The Trail - Scandal, Episode 6

We open where we left off in episode five: Olivia, “Why are you here?”  Fitz, “I didn’t kill Amanda Tanner.”  Olivia, “I know.”  Fitz then says, as if it’s Olivia’s fault, “You left me.  She was there.  It was one time.  A mistake.”  Olivia, “You cheat on your mistress with your girlfriend?”  Fitz, “She’s not my girlfriend, and don’t ever call yourself a mistress.”  Fitz holds up the sex tape.  “You need to hear this.”  Olivia believes it’s a tape with Fitz and another woman; she refuses.

Superimpose titles: TWO YEARS AGO

The then Governor Grant is giving a speech about how Sally Langston is beating him. She won Iowa and they're in danger of losing New Hampshire. He asks his campaign team for ideas.  Olivia speaks up and tells him the problem is his marriage.  “It looks like you don’t screw your wife.”  People want to vote for people they can invite into their home, have a beer with, like George Bush ‘cos he looks like fun.

This is actually an interesting speech because the same holds true for television viewers; audiences watch shows that contain a ‘family’ with which they resonate.  Even if it's a family with extreme faults, it provides them with characters with whom they can sympathize, even empathize.  In some cases, it makes them feel better about their own lives, family, jobs.  It’s why people invite TV characters into their home week after week.  And in this episode, we will develop a kinship with Olivia and Fitzgerald Grant.  Instead of seeing them as the untouchable President of the United States and high-powered Washington DC fixer, we will relate to them as two people deeply in love who, because of circumstances and timing, can’t be together.   If you have a romantic bone in your body, this episode will break your heart, which is perhaps why the show scores high across all Key Women brackets (ages 18-34; 18-49; and 25-54) 

Continuing, the Governor asks, “And you are?”  And, there’s our sweet, diminutive protagonist standing proud, “Olivia Pope.”

In Cyrus’s office, Fitz tells Cyrus to fire her.  When he turns around Olivia is standing there.  She takes off.  Cyrus gives another of his sharp speeches in which he describes himself as a sausage-maker, a nitty-gritty, back-alley brawler for which politics is his hallelujah, heroin and reason to breathe.  But, Fitz, “You don’t have the stomach for it, so you go on and make nice with Olivia Pope.  Ger her back or you can go find another sausage maker.” 

Fitz chases after and catches up with Olivia.  They stand toe to toe, warriors facing off.  She explains that she gave up her job in order to volunteer for his campaign, she would eat, breathe, live Fitzgerald Grant every day and “You’d be lucky to have me.”  He agrees, “I would be lucky to have you.”  Now they’re eye to eye and it’s clear that he means something more; the attraction is mutual and it’s palpable.  “Is this the reason you fired me?”

They resolve to get back to work and we cut to: both campaigns working a Veteran Pancake breakfast in New Hampshire.  A happy, eager intern delivers a schedule of events to Olivia and Cyrus.  It’s Amanda Tanner.  Cyrus thanks her, “regardless of what party you’re voting for.”  This seems like a throw away comment, but every piece of dialogue in Scandal either advances the story or contains sub-text.  In direct contrast, we cut to a close-up of Amanda Tanner laid out on a slab in the morgue.  The DA calls Alissa, “We’re working late tonight.”  Oh! This is not going to be an ordinary night, which we already know it isn’t because across town the President of the United States of America is in his lover’s apartment without the benefit of the entire secret service to protect him.

Amanda and Gideon have fun in bed.  She’s about to leave when he tells her to stay to night; he’ll go into the living room to work.  At the DA’s office we finally get to see Alissa, an Asian Barbie doll with a penchant for eight-inch heels who is one bar-test away from becoming a lawyer.  The DA, David, tells her, “We have a murder to solve.”  He outlines the Amanda Tanner situation… “Don’t you at least find that interesting, incongruous, intriguing?  If so, what would be your first question?”  Alissa replies, “Who in the White House would want her dead?”

We’re back in the past and Mellie is aghast, “You cancelled all our events?”  Cyrus and Olivia leave Mellie and Fitz to discuss the situation.  A screaming argument ensues in which Mellie outlines everything she’s done for him including giving up her career and having kids.  Fitz retorts with, “If living on Pennsylvania is that important to you, suck it up and start acting like this isn’t a dead marriage.”  Cyrus and Olivia hear every word.

The Governor and Mellie are questioned by reporters, with James asking the leading question, “Five points down in the polls, isn’t it risky to be taking time off?”

