S04.E22: You Can't Take Command

[Dowel Jones]

Three years from now on Celebrity Jeopardy:

 

Grant:  "I'll take 'Self-Righteous Assholes' for $100, Alex"

Trebek:  "The answer is 'President Fitzgerald Grant'.  Please make sure your answer is in the form of a question."

Grant:  "Wait, what?"

Trebek:  "I'm sorry, that's incorrect.  Your turn, Cyrus."

 

Rowan needed to die.

 

Olivia's move should have been:  Visit Rowan in jail, and tell him:  "You thought the we told just the police about the embezzelment?  That was just a cover story.  That was cartel money.  Look around, dickhead.  See any friends here?  Bye"

 

So, yeah, Fitz is overcome with anger at Mellie, but does he really think that kicking her out of the White House and firing Cyrus won't raise any questions?  When the camera focused on his back on the South Portico, I fully expected to see a blood spat on his shirt and hear the report of a gunshot.  Meanwhile, apparently the Secret Service just let Olivia into the White House and let her walk around unimpeded without even telling him, because he was sure surprised.  Maybe she slipped each of them a crisp new $20 bill.

[Chaos Theory]

Three years from now on Celebrity Jeopardy:

Grant: "I'll take 'Self-Righteous Assholes' for $100, Alex"

Trebek: "The answer is 'President Fitzgerald Grant'. Please make sure your answer is in the form of a question."

Grant: "Wait, what?"

Trebek: "I'm sorry, that's incorrect. Your turn, Cyrus."

.

Well Cyrus at least knows he's a soulless monster. Does that make him better or worse the Fitz?

[Empress1]

Khandi Alexander's delivery of "Did we not give you enough hugs?" was brilliant, maybe the best thing about the episode. She's such a gem.

 

This ... was a mess. I agree with the recapture that a bus full of people could overpower Huck, unless he was using a semiautomatic weapon. (Joshua Malina said on Twitter that his vomit was pineapple juice and oatmeal.) But to have them sitting there like they didn't even try was weird.

 

Fitz did not earn his moral high ground. I could spin Remington, but murdering a Supreme Court Justice and starting a war to get his side piece back? No God, honey. And speaking of said side piece, a pic of them kissing on the White House balcony would have been online in seconds.

 

I do like that Mellie and Fitz are on opposite sides now (and I wondered where baby Teddy was too, but maybe we're just supposed to forget about him) because while I enjoyed their friendship/partnership, the show was trying to spin it as "we've always had each others' backs!" which is really insulting to the viewers' intelligence. Like, the show went to great pains to establish them as people who couldn't stand the sight of each other, who hadn't been able to do so for years, and now they're best friends who have always been supportive of each other? What?

 

Quinn should kill Huck; he's gone too crazy, to the point where his crazy is boring. I do NOT want Rowan dead, however, because I enjoy Joe Morton so much in the role.

[fivestone]

So it would be a stretch for a single person to have embezzled even $100 million without notice. But something like $1 million would be totally feasible.

 

Agreed. I think putting a whole 2 billion in his account would have been ridiculous (shoot, hang on to that money, you might need it!) But 1 million when you have 2 billion at your disposal is chump change. A couple hundred thousand unexplained dollars in an account might have even looked suspicious enough.

 

I already see the opening episode for next season.  Olivia is happily making jam in the White House kitchen, while Fitz fawns all over her. Abby hands out copies of Olivia's jam recipe to the press corps.   Meanwhile, Jake is lurking outside the White House gates and across town, in her Senate office, Mellie and Cyrus plot their revenge.  Because that was a smart move Fitz - exile the two people that can tear you down.

 

Yeah, but their gravy train is linked to Fitz. They desperately crave power. They can air his dirty laundry, but it points right back at them and opens them up to attack. If they want to tear him down at any cost, OK, fine, sing like canaries, but if they want to actually enjoy any power they can gain, they're better served figuring out another angle, shoring up alliances with other power players in Washington, etc. Fitz isn't eligible for another presidential term. The highest extent of his future political officeholding would be maybe mayor of that quiet town in Vermont where he bought the house for him and Olivia.

 

Remington (at least as it's been described to us) is not all that sinful. Fitz was a Navy pilot who was given a lawful order to shoot down a plane. Unbeknownst to him and the people who gave that order, it was based on bad intel and so 200 people died. I honestly don't think it would take a fixer on the level of Olivia Pope to put that in a non-scandalous light.

