Jerry&Harrison. 

Is the fact he killed James known by anyone other than David though?

[jjj]

Apparently Cyrus knows Jake killed James, but how does he know this?

Good work tonight on the use of Claire Danes' crazy eyes -- Huck in the family home, and David about the files.

[LydiaMoon1]

Someone essentially said this upthread, but I have to say it again.  When Jake said that ridiculous monologue about how he and Fitz were White Hats and good men, I almost laughed out loud.  You're kidding me right?  Neither he, or Fitz, nor Olivia are Whte Hats.  Jake kills people for a liviing, Fitz is a pathetic pawn who prioritizes his side piece over his family, and Olivia's entire career consists of helping the rich and guilty get away with whatever.  That's why I loved when David asked why would anyone want to be her? Why indeed, David.  At least David's still trying to be a decent human being.  I still love him.  In a strange way, I still like Daddy Pope too.  Yeah, he's a POS, but he knows it and embraces it.  I like his self-awareness.

 

I also understood Mellie when she ineloquently tried to explain why knowing that Jerry was murdered made her feel better.  i can understand why knowing the reason he died felt better then trying to accept his death as completely random.  I hated that Fitz's Olivia-addled brain couldn't spare a minute of his time to try and understand where Mellie was coming from.  I seriously wanted Mellie to smash her scotch glass into his face when he was yelling at her and acting like she was the most horrible thing ever.  No, Fitz,.  That would be you.

Edited October 24, 2014 by LydiaMoon1

[jester]

Fitz and Jake's "duet" was random, creepy and yet, somehow completely appropriate for this show.

 

I was just disappointed that of the little Jake eat he didn't start with the brownie on the tray. ALWAYS start with the brownie when you are being held captive Jake!! Didn't B613 teach you anything?

[ToukieSmith]

 

Yeah, he's a POS, but he knows it and embraces it.  I like his self-awareness.

Yes!!!

 

I like Mellie and Cyrus for the same reasons.  They were never presented as salt of the earth people and its galling that Fitz actually thinks he is better.  Without him, his dumb ass would be just another rich frat boy.

[PiggyRod]

Why do I even watch this show?

[Bobcatkitten]

Did I miss something? I didn't  understand the case with the girls at all. What the heck was that? Overall terrible. I have stopped watching live. Moved over to Gracepoint. Now all I can bring myself to do is DVR and fast forward. But there is less and less I am actually watching of it.

[damalanop]

Why do I even watch this show?

 

 

This is the same sentiment that I am beginning to have lately.  Nothing made any sense to me in last night's episode.  Or rather, I struggled to care about what was going on with the characters.  I watched the entire hour and came away with none of the story lines having moved forward or any questions being answered.  Just more Mellie and Fitz tearing into each other, Liv falling apart, Eli being Eli, and the rest running around not doing much of anything.  Shonda & company are really going to have to step up their game to make any sense of the mess they've created with this show.  The only scenes I loved were Mellie finally showering and Abby comforting Liv when she fell apart (again).  Just when I thought the show had made a turn from Liv as the helpless pawn, sadly last night we ended up in the same place.  Jake being beaten by Fitz and talking about how he had his way with Liv, was a call back from the episode where Fitz had Eli in the box and gloated about how he (Fitz) had his way with Liv. Typically I really appreciate call backs, but I found the one in this case lazy and borderline offensive (I'm weary of Liv being objectified by the men that claim to love her).  I'm barely hanging on with this one...

[jjj]

Yes, what was that key all about? Or were there two keys in those entrails? Why were they watching the woman who was killed?

[Darknight]

I'm glad someone remembers that Jake murdered James. Thank you Cyrus for telling off Olivia and pointing out that her boyfriend murdered his husband. She dares call Cyrus for help to save Jake? Is she for real? Everything Abby says about her is spot on.

Jake may be innocent of these crimes, but he did murder James and she knows it.

Rowan convincing Olivia was pretty good, he convinced me and know Jake was innocent of killing Jerry&Harrison.

But Jake was taking orders from Cyrus. Cyrus ordered the hit on James

[Good Queen Jane]

What happened to this show? Olivia Pope was a strong,capable woman, a white hat who rescued people who had screwed up their lives. She had a band of gladiators, who had flaws, but pulled it together because of their faith in Olivia and did awesome things. That was the show I signed up to watch. Now we have Olivia Pope, who can't function, who ran away, who is a quivering mess seeking solace in a bottle, a women whose lovers speak of their sexual encounters with her in the most derogatory terms possible to provoke their adversaries. I wanted to be the first Olivia Pope, but I agree with David about the second. What a waste!

[Sidney]

This is the same sentiment that I am beginning to have lately.  Nothing made any sense to me in last night's episode.  Or rather, I struggled to care about what was going on with the characters.  I watched the entire hour and came away with none of the story lines having moved forward or any questions being answered.  Just more Mellie and Fitz tearing into each other, Liv falling apart, Eli being Eli, and the rest running around not doing much of anything.  Shonda & company are really going to have to step up their game to make any sense of the mess they've created with this show.  The only scenes I loved were Mellie finally showering and Abby comforting Liv when she fell apart (again).  Just when I thought the show had made a turn from Liv as the helpless pawn, sadly last night we ended up in the same place.  Jake being beaten by Fitz and talking about how he had his way with Liv, was a call back from the episode where Fitz had Eli in the box and gloated about how he (Fitz) had his way with Liv. Typically I really appreciate call backs, but I found the one in this case lazy and borderline offensive (I'm weary of Liv being objectified by the men that claim to love her).  I'm barely hanging on with this one...