Preparing for a morning talk show, Olivia and Fitz share an intimate moment when she replaces his tie because the one he was wearing was bad for the camera.  Cyrus and Olivia look on as the interview is underway and we learn that Mellie was first in her class at Harvard Law.  Mellie makes a joke.  Cyrus says, “Not bad.” Olivia says, “Yes, but they’re still not touching.”  At the next Grant campaign event, an ice-cream social, Mellie proffers an ice-cream cone to her husband.  He licks it and lands up with some on his chin.  On the sidelines, Olivia is silently urging her to wipe his chin, wipe it.  Seconds pass by and Mellie finally wipes his chin and then licks the cream off her hand.  He kisses her and it’s a great photo opp that makes TV headlines, causing Sally Langston to virtually have a fit because the tables are turning on her and it is not God’s intention that she should lose.  She wants to know who’s running the campaign.  Her wrath is aimed at Billy, who will do everything in his power to find out what’s going on in the Grant campaign.

The night before the New Hampshire vote and the Grant campaign is jubilant.  Cyrus breaks the news that they’re not going to win because a story is going to hit early in the morning announcing that Mellie is having an affair.  Little Uh Oh!  We certainly didn’t see that coming.  Olivia comments to Fitz that she thought he and Mellie were doing great.  He replies, “I think you underestimate how good a politician I am.”

Sally wins the New Hampshire primary and Billy tells Olivia, “You can’t spin a dead marriage.  Sally and Doug can’t keep their hands off each other; they’re like teenagers.”  We’ll eventually find out the truth of that, but not in this episode.  Billy offers the VP slot if they’ll concede before South Carolina.  Olivia declines and Billy comments how confident she is for someone with no cards left to play.  Olivia, “I always have cards left to play.”  

At Grant HQ, Huck, barely recognizable through wild dreads and an unkempt beard, chows down on pizza.  Fitz, “That’s the man who’s going to save my campaign?”  Earlier that day, Olivia brings coffee to a homeless man on the street.  He announces, “You’re late.”  Olivia asks if he’s ready to enter the real world today.  Back to Grant HQ and Huck is debriefing the team on the man who has been following Mellie for six months photographing all her meetings and late-night conferences with the man who heads up the Literacy Program.  What makes things worse is that he isn’t denying the affair, leaving the media to conclude that it's true.  Huck has hacked into his bank records and points out strange, incremental deposits that have been going on for thirty years. 

Olivia calls Abbey, still baking in Olivia’s kitchen, “Are you ready for something new?”  Abbey says, “I’m thinking of going savory.”  Cut to Abbey walking into offices bearing a tray of baked goods.  “What goes on here?”  It’s a ‘specialty’ film company.  Olivia tells Fitz and Fitz jokes about how they’re going to use the information, who are you going to surprise me with next?  Olivia, “I got a guy, another guy.  Technically, he’s on probation.”  Cut to Harrison watching porn in the Literacy man’s house; apparently the Lit guy has a fetish for sucking toes... that's the specialty film!  The Lit guy walks in and Harrison delivers his smooth, persuasive dialogue that leaves the opponent no options.  The Lit guy will make a statement denying any untoward relationship with Mellie.

It’s the night of the Republican Presidential Debate in South Carolina.  Sally gets in the first digs about immigration, wanting to protect the nation's borders, suggesting that perhaps, “Governor Grant open his Santa Barbara home for amnesty.”  The next question for the Governor addresses his marriage, even though infidelity has been dismissed.  Fitz gives a great political speech, because he manages to tell the truth a la Clinton that leads everyone to believe one thing when actually he means another and that is after 20 years of marriage, there’s only one thing he can say with absolutely certainty and that he is, “a man in love with an incredible woman.”  His eyes meet with Olivia’s across the room.

In an elevator, Olivia and Fitz stand alone, close, but not touching.  He slowly inches towards her and turns just as the elevator door opens and Cyrus, in a hallway packed with the campaign team, pops champagne.  Fitz exits, leaving Olivia alone, quietly devastated.

Meanwhile, back in real time, Gideon is burning the midnight oil on the phone tracking down Amanda’s Golden Retriever, the one that she claimed the president gave her.  He learns that her boyfriend has the dog.  “Her boyfriend.  Really?”  Alissa is analyzing the White House logs, determines that Amanda never goes home, concludes that whoever she’s doing it with, she’s doing it in the White House, leaving 56 possible male candidates.

Super Tuesday is around the corner and Olivia is busy at Grant HQ.  Fitz follows her into the hallway.  Theu face each other. “I’m married.”  The situation is impossible.  He asks, “Can we just stand here for one minute?”  They stand eye-to-eye, close, but not touching. “Just one minute.”  She says, “One minute.”  It’s testament to this show’s cast and crew that two people standing silently for the best part of a minute in screen time can be sexy, poignant and full of tension, which is broken by the ebullient Mellie bursting in, horrified at what Wardrobe wants her to wear that night.  She hustles Olivia away, but not before giving her husband an arched eye.

