For those who don’t have Facebook, there is a space on your profile where you can list your relationship status. It lists three choices: “married,” “single,” and “It’s complicated.” Relationships, of any kind, are complicated. In this review of “The State of the Union” I’ll be looking at how Scandal rips off another layer of fairy-tale ideas. In the state of human affairs, love isn’t always simple, because life, by nature, isn’t simple either.
SPOILER WARNING! Contains spoilers for Scandal episode 4×2, The State of the Union”
“The State of the Union” is a great multi-layered-meaning title. The official meaning is The State of the Union address that President Fitzgerald “Fitz” Grant (Tony Goldwyn) is preparing to give the nation. Then there’s the underlying commentary on the state of the Union that currently exists in the United States. (If you didn’t notice in the premiere, Scandal is coming down hard on our current events.) However, let’s take a moment to consider the meaning of the word, “union”
UNION: an act or instance of uniting or joining two or more things into one: as (1) : the formation of a single political unit from two or more separate and independent units (2) : a uniting in marriage; also : sexual intercourse (3) : the growing together of severed parts (www.merriam-webster.com )
When you consider the full definition of the word, “The State of the Union” title for Scandal episode 4×2 is not just about politics. It’s really about the state of human relationships.
I’m not just talking about Fitz and Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington). That, of course, is the relationship that’s up most in many viewers’ thoughts. Writer/creator Shonda Rhimes is looking at everyone’s heart connections: Olivia and Jake Ballard (Scott Foley), Fitz and First Lady Mellie Grant (Bellamy Young), Olivia and Abby Whelan (Darby Stanchfield), Huck (Guillermo Diaz ) and Quinn Perkins (Katie Lowes), Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry) and Olivia, and Cyrus and his deceased husband James Novak (Dan Bucatinsky). Even the “case of the week” revolved around the once happily married couple James and Lisa Elliot (Josh Randall and Mary McCormack ) Complications of the heart, of connection, and of life, is what drives this episode. Well, that and the usual backstabbing political shenanigans.
The Setup:
The opening of Scandal has Jake and Olivia (aka Olake) jogging in the park where Jake is informing her he’s moving into a hotel room, “nearby.” One that’s close enough for her to run out for “booty calls.” Olivia’s not happy about this, but Jake is clear – and even more blunt:
We’re back in D.C. – we’re not standing in the sun anymore. I’m not going to live in your apartment waiting to service you. I have things to do, I’m busy. But, I did book a nice hotel room for booty calls.
Being back in D.C. is an emotionally difficult situation for Jake. He and Olivia have a real, yet undefined, intimate relationship. Despite having started out spying on her for Fitz and “a mission to sleep with her” by her father, it’s fair to say that Jake is probably in love with Olivia. He’s saved her life, was willing to die for her (got thrown in the hole instead) and always shows up for her – even though he knows she’s in love with Fitz. He knows that being back in D.C. means sooner or later Olivia will be mixed up with the White House – and with Fitz. Hence he’s drawing a line in the sand to protect his heart, and to get Olivia to think about what exactly is their relationship about.
Olivia protests that they must have a conversation – but then cuts herself off. Maybe she’s just catching her breath – or maybe she’s not ready to have that conversation. What she says instead is that she doesn’t do booty calls….which is when Jake points out Cyrus sitting a distance away on a bench.
That right there, refutes your statement. That right there is a political booty call. I’ll see you later.
Jake’s spot on about this. Olivia Pope loves the challenge of the White House – and she doesn’t want to be there. She doesn’t want to get swept up in Fitz’s world, not with the truth of what her mother did to his son & and of what his father did to Mellie hanging between them. It would not be right for her and Fitz to get involved again. He knows it, she knows it…and if she gets involved with his politics again she knows that’s exactly what will happen. Cyrus knows it too.
A friend is someone who knows all your faults, loves you, and exploits them anyway.
From: Cyrus’s Book of Love & Politics
Okay, so there is no such book – but if Cyrus Beene wrote one, I’m sure that would be in it. This is one hell of a scene! On the surface of things it seems like Cyrus is just being a bastard to get Olivia to help him out – until I started to think about the fact that Cyrus didn’t want Olivia to stay in the first place. He’s actually being… a kind bastard. Yes, he wants Olivia’s help, but Cyrus is also worried about the White House blowing up when Olivia and Fitz get together again. His blackmailing her solves two problems.