 

 

LOL. I thought the same thing about Mellie. Thank goodness she finally washed her behind. I also agree about Fitz and Mellie's back and forth. I wish they would go their separate ways. And having Liv being talked about like she's some piece meat is not entertaining at all.

Edited October 24, 2014 by Sidney

[Guest Accused Dingo]

Mellie was the best part of the episode. Her scene with Fitz was chilling

Olivia is an idiot for believing her father. She knows the kind of man he is.

Poor Huck

So was Fitz beating up Jake because he thinks Jake killed his son or because Jake was sleeping with Olivia and Fitz thinks Olivia loves him?

Edited October 24, 2014 by Accused Dingo

[msani19]

 

So was Fitz beating up Jake because he thinks Jake killed his son or because Jake was sleeping with Olivia and Fitz thinks Olivia loves him?

I think you know that answer to that one! Sadly and with utter disgust, I believe it's the second one.

Fitz cares in some abstract way that Jake may have killed his son. But the real sin in Fitz's gross mind is that Jake has been "inside" Olivia. That woman sure picks winners.

 

+1000 to everyone who laughed at Jake saying that they were the good guys...of course you are. In Bizarro world.

[Artsda]

But Jake was taking orders from Cyrus. Cyrus ordered the hit on James

No he didn't. Jake made that choice on his own, to keep the Sally murdering her husband information from getting out to the public. Jake said he was being "head of B613" and doing his job. Cyrus never told him to kill James, in fact Cyrus said to kill Sally.

 

 Someone essentially said this upthread, but I have to say it again.  When Jake said that ridiculous monologue about how he and Fitz were White Hats and good men, I almost laughed out loud.

 

 

I thought this was the most ridiculous thing myself, Jake knows he murdered people left and right but he's going to call himself a white hat and a good man?

[bmoore4026]

So was Fitz beating up Jake because he thinks Jake killed his son or because Jake was sleeping with Olivia and Fitz thinks Olivia loves him?

 

Both.  But more so the latter than the former, I believe.

[Mama No Life]

How do you enjoy a show when you can't find a single person to cheer for?

 

I am rooting for a tsunami to come take them all out....

[bmoore4026]

How do you enjoy a show when you can't find a single person to cheer for?

 

I am rooting for a tsunami to come take them all out....

 

I, personally, am hoping the super mutants from Fallout 3 suddenly appear, take over, and make Mellie their queen.

[Anela]

I'm glad someone remembers that Jake murdered James. Thank you Cyrus for telling off Olivia and pointing out that her boyfriend murdered his husband. She dares call Cyrus for help to save Jake? Is she for real? Everything Abby says about her is spot on.

 

Jake may be innocent of these crimes, but he did murder James and she knows it. 

 

Rowan convincing Olivia was pretty good, he convinced me and know Jake was innocent of killing Jerry&Harrison. 

I remember Cyrus ordering the hit on James - I could have sworn that was the case. I can't remember if he tried to call it off, just as it was about to happen.

[CofCinci]

Where is Shonda going with the character of Mellie? She's all over the place.

I have no idea, but I'll follow --- for now. Mellie, smelly or clean, is the only interesting character left on the show.

[Anela]

I can't believe I'm still watching. I would ask someone to PM me, when it stops being about a love triangle, and these people use the brains that they were supposedly given, but I don't think it's ever going to end (and I don't want to see Olivia and Fitz together).

 

I understood Mellie's reaction.

[WhineandCheez]

I remember Cyrus ordering the hit on James - I could have sworn that was the case. I can't remember if he tried to call it off, just as it was about to happen.

 

I think that happened another time.  I think there were 2 times James was supposed to be killed.

I'm still pissed that in Hollywoodland a woman can eat chips and drink booze and she's still a size 6 or 8.  They need to put Mellie in a padded fat suit.

 

OK someone help me here.  I found Scandal in Spring 2014 on Netflix and binge watched Seasons 1&2 in about 3 weeks. Season 3 I then took up on some grainy Eastern European website "Couchtuner," since it wasn't on Netflix yet.  I polished  that season off in less than a week, one day going to work late because I watch it "for a few minutes" while getting ready for work.

So now Fall comes and I can FINALLY watch Scandal "live", one episode each week!1 And to that i say, "Meh.  It's not so hot."  QUESTION:  Is season 4 worse or does binge watching heighten your excitement over a series?"  Discuss......

[Spartan Girl]

"You're a decent human being. You're a good man. I know this because she loves you." Um, what?"You're a decent human being. You're a good man. I know this because she loves you." Um, what?

 

 

I almost screamed "BULL SHIT!" right then and there.

 

Poor Mellie and poor Huck. 

 

The only thing that made me feel even remotely happy was the preview of Abbie confronting Fitz, not as the president, but as "the married man who slept with (her) friend and is now imprisoning the man she is currently sleeping with."