S05.E19: Buckle Up

[Tara Ariano]

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Florida's powerful governor meets with the candidates, who compete for her endorsement. Meanwhile, Abby and Olivia's spin war could hurt their candidates; and Cyrus has to make a potentially life-changing decision.

[ShowPolish]

In before everyone rags on this episode, since this seems to be the theme around here.  The show isn't what it used to be sure, but at least they are focusing on the right people this week.

I'll gladly watch this race, it actually feels a bit like days of ole.

I could definitely do without Liv's side story about killing a man in cold blood, but I guess they wrote themselves into a corner in an attempt to be shocking.  What exactly is the point of Cyrus these days?  I thought he and Michael had a fake marriage, why was Michael butthurt about Cyrus cheating?  

[DCC]

So Olivia finally admits that she never loved Fitz, she just loved the power of the White House. I'm heartbroken because I loved Olitz. 

And Olivia's father/jake were NOT missed. This episode was plain old dirty politics and I liked it. 

[ParadoxLost]

The conversation Fitz and Mellie had outside the planes was like they were a divorced couple negotiating how to take care of their kid or pet.  Make sure you feed Olivia and that she gets some sleep and take her for a run.

All the talking about Olivia killing Andrew has me thinking, have you not spent several seasons dealing with B613 and bugs, and did Fitz stop recordings in the White House that got Nixon in trouble (and a certain actor in a certain scene of The Pelican Brief should have mentioned something), and no reporter has ever had a parabolic mic or lip readers.  Because telling Mellie that Olivia killed the former VP in front of reporters was a genius level move :eyeroll:

Edited April 29, 2016 by ParadoxLost

[ForeverAlone]

I had to roll my eyes HARD when Abby was passive aggressively whining to Fitz about the fact that he overruled her on the tarmac, and therefore she wasn't going to think anymore. It is these long, overblown monologues that have no basis in the real world, that I just have no time for. I mean, I don't care that Abby is supposed to run the president so he can run the country. He is still her freaking boss, and he has every right to overrule her. That is what bosses do. And I just had to laugh when Abby was claiming that Fitz basically only did that, because she is a woman, and he would never do that to Cyrus. Fitz ran roughshod over Cyrus on more than one occasion.

But other than that, I thought it was a serviceable episode. Olivia is heading for some massive meltdown it seems and it should be interesting to see what happens when she finally breaks. Too bad for David that he sold his soul to get Susan a useless endorsement. And I couldn't help but feel bad for Michael. Once I found out his backstory, I felt a bit sorry for him, so I can't blame him for what he did. Cyrus really is a monster. An enjoyable monster AT TIMES, but I will relish if he ever gets what he TRULY deserves. 

[Tetraneutron]

Can we talk about Marcus's Chester Arthur sideburns? What the hell was that?

I love this B613-less show. This is why I watch. Fun, soapy politics, pretty people backstabbing and fighting each other. Like if House of Cards had a sense of humor about itself. And of course Fitz and Olivia are getting back together. He turned around his plane to help the opposing candidate just because Olivia asked him to. And Abby said that he was mad at her for inadvertently setting in motion the events that led to Olivia being a murderer and they didn't deny it. 

Kind of annoyed at what they're doing with Cyrus. So now his husband thinks they're in a real marriage even though we saw the episode where they got married? And how Cyrus explicitly said it will be a fake marriage but they'll be honest with each other? Why the hell wouldn't Cyrus just say "Yes, I'm sleeping with someone else, but you know what this was"? I suppose it's kind of cool they're making him into another power player. We need more people on this show that blackmail people about sex, and fewer that get involved with international poorly-defined terrorists. 

[bobbyjoe]

The Cyrus and Michael story just leaves me confused.   In a show full of sloppy storytelling lately, this is one of the sloppiest.   Since we see virtually nothing of Michael (he might as well be Norm's wife on Cheers for all we see of him), and since the Cyrus/Tom thing has had almost no scenes whatsoever, I don't feel like they've bothered to lay any groundwork for this.  So Michael, who from what we saw way back when he did have a few actual scenes on the show knew full well that this was a marriage of convenience, but is now so deeply in love with Cyrus that he's majorly jealous?  Uh....yeah, ok, I guess?