On the Grant Campaign Bus, Cyrus reads polls, announces they’re still down, not winning women votes.  Some dirty campaign tricks are proposed and Fitz says, “We’re playing this game above board, win or lose.”  The scene ends on Mellie. 

At a campaign stop before a crowd of Southern pie-baking women, Mellie can’t take it any more; she tearfully confesses that the stress of the campaign trail caused her to lose their baby.  "Though it was only 8 weeks, it was a party of our family…" Bring out the tissues.  Fitz had wanted to quit, but she wouldn’t let him because she knows he’s the best man for the job… The crowd eats it up.  Mellie turns to hug her husband, “I think that ought to take care of it, don’t you?”  End on Fitz’s astonished face.  Ouch!

In present time, Gidoen learns that Amanda was pregnant; while Alissa goes through all the pics of White House employees, discarding each one as fat, old, ugly.  She ends on Billy.  “He’s cute.” 

It’s night and it’s dark and quiet on the Grant Campaign Bus.  Olivia takes her coffee and retreats to the back of the bus to sit next to Fitz.  She offers her condolences, asks whether Mellie shouldn’t take a break.  Fitz replies, “Twelve campaign stops in two days, she’s thrilled.  Nothing keeps that woman down, not even a fake miscarriage.  She’s a real catch my wife.  I’m a lucky man.”  He continues, “I’m looking down at myself wondering how did I get here?  Why didn’t I meet you sooner?  What kind of coward was I to marry her and not wait for you to show up?”  Though I’m running this dialogue together, this is a long scene with a lot of quiet moments and extreme close-ups.  Fitz asks Olivia to say his name.  She says, “That would be inappropriate.”  He asks again, “Say my name.”  Olivia struggles; eventually she says, “Fitz,” and their hands inch towards each other.

At the hotel, Cyrus is leading the charge to his room, says good night.  Olivia’s room is next with Fitz’s at the end of the corridor.  He tells her to go into her room, pretend this never happened.  Her back is to him and we can’t see what she’s thinking, but eventually she turns and leads the way to his room.   We next have a series of intercuts mixing up and shortening the series of events.  Nonetheless, for broadcast TV, it’s hot and heavy.  The only words uttered are by Fitz, “Take off your clothes,” and as her panties fall to the floor the camera pans to a recording device beneath the bed.

The person listening on the other end picks up the phone, announces he has something and, soon thereafter, a package is delivered to Amanda Tanner with the message, “This goes to your boss.”  Amanda delivers the package to Billy, and we cut to a montage of Amanda being pulled from the water, photos of men at the White House, ending with Billy hitting on Amanda.  Amanda is a huge fan of Sally Langston.

Gideon, still burning the midnight oil, watches footage and ends on Billy.

We zip through an historial montage of Fitz and Olivia that brings us back to present time with the sex tape as V.O. culminating in Fitz, “Take off your clothes.”  Olivia is stunned into realization. “They’ve had this for two years.  Why now?”  Because all they had was a voice, they needed a girl.  “They needed Amanda Tanner.”  Oh No!  We’ve reached the point of what the whole Amanda Tanner story is about.

Meanwhile, Alissa proposes that they subpoena the men at the White House for blood samples.  The DA says, “We can’t subpoena.  We have a suicide and a hunch.”  Gideon, however, is forging ahead.  He’s on the phone asking to speak with Billy, when Quinn appears from the bedroom and announces she’s off to get bagels.

Back in the past and Billy presents Sally with a flash drive containing the sex tape.  Sally, however, has just accepted the position of Vice President.  Billy begs her to listen to the tape, but Sally is in full holy-roller stride telling a story about a farmer and his crop.  “One day God will burn the weeds and save the fruit, but for now, let them grow.”  Billy is sorely disappointed.

In Olivia’s apartment, dawn is breaking and Olivia tells Fitz that he needs to get back to the White House before the press corps comes in.  The President stallw, “I imagined your place a thousand times.  I like it.  It looks like you.”  They both agree that he should go, but, like other lovers, parting is such deep sorrow.  Fitz says, “One minute?”  She says, “one minute.”  They sit on the sofa, his arm around hers, and then she curls into him.  Time passes, eventually she stirs.  They stand and she helps him with his jacket.  They stand face to face.  He says, “Goodbye, Olivia.”  She says, “Goodbye, Mr. President.”  And the audience screams, at least this one does, “are they never going to see each other again?!”

At Gideon’s apartment, Gideon confronts Billy with the information he has that points to Billy being Amanda's boyfriend.  Billy rants about the morons that surround him, how he handed the story to Gideon on a plate, sent him photos, logs, did “everything but draw you a picture of their (president and Amanda) stick figures doing it.  “It was an easy script, big letters, small words, you could follow it in your sleep.”  It dawns on Gideon, “You sent her in to sleep with the president.”  Billy admits he may be a joke but a dead White House intern carrying the VPA’s love child is still a story.  Billy stops in his tracks, cold murder literally crosses his face.  When Gideon goes to fetch the coroner’s report, Billy stabs him in the throat with scissors. Twist-a-Roo!

