S05.E13: The Fish Rots From The Head

[thewhiteowl]

Olivia and the team take on some embattled Secret Service agents. Meanwhile, Abby has her hands full trying to keep Fitz in line, and Jake begins to reveal a few secrets of his own.

 

 

[Primetimer]

When Fitz acts out with women, Liv tries to remind him who he really is. Meanwhile, Cyrus and Lizzie keep on scheming, and Liv can't figure out Jake's endgame.

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[Tetraneutron]

Are we supposed to cheer normal, relatable Susan to triumph over cold, mean, beautiful Lizzie and win the Presidency and David? Because I don't, and I don't like being manipulated. Susan's a fun character, but having her be sexually manipulated by some cliched mean girl doesn't make her sympathetic it makes her dumb. 

 

Not as dumb as Fitz, though. He's already manipulated like a puppet by everyone else on the show, now we aren't even supposed to like his politics? The show has, at least, bare minimum, shown us that Fitz's politics are good and the kind of thing we should support, but now he agrees with Sally. So why did everyone cheat and murder their way into getting this guy into the White House in the first place. 

 

Also, I wonder how Cyrus's husband is going to figure into the plot. I assume he is or they wouldn't have brought him back. Unless it's to make the point that every parent on this show is kind of terrible. 

 

Jake and Rowan could fall into a hole and nothing in the show would change. They aren't even the Pierce. We need a new word for it. They're the SuperPierce. 

[Free]

Are we supposed to cheer normal, relatable Susan to triumph over cold, mean, beautiful Lizzie and win the Presidency and David? Because I don't, and I don't like being manipulated. Susan's a fun character, but having her be sexually manipulated by some cliched mean girl doesn't make her sympathetic it makes her dumb.

 

I guess even though she's being pushed into it so it's not even what Susan is fully into.

 

So why did everyone cheat and murder their way into getting this guy into the White House in the first place.

 

I still don't know, they thought he was an empty suit they could manipulate in the WH or something and then we got some convoluted storylines along the way.

[reggiejax]

So OPA goes the "we'll cover up a murder, feel guilty about it, have a change of heart and make sure the perpetrators are brought to justice, and we'll hope the audience forgets our very illegal, and very prosecutable part in the crime" route again?

 

Just goes to show, the old adage is true: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, and why the fuck am I still watching this shit? "

Edited March 11, 2016 by reggiejax

[Happytobehere]

So OPA goes the "we'll cover up a murder, feel guilty about it, have a change of heart and make sure the perpetrators are brought to justice, and we'll hope the audience forgets our very illegal, and very prosecutable part in the crime" route again?

 

Just goes to show, the old adage is true: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, and why the fuck am I still watching this shit? "

I'm right there with you. I literally have to mute 80% of this show as I wait for How to Get Away with Murder. More thoughts about the actual episode, at least what I heard of it, later

[33kaitykaity]

Heavy breathing of Fitz and anonymous reporter would've been vomit-inducing if I still gave a shit about Fitz.  

 

I couldn't watch Cyrus spin his bullshit story about the dead brother.  Too many anvils on what it was for and of course it would work because why else would he do it?  Although it was good to see Michael again. 

 

Agree, the COTW was so been there, done that.  

 

The "why the fuck am I still watching this shit?" so belongs on a t-shirt.  

Edited March 11, 2016 by 33kaitykaity

[Artsda]

I don't think anyone cares what Jake & Rowan are doing or why Jake's engaged.

 

Liv can also get off her high horse with Fitz when she's sleeping around/not talking doing what ever with Jake. A man she knows murdered someone to be head of the NSA.

[Sidney]

I see why the ratings continue to drop.

[WhosThatGirl]

The only thing enjoyable was Cyrus face when his husband asked if he wanted to help with the dolls hair.

[ChicksDigScars]

Does Fitz do anything other than screw women? Doesn't he have a country to lead? He's always at the White House, never in meetings with the Joint Chiefs, never telling Liv or Abby to shut it, that he's got more important things to do right now, like monitoring a crisis in the Middle East. Any executive move he's made has something to do with satisfying his dick, like saving Liv from kidnappers last year. Worst fake POTUS in Hollywood history.

[Sidney]

The only thing enjoyable was Cyrus face when his husband asked if he wanted to help with the dolls hair.

LOL.

[Guest]

The show is not just bad in a "This is so unrealistic and has no continuity" way; it is bad in a "this isn't even entertaining" way.  I keep watching in hopes that it will improve, but I just don't think it will.

[DavidJSnyder]

Are we supposed to think Annabeth Gish's character is out of the picture now?  Was there an implication of her being photographed last week that Fitz wouldn't see her anymore that I didn't get?

[Dr Epi]

I was so happy to see Michael again, and that he seems to take an interest in Ella, that I forgave all of the horrible politics. I love a pretty man who cares about children.