While Fitz and Olivia (Olitz) are in denial about being like a moth to a flame for each other, Cyrus has no such illusions. One way to defuse that fiery collision is to let Olivia surreptitiously help Fitz. Rather than having all that longing build up into one big explosion that will take down the White House, Cyrus thinks he can control the contact these two have. He knows part of their connection is the political game – Olivia and Fitz against the world. Did you see the way Olivia’s face starts to light up as she assesses the problem being presented. Then she catches herself. That’s when she reminds Cyrus she’s not afraid of the IRS.
Cyrus also knows there no way Olivia would agree to this on her own. She went half way around the world to get away from Fitz and politics. He started out by asking for a favor, but eventually gets her to do what he wants by threatening the one thing she consciously is dead set against – hooking up with Fitz. If Fitz thinks she’s pining, she knows Fitz will come see her – and she knows where that will lead. Cyrus is hoping that finding ways to let them have some of what they both secretly want will starve off the inevitable. Is he doing this out of the kindness of his heart? No. Cyrus is a political animal, but also Olivia’s friend. If he weren’t, he’d have already arranged to have her killed. Blackmail is a much better alternative.
Now that Cyrus has that issue taken care of there are other things he needs to deal with at the White House. The head of the Republican National Committee, whom Cyrus calls Lizzy Bear (Portia de Rossi) is sitting in the President’s office along with Vice President Andrew Nichols (Jon Tenney). You remember him, right? He’d been in love with Mellie back in the day, knew about Mellie being raped, and the two had finally started to have an affair when all hell broke loose at the end of last season. Well, he now has apparently teamed up with Lizzy Bear – at least politically. (Any other connections remain to be seen). Lizzy Bear is not happy that Fitz is making gun control the center of his State of the Union speech.
Okay, regardless of your personal politics, when Cyrus asks why Fitz can’t have gun control as the center of his speech and Lizzy Bear says, ” Because – we’re Republicans!” tell me you didn’t laugh. The complete exasperation in de Rossi’s response is perfect! And Cyrus…he really was terrible to Andrew. I expect later this season that issue is going to blow up into something major. Andrew will likely make Fitz and Cyrus long for the days of former VP Sally Langston (Kate Burton).
In this episode though, the main issues to come out of that clip is Lizzy Bear’s dissatisfaction with Fitz’s choice for Attorney General, the gun control issue, wondering where the President is…and that she really just doesn’t like Cyrus. In thirty-five seconds, the show manages to lay out all the political angles for the episode. Talk about efficient writing! little clip sets up all the political angles of the episode.
What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Once Olivia has taken on the job of getting the Elliot’s to show up, she has Huck and Quinn (HuckleberryQuinn) research who the Elliot’s are. Huck has refused to speak to Quinn since the day she showed him his family. Prior to that, she’d broken up with B613 sociopath Charlie (George Newbern) – because she and Huck had finally hooked up. It’s Charlie who gave Quinn the file – after explicitly telling her it would destroy her relationship with Huck. Olivia doesn’t notice how tense and awkward things are between these two. Whenever Quinn is talking he crosses his arms and won’t look at her at all and if she tries to initiate any kind of direct comment or conversation to him, he cuts her off,
Huck’s, “Woman, don’t talk to me” stance!
Quinn is in awe of the Elliotts. As an escaped P.O.W. Quinn sees the husband as a real “badass.” She is equally impressed with the wife, who selflessly saved “at least fifty lives” at a brutal elementary school shooting – before taking a bullet to the spine that left paralyzed from the waist down. The two had met a couple of years before the school shooting, and gotten married six months afterwards. The wedding got worldwide attention and the couple is on record everywhere for saying they are dedicating their lives to getting guns off the street. She loves this happily ever after despite in all love story.
Quinn, “I love them. They’re perfect.”
Olivia wisely poses asks if they’re so perfect “why haven’t they gotten on their plane this morning”? When Olivia flies out to New Mexico to get them she discovers the couple is fighting, as in: Lisa hurling objects at her husband because he’s been insulting her and spraying him with a fire extinguisher! Once Olivia manages to stop the fight and get them to sit down, she realizes this fight isn’t a one-time thing.
That scene is hilarious! Actors Josh Randall and Mary McCormack have excellent chemistry and comic timing. Olivia harshly reminds the couple of their patriotic duty to go the president’s address on gun control and help get that bill passed!
