Scandal Review: Survival of the Fittest (Season 6 Episode 1)

After an excruciatingly long wait, Scandal is back with, well, a bang.

Hitting far too close to home in the first 5 minutes, we see Mellie lose the presidential race in a shocking upset at the end of a long election night. Mellie Grant has worked her whole life for this office and Olivia played her heart out trying to get her there, seeing them both take this hit cuts deep.

Fitz: Mellie needs you.

The two of them continue to prove how well they work together. In a poignant scene, Olivia coaches Mellie through an utterly heart-wrenching concession phone call.

The relationship between Mellie and Olivia has become one of, if not the best, relationships on the show. These powerhouse women working together and not against each other makes so much sense and improves the show tenfold.

Mellie: I will be gracious, out there. In here? I’m spiteful and petty.  

 

Speaking of powerhouse women, Abby Whelan is absolutely slaying as Chief of Staff.

Abby: I don’t have some security clearance, I have all of it. No this isn’t a high level operation, it’s the high level operation. No this isn’t your team, it’s mine. No you are not in charge. You were in charge. I am in charge now.

In true twisty Scandal fashion, Frankie Vargas is shot and killed only minutes after accepting the presidential nomination. Either Mellie or Frankie would have been perfectly good Presidents in the Scandal universe, but the alternative now is Cyrus Beene.

Frankie was a good man and would have been the first Latino President, but Cyrus is pure evil and we all know it.

Papa Pope and I are immediately on the same page: Cyrus did it. Cyrus Beene would absolutely murder his way back into the Oval office, it’s not even the first blood on his hands for the sake of power, but this time he’s trying to take the presidency for himself.

Fitz: I was born with power, me wanting power is like a drowning man wanting a bath.

Unfortunately, Pope and Associates don’t find the key missing piece of information to give them a concrete lead on Cyrus until Fitz has already made the wrong decision.

Olivia is openly biased for Mellie even when she thinks she’s been proven wrong about Cyrus. And Cyrus puts up a good act, but as we know he’s always been good at playing the long con and his reaction to Frankie’s death is just another piece in that puzzle.

I’ve missed seeing Olivia Pope shake grown men to their core. The best moment of this week’s episode is easily the one where she politely whispers in Cyrus’ ear her full intention to completely destroy him. The race for who takes the White House after Fitz, is still on and I am so excited to see Olivia and Mellie fight tooth and nail for it.

Mellie: I want it, the crown, the rare air. I do want it.

 

Other thoughts:

• Charlie is on the team now! I’ve always loved the dry humor and wit of Charlie and I think his relationship with Quinn is refreshing and delightful in spite of them both being wildly problematic humans. His proposal is upended by Huck, but it plays out perfectly as Quinn spirals over it for a day before saying yes.

Huck: Which one is it Charlie, do you want to murder her or do you want to marry her?

• Mellie and Marcus are slowly heading toward something and if the Season 6 teaser is any indication whatever is going on between them is going to start heating up soon. I am so here for it, get it you two!
• I wonder what Susan and Elizabeth were up to in the aftermath of the election night shooting. Where do you think those two were?

What did you think of this episode of Scandal? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Scandal airs Thursday at 9/8c on ABC.

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