Scandal Review: They All Bow Down (Season 6 Episode 5)

Scandal always does better when it’s episodes focus on the women of this show, so it’s no surprise that Scandal Season 6 Episode 5, “They All Bow Down” is somewhat below average for the TGIT show.

This Jake centric episode gives us a look at what the disturbed NSA director/Vice Presidential nominee has been up to since election night, and it’s anything but reassuring.

His marriage has been a sham from the very beginning, and now we’re seeing it fall apart.

The writing on Jake seems inconsistent. He’s claims he only feels like himself when he’s taking orders, but apparently those orders have to come from Rowan, he’s unhappy on the campaign with Olivia, he’s unhappy with his wife, but with Rowan he’ll be a good boy and do as he’s told.

Scandal Season 6 Episode 5 comes just shy of making us care about Jake’s wife, Vanessa and her democrat dynasty, but it’s unclear if that’s a fault of the writing, or the acting.

Her best moment comes when she meets with Mellie, and truth be told, that’s all because of Mellie.

Vanessa is miserable with her political prop of a husband who won’t trust her or tell her anything. Mellie’s been exactly where she is and knows exactly the pep talk she needs.

Mellie: You are suffering through a marriage with a man that you do not know and cannot stand with no idea what you want on the back end. Wake up!

Olivia feels off balance in this episode, doing her job with her usual competent and commanding presence during the first half of the episode, but she’s completely duped by Jake by the end of the hour. Why on Earth would Olivia trust him after he’s been extremely creepy toward her for weeks?

Meanwhile she’s being framed as the one who paid off Tom to kill Frankie Vargas, but by whom we aren’t quite sure. There’s a mysterious woman pulling Rowan’s strings.

Who could be intimidating enough, or powerful enough to have control over Command? Let us know who you think she’s working for in the comments below.

OTHER THOUGHTS:

• Jake apparently disobeyed orders and kept NAME alive against Rowan’s orders. Why? And who’s body did he actually blow up in that house?
• Jake definitely thought about killing Vanessa. Do you think he’ll go through with it at any point?
• Quinn and Charlie continue to be adorable in the background.
• Sally promised Olivia she would find out if there was anything insidious going on inside the Ballard household. Do you think this is foreshadowing or is she done digging?
• Really though who is pulling Rowan’s strings? And why did they want Mellie in the Oval?

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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