3: So why would the man who shot down a plane of 200 civilians, started a war for one woman, killed a woman to keep his presidency, have the unmitigated gall to be all "everything is in a box to the left?" with Mellie? Had she known, she wouldn't have done it.

And when did Fitz become the moral backbone of the show?  All full of self righteousness?  The guy who sends soldiers into battle to save his side piece, who kills a Supreme Court justice to protect his fake election....ugh, spare me.  And spare me from the lovebirds.  They disgust me.

At first I felt like Fitz was being very hypocritical. But then I thought about Jerry. I think if this had been any other situation, Fitz would probably have been understanding of her position even if he hated it. But Mellie jumped into bed with the man who killed their child! It's true, Melanie had no idea. But because of her sheer ambition, she got the grand jurors killed and did the bidding of the man who killed their child.

 

That's in a different league than a naval mission with bad intel (Remington). And I'm not sanctioning the war or Fitz killing Verna, but members of the armed forces are aware that they can be called up to active duty at any time, and Verna did her own share of dirt (she was part of that whole thing in which Quinn's (Lindsay's) boyfriend was killed). But Jerry and the grand jurors, they were completely innocent. They didn't join the military, they weren't part of a cover up, they didn't need to be killed to neutralise an even greater threat to the republic. Their hands were squeaky clean. I mean, shoot, if Eli had lied and promised Mellie that getting him that list would punish the person responsible for having her son killed, then Fitz would at least be understanding. He can get behind noble reasoning. But the only thing (the main thing, anyway) driving her is ambition.

 

And Fitz can't relate to that. I'm not saying he's a saint by any stretch, but I don't get the sense that what he does is all about the power he can wield. He does want to leave the country better off than than it was before he got there, he loves Olivia, and he was trying to be a good partner to Mellie out of respect for how she stuck by him during his political career. Anyway, Mellie's going to feel really torn up when she finds out that Papa Pope is the one who ordered Jerry be killed.

[roomtorome]

Somebody needs to put Huck out of his sick murderous misery.  What a heinous character on a show if I ever saw one; still can't think of such a character on any other show that continually gets away with being a serial killer - disgusting choice to keep him around as long as they have - I don't even mean for moral reasons because there are no morals on this show - well, not any, I would want - but, just because it's just stupid, insulting and revolting that such a character would be written this way to continually get away with either serial or, in this case, mass murder.

 

The rest of - yeah - dumb and dumber.  I won't be back but then I barely hung in till this piece of crap either.  

[Black Knight]

I don't think Fitz booted Mellie because of moral issues - if I thought he did, I would be blasting his hypocrisy too (and believe me, it's never hard to get me to blast Fitz for stuff). For me it was about the beautiful toast he made to Mellie on election eve: He believed they were a team. But she didn't go to him at any point during this situation. She tried to handle it herself by giving Rowan the list of names, and then when that backfired horribly she went to Cyrus, and Fitz ultimately had to find out from Elizabeth (whom Mellie had also told). If she'd gone to him instead of Cyrus I think he would've stood by her.

 

Fitz is still dumb as a rock though, in that he decided to replace Cyrus with Elizabeth. I suppose he thinks she just innocently "slipped" when she blabbed all about Rowan. I'm sure Olivia, now back in the WH, will spot Elizabeth soon enough.

 

I don't understand Elizabeth's power play, though. Fitz has a couple of years left in the WH and is a lame duck president, whereas if she'd stuck with Mellie, she could have been looking at a full eight years in power. It seems a silly trade-off to make, unless her real scheme is that she's fallen for Fitz (please no) and just wants to be the next Mrs. Grant.

 

As soon as Rowan told Olivia how B613 is dead and he's now just a harmless paleontologist, I was all, "Why doesn't someone just go shoot him, then?" And okay, nobody shot him and that gives me an unfortunate feeling that he will eventually get out of this jam, but still: I really want a scene where he's in jail and he starts in on one of his annoying monologues and someone else hits him to shut him up. Can you imagine other prisoners having any tolerance for that shit?

 

I wanted B613 gone, but with Mama Pope on the loose, I also have a horrid feeling that soon enough we'll be hearing of the existence of A931, and then, of course, Rowan will get out and get up to his old tricks. So I have no faith that we're done with this Alias-wannabe shit.

 

Quinn, if we don't find out in the premiere that you shot and killed Huck, I will never forgive you.

