Scandal - Episode 03.01 "It's Handled" - Review "Oh My God"

     Scandal is back ! And it’s still amazing. The season three premieres kept its promises : it was full of suspense, action, drama. Everything I love about Scandal. First, I was worried Shonda & Co would start the episode some months after last season cliffhanger, but they did not waste any time, only 22 minutes had passed and Olivia had not said a word to her creepy father in the limo.
   So, how Olivia is going to get out of this ? Who leaked her name ? What will happen for President Grant ? “It’s Handled” answered those questions and raised many others.

    I kept jumping my seat the whole episode so I don’t know where to begin this review. Everybody knows our Olivia is the President mistress. Now, she has two choices : assume or hide. Her father wants her to go away, change identity and never come back to DC. Of course, and thanks to Cyrus, she decides to stay and fight the fight !
    Back at the office, she learns she is losing clients due to the affair so she comes up with a secret meeting to put an end to this media craziness ! I enjoyed those scenes, with the back folder and the secret password "Providence". It was like a spy show. Olivia meets with Grant… President and First Lady ! Oh My God…. Seeing those three characters in the same place was crazy. I could feel the tension, it was so good. Definitely, one of the best scenes of the show. Kerry Washington and Bellamy Young were so beautiful, loved her dresses (kudos to the stylist team).

   President Grant has a surprising plan : tell the truth. His honesty was touching, and Mellie and Olivia’s surprise faces were good. They are not used to tell the truth, it was like they did not even consider it as an option. When Olivia starts elaborating the plan, she comes to the realization truth works. Yeah girl, it’s not because it’s politics we have to lie… Right ?
   It was also touching when Mellie revealed she always knew when Grant was off to see Olivia. Of course, she is against telling the truth, because the real truth is more than an affair, Olivia and Fitz are in love. So, as Olivia says, it won’t be “the whole truth”, they want to lie about how many times they had sex. It was crazy to watch them negotiate the terms. Very cold Olivia.

   Truth is the plan. That’s what we thought as Olivia and Grant but Mellie and Cyrus are two little schemers ! They never wanted to truth to come out and so, poor press gal Jeanine was thrown to the lions. She appeared drunk in a video, saying how hot President Grant is…
   Okay, so now, everybody thinks she is the mistress and forgot about Olivia. Grant is angry with Mellie, but in the oval office she proves she is one strong and clever woman. She knows who leaked Olivia’s name to the press : it's Fitz ! He wants Olivia’s name out, so Mellie can not threaten her any more. It's, as Mellie states, very romantic and optimistic but stupid too of Fitz. Okay, he really loves Olivia but Mellie will seek her revenge, as usual.
   I love the dynamics in this love triangle, it's really one of the most interesting triangle. (I don't usually enjoy love triangle storylines in TV shows). The scene was quite intense. Fitz can be threatened by his wife. He is that afraid he is willing to help VP Sally to become President over Mellie ! Badass husband !
     EDIT : It's true Fitz has been angry at Mellie for some time (since she used the birth of their baby i think) and he declares war against her ! This season will be very intense for the presidential couple.... I'm not sure they still be married by the end of the season.

    The writers finally decide to explore Olivia : her relationship with her father and her past. It was really well written, we understood her a little more. It's always relevant to know how someone was before, what happened in its past so we can understand it better now and it was time to develop Olivia’s backstory, I mean she's the main character. Her father is a creepy control freak. She had not to be the best, but twice as good. No need to say he put a lot of pressure on her. Her mother died when she was young and Olivia never came back home afterward. Her father sent her to boarding schools, of course she was the best, like she's the perfect child. In college, her daddy issues pushed her to date “Silver foxes”. (I love Kerry Washington’s picture as “party girl” LOL).

    Oh my god ! The episode ended on a cliffhanger, as Scandal's tradition. Remember the Navy storyline with Scott Foley ? Well, apparently, something happened with Fitz and him during those Navy years and it’s crazy… But I have no idea what could it be, do you ?

SECRET FOLDERS  :
- "Kill folder on Olivia Pope" : were you scared ? Bad Cyrus
- Jeanine is now Olivia Pope’s new client. I don’t think she will survive. Cyrus is probably going to get her killed ? Or someone's else ? Mellie ?!
- Primary election : who do you vote for ? Sally, Mellie or Fitz ? I'm rooting for Mellie
- Abby’s new hairdo : super cute ! Nice change in 30 minutes ;)

                                Scandal = gorgeous women + badass husbands

Romain Ossust(aka Julian Denton) Writer