But even when the story was going on tonight, hubby and I were like "wait, what?"  For example, when they pulled the whole switcheroo with the flashdrive, we were like "so, wait, was that whole conversation between Michael and Cyrus fake, like there was supposed to be a bug or something?"  But then Cyrus mentions the marriage counselor, and then Michael's run off with the kid?  I guess if they'd bothered to make Michael, like, an actual character or something rather than a convenient plot point, this story might mean something. 

[WhosThatGirl]

So, Cyrus's faux husband took away his daughter from him, to..prove a point? I suppose he probably is more so raising her than Cyrus is. And I remember the wedding episode but was the husband not clear on it being a faux marriage because of the press? Because I thought he was well aware but they now seem to be writing him as if he believed it was real and not in title only, talking about fixing it and going to counseling, the hell?

Mellie and Fitz's talk was so strange, the jist of it being,

"she killed Andrew" he did not mention the chair part,

"she..what?"

"you didn't know? Is she sleeping or running?"

"Not really sleeping, I took her for a walk". 

Liv is not a child. Or a poodle, Fitz and Mellie Grant, but hey if she can get you two to act like civil human beings and whatever, then fine. 

[Dowel Jones]

From the practical viewpoint, I would have thought that Susan's camp would have been glad for someone else to get the Florida governor's endorsement, under investigation as she was.  Her vote would have been a boat anchor to anyone as soon as charges were made public.  Besides, some general phone polling would have revealed the Hollis Roberts was pulling in the rubes anyway so all their machinations were going to be for naught anyway.

Nice dig at Bill Clinton's haircut fiasco there.  By the way show, there is a 747 mockup of AF1 available for film use.  It used to be out in a hangar in Mojave airport, and it gave the Secret Service a group heart attack when some pranksters graffitti-ed the side of it and put the video on youtube.

What was the point of the prismatic camera work in Olivia's office?  Just artsy stuff to distract us from the absurdity?

[mwell345]

7 hours ago, ParadoxLost said:

The conversation Fitz and Mellie had outside the planes was like they were a divorced couple negotiating how to take care of their kid or pet.  Make sure you feed Olivia and that she gets some sleep and take her for a run.

That's exactly the same thought I had.  Take care of poor little Olivia, who was able to brutally kill a guy not too long ago.  Mellie, running for President, has to make sure poor little Liv eats, sleeps and runs. Talk about a "special snowflake."

When did Kerry Washington's acting get so bad?  The scene on the plane where she blew up at Quinn and Hutch (and then the other guy) was just cringeworthy, as was the scene with Hutch.

2 hours ago, Dowel Jones said:

What was the point of the prismatic camera work in Olivia's office?  Just artsy stuff to distract us from the absurdity?

My first reaction was that I needed to make an appointment with my eye doctor. 

I used to love this show. Last night I laughed my way through it, and I don't think that's what Shonda's going for.

Edited April 29, 2016 by mwell345

[Good Queen Jane]

6 hours ago, Dowel Jones said:

 

What was the point of the prismatic camera work in Olivia's office?  Just artsy stuff to distract us from the absurdity?

They frequently use this camera technique when in OPA's office and only in OPAs office. I guess it has something to do with the beveled glass or just to remind us we are in the office since the Gladiators spend so little time there.

[TV Diva Queen]

When Olivia was yelling/talking with Huck, I noticed that she picked up on Papa Joe's cadence of speech.  Anyone else?  

[Happytobehere]

Watching the Fitz/Mellie scene and any scenes with Abby that centers on Liv, all I can ever think of is when Mama Pope told Olivia that she was the help.  There is something paternalistic in the delivery and the racial connotation cannot be ignored.  If Shonda thinks she is conveying love and concern, that is not what comes across to me.  Fitz/Mellie/Abby just scream entitlement to me, and all I see is Poppa Pope yelling at Liv that she has to be twice as good to get half as much because Liv serving as the help to people who clearly are not on her level might be the ultimate take-away, and if this what Shonda is trying to convey then bravo, but be clearer.  I mean all three characters have had moments when it is clear that they see Olvia as being unworthy of being where she is (Fitz with the erection scene, Mellie just being Mellie, Abby whe. She was getting together with David and it was clear she felt nothing bust disdain for Oliva -- strange how people only remember Liv breaking this two up, but again, Shonda writing). However, given the  story telling in the show, I doubt these critical thinking points drive Team Shonda.  

All-in-all, last week was actually the better episode, we got backstory and character growth, this week gave us the same-ole-same-ole, perhaps a master plan, but again, doubt Team Shonda has such long-term planning depth.