Two years earlier:  the President and VP are on stage with Billy, Cyrus and Olivia applauding in the wings.

Recap:

It’s fitting that as we draw to the close of the season we are given insight into our characters' backgrounds and how they came together, revealing what makes them tick and how this creates "characters who plot their own play." [Egri, 1946, p.100]  This is done so cleverly, intertwined with the love story of Olivia and the President and the murder mystery of ‘who killed Amanda Tanner?’

And, if we weren’t rooting for our lovers to be together, we are now as Mellie is revealed to be a cold-hearted, political animal, whose aim in life is to be First Lady.  Judging by the speech that she gave, i.e. I had children for you, we may ask, “Did she ever love Fitz or was the White House always her goal?”

Crash and Burn - Scandal, Episode 5

On reflection I realize that there is an Ah! that comes in the final two minutes of each episode, right before we get zinged with a new problem.   In episode one, it’s when Sully announces he’s gay and it’s acknowledged that Olivia is “the best guy.”  In episode two, it’s when Quinn tells Amanda that the best person to have on your side is Olivia.  In episode three, it’s when Olivia gives Gideon an even better story than he could have imagined.  In episode four, it’s when Abbey votes yes saying, “over a cliff,” meaning she’d follow Olivia over a cliff, to the ends of the earth.  So, regardless of what has gone on during the show, Olivia is restored to her heroic self.

Now, let’s see what episode five has in store.

The last thing we saw was Amanda Tanner being abducted from Olivia’s apartment and that’s where we open with the team looking for answers.  Quinn announces that Amanda’s purse and phone are gone, so she must have ran away, simply freaked out about going on television and ran away.  Huck comes up with the truth, explaining in detail how she was gagged, drugged, carried away, all in less than 5 minutes, 6 tops.  And why does he know?  “’Cos that’s how I would do it.”  With each revelation, we are learning just how bad ass our quiet, brooding Huck really is.

Cut to the DA’s office and Olivia is asking for help.  Last episode, the DA needed Olivia’s help, the episode before Olivia needed the DA’s help and so the pattern continues.  The DA makes a joke about his secretary Alissa being fired for letting Olivia get by.  Olivia says, “Don’t fire her.  I snuck in when she went to the bathroom,” further emphasizing that Olivia is not only smart, she’s a nice person.

Quinn is hurrying over a country trail that could be the Hollywood Hills.  We have no idea what she’s doing, maybe a rendezvous with Gideon.  When she turns the bend Harrison is waiting for her.  They walk on and, as in previous episodes, we get a surprise; in this case a horrific surprise.  A plane has crashed with all 119 on board dead. 

At the White House, the president is giving his condolences to the family of the deceased, in particular Senator Sanchez.

Olivia arrives at ground zero operations where there is total chaos.  She is met by a Pilot’s Union representative, who has allowed the airline’s representative to speak first at the press conference.  As Olivia predicts, the airline announce that the plane has a perfect safety record; they will blame the pilot.

Striding along a White House corridor, Cyrus urges the president to push for the Dream Act, which had been spearheaded by Senator Sanchez. The president is reluctant.  Cyrus admonishes, “Never let a crisis go to waste, Mr. President.”

Over at Pope Associates, Gideon questions Quinn about Amanda’s disappearance.  Quinn denies that Amanda has disappeared.  Gideon informs her that Amanda’s father filed a Missing Persons Report.  Cut to Huck looking at security video on the computer and he IDs the man approaching Olivia’s apartment the night before.

Huck sits in a booth at an old-fashioned diner across from Charlie, the man Huck identified on the security tape.  The two banter and between teasing Huck about his new name, we learn that Huck used to be Black Ops and Charlie is now a mercenary.  Huck should join him… better money.  Charlie tells Huck to forget about Amanda; she is gone.  He leaves laughing and the scene ends on a dark brooding Huck.  Oh!

Back from commercial break, our team is being advised that they get to listen to the black box recording only once.  They may take notes, but they can’t take the notes from the room.  A montage follows with everyone scribbling like crazy, albeit Harrison who listens with his eyes closed.  Back at the office, Stephen and Abbey are debating what they heard.  Harrison is certain of what he heard.  At this point, it becomes clear that the pilot, who we somehow assumed was a man, is a woman. Her husband walks in.  Olivia says, “We need to change the narrative,” meaning we need to make it not be about pilot failure.   Following a montage, the husband says that his wife has been sober for over 20 years.  Abbey, “She’s an alcoholic.”  Sure enough, the ticker tape on TV shows that the pilot was an alcoholic.  Abbey goes to the hotel bar where the crew had stayed and a bartender confirms that the pilots and crew were all hammered.  Meanwhile, Stephen is trying to use his old womanizing charms to get a peek at the mechanical reports.

