“Scandal this week took us back to the writing style of season one as it returned its focus to Olivia Pope’s job as the “D.C. fixer.” What’s best about this return to the show’s original agenda is that not only is it refreshing, but it helps us remember why we loved Scandal in the first place.” —Elana Dure
Scandal this week took us back to the writing style of season one as it returned its focus to Olivia Pope’s job as the “D.C. fixer.” Olivia is no longer the center of scorning attention, and the obsession over her affair with the president seems to no longer be relevant. What’s best about this return to the show’s original agenda is that not only is it refreshing, but it helps us remember why we loved Scandal in the first place.
Things have been rough for Pope Associates. Ever since Olivia’s name was blasted through every mainstream news outlet, business has been slow. It seems to be that Olivia lost all the respect she’s ever gained in America’s political city.
However, after some time without any clients, Pope & Associates finally receives a call; Senator Richard Meyers is in a political mess and needs Olivia’s help desperately.
Meyers is on trial for killing Desiree Oates, the girl to whom he sexted his “wang.” Although not the most respectable client, Olivia promises to clear his name by using his wife, Shelly, as a defensive front. After all, if Shelly can still stand by his side despite these rumors, he must not be guilty of cheating, right? Wrong.
Olivia’s depiction of Meyers as a non-pervert quickly collapses. For one, David Rosen, the appointed prosecutor, is able to find multiple women to testify against Meyers and his sexual ways. In addition, at the height of the trial, Meyers sends pictures of his manly parts to a woman who runs to the media with the story.
All this womanizing does not put Meyers in a good spot. By focusing on his faults, the jury is more likely to assume he is guilty for murder.
The only saving grace for Meyers is his wife. At this point, Shelly is frustrated and hurt by Meyers’ infidelity. She does not want to lie on the witness stand on his behalf. However, Olivia tells her lying is not necessary if he is truly innocent, and since Shelly is his alibi they know that he is.
Shelly listens to Olivia’s advice and when asked if she loves her husband, she blatantly says no. However, she continues by saying that even though she may not love her husband, she still believes an innocent man should not go to prison for a crime he did not commit. Shelly’s compelling testimony helps sway the jury and Meyers is found not guilty.
One would think that is the end, but Meyers confesses to Olivia that Shelly did indeed lie for him. She was not home with him the night of Desiree’s murder and therefore could not be his alibi even though she said she was. Olivia, shocked, realizes what actually happened: Shelly murdered Desiree and got away with it. Olivia confronts Shelly, who doesn’t seem to regret what she did, and watches as the true murderer walks away unharmed.
All the while, Jake Ballard, who has recovered from the torture of B6-13, sets himself a mission to take down Eli Pope, the commander of B6-13. At first, Huck refuses to join Jake, but the guilt of his last killing soon consumes him and he goes with Jake to Olivia’s apartment with files of information that can lead to Eli’s downfall. All the three need to do is bring the pieces together and find more concrete evidence to support their claims.
Everything ties back to Operation Remington, the secret mission that Jake and the president were a part of. Jake explains to Olivia that Remington was a rescue mission in Iran during the Gulf War. However, because of the secret nature of the mission, the flight plans were never filed on paper. Instead they were tattooed to the body of a certain Navy officer named Peter Foster (the man Huck killed for Eli in the previous episode).
Interestingly, Foster was not the pilot for the mission, President Fitzgerald Grant was. This is where the conspiracy begins. Why did the unit want to make it seem as if Foster was the pilot? Did Eli have Foster killed because he was scared Foster would spill the secret?
Back at the White House, Fitz has no idea that Foster was murdered or that Olivia and Jake are looking into it. Rather, he sees an obituary for Foster in the paper and immediately feels a sentimental connection to him. Fitz calls Veterans Affairs and organizes a proper funeral for Foster at Arlington National Cemetery.
Fitz attends the funeral and Cyrus later chastises him for it. “It’s an election year. I’d hate to see your conscious get in the way of your goal,” he tells the president. Cyrus knows Fitz has many past secrets and does not want Fitz encouraging people to look into them. What’s hidden should stay hidden.
However, something about Remington is bothering Fitz. All we know is that things are quickly becoming real because the episode ends with a surprise visit from Fitz to Eli for a “long overdue reunion.”
Surely, no good can come from this meeting. Eli likes things to be in order and under his command. Anybody who goes outside his protocol is punished. However, despite our intense curiosity, we’ll have to wait until next week to see what is said at this surprise meeting.
