Scandal Review: Good People (Season 7 Episode 9)

Let’s take a deep breath, and break down what happened in Scandal Season 7 Episode 9 “Good People.”

To start, Quinn isn’t really dead! That fact alone doesn’t surprise me. I already mentioned after viewing Scandal Season 7 Episode 7 “Something Borrowed” and Scandal Season 7 Episode 8 “Robin” that the fact that we hadn’t seen a body was suspicious at best, and it turned out I was right to be skeptical.

Aside from showing us that Quinn is really alive, “Good People” is strong episode. We don’t see Olivia make power grabs, instead, this is very much about two characters that we’ve been watching for a while. Arguably, they’re the two characters closest to Olivia: her father and the woman she ultimately groomed to succeed her.

The scenes that take place in Quinn’s head, are reminiscent of Scandal Season 6 Episode 9 “Dead in the Water” in which whole acts play out with Huck talking to himself and manifestations of the OPA team. (The scene in OPA while Huck is stuck in the car remains one of my favorites.)

There’s definitely a similar vibe as Quinn puzzles through her situation in “Good People” and it is interesting seeing each of them through Quinn’s eyes.

Perhaps the most subtle omission is the lack of Olivia in these exchanges. It’s not something that’s noticeable at first; it’s more a notion that sneaks up on you. Yes, Quinn and Olivia are on the outs, but consider, that Quinn is waiting for Olivia to “save her” and absence becomes much more noticeable.

Olivia’s absence in these scenes also serves to help Quinn come into her own as a leader. If Olivia had come in, she would have likely eclipsed Quinn’s problem-solving skills. Remember, Olivia chose Quinn to replace her at OPA, so Quinn should develop the same ingenuity. Also, Quinn is B613, so she has an added edge.

Katie Lowes gives a strong performance in this episode, but Joe Morton also does very well. Rowan has always been a character with an agenda, who’s a little enigmatic, but in Scandal Season 6 we started to see him become a little unhinged as he was under constant surveillance.

“Good People” builds on that, with him talking to a camera that has been placed in his home in the form of a dinosaur. At first, the scenes just seem like an odd eccentricity that escalates. It’s a brilliant setup, and definitely a great episodic arc for this character.

This is also the first time we see Olivia’s immediate reaction after the events of “Something Borrowed.”

Yes, the cliffhanger gave us something to sweat over for two months, but Olivia’s answer gives us insight into her character and how far down the Command rabbit hole she’s gone. The fact that she couldn’t face what she’d done may be the one clue that there’s something left of “white hat” Olivia to save.

Honestly, right now, it’s time to just enjoy the ride, because when Quinn comes out of hiding and reveals that she’s actually alive, I think heads are going to roll.

Stray Thoughts:

• It was good to see Rowan develop a friendship with someone outside of Scandal’s political sphere. I wasn’t entirely sure it was a friendship at first; I thought that maybe Rowan was just using Marv to get supplies. That changed at the very end.
• If Quinn is alive who was the body in the car? Was it Marv? I don’t put anything past Rowan, but I doubt Marv would pass for a woman and a baby.
• Wouldn’t Charlie realize that Rowan’s B613 rules wouldn’t allow him to kill a pregnant woman?
• Rowan buys the baby Dino-Mites t-shirts, which seems like such a Rowan thing to pick up.
• Speaking of paternal Rowan, it’s kind of sweet that he refuses to indulge Quinn calling his daughter names. Rowan should never be underestimated, but his paternal side really comes out in this episode, and it’ actually kind of sweet.

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

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Scandal airs Thursdays at 9/8c on ABC.

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