Once Olivia gets the Elliotts to D.C. she assigns Huck and Quinn to babysit them at their hotel. Quinn delivers the situation and assignment to Huck, who again, doesn’t answer her, nor look at her. Finally, Quinn attacks the issue directly.
Quinn: Huck, you don’t have to treat me like this.
Huck: Yes I do.
Disgusted, Quinn walks away.
At the hotel room Quinn and Lisa are in one room while Huck and James are in another. It serves as a way to keep the Elliots apart – and – unknown to anyone but themselves – Huck and Quinn. Huck and James have nothing in common to talk about – so they decide to start drinking. Meanwhile Lisa is sadly telling Quinn about life before her shooting: how James was so brave and “without a trace of bitterness” despite having been a P.O.W.
He was perfect. And he thought I was perfect…and we were in love. ….Before…all this…. We were in love
Quinn sadly relates to Lisa’s story.
Quinn isn’t the only one relating. Rhimes uses this one scene to underscore the situation between Olivia and Fitz by having the very next scene be Fitz sadly watching Olivia on the news and then vice-versa.
The words from that scene echo throughout the rest of the episode. You can’t help but think of how happy Abby and David Rosen (Joshua Malina) were before Olivia interfered with those phony wife-beating photos that reappear to derail his nomination as Attorney General, or that despite Cyrus using James to try to out the vice-president’s closeted gay husband – which led to James being murdered – Cyrus was happy and in love with James. Mellie and Fitz were also happy – before his father raped her. As for the list of things that have happened to derail the Fitz and Olivia connection, it would take an entire article to discuss them. Besides, the latest problems – her mother murdered his son, his father raped his wife – are more than enough to fit the “before all this” scenario. Rimes is pointing out that the state of the union may be bad, not because there’s no love, but because when bad things happen – regardless of how or why – sometimes love can’t be enough to stop things from falling apart. It’s a good message, and a warning of things to come.
Falling apart is exactly what’s happening back at the hotel. It starts deteriorating when Quinn hears James and Huck singing loudly…
The relationship parallels just keep coming! Quinn is mad that she even bothered with this because they’d “never be a normal couple.” She’s right. What she doesn’t get: normal left the building long before Huck pulled her teeth out. There’s nothing normal about the circumstances of their acquaintance, subsequent friendship and brief affair. It doesn’t stop there though, because there’s nothing normal about any of the relationships on Scandal.
Take Abby and David (Dabby). All last season the talk was about “what normal couples do.” Normal couples don’t work in jobs where you have to worry about being killed by a secret government agency. James is the love of Cyrus’s life, but Cyrus also adopted a kid with James so that he wouldn’t testify about Cyrus’s role in voter fraud! Olivia and Jake…she was his B613 assignment. With Olivia and Fitz, he’s the President of the United States – the married President of the United States. The house in Vermont and jam-making are lovely ideas, but that’s never been who they are and that’s not the reality of their lives. The Elliot’s lives are an example of what happens when normal gets upturned and wiped out. Josh Elliot was a soldier, a P.O.W. – not exactly your average guy. Lisa’s life when from being middle a sweet first-grade teacher – to being a national hero, an untrained soldier in an unexpected battle zone who saved fifty children’s lives and became a paraplegic in the process. Six months after that they had a “fairytale wedding” – which is likely at the heart of this anger and hatred now. They tried to force a simple happily ever after on top of lives that were anything but simple. It’s the idea of “normal” that’s screwing everybody up.
Maybe that’s why Huck can’t deal with Quinn – because there has to be more going on than her not minding her own business. Being reminded of his family is a reminder of everything he’s lost – not only of his family, but of himself. He’s managed to build another life, another identity, and then Quinn comes and juxtapositions herself against his old world. Now being with Quinn is a reminder of everything he’s lost. He doesn’t want to deal with his past – so now he does not, and can not, deal with Quinn.
There’s an interesting point in the talk Olivia has with Huck, but I’m going to come back to it because it has more to do with Abby and Olivia – which is a whole other discussion.
Getting back to our hotel people, Olivia comes back into the room with a solution.
Olivia: James, Lisa. What you need, is a divorce.
The Eliotts: What? We can’t.
Olivia: You can. Get a divorce. Before this kills you both.
Olivia promises them that while it will be hard to deal with all the financial and public image issues she will handle it so that they can both still make a living off of speaking engagement and that the public will stay on both their sides. Then she taunts them.\
Unless your just staying together for the fame, in which case I wish you both a long and miserable life.