 

I also like Mellie stomping right out of the White House when she saw what Fitz was doing, endorsement be damned. She at least has some spine. 

 

Won't the Secret Service people talk about how there was a group of people, hired by the White House, who scrubbed all of their connection to the murder scene?  Won't at least one of the hotel staff talk about how they were paid off not to say anything? How will they even prove that the Secret Service were there when Molly at the pub will vouch that they were there all week and there is no evidence on the hotel cameras that they were even there?

 

If the Secret Service goes down, then OPA should also go down. That would have been more interesting- that the SS cannot get what is coming to them else OPA, and thus the White House, get implicated in the cover up.  It would have shown the deleterious effects of what OPA does.

 

I wish the writers cared enough about plot holes.  They would have in season 2. 

[ChicksDigScars]

Are we supposed to think Annabeth Gish's character is out of the picture now?  Was there an implication of her being photographed last week that Fitz wouldn't see her anymore that I didn't get?

 

President Bartlet had a problem with his eldest daughter dating the schmuck who is disgracing the Office that he left with such dignity. He told her to scratch her divorcee itch somewhere else. 

 

At least I hope Lizzy Bartlet divorced the moron that she was married to in Sorkinland. 

[DavidJSnyder]

President Bartlet had a problem with his eldest daughter dating the schmuck who is disgracing the Office that he left with such dignity. He told her to scratch her divorcee itch somewhere else. 

 

At least I hope Lizzy Bartlet divorced the moron that she was married to in Sorkinland. 

I hope she finally gets together with Agent Doggett.

[reggiejax]

Liv can also get off her high horse with Fitz when she's sleeping around/not talking doing what ever with Jake. A man she knows murdered someone to be head of the NSA.

 

Forget about Jake, I cannot believe they had Liv get on her high horse about Fitz's sexcapades in the Oval. Her blaming him for the Secret Service being reduced to covering for his booty calls was rich. If that is all they know how to do, they didn't just learn by watching Fitz. They also learned by watching you, Liv.

 

I get that no one is perfect, and we all have our moments of hypocrisy, but this was just ridiculous. I know they are relying on the audience basically forgetting everything that happened before, but I guess now they are writing Liv to have forgotten as well.

 

On the bright side, I was having a hard time remembering where I recognized Jake's fiancée from. Then it hit me: She's Penny Hardwicke, from High Fidelity. She was Rob Gordon's #2 (chronologically) on his list of Top 5 all-time breakups. Not too shabby, Jake.

Edited March 11, 2016 by reggiejax

[SimoneS]

This show is dumber than a box of rocks. How on earth is it Fitz's fault that the secret service is murderers? I just change the channel whenever Jake and Rowan come on which means I miss most of the show. I only caught Michael at the end. Eh, I am about to stop watching completely so it does not matter.

[Guest]

 

 

If the Secret Service goes down, then OPA should also go down. That would have been more interesting- that the SS cannot get what is coming to them else OPA, and thus the White House, get implicated in the cover up.  It would have shown the deleterious effects of what OPA does.

 

I wish the writers cared enough about plot holes.  They would have in season 2. 

 

I think they've already done this storyline twice, so no need to do it a third time at this point.  I'm thinking when Gideon died and when the mayor's wife died.

[Dowel Jones]

  Won't at least one of the hotel staff talk about how they were paid off not to say anything?

 

As soon as the maid took that $500 or so from Quinn, she would be down at the offices of The National Enquirer, selling a hot tip about a coverup at the hotel.

 

Did the dead woman bring her own heroin to the party, or did the agents somehow scrounge up enough to give her a fatal dose?

[ShowPolish]

All these characters have become completely disgusting.  Does anyone in this universe have sex for non-manipulative reasons?  Are we supposed to find this hot?

Edited March 12, 2016 by ShowPolish

[Dizzychickstar]

I don't think Olivia's been right for a while...she's paranoid, seemingly unaffected, and off her game. She no longer trusts or even mentions her gut. Instead of preaching to Fitz to get his act together, she needs to work on her own. Liv is tragically jaded; she needs a reboot of the soul.

Just about every character has gotten their hands dirty, but I'm now rooting for Mellie. I love how she put Fitz in his place-hey, do what you want...but not around our children. She has a case there.

Cyrus, of course, played that man like a fiddle. The pity is that no one is noticing and I wonder how strong this nuFitz is; will he have more of a backbone or will he continue to be manipulated? It will be interesting to see if he catches on to the game before Cyrus realizes it. I feel sorry for Michael and Ella and love that he was practicing his braiding.

And poor Susan, she's no dummy, at least I didn't think she was, but I hope this whole mess blows up in a big way on Liz. David deserves it too, but he makes it harder for me to hate him.