[Primetimer]

But if Liv and Abby can't stop bickering, both of their candidates might lose.

View the full article

[swimmyfish]

11 hours ago, ForeverAlone said:

I had to roll my eyes HARD when Abby was passive aggressively whining to Fitz about the fact that he overruled her on the tarmac, and therefore she wasn't going to think anymore. It is these long, overblown monologues that have no basis in the real world, that I just have no time for. I mean, I don't care that Abby is supposed to run the president so he can run the country. He is still her freaking boss, and he has every right to overrule her. That is what bosses do. And I just had to laugh when Abby was claiming that Fitz basically only did that, because she is a woman, and he would never do that to Cyrus. Fitz ran roughshod over Cyrus on more than one occasion.

Seriously. Abby is one of the few characters on this show who hasn't brutally murdered someone, yet she is unbearable.

[toodles]

Ugh.  This show.  Are these people grownups?  Color me crazy, but I thought most of them had big shot jobs.  David Rosen has all the time in the world to trot along the campaign trail?  Jake can hang around the house all day?  So stupid.

[reggiejax]

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When did Kerry Washington's acting get so bad? 

I would say since day one. Which was way back in 1994, as IMDB lists her first credit as "Heather" in Magical Makeover, which was an ABC Afterschool Special.

I have to admit, I kind of want Hollis Doyle to succeed. He is the only candidate on this show I can get behind. By which I mean in entertainment value, not politically.

He sure beats the entitled Mellie and milquetoast Susan. On the Dem side of things, all we have is Vargas, who seemingly doesn't even want to be there, and the cardboard cutout Edison. Seriously, are we sure he isn't literally a cardboard cutout? Not that it would matter one way or the other.

[thewhiteowl]

All of the stupid stupidity here and I wonder, why does Abby think it's her job to tank Mellie's campaign? You would think she has enough to do with "running" Fitz and but dang, she's like a dog with a bone. Fitz isn't in the running so STFU Abby. The White House is already supporting Susan or at least they were, what else do they need to do?

[Empress1]

41 minutes ago, toodles said:

Ugh.  This show.  Are these people grownups?  Color me crazy, but I thought most of them had big shot jobs.  David Rosen has all the time in the world to trot along the campaign trail?  Jake can hang around the house all day?  So stupid.

I had the same thought. Doesn't he have cases? And I feel like in this day and age, people would be asking that question.

Liv looked petty as fuck with the elevator and the wine. She's really not a good person. I wish the show would fully embrace that instead of trying to paint her as noble. She isn't.

This Michael/Cyrus thing is insulting to my intelligence. They had a conversation before they got married about how this shit was fake. Michael could have (should have) had a side piece too. I don't believe that Michael has fallen in love with Cyrus; if the show wanted me to believe that, they needed to SHOW me. How you gon' go to counseling for a fake marriage? Just ... what?

I'm here for Michael taking Ella though. Cyrus doesn't give a fuck about that child (he called her James's child, which she was); Michael learned how to do her hair (which was looking cute this episode). My only concern is the legality of it. If Michael hasn't adopted Ella, I'd guess Cyrus could have him charged with kidnapping - and Cyrus is messy enough to do that.

[txhorns79]

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So, Cyrus's faux husband took away his daughter from him, to..prove a point? I suppose he probably is more so raising her than Cyrus is. And I remember the wedding episode but was the husband not clear on it being a faux marriage because of the press? Because I thought he was well aware but they now seem to be writing him as if he believed it was real and not in title only, talking about fixing it and going to counseling, the hell?

I don't understand this plotline at all.  They have a fake marriage.  They had to get married because Michael being a hooker was leaked to the press.  I don't think we've seen anything to suggest they are a real, loving couple.  If anything, it seems like Cyrus should be fine with Michael leaving and taking Cyrus' kid with him.  Cyrus never cared about that kid before, why would we care now? 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, toodles said:

Ugh.  This show.  Are these people grownups?  Color me crazy, but I thought most of them had big shot jobs.  David Rosen has all the time in the world to trot along the campaign trail?  Jake can hang around the house all day?  So stupid.

Right? If Susan is still so angry with him and doesn't want him around (understandably), he has a great excuse to not be there. He's the attorney general. Her official position could be that while she would love to have him join her more, he is working hard for the country in DC. Fly him in for a few high profile events here and there. Done.  