As the news coverage of the crash continues, the black box is leaked.  Olivia is dishing out orders, saying, “We need our own copy,” as Huck tries to get her attention.  He finally succeeds when he announces, “Amanda Tanner is dead.”  Olivia runs from the office; hammers on the Secret Service agents’ car door parked outside.  They roll down the window.  “Tell the president I know what he did to her.  I know!” Little Uh Oh!

At the White House, the president is rallying votes for the Dream Act when a member of the Secret Service whispers in his ear. 

Olivia walks in to find Quinn with Amanda’s father, Hank.  He is worried about his daughter with whom he’s been talking on the phone every day since she was released from the hospital.  Amanda had told him that she was working with Olivia following her departure from the White House.  Olivia does nothing to dissuade him of this lie.  Hank is such a nice man that Quinn tells him not to worry, everything will be alright.  Olivia whisks Quinn away to assist with making tea for Mr. Tanner.  She reprimands Quinn, “We don’t make promises we can’t keep.  Amanda is dead.” 

The president calls Olivia, “Why are you threatening my agents?”  Akin to the president telling Olivia that he loves her, he insists, “You know me.  Trust your gut.  Your gut’s never wrong.”  Olivia replies, “I don’t have a gut any more.”  “You know me.”  Olivia says, “You let Cyrus off his leash.”

Furthering the investigation, Abbey knocks on the door of a flight attendant who was supposed to be on the flight but had called in sick.  She was seriously hung-over; the celebration had been for her birthday and the only reason that the pilot was in the bar with the rest of the crew.  The pilot did not drink, ever.

Olivia pleads with the DA to search for Amanda, though she can’t give any details of what she knows.  He accuses her of obstructing justice.

Olivia joins the deceased’s Husband at the crash site, which is littered with yellow and red flags.  He explains that the yellow flags represent mechanical parts, red flags body parts.  The red flags outnumber the yellow flags.  The clever writers of this show have presented us with an image so indelible that it will remain with us when, in future episodes, Olivia’s background is revealed.  As referenced before, this is subtle yet effective audience suturing, that is to say it causes an audience to not only sympathize, but empathize with a character.  The effect is further enhanced when the Husband explains that his family has always had open caskets.  What is he to put in his wife’s casket?

At a press conference, Olivia states in the strongest terms possible that the pilot had not been drinking.  She emphasizes the pilot’s character, her family life, children, etc.  Back at the office, Olivia appears devastated.  Huck asks her, “You want the body?”  “I’ll take care of it.”  In response to Olivia’s unspoken words, “I got this.  I’m good to go.  No problem.” CU Olivia.  Huck leaves.  Ouch!  By Huck leaving, this Ouch! is forcing Olivia to face her fear, that being the truth of who/what Huck is, and moreover who/what she is that she will push Huck to such extremes to satisfy her own needs, even though the needs are in the interest of the client.

At the White House, Cyrus announces that they are two votes away from passing the Dream Act.  The president tells him that Amanda Tanner is dead.  It’s a sad day.  Cyrus gives another fabulous speech, exhorting that it’s a sad day when 119 people fall out of the sky to their deaths, the loss of a great senator, four marines in Afghanistan, Sudan, et al… Amanda Tanner dead?  “It’s a good thing.”

Cut to the president walking along a corridor with his wife.  He says, “We’re political animals, not animals.  Sometimes we are too willing to go to extremes.”  Mellie calls over the president’s personal security guards, Tom and Hal.  “You’d take a bullet for the president, wouldn’t you.”  They each respond yes.  “That’s all.  Thank you.”  She turns to her husband and tells him, “There isn’t anyone in the building not willing to go to extremes for you.”  This is great subtext because it obviously includes that she will go to extremes for her husband and it foreshadows a lot to come, as well as the potential of someone taking a bullet for the president.  It also reiterates the tremendous depths of these characters who we are only just beginning to know.

At Pope Associates, Stephen walks in, “I got it,” throwing into question whether he is back to his womanizing ways in order to get what he wants.  The team quickly identify that one of the mechanical reports has been forged.  Meanwhile, Huck grabs a toolkit from a storage locker, as Stephen talks to a Mechanical Inspector, and Harrison listens to the Black Box recording.  Huck admires a goldfish swimming in a bowl as he waits for Charlie to come home.  The Inspector seems to recall that there was something wrong with a plane, just as Harrison says, “There’s something wrong with the plane.” Charlie is naked, bound and gagged on a sheet of plastic.  Huck says, “Okay, Charlie?”  Oh No!   There’s no way we’re leaving during this commercial!     