[PrincessTT]

And poor Susan, she's no dummy, at least I didn't think she was, but I hope this whole mess blows up in a big way on Liz. David deserves it too, but he makes it harder for me to hate him.

 

I can't stand Liz, but at least she doesn't hide who she is. No-one is under any illusion that Liz is anything other than a cold-hearted, ambitious bitch... So when it all comes out, Li's behaviour won't be a surprise to anyone. 

 

I'd love for Susan to find out but to keep her cool not say anything at first; keep using Liz and David to help her win the presidency and then as soon as she wins tell them that she knows everything, fire Liz and get rid of David. Unfortunately I don't think it will play out that way.

[Tetraneutron]

I can't stand Liz, but at least she doesn't hide who she is. No-one is under any illusion that Liz is anything other than a cold-hearted, ambitious bitch... So when it all comes out, Li's behaviour won't be a surprise to anyone. 

 

I'd love for Susan to find out but to keep her cool not say anything at first; keep using Liz and David to help her win the presidency and then as soon as she wins tell them that she knows everything, fire Liz and get rid of David. Unfortunately I don't think it will play out that way.

 

They're all cold-heated, ambitious bitches. Every single regular on this show, except Marcus and Susan. (And maybe Fitz when they're writing him particularly dumb). 

 

What's Liz doing that Olivia and Cyrus aren't? All three of them are trying to manage someone's Presidential campaign, but Lizzie is a bitchy mean girl, Cyrus is a cold-hearted schemer, and Olivia is the brave hero. What's the difference? Because Lizzie is sleeping with David even though Susan likes him and she herself doesn't, and called Susan ugly? So what? Olivia and Cyrus have had sex with plenty of people for reasons other than pure unselfish love. Or do I have to list every horrible thing the other two did to James, Jake and Edison? Every other horrible thing Olivia and Cyrus did in general?

 

But the Lizzie/Susan/David dynamic is playing like every single bad movie about high school students where the popular cheerleader is mean to the nice dork and steals the dopey quarterback from her, until the quarterback and the dork end up together at the prom and the cheerleader gets food spilled on her. That's a dumb movie. Why am I watching that play out in "Scandal"?

Edited March 12, 2016 by Tetraneutron

[PrincessTT]

They're all cold-heated, ambitious bitches. Every single regular on this show, except Marcus and Susan. (And maybe Fitz when they're writing him particularly dumb). 

 

What's Liz doing that Olivia and Cyrus aren't? All three of them are trying to manage someone's Presidential campaign, but Lizzie is a bitchy mean girl, Cyrus is a cold-hearted schemer, and Olivia is the brave hero. What's the difference? Because Lizzie is sleeping with David even though Susan likes him and she herself doesn't, and called Susan ugly? So what? Olivia and Cyrus have had sex with plenty of people for reasons other than pure unselfish love. Or do I have to list every horrible thing the other two did to James, Jake and Edison? Every other horrible thing Olivia and Cyrus did in general?

 

But the Lizzie/Susan/David dynamic is playing like every single bad movie about high school students where the popular cheerleader is mean to the nice dork and steals the dopey quarterback from her, until the quarterback and the dork end up together at the prom and the cheerleader gets food spilled on her. That's a dumb movie. Why am I watching that play out in "Scandal"?

 

I agree with you, I can't stand Olivia or Cyrus either and I would laugh in the face of anyone who referred to Olivia as a 'brave hero'.

 

The point of my post was that I actually have more respect for someone like Lizzie, who doesn't shy away from who she is, than I do for the Olivias and Davids of the world who hide behind the notion of being a white hat but are still just horrible people.

 

In fact I think Marcus and Susan are the only likable characters on the show, but that might only be because they haven't been around long enough to become as awful and corrupt as the others.

Edited March 12, 2016 by PrincessTT

[Chaos Theory]

I haven't really watched this show in a little while but my one thought when Olivia felt bad about covering up the hookers murder was "Like you've never made a dead hooker disappear before?"

[reggiejax]

but I'm now rooting for Mellie. I love how she put Fitz in his place-hey, do what you want...but not around our children. She has a case there.

 

Not really. Fitz wasn't doing anything around their child. The kid evidently lives with Mellie, and in that particular scene she was dropping him off unexpectedly. It is not as if Fitz was parading his floozies in front of the kid. But even if that were the case, it just doesn't play on this show because the Grant kids have never been anything but props, and rarely used props at that. I'd call the Grants bad parents, but they are not present enough in their kids lives to even qualify as that. So Mellie can drop the concerned mother act, because it just doesn't work. 

[Artsda]

 

On the bright side, I was having a hard time remembering where I recognized Jake's fiancée from. Then it hit me: She's Penny Hardwicke, from High Fidelity. She was Rob Gordon's #2 (chronologically) on his list of Top 5 all-time breakups. Not too shabby, Jake.