 

Olitz reunion - meh. It's amazing how it only takes all of two seconds for them to remind me why I hate the pairing so much - all the energy goes out of both of them. I hate their breathless let's-stand-like-statues shtick. I don't know if they're directed that way or KW and TG just think that this really is the way to portray all-consuming love, but I don't find them turning into pod people appealing. Both characters are so much more engaged and personable with basically anyone else. Except for my all-consuming loathing for Huck and Rowan and B613, this was actually a pretty good season for me because there was so little Olitz. This back half of the season is the most I've liked Fitz, ever. Goodbye to all that. Sigh.

Edited May 15, 2015 by Black Knight

[Guest]

I don't understand Elizabeth's power play, though. Fitz has a couple of years left in the WH and is a lame duck president, whereas if she'd stuck with Mellie, she could have been looking at a full eight years in power. It seems a silly trade-off to make, unless her real scheme is that she's fallen for Fitz (please no) and just wants to be the next Mrs. Grant.

 

2-3 years of real power vs. the potential to maybe have power one day?  Mellie doesn't really have a clear path to the White House.  No experience other than now, the baggage that comes with being part of a political dynasty, etc.

 

Either that, or she still is hung up on Andrew and wants to somehow get revenge on the Grant administration from the inside. Knowing Shonda, this is likely.

[Black Knight]

True, nothing is for sure - but if Mellie's presidential run doesn't come off, then the worst case is that she's still a U.S. Senator. Either way, her time as a powerful elected official will certainly extend years beyond the end of Fitz's time in office, most of the remainder of which he must spend as a lame duck. So for a gamble it's a good one, since there's insurance.

 

Plus she'll have Cyrus gunning for her. She already knows that's not a good thing.

 

ETA: Of course, what I'm really looking forward to is when Elizabeth finds out what an Olitz-ified Fitz is like. When Fitz isn't all caught up in Olitz he's a reasonable facsimile of a president. When he's with Olivia, he's beyond worthless. Elizabeth will be hitting the bottle in no time.

Edited May 15, 2015 by Black Knight

[kittygirl]

OK so Scott Foley is the new doc on GA and Patrick Dempsey is now head of B613 with the entire group of new interns transferred to DC as his death squad. Then Kate Burton is the new pres with little Cute VP still as VP (sorry don't know her name) . But pres name is Ellis Gray with Bailey as CoS.

Its getting bad in Shondaland these days.

[Missy Vixen]

An hour of my life I am never, never getting back.

The characters on this show aren't likable. They're still dealing with the same BS that was going on at the start of the season with the "spy organization". It's going to continue next season, too. And I can't sit through another hour of this show, especially if Fitz and Olivia are going to act like junior high students with their first crush.

 

The writers should walk, IMHO.

[Mama No Life]

I find it interesting that people hate Fitz for going to war for Olivia's safety (I don't disagree, btw) but think that David giving in on the B613 issue to protect Abby is heroic.  I don't see much difference.  Both put their love for a person above their protection of a citizenship.

[swimmyfish]

Somebody needs to put Huck out of his sick murderous misery.  What a heinous character on a show if I ever saw one; still can't think of such a character on any other show that continually gets away with being a serial killer -

 

You obviously don't watch Hannibal. :-) Although Huck is not fit to be Hannibal's canape. I fear that not seeing Quinn shoot Huck means that he'll survive, and a major plot of next season will be devoted to his rehabilitation. I am not interested in that.

 

I agree with all the comments regarding Fitz's totally unwarranted high-handedness with Mellie, but what struck me as incredibly gross was his saying "You think I would let you be President?" Excuse me? This lame-duck douche bag whose popularity, we just learned 2 episodes ago, has never been lower, who only was elected in the first place because of vote tampering (and whose reaction to discovering that was hurt feelings that no one believed in him, and then murdering a woman with his bare hands), and was primarily re-elected on a wave of voter sympathy, somehow thinks he has the ability, never mind the authority, to have that kind of influence over anything? Fitz has never been anything other than an empty vessel puppet president, and that he doesn't know that would be a little bit sad if it didn't fill me with a caps-lock-level RAGE. 

 

While I've always thought it preposterous that Fitz would be the head of any country, it occurred to me recently how much he has in common with King Henry VIII. Maybe it's the influence of Wolf Hall, but he's basically a petulant child whose obsession with a woman other than his wife renders him unable to exercise any sort of reasonable judgement, and who is irrational to the point of scorching the earth for any perceived slight. The only difference is that no one ever thinks Henry VIII is a good romantic prospect.