We come back to the White House and the president is on the phone.  High fives.  He has the tying vote for the Dream Act.  All he needs now is the VP’s vote to break the tie.  Since, the VP, as we will learn is a die-hard Christian member of the Tea Party, there’s no way she’s going to be letting illegal brown people enjoy the privileges of America.   Fitz walks out, “This has gone far enough.”  So, again we can see that within each episode Fitzgerald Grant III, President of the United States of America, though he may be manipulated by his confidante and right hand man, maybe even his wife, shows that he has the fortitude to do the right thing.

“This has gone far enough” cuts  to a scene that is only just beginning as Huck toys with an everyday electrical drill, while explaining to the bound and gagged Charlie that the agency took stuff from him, more than his name, and his ability to every contact his family again.  (Wow… Huck has a family?)  He likens himself to a junkie, because he knows what he does is bad, but once he gets going, just like a junkie, it is so, so pleasurable.  He’s been clean and sober for a while now, but he’s sure he’ll enjoy it after the initial guilt wears off.  In my opinion, this is possibly one of the scariest scenes you’ve ever seen on broadcast television.  It’s way darker than Dexter who does everything with clean scalpel precision.   Think about it when you go to drill a hole in the wall to hang your next piece of artwork. 

While Huck is conducting his own handiwork, the president is threatening Madam Vice President with political assassination in the smoothest possible way.  He gets her vote and she’s leaving just as Cyrus arrives to tell the president that they’ve received a blackmail letter.  Fitz, “What’s the demand?” 

Charlie screams through his duct-taped mouth.   Huck likes on the floor next to him.  Brilliant directing.  We can see that Huck is at one with Charlie’s pain, as he recalls, “they put me in a hole.”  Not a metaphorical hole, but a bottomless, dark pit. (More foreshadowing of what’s to come.)  Huck explains he was homeless when Olivia found him.  He owes her and he won’t stop until Charlie tells him where Amanda Tanner is.  Huck pulls out a nine-blade scalpel.

At the DA’s office, Olivia walks in, tells him where he can find Amanda’s body.  The DA shows concern for Olivia (deepening of friendship) who, with quivering lips is “not okay.”

Cyrus and Fitz are playing Nixon’s resignation speech on the computer. At the 14^th Street Bridge, Olivia, Quinn, Huck and the DA look on as divers pull up Amanda’s blue, bloated body.  What makes this the Twist-a-Roo! is the V.O. of Nixon’s resignation speech.  Ironic, poignant.

A meeting with the Airline CEO reveals that the man is self-made, came from nothing, and is a good, honest man.  Harrison, at the airline offices, meets with the woman who processes the mechanical reports.  She’s a Latina, severely overworked doing the job of two people.  She forged the report.

At a press conference, the CEO takes full responsibility and apologizes to the pilot’s family. This is the Ah! moment; Olivia, once again, saved the day.

At the morgue, Hank ID’s his daughter, Amanda, as the team watches through the glass.  Huck assures them that she didn’t suffer.  Quinn, “How do you know?”  “Because I know how to make people suffer.”  Olivia thanks Huck.  Both their faces are deeply pained. 

At the White House, the president is asking Hal and Tom what would have to be done if he wanted to leave for a while.  The revelation of how the president is so securely guarded is mind-boggling.  It requires a cavalcade, ambulance, sharp shooters….  The president makes reference to previous presidents, “41 never left?  43 never went out for a drink?  42, Bill Clinton never left?  Kennedy never left?”  He states his stock phrase, “I am the most powerful man on the planet.”  They negotiate down to an ambulance, sharp shooter and two agents.  As Fitz walks out, the SS guys comment, “Just like 43.”  Ah, levity after all this tension.

The DA tells Olivia that the cops and the coroner want to rule it a suicide.  He iterates that he gets the bad guys and he really does consider Olivia a friend.  Olivia, “The white hat looks good on you.”

Stephen is at the morgue.  He wants the autopsy report, despite it being ruled a suicide.

Quinn is at Gideon’s apartment in tears.

Olivia is at home.  The phone rings as there’s a knock on the door.  Stephen tells her that Amanda Tanner was not carrying the president’s baby.  Olivia opens the door.  Fitz says, “Hi.”  Olivia says, “Hi.”

Sigh... our lovers are reunited. You may ask what’s the new problem at the end of this week's episode, but as we will see in the next episode we pick up exactly where we leave off.

Reflection on Character...