Quinn and Huck both hear this solution – and don’t seem too happy about it. Neither did the Eliotts.
See, that’s the other thing about love. It doesn’t just go away because life gets complicated, and walking away isn’t always easy, or even right. Sometimes it is. God knows the Eliotts seem to be on the verge of literally killing each other. Yet, there’s something in the eyes of James and Lisa that suggest that the idea of leaving each other is just as painful as staying.
We never find out if James and Lisa agree to the divorce – just that they do show up for Fitz’s State of the Union address. Sitting there, Lisa is reminded of why she’s paralyzed, of the lives she saved – and so is James. She doesn’t look like she would change what she did, and James is reminded, perhaps, of the woman he fell in love with.
Maybe these reminders of why their lives aren’t normal and what good came from losing that normalcy, will be something they can rebuild their relationship on? They can decide if these new circumstances are ones they can live with – instead of trying to recreate the relationship they had before and being angry that’s not what they have. Another alternative is that all the tenderness and emotion being witnessed as Fitz talks is big act for the cameras, because they’ve already decided it’s over. I think either scenario is better than the violent stalemate they had before Olivia stepped in and got real with them.
Of course, all these possible choices apply to our Scandal regulars. HuckleberryQuinn, Dabby, Olake and Olitz all have some realizing and accepting to do, and some decisions to be made. HuckleberryQuinn and Dabby don’t really move one way or the other in this episode. Olitz and Olake however…
The Web Of Olivia Pope
Olivia Pope, being the overachiever that she is – has two relationships she’s dealing with. Thanks to Cyrus’s interference she finds herself having to be around Fitz and in his world – and it’s hard to resist the pull. As she and Fitz sit alone, each in their own homes, they watch each other on the news. Both look sad, but after a moment, Olivia turns the TV off and called Jake. For Olivia, Jake is what she holds onto in order to not call Fitz. However she wants Jake on her terms, and Jake’s not having it. He points out that he is not her boyfriend (which they both know is Olivia’s choice, not his.). Therefore, Olivia can’t just summon him over there whenever she wants. However, she’s free to come over to his place for a booty call. That’s his line in the sand. Olivia’s response is a petulant, “I don’t like this!” Jake replies, “Then don’t like it then” – and hangs up. Apparently even that little tiff is satisfying enough for Olivia to not turn around and call Fitz.
The next day we see that while Cyrus does not want Olivia to be with Fitz romantically, he loves being able to use Olivia’s brain to help Fitz politically. For instance, getting her take on how to deal with the press.
I don’t think Olivia realizes Cyrus is using her suggestions to coach Abby, but what happened to Olivia’s, “I don’t work for the White House?” She’s slid right back into doing what she’s always done for Fitz – fix things (elections included). She met Fitz on a mission to fix his campaign and their entire connection is based on that. Politics is their most potent aphrodisiac. She doesn’t even think about the fact that she could be undermining Abby.
In terms of what’s actually happening with Mellie, did you see the look of tenderness on Fitz’s face when he gave the chips to the secret service guy? That’s not an act. Right now I feel like Fitz has the most emotionally complicated storyline on Scandal – which is saying a lot! Fitz is still in love with Olivia, but unlike before, he now also has love and respect for his wife.
It started at the end of last season. He and Mellie have that huge fight over Andrew in the finale. Fitz is furious about Mellie not wanting him for years and then he finds out the reason why she’d shut down is that his father raped her. One of the things that came out in that fight was that he’d have never turned to Olivia if Mellie hadn’t pushed him away. (And Olivia heard that). That revelation stripped away the hate he’s had for Mellie. His entire relationship with Mellie is now seen through the lens of what his father did to her, and as what his father took from him.
Then their son was murdered by Olivia’s mother, and the question that hangs in the air for Fitz is if she went after him because of Olivia (we know the answer is yes and it was both parents). He’s not blaming Olivia, but continuing the relationship that may have led to the death of your child seems impossible. At the same time, the connection he has with Olivia hasn’t lessened at all. They have that magnetic attraction and understanding that just doesn’t go away. Fitz’s choices aren’t just about doing “the right thing” – he has a heart that’s truly divided.