 

Also, when Olivia wasn't home when Fitz came over I was so excited for her to pull a Kelly Taylor and choose herself! But no.I can't even express how disappointed I am that she went to the White House instead.

 

As for the resolution of the B613 debacle, I like the idea that OPA could take down Eli where they failed to take down Command (and what a bunch of dumb shits for not realizing that sooner), the execution, as it were, really didn't make any sense. Was there any indication that Rowan planned to dismantle B613? And, while I understand that Command is supposed to be all-powerful, was it really so easy that he could take it apart all in one night? On an unrelated note, does the death of B613 and the freeing of Mama Pope (which, as a viewer,I am excited about it, but as a thinking person can only ask: what? Why was that at all necessary?) mean that Tom will be freed from whatever hole he's in? I really liked him.

 

And most importantly: will Jake be back next season? 

[Ohwell]

If Russell is still alive next season I want him to find Quinn, torture the hell out of her, and then kill her.

[LeeLeePanda]

I was digging the episode up until the last 5 minutes. I used to be a Olitz shipper, but can't stand them together anymore. Fitz and Mellie were a joy to watch when they were working as a team. I found Fitz to be likable he was rooting for Mellie. Now he's back to being the absolute worst.

[Anela]

If Russell is still alive next season I want him to find Quinn, torture the hell out of her, and then kill her.

Yep. She's no better with her fluff and fold comments, re: a murder, and she got to the point where Huck was concerned about her.  I actually hate that he tortured her, though. 

[thewhiteowl]

I find it interesting that people hate Fitz for going to war for Olivia's safety (I don't disagree, btw) but think that David giving in on the B613 issue to protect Abby is heroic.  I don't see much difference.  Both put their love for a person above their protection of a citizenship.

 

 Giving in to blackmail is not heroic but David didn't kill thousands of soldiers. I see a difference.

A  lackluster season capped by an ewww gross, for me.

[lorikauai]

I forgot to set my DVR for this and watched Wayward Pines instead. It looks like I didn't miss anything except another puke-worthy reunion of Olivia and Fitz. Add me to the group who sort of enjoy Papa Pope. I could watch a whole episode of him and Olivia trying to out-monologue each other. Who can talk faster and louder and with the most self-righteous indignation? In any case I'm not sure if I'm in next season. I don't think I can stomach anymore Olitz. 

[reggiejax]

Fitz is no doubt a hypocrite who in no way should ever take the moral high ground, but I don't care. I just loved him telling that idiot Mellie to get out. Firing Cyrus is probably a mistake, but frankly Mr Beene can pretty much get the hell out too. These types of housecleanings are good for the administration. Gets rid of all the bad blood and keeps people on their toes. 

[ParadoxLost]

I wanted B613 gone, but with Mama Pope on the loose, I also have a horrid feeling that soon enough we'll be hearing of the existence of A931, and then, of course, Rowan will get out and get up to his old tricks. So I have no faith that we're done with this Alias-wannabe shit.

 

I didn't get the impression that B613 was dismantled despite popular opinion.  It came across to me as Eli 'retired' from Command and destroyed all evidence that he was ever Rowan so he could have a permanent and irrevocable win against Liv because she couldn't tie him to B613.  They were very specific about saying that the agents they killed were the ones that knew he was Command.  So yeah, if they need B613 for something it will come back.

 

I don't think Shonda actually understands the issues with B613 on this show.  I remember interviews this season where she was talking about a spinoff idea that she had for B613 which I guess for some reason she decided to play out on Scandal.

 

 

I don't think Fitz booted Mellie because of moral issues - if I thought he did, I would be blasting his hypocrisy too (and believe me, it's never hard to get me to blast Fitz for stuff). For me it was about the beautiful toast he made to Mellie on election eve: He believed they were a team. But she didn't go to him at any point during this situation. She tried to handle it herself by giving Rowan the list of names, and then when that backfired horribly she went to Cyrus, and Fitz ultimately had to find out from Elizabeth (whom Mellie had also told). If she'd gone to him instead of Cyrus I think he would've stood by her.

 

I thought it was because Mellie was celebrating her win and responded to Fitz's accusation with a claim that she did what she had to do to protect both of them instead of not knowing what would happen.  Fitz may do a lot of similar things but he usually wallows in the guilt after; at least longer than Mellie does.