While one clear premise continues to elude me, I refer again to Egri who states that there must be something beyond a list of rules, a list of parts such as scene, atmosphere, dialogue and climax, in order to help the student understand the relationship between complication, tension, conflict and mood.  He says that that the fundamental make-up of a human being must be answered before anything further can be discussed. “There must be something to generate tension, something to create complication, without any conscious attempt on the playwright’s part to do so.  There must be a force which (sic) will unify all parts, a force out of which they will grow as naturally as limbs grow from the body.  We think we know what that force is:  human character, in all its infinite ramifications and dialectical contradictions.”  (Egri, 1946, p. xvi)

The core of Scandal is that the President of the United States can’t get a divorce in order to marry the woman he loves.  The President cannot, in fact, even let it be known that he is in a dead marriage.  This is not the image that the American people buy into; it is not their dream of a happy nuclear family with 2.2 kids, mortgage and a dog.

If Fitz is allowed to divorce Mellie and marry Olivia, there would be no show. Therefore, fundamentally, Scandal follows the “will they get together” trope.  It just does it in a more complex, interesting world than that of your neighborhood bar a la Cheers.

So, while we have the underlying tension of will they/won’t they, we also have the requisite family formation with which viewers resonate i.e. Olivia’s team is our family, while DC, and in particular the White House, is the place in which they do their work.   And, remember according to Tony Bicat, it’s not enough that one gets on with their job, a successful show must have the protagonist at odds with their workplace -- Luther, Prime Suspect and House of Lies being excellent examples -- the results of which is a constant shift in alliances.  Added to this, we have the ping pong where those who were once Olivia’s friend are no longer, and those who were not her friend, i.e. the DA, now is.

Recapping what we now know:

Cyrus is protecting the thing he wants most, a president eligible for re-election, without a Monica Lewinski-style scandal that will ruin his chances, and, more importantly Cyrus’ own position of power.

Why does the President declare war on Olivia?  Could it be simply to get her attention?  Or does he believe Mellie when she says to end it would be catastrophic?  Or does Fitz relish the power of his position? 

We now know why the team is so loyal to Olivia, and there were a couple of nuggets tucked in to that quick intercutting of exposition and action.  The first is that the CIA is still interested in Huck, the second is that Quinn has a secret identity.

As for Olivia, she’s the gladiator in the white hat who will go to battle, even if it is (to borrow a Scottish term) cutting off her nose to spite her face.

Enemy of the State - Scandal, Episode 4

Before breaking down the beats of this episode, I want to point out the episode titles and how they serve double meaning. 

Episode one, “Sweet Baby,” opened with the rescue and return of a baby to its parents.  It also was the words uttered by the president to an intern while having sex, which clued Olivia into the notion that the intern, Amanda Tanner, could be telling the truth.

Episode two, “Dirty Little Secrets” is about a Madam’s client list, which contains the identities of her dirty-minded clients.  It is also about the secret affair between the president and Olivia.

Episode three, “Hell Hath No Fury” is about the wrath of a woman seeking revenge for her friend who committed suicide because she was raped.  However, it is also about the wrath of Amanda Tanner, and eventually the mother of the rapist who will turn her son in to the police.  And, ultimately, it’s about Olivia, who is the one accused of being such a scorned woman.

Episode four, “Enemy of the State,” as we will see is about a foreign general who is a sworn enemy of the United States.  However, it is also about Olivia versus Cyrus, and eventually the President, aka the State.

Episode four opens, like previous episodes, bar the pilot intro of Quinn, in Pope Associates’ Offices.  Quinn is asleep on the sofa.  Loud bangs on the door jolt her awake and she rushes to open the door… on Stephen holding up a bottle of Shiraz telling Olivia that it’s hard explaining to his fiancée why he has to leave for another woman’s apartment at three in the morning.

Olivia advises him to keep it quiet as Amanda is sleeping.  When the wine is poured, Olivia chugs the entire glass, clearly upset.  Her phone beeps and Quinn announces there’s an army at the office.  Olivia pulls herself together.  By the time she walks into her office where Abbey, Harrison and Huck are already waiting, Olivia is in full charge and greets General Benicio Flores, a sworn enemy of the United States.

The General needs Olivia’s help to find his wife and children who have been abducted.  While Olivia talks with the General, Abbey is giving her speech on democracy and the wrongs of helping a ruthless dictator.  Stephen tells her to cut Olivia slack.  “Amanda Tanner is pregnant.”  You could hear a pin drop as Quinn’s jaw practically hits the floor.

Olivia knocks on a door and is greeted by a handsome, youthful man, James, who admonishes Olivia for forcing his husband to work on a Sunday.  A minute later, we find the husband pruning in the garden.  It is Cyrus.  As in our previous episodes, a few minutes in and we have a surprise.  Olivia tells Cyrus that Amanda Tanner is pregnant.  They negotiate and agree on $10 million over three years.  As Olivia leaves, Cyrus tells her, “You and I aren’t friends any more.”