Meanwhile, Abby realizes Cyrus has been giving her notes on how to handle the crisis on how to deal with the “The First Lady is Crazy” scandal because she sees Olivia on television using the exact phrase Cyrus had used in his notes to Abby about how to handle things. Abby gets on the phone to Olivia – who exacerbates matters by saying, “I thought you could use the help.” Abby blows up.
You don’t work here anymore, Liv! I do! And I will do things my own way. because you know what? You don’t know everything. You don’t know anything. Harrison dies, the firm falls apart, Huck and Quinn were incesting all over the office for God knows how long, and you had no idea.
Huck and Quinn were what!?
To Abby’s great satisfaction, Olivia is blindsided by the news about Huck and Quinn. Going back to when she confronts Huck at the hotel, Olivia uses that information to get Huck to talk. However, she’s surprised again. Her expectation seems to be that the reason the Elliot’s were able to get out of hand is because Huck and Quinn were fooling around. When Huck gets upset and says “It was just a couple of times” she realizes she’s dealing with a broken-hearted Huck and a relationship gone back. Abby doesn’t know everything either.
She does know some things though. One of those things is that she has to prove her worth to Cyrus. A conversation between Abby and Cyrus shows her that he has absolute faith that Olivia will get done whatever task he asks, but not much faith in her. The First Lady has point-blank refused the pleas from Cyrus and Fitz to attend the State of the Union speech. She doesn’t care what the world thinks. Cyrus has never asked Abby to help in this matter. It’s the first Abby has heard of it. She takes it upon herself to go talk to Mellie.
I loved Abby’s talk with Mellie. You can tell she’s nervous about going, and Mellie is far from welcoming the intrusion. Still, Abby snatches the magazine out of Mellie’s hand and gives her a reality check.
…There are thousands of people out there whose children have died, just like yours. But unlike you, they didn’t get three months flipping through trash and eating potato chips. They got three days to grieve – three weeks, if they were lucky – or they would lose their jobs. And make no mistake Mrs. Grant, you have a job. You’re the First Lady of the United States, and it might not pay, but it is a job.
From there, Abby invokes the image of Jackie Kennedy standing next to L.B.J. as he’s being sworn in to replace John F. Kennedy as president a mere ninety-nine minutes after Jackie witnessed her husband’s assassination. As such, surely Mellie can get dressed and go to the State of the Union address. Mellie’s response?
If looks could kill….
I’ve got to give Abby credit – that speech took guts, not to mention she makes great points! Her approach made showing up not be about Fitz at all – but as her important role as the First Lady. That final Jackie Kennedy reference is genius! What first lady wouldn’t want to be compared to Jackie Kennedy?
At the State of the Union address, Fitz makes things seem even worse for Abby….and for things between himself and Olivia.
Abby’s talk obviously had an effect on Mellie. The only problem is no one knows Abby had that talk. Given that Mellie completely collapses after the speech is over and she’s in the safety of the White House, I’m not even sure Fitz would be happy to find out she did that. Cyrus might, but if Fitz is furious he’s not going to back Abby.
Did anyone else feel that arctic chill hit the room when Fitz said, “don’t you owe me at least this much?” Scratch what I said before about Fitz not blaming Olivia for his son’s death. In this moment, he clearly does. It’s not so simple of course. I think the full chain of blame is something like, “You made me depend on you, fall in love with you, and because of that my son is dead.” Does he really mean this or is it just the pain of the moment?
With Fitz’s actual speech there are even more reveals:
The way Fitz looks at Mellie as she stands and waves to the crowd is one love, awe and gratitude. Abby’s talk obviously worked, but all Fitz knows is that Mellie showed up. He can’t help but love and admire that she did. He knows the depths of her grief and what it’s costing her to be there. He’s also feeling a lot of guilt. He blames himself for Mellie’s grief, caused by the death of their son, which he also blames himself for. Despite all Mellie has done in the past, he can’t assign any blame to her. It’s his father that raped her, causing her to always wonder if Jerry was actually Fitz’s, and it’s his affair that brought Olivia’s mom’s terrorist wrath down upon his son. Mellie and Fitz are bound in their grief, and there’s no room for Olivia in Fitz’s private life. Even if he does need her help in political career.
I know fans of Olitz must hate the rest of this scene, but it’s such a brilliant one! Fitz giving this speech – which is amazing enough just from Goldwyn’s performance and the actual writing (best pro gun control thing I’ve ever heard!) – and then placing it so it shows the magnitude of why Olivia and Fitz can’t be together is one of the most powerful things I’ve ever seen on Scandal. It’s seeing them both accepting that they can’t been together and truly walking away.