 

I still think that Fitz's support of Mellie's campaign was an exit strategy to be with Liv in the first place.  He was setting up a way to give Mellie a real stepping stone to what she said she wanted (Presidency) so he could dump her on the way out of the White House with no guilt to be with Liv.  I swear there was some scene where Liv gave him the confirmation that there was still a chance after the whole terrorist/auction/war thing.

 

Scandal has done it.  They have finally surpassed the West Wing.  The musical selection of 'Here comes the Sun' for the final Olitz scene surpassed the West Wing's use of 'New York Minute' to kick off Big Block of Cheese day in its awfulness.  Except WW paid for the Henley version.  Scandal didn't pony up the bucks for the Beatles.

Edited May 16, 2015 by ParadoxLost

[Empress1]

Add me to the group who sort of enjoy Papa Pope. I could watch a whole episode of him and Olivia trying to out-monologue each other. Who can talk faster and louder and with the most self-righteous indignation?

I know it's not a popular opinion but I love when Papa Pope gets to pontificating because Joe Morton just goes for it. This is fantastic, as is this. "My daughter went to boarding school with the children of kings. I made that happen." He goes full camp and chews the fuck out of the scenery - but the writing calls for it, and he makes the most of it. I like it. Those over the top monologues are almost like rap battles, when they go back and forth.

 

Yes, the whole B613 plot is tired, has been tired. But I like Joe Morton here, a lot, so I'd like to see him pop up again.

 

I still think that Fitz's support of Mellie's campaign was an exit strategy to be with Liv in the first place.  He was setting up a way to give Mellie a real stepping stone to what she said she wanted (Presidency) so he could dump her on the way out of the White House with no guilt to be with Liv.  I swear there was some scene where Liv gave him the confirmation that there was still a chance after the whole terrorist/auction/war thing.

I think it was at the Cyrus/prostitute (what's his name?) wedding, when Liv showed up wearing the Sweet Baby ring Fitz gave her. She wasn't wearing it in a prior scene and he noticed, and then at the wedding she had it on and he noticed that, and she noticed him noticing.

[Anela]

I forgot to set my DVR for this and watched Wayward Pines instead. It looks like I didn't miss anything except another puke-worthy reunion of Olivia and Fitz. Add me to the group who sort of enjoy Papa Pope. I could watch a whole episode of him and Olivia trying to out-monologue each other. Who can talk faster and louder and with the most self-righteous indignation? In any case I'm not sure if I'm in next season. I don't think I can stomach anymore Olitz. 

 

 

I know it's not a popular opinion but I love when Papa Pope gets to pontificating because Joe Morton just goes for it. This is fantastic, as is this. "My daughter went to boarding school with the children of kings. I made that happen." He goes full camp and chews the fuck out of the scenery - but the writing calls for it, and he makes the most of it. I like it. Those over the top monologues are almost like rap battles, when they go back and forth.

 

Yes, the whole B613 plot is tired, has been tired. But I like Joe Morton here, a lot, so I'd like to see him pop up again.

 

I think it was at the Cyrus/prostitute (what's his name?) wedding, when Liv showed up wearing the Sweet Baby ring Fitz gave her. She wasn't wearing it in a prior scene and he noticed, and then at the wedding she had it on and he noticed that, and she noticed him noticing.

Do you guys have shares in the company that makes Tylenol? I couldn't handle that. I mute them when they go off on each other.

 

I'm not sure I'll be back next season. I'm surprised I tuned in this season. 

[wanderingstar]

I have questions.

 

Like, how does Mellie not know what Papa Pope looks like?

 

And didn’t they try to take down B613 in last season’s finale?

 

And do these writers understand that making Papa Pope/B613 omnipotent guts any kind of interest in the story or actions of the characters?*

 

Also, why are they teasing me with Huck’s death?

 

Fitz, who smothered Verna in her sick bed (among many other crimes) is going to judge Mellie’s involvement in the death of the grand jury members?

 

Finally – now that Olivia & Fitz are together, does this mean they can finally stop whining about how they can’t be together?**

 

I will say, I did laugh when that one dude blew up the B613 files. That was the best kind of comedy – the unintentional kind.

 

"You're in love with him, so I'm leaving."

 

 

And don’t forget Jake’s little pep talk, which I’m sure was meant to nudge her back to Fitz. This show is dumb. And not in the fun way.

 

 

*Who really believes Daddy Pope won’t be back next season to wreak more havoc?