11 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

I don't understand this plotline at all.  They have a fake marriage.  They had to get married because Michael being a hooker was leaked to the press.  I don't think we've seen anything to suggest they are a real, loving couple.  If anything, it seems like Cyrus should be fine with Michael leaving and taking Cyrus' kid with him.  Cyrus never cared about that kid before, why would we care now? 

The only way that it makes sense (which this has never been a concern of the show, but whatever) is that Cyrus wants to be the one in control. He's not mad that Michael has Ella. He's mad that Michael TOOK Ella.  

[Chaos Theory]

I want to like this show: I really do.  I enjoyed the first 2-1/2 seasons but I think the show has dwindled down to OMG moments.  When you have a "shocking" moment every episode it stops being shock.  Kinda like other shows that kill off characters every episode.  

There are things about this show I do still like (The Olivia vs Abby was fun) but I don't care at all about the election angle.  I liked the show better when it's main focus was on the core group.  Honestly my favorite storyline is still Quinn's downward spiral.

[Guest]

I also thought it was painfully obvious from the get go that Hollis would win Florida. They overplayed the "whichever of these women loses will drop out" angle.  There was no way they were going to wrap it up that quickly.

I was surprised by the twist about David at the end though.  His dark hat gets a little darker every week or so.

[xtwheeler]

Just a slight note on the recap -- the planes were not at a private airfield, they were at Burbank International Airport. I'm fanwanking that that is why there was a significant amount of press there -- not only would there be the regular press corps, but some paps just hang out there to see what celebs are coming and going. It is virtually up the street from numerous major studios in Hollywood. I'm guessing that the Prez and his ex-wife's campaign plane being mere feet apart would be an interesting shot, at least. They mentioned the name of the airport a couple of times, and Olivia gets on another commercial jet to hold a presser at one point -- that's where she got the other passenger stories for the press, like the woman going to Haiti to build schools or whatever; those were the other regular people who were being inconvenienced by Abby's mega-entitled bullshittery.

[WhosThatGirl]

Yeah, Micheal being mad at Cyrus for cheating makes no sense, because I'm pretty sure all parties knew that this marriage was not real, so.. I don't understand. At first, I assumed he just wanted to know if he was sleeping with someone else just to know which I could be like, 'okay, he just wants them to be honest with one another' but then when Cyrus said yes, he said he wanted them to go to counseling and I was like, 'this isn't a real marriage!' I have to say, he probably is he the one who is taking care of Ella though, so I mean, I'm kind of surprised Cyrus noticed she was gone.  If Micheal comes out to be the most interesting character this season, I will laugh. He is partly responsible for my favorite moment this season, when Cyrus was doing something and Micheal was working on the hair for one of Ella's dolls and asked if Cyrus wanted to help and Cyrus made a 'WTF' face and walked out of the room. If  Micheal turns out to be a big power player this season, I will never stop laughing.

Crazier things have happened, you guys. Liv killed someone. With. A. Chair.

[J-Man]

So aren't the Democratic and Republican primaries usually held on the same day? Why no mention at all of the Edison vs. Vargas match-up, which presumably happened at the same time? We don't have any idea of who the frontrunner in that election is-- I guess we're not supposed to care.

[Lemontree23]

Does anyone else think Marcus and Mellie are gonna get it on?

And I swore Fitz and Abby were gonna kiss when she was crying after her tantrum. 

Other than that, Huck and Quinn are the voices of reason and Olivia sucks and this show blows. Why do I keep trying? I blame it on my attraction for both Jake and Fitz. Dang you, men. 

[thewhiteowl]

@Lemontree23, as much as Abby wants to just be Liv, I would not have been shocked by an Abby\Fitz hook up. He is a walking penis so he'd go for it. Maybe just to shut her up.

If Marcus did Mellie, then at least he'd have something to do. 

I missed Jake in his whites. 

[Tetraneutron]

On April 29, 2016 at 9:43 AM, TV Diva Queen said:

When Olivia was yelling/talking with Huck, I noticed that she picked up on Papa Joe's cadence of speech.  Anyone else?  

They all talk like that when they give the yelly, listy monologues. 

[Lemontree23]

@thewhiteowl Walking penis, love it. I have felt that tension for awhile and I feel like it's gonna happen. I have had a bad feeling, but we'll see! I still love him. P.S. This is the first episode I knew Marcus' name.