She was also series regular on Justified. Sucks she went from  Ava Crowder, that great series and character to this storyline. 

 

 

Not really. Fitz wasn't doing anything around their child. The kid evidently lives with Mellie, and in that particular scene she was dropping him off unexpectedly.

Yes and unexpectedly because she was using the kid in order to talk to Fitz into not endorsing Susan. So considering she was using the child to show up by claiming the baby wanted to go, Fitz should have told her off over her self righteous act.

Edited March 12, 2016 by Artsda

[JessePinkman]

How many times is this show going to use a dead woman as fodder for some new dumb episode long plot? It is so tired.

[Dowel Jones]

That was Ava?  Jake, you're toast.

[Rancide]

UGH.  I like Scott Foley as an actor and, B-316 stuff aside, have liked Jake as a character.  But new asshole Jake is not likable or interesting, and Scott Foley is not good at playing a mean guy.  Fitz is still horrible.  The scandal of the week was boring.  Just UGH.

[Black Knight]

Not really. Fitz wasn't doing anything around their child. The kid evidently lives with Mellie, and in that particular scene she was dropping him off unexpectedly. It is not as if Fitz was parading his floozies in front of the kid.

It is the White House. Mellie wouldn't have been allowed up to the living quarters until Fitz had been notified by his staff that she had arrived, and given the okay for her to be sent up. So while he hadn't been expecting to have Teddy that night, he still had the time and opportunity to get rid of Lisa. It's not like Mellie simply barged into his bedroom with no warning. He knew she was coming there with Teddy. But not only is Lisa still there, she's in a bathrobe, and hadn't even been told to stay out of sight. What was Fitz's plan, to let her stay there for movie night with the kid in a bathrobe? Did he even think at all? Apparently not, and that was Mellie's point and why she realized it would be necessary to spell out that Fitz can bang as many women as he wants but not have them around the children. Necessary because Fitz is dumb and doesn't think beyond his little head.

 

I had to laugh at Fitz resolving once again to be a good president. How many times has he resolved that in the course of the series? It never lasts long.

 

Also, the thing about everyone out for Fitz's endorsement was so dumb, because sitting presidents do not endorse during their party's primaries. They only endorse the party nominee, once it's decided. Everyone from Olivia to Liz should have known that. (And Shonda should have known that too because we're seeing it right now - Obama prefers Clinton, but he still will not endorse her until she's won the nomination, because that's just not how things are done.)

 

I'd been wondering if we'd ever see Michael again. It was good to see him, and to see that he really is taking his responsibility of being Ella's primary caregiver seriously. At the same time, seeing Michael makes me worry that he's not long for this world. Will Tom kill him next or something?

[reggiejax]

It is the White House. Mellie wouldn't have been allowed up to the living quarters until Fitz had been notified by his staff that she had arrived, and given the okay for her to be sent up. 

 

This would only be the case if the show adhered to reality. But the show has never done that. So it is no stretch to suggest that the White House of the Scandal-verse is rather lax on protocol. And that is fine. The real problem with the show has been that it no longer adheres to it's own reality. The biggest example of that being Mellie suddenly giving a shit about her kids. She never has before,except in the incredibly rare moments like this where it suits the plot. And if we never see the kid again this season, or for the rest of the show's run, it would surprise absolutely no one. In fairness, I don't believe for one second that Fitz would ever have a movie night with young whatever his name is. More likely the kid will be locked in his room with a bucket. 

[KaveDweller]

I haven't really watched this show in a little while but my one thought when Olivia felt bad about covering up the hookers murder was "Like you've never made a dead hooker disappear before?"

 

I was actually more annoyed when Olivia rationalized how it was okay to cover up the death because the woman was a hooker. As though being a hooker means she doesn't deserve to be treated decently or have anyone know the truth about her death.

[Cekrypton1]

Oh Scandal, it wouldn't be a presidential election in your universe without one candidate having a dead/dying child card to play.

"Little Cyrus Beene."--Sally Langston cuts HARD.

[WhineandCheez]

The only thing enjoyable was Cyrus face when his husband asked if he wanted to help with the dolls hair.

 

Cyrus was totally like, "Umm why are you playing with an African American doll?"  Oh.....oh yeah, that's right, I have a kid.  Oh yeah , that's right, she's African American."

 

I'm sorry bow-tied blouses are not that popular, at this point a couple of years down the line, Lizzy HAS to be having these custom made.  There aren't enough of them on the planet to cover 1 or 2 new ones each week. I also want to see she and David get into even harder-core S&M, not like the light stuff she is doing to David now.

[Dowel Jones]

I kind of feel sorry for the actors playing the Grant children.  When they submit a portfolio of their roles, the casting agent is going to say something like "Fitz and Mellie's kid?  Really? They had children? Get outta here, kid."