**I live in hope.

Edited May 16, 2015 by Gillian Rosh

[WatchrTina]

 

And Jesus Christ, the fucking President of the United States, standing on the balcony of the fucking WHITE HOUSE, making out with a woman who is NOT his wife?

THIS!  A thousand times this!  I do love the balcony and I would like to think that the President and First Lady could sit out there drinking wine and enjoying the view but in the real world the Secret Service would never allow it.  I gave it the 'ole willful suspension of disbelief treatment when that set was used before but for this scene it was just ludicrous.

 

The other absurdity?  HOW did Fitz find out everything Cyrus had been up to?  Mellie's chief of staff didn't know about Cyrus going to the CIA.  How could she -- Mellie doesn't know that.  Where did he get all that info?  And then yeah -- the hypocrisy of Fitz judging anyone at this point is just staggering.  

 

And the President being surprised on his balcony, which is depicted as being part of the residence, is just crazy.  If that EVER happened in real life an entire detail of the Secret Service would have to be fired.  That Olivia would be allowed onto the balcony in the Scandal-verse is plausible since the President's security detail knows she's his side-piece but no WAY would they fail to tell him she was there.

 

I'm really tired of all the torture in this show.  And while I like the actor playing Huck -- he did a fine job portraying a psychopath -- the character needs to be put down.  As so many have already said, I hope Quinn shot him and then ate her gun.  Jeeze that's blood-thirsty of me.  See what this show does?

Edited May 16, 2015 by WatchrTina

[Almost 3000]

I forgot to set my DVR for this and watched Wayward Pines instead. It looks like I didn't miss anything except another puke-worthy reunion of Olivia and Fitz. Add me to the group who sort of enjoy Papa Pope. I could watch a whole episode of him and Olivia trying to out-monologue each other. Who can talk faster and louder and with the most self-righteous indignation? In any case I'm not sure if I'm in next season. I don't think I can stomach anymore Olitz. 

I came here to read the board and I was looking forward to this finale but the posts made me watch WP. I will wait and maybe watch Scandal later when it comes up on Hulu. I've sort of given up this on Scandal this year anyway.

[LNDNgirl]

A few questions:

 

- Why did Papa Pope need the name of the jurors when they were all killed together on the bus?  Surely, he just needed to know when the jurors would all be together on the bus.

 

- Did Huck kill the jurors because Rowan ordered him to, or because of his reawakened bloodlust? I started to fade by the time we reached this point in the show.

 

-Was there any significance in the name  "Damascus Bainbridge?"  Cyrus and Rowan made mention of it being amusing, and clever.

[wanderingstar]

HOW did Fitz find out everything Cyrus had been up to?

 

Because...plot?

[dr pepper]

I was hoping that the episode would end with Olivia confirming that yes, that is the body of dear old Dad with the shiv through the throat.

Meanwhile, somewhere in a damp cellar, a voice is heard. "Guys? You're supposed have started tormenting me 45 minutes ago! Guys? This is getting boring!

[justcris]

Sooo... is Scott Foley out? I hope so, because that means I can be out too!

Freedom at last!

Seriously, this finale was terrible and I don't think I'll be missing out on anything good if I just quit now.

[PrincessTT]

Scandal has done it.  They have finally surpassed the West Wing.  The musical selection of 'Here comes the Sun' for the final Olitz scene surpassed the West Wing's use of 'New York Minute' to kick off Big Block of Cheese day in its awfulness.  Except WW paid for the Henley version.  Scandal didn't pony up the bucks for the Beatles.

 

I thought they used the Nina Simone version because it's more in line with the show's other musical choices, not because of the money needed for the Beatles version. 

 

Shonda did tweet this about the song use...

 

Fun fact:  I have been holding on to this Nina Simone singing a song written by a Beatle tune FOREVER.

 

 

https://twitter.com/shondarhimes/status/599030925372956673 

 

Just saw that she tweeted this too... 

 

Hell hath no fury like a POTUS who is finally a good POTUS and discovers everyone else is still...exactly who they always were. #Scandal

 

 

I still think Fitz is a hypocrite, but based on that tweet I can kinda see where his anger is coming from but I wish it had been shown on-screen rather than taking a tweet from Shonda to explain it. 

[ParadoxLost]

I thought they used the Nina Simone version because it's more in line with the show's other musical choices, not because of the money needed for the Beatles version. 

 

I'm sure that is true.  But it doesn't help the fact that it was too loud and drowned out the scene.  Frankly they were going too heavy handed with Olivia wants to be in the sun with the man she loves theme.  That would have been true if they used the original too.