Now, whatever happens in the rest of the season is anyone’s guess. However, in this episode, Olivia watches Fitz’s speech on a White House monitor and reads all of Fitz’s pain and grief on his face. She sees him relive holding his dying son in his arms as he and Mellie ran into the hospital. For her, Fitz is talking about more than gun control – she’s applying his words to their relationship, and accepting them.
For Fitz, Mellie showing up for this speech, it feels like she’s showing up for him – despite everything. He couldn’t believe it when she walked in all dressed. It’s above and beyond what he feels he deserves. Then when it’s all over, Fitz (and the viewers) become privy to just how deep this grief goes for Mellie. It’s important because we’ve seen Mellie do things like induce labor to try and get her way. Mostly what we’ve seen of her reaction to Jeff’s death has been an active disregard for decorum and wanting to be by her son’s grave. This…is something else entirely.
If Rhimes is building a story of how a marriage can rebuilt, and the grace that come out of tragedy, this episode is really when it begins…. However, this is Scandal. Chances are things are going to turn on a dime sometime later in the season.
After Olivia leaves the White House she goes to Jake because she needs to move on. Not to mention Jake has become her comforter in all things. Even in realizing her loss of Fitz.
So Olivia knocks on Jake’s door. She’s going to let him win in their battle of wills regarding whose place they hook up in, but I think ultimately they both do.
Yep. I’d say it’s a tie!
Dirty Politics
Prior to Olivia knocking on Jake’s door, he had working on his investigation as to who really had Harrison (Columbus Short) and Adnan killed. Jake found a picture of Charlie – Quinn’s ex-boyfriend – in his evidence pile. The picture suggests Charlie may have been the possible person Rowan Pope (Joe Morton) had kill Harrison. Now, that could be a real mess if Quinn hooks up with Charlie again because once Quinn and Huck find out…sorry, that scenario is all conjecture. Scandal tends to get me thinking way too far ahead – without any info to even be going there!
Jake got that evidence from David Rosen. David wasn’t completely happy to do it, but then again, he knows exactly what Jake is capable of. Thanks to all those B613 files he’s read, David knows what a lot of politicians in Washington are capable of. When the fake info Olivia had made about him being a wife abuser resurfaces Lizzy Bear took great pleasure in taking it to Cyrus and making him pull David from the nomination process. (It had been going very well.)
David however, decided it was time for him to play dirty also – in the name of Olivia Pope no less! He gets a file on the most influential Republican on the nominating committee and blackmails him into championing his nomination – pictures or no pictures.
While Rosen was out getting files and blackmailing a senator, Cyrus had gone out to a bar for a drink. There a younger, sexier man in a business suit tried to pick him up. The move devastated Cyrus, who is still grieving his murdered husband James Novak .
Even ruthless & manipulative monsters feel grief.
The next day Lizzy Bear and the Vice-President wer shocked when they saw the senator on TV endorsing Rosen. It looks like the two of them worked together on digging up dirt to shut down Rosen’s nomination. What isn’t clear? Does Andrew know just how dirty Lizzy Bear will play to win.
After the State of the Union address, while Olivia is going to see Jake, Cyrus decides he’s got to try to move on from James. He goes back to the bar and seeks out the man from the previous evening. They go to a hotel room and start to seriously make out, until Cyrus find out the man’s a male prostitute named Michael. He immediately shut the situation down and leaves. In the very last scene of the episode we see the guy go over to speak to someone in a limo. The window rolls down and it’s Lizzy Bear! She’s preying on Cyrus’s grief and loneliness to try to set him up!
This scene with Cyrus and Michael comes just after the scene with Olivia and Jake. The music in the background is no accident. It’s “MacArthur Park” by Donna Summer which has to be the most dramatic and metaphoric disco song about a broken love relationship ever! The line that’s killer, “I’ll never have that recipe again.” For Olivia and Cyrus, the loves of their lives are gone. Even is Fitz and Olivia do get back together, it really can’t ever be the same as before….
What the heck is Rhimes going to do with these guys? I don’t know, but “The State of the Union” is the most intricate Scandal episode I’ve seen to date. She’s really digging deep into the nature of love & relationships, all while slamming a punch into the undersides of politics as well as one of the biggest hot button issues in the U.S. today. Honestly, this is days later, and I’m still floored.
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