Edited May 16, 2015 by ParadoxLost

[JenE4]

Frankly they were going too heavy handed with Olivia wants to be in the sun with the man she loves theme.

Plus, "in the sun" is her thing with Jake. Vermont and jam are her thing with Fitz. And I seriously doubt they'll be in the sun 3 minutes after kicking Mellie out. Yet, this will be interesting to see how the press will handle going to bed with reports of Mellie and Fitz's mutually gushing speeches about each other and then waking up to Mellie kicked out and Fitz's new woman in the sun. Ha-ha, suckers, we're both elected now!

[JenE4]

Just saw that she tweeted this too...

"Hell hath no fury like a POTUS who is finally a good POTUS and discovers everyone else is still...exactly who they always were. #Scandal"

I still think Fitz is a hypocrite, but based on that tweet I can kinda see where his anger is coming from but I wish it had been shown on-screen rather than taking a tweet from Shonda to explain it.

That tweet doesn't even make sense! He's "finally a good POTUS"--for what?! Is it because we "finally" see him pushing through a bill when he's never been shown to do much of anything presedential? This suddenly makes him so different from Mellie and Cyrus? Yeah, I don't see it, either.

[ParadoxLost]

That tweet doesn't even make sense! He's "finally a good POTUS"--for what?! Is it because we "finally" see him pushing through a bill when he's never been shown to do much of anything presedential? This suddenly makes him so different from Mellie and Cyrus? Yeah, I don't see it, either.

 

Doesn't this happen all the time?  Didn't he become a good POTUS oncer he stopped drinking following his son's death and Liv's disappearance.  Then he got bad again when he started a War. I can't remember how many reversals happened before during or since. 

[DollEyes]

 

Also, when Olivia wasn't home when Fitz came over- I was so excited for her to pull a Kelly Taylor and choose herself! But no. I can't even express how disappointed I am that she went to the White House instead.

 

 Co-sign. I was hoping that the last scene of the finale was Olivia either in a private plane or a convertible headed to parts unknown. Re the Olitz reunion, the more I see it, the worse it gets. That they would mack on each other on the WH balcony like no one was watching exposed them for the selfish and hypocritical morons they are. it would serve them right if they were not only caught kissing, it was splashed all over the media. The "respectable" journalists, the tabloid press and the late-night comics would have a field day. 

 

  Re Huck & Quinn, it would have been awesome if, when Huck asked Quinn to kill him, she had said, "OK" & capped him then and there. After what he did in this episode alone, it would serve him right, as far as I'm concerned.

[PepSinger]

I adored the facts that Fitz just has no more fucks to give. I loved him kicking Mellie and Cyrus out. They both deserved it. 

As on Olitz shipper, I was overjoyed with the final scene. However, there is no way there wouldn't be photos of them online within minutes. That took me out of it.

The Olivia I saw confronting her dad wants she got him is the Olivia I love. Kerry just does it so well.

 

I live for Khandi Alexander's delivery of "Did we not give you enough hugs?"

 

Huck is disgusting. Follow through, Quinn!

[kcarp]

Mellie is a punk for leaving. She should've started humming "We Shall Not Be Moved" the minute he went into his "oh, I never, speech."

I think Mellie was a punk for leaving too..I wanted her to say throw me out mf....I may go down for the list but let's see how long u stay in this house after I start airing your dirty laundry.

Seriously does Mellie not have a backbone?

Olivia and Fitz are gross. I was wishing for a sniper to take them out on the balcony. Here comes the Sun. Whatever

[Donny Ketchum]

At least Rowan finally went down for something.  Sure, it was something that, for once, he didn't do, but given the long list of innocents who also did nothing, but still suffered because of him, it's almost poetic justice he suffered for something of which he was innocent.

[Happytobehere]

That tweet doesn't even make sense! He's "finally a good POTUS"--for what?! Is it because we "finally" see him pushing through a bill when he's never been shown to do much of anything presedential? This suddenly makes him so different from Mellie and Cyrus? Yeah, I don't see it, either.

Let's not forget that the bill of substance isn't even his doing, it is the work of Susan, the woman he disparagingly referred to as a "muppet". The bill "the good POTUS" came up with was smoke and mirrors; which makes sense coming from a man who is completely devoid of substance.

[DanaMB]

Is Charlie dead?

[Chicago Redshirt]

We're told that anybody who could finger Rowan as Command was dead. This obviously isn't 100 percent true, because Jake (and Olivia, and Huck and Quinn) are all alive as far as Rowan knows when he made that statement.. Maybe he didn't count them for some reason because they took their shot at him and failed. But Russell and Charlie are among the folks who would directly know Rowan was Command. Did we actually ever find out what happened to Russell after he and Jake had their bonding over what a douche Command is?

 

I don't understand Elizabeth's power play, though. Fitz has a couple of years left in the WH and is a lame duck president, whereas if she'd stuck with Mellie, she could have been looking at a full eight years in power. It seems a silly trade-off to make, unless her real scheme is that she's fallen for Fitz (please no) and just wants to be the next Mrs. Grant.

 

Lizzie was the Republican National Chairwoman IIRC, so she had plenty of power before. But  in addition to a bird in the hand being worth two in the bush, there are a few things to consider:

 

1. Knowing the Grants' dirty laundry, Lizzie could have decided to get while the getting's good. 

2. Given that it was apparently a struggle for Mellie to win the Virgina Senate seat with no real opposition (seriously, did they even bother to name her opponent? Did Mellie have to do anything to counteract anything he did, rather than her own self-imposed negatives?), she could have reasoned that Mellie isn't all that as a candidate. I mean, winning in Virginia isn't too difficult for a Republican. But winning a national campaign is much harder.

3, There's some amount of plausible deniability of why she told the president.

4. There's nothing saying she can't be Fitz's chief of staff and later Mellie's -- nothing she has done has necessarily burned any bridges.

[slayer2]

I still think Rowan should be dead in the ground but I have a three strikes you're out policy and I really do think villain outstay their welcome on shows nowadays. Olitz is still boring, Portia De Rossi is still awesome, and I know I'm in the minority but I really like Quinn. I'd like her a lot more if she'd put a bullet in Huck's head but hey....nobody's perfect. Annnd just realized I'd like this show a heckuva lot more if half the cast was dead.

 

ETA: I only like Fitz when he's nice to Mellie, of course he kicks out the mother of his children over a minor infraction compared to the things he has done. If he had fucking told her who killed her baby it never would have happened in this first damn place. Most of the problems on this show are derived from Fitz and Olivia being solipsistic assholes. The finale was no exception.

Edited May 20, 2015 by slayer2

[Guest]

Doesn't Fitz know that Lizzie was in on Andrew's plot (at least to some degree)? I can't see why he is letting her be his chief of staff.  

[slayer2]

Doesn't Fitz know that Lizzie was in on Andrew's plot (at least to some degree)? I can't see why he is letting her be his chief of staff.  

 

Because he's a douchebag. Does that clear things up?

[WhineandCheez]

Omigod, I was watching Netflix new series, "Frankie and ??" (with lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda) and Papa Pope had a small role as Jane Fonda's gay friend.  He was wearing shorts and loafers with no sox.  I almost had a cow. They went out to lunch, but no bloviating occurred.

[Happytobehere]

Doesn't Fitz know that Lizzie was in on Andrew's plot (at least to some degree)? I can't see why he is letting her be his chief of staff.

I think she was more than in on the plot, I still think she was the mastermind as Andrew never seem bright enough to think up something that big himself. Moreover, only Fitzgerald would hire someone who just betrayed the last person she worked for. But then I remember that Fitz is a colossal asswipe and it all makes sense.

[Anna Yolei]

Remington (at least as it's been described to us) is not all that sinful. Fitz was a Navy pilot who was given a lawful order to shoot down a plane. Unbeknownst to him and the people who gave that order, it was based on bad intel and so 200 people died. I honestly don't think it would take a fixer on the level of Olivia Pope to put that in a non-scandalous light. 

Fair enough on that score.

But Fitz still did kill a Justice in cold blood, so no cookies for him berating Mellie from me. But admittedly,90 percent of the words outta Fitz's mouth makes me want to deck him, so I'm biased against the guy.

To paraphrase the Simpsons' Comic Book Guy: Worst. Protagonist. Ever.

[Anna Yolei]

I also just realized that there hasn't been a single Olitz "love" scene (for lack of a better term to describe their.. erm, coupling at times) all season.

Huh. :shrugs:

[wanderingstar]

When Rowan got rid of all the remaining B613 agents, did he also off Charlie? 

[TV Diva Queen]

Who the hell is Charolette and why is she call Olivia telling her the Prezzy private business?  RIDICULOUS!!!