At Olivia’s apartment, Olivia lays out the consequences:  Amanda Tanner will never see the president again, to which Amanda responds, “I want them to burn for this.”

The tables are turned and it’s the DA who ambushes Olivia, using her tricks, “You look great… new lipstick?”  He needs her help to save his favorite newsstand.  Olivia closes the door on his face, retires to her office in tears.  Her team looks on helpless.  Huck steps in, “I got this.”  He guards the door.  We go to commercials.  It seems that our Oh! didn’t happen quite on cue with the commercials this time, or did it?  What’s Olivia’s greatest loss – Cyrus as her friend, or that she is sworn to help Amanda Tanner who wants to see the love of Olivia’s life “burn,” or is it that the President ‘cheated’ on her?

At the Oval Office, Cyrus walks in on Fitz writing his own speech.  He wants something new, not the same words that have been trotted out before.  Cyrus points out that they have much more serious things to be concerned with than a speech, such as Amanda Tanner.  Cyrus exits and walks into a meeting with Billy and a team of top-notch sleuths.  A montage of Olivia’s team unfolds; they are “hiding a lot more than just parking tickets.”  Cyrus says, “Let’s start with Olivia Pope.”  Billy is shocked; Cyrus smug.

Abbey gives a report on the General’s missing wife.  Olivia is not wearing white.  At the scene of the abduction, Abbey, Harrison and Huck investigate the scene, during which Huck asks the waitress what kind of game the General’s son was playing.  It seems a ridiculous question to be asking, but Huck tracks down the location of the family by the GPS coordinates of the game console.  The DA is alerted to the scene and they all show up at…. a Nunnery, which, as Huck observes, is a Women’s Shelter.  Huck, “She ran.”  This would seem to be our Little Uh Oh!

Now, through conflict we get exposition on each of our characters:

• Huck was/is CIA.  The investigating team has been warned to look no further into his background.

• Abbey, aka Abigail Wheelan, was married to the youngest son of a Governor.  She left him when he beat her up in a drunken rage.  She then divorced him.

• Quinn Perkins didn’t exit before 2008.

• Harrison Wright, a 28 year-old lawyer was busted for insider trading.  He served six months.  “Why only six months?”  Because he had a brilliant lawyer who defended him pro bono.  The lawyer was Olivia Pope.

• Stephen Finch, Scottish born, was first in his class at Yale Law.  He’s a top litigator, a hot shot who had a breakdown in the middle of a class action suit.

These details unfold in a series of intercuts:

• Abbey listening to the General’s wife explain that her husband is not the same person she married.  He’s ruthless, a dictator; you don’t ask a man like that for a divorce.

• Quinn with Gideon stating that it’s not a date. Gideon assures Quinn that he doesn’t need her for his story, he has another source.

• Abbey explaining to Harrison that Olivia isn’t wearing the white hat any more.

Billy tells Olivia about the investigation into her team.  He feels like he’s betraying her.  Olivia immediately calls Cyrus, “Forget about the money.  We go 20/20 instead.  We sit down with Diane Sawyer.”  As she walks off, she says, “Take care Billy.” 

Olivia takes care of her own business, leaving Billy, what?  Feeling betrayed?

Cyrus still has the phone in hand when the investigation concludes with, “They’re loyal.  They’ll die for her.”  Billy points out that they did find one thing in Olivia’s history – she had an affair with someone on the campaign trail.  Cyrus tell them to forget it.  “Move on.”   Ouch!

When we come back from commercials, Harrison is telling Quinn to shut it down with Gideon because sooner of later she will have to lie and when you lie to a reporter you destroy everything that they work hard to create, credibility.  Though it doesn’t seem much within its current context, this is actually an important scene that foreshadows Quinn’s future.

Cyrus walks in on the president and tells him that Amanda Tanner is pregnant.  Cyrus delivers a truly magnificent speech that lasts one minute forty-five seconds, exemplifying what a great speech sounds like.  He finishes by telling the president, “You resign or Amanda Tanner goes on TV.”

Back at Olivia’s office, Amanda Tanner is filing for paternity.  Olivia (not wearing white) lays out the consequences to Amanda.  Meanwhile, Abbey, at the hotel where she dropped off the General’s wife and kids, discovers they are gone.  Abbey arrives at the office to find the General’s wife “safe and sound.”  Abbey and Olivia have a fight because regardless of what the General is, he is the client and Abbey crossed the line.  Olivia, “She fell in love with the wrong man.  She put herself in an impossible situation.”  Abbey doesn't back down, “You made the wrong call.”  Abbey says this with such vehemence.  The pain is clear on Olivia’s face.  The Big Uh Ohhh! 

Meanwhile, when we come back from commercial break, Quinn, while delivering amenities to Amanda who is living at Olivia’s apartment, is treated to a speech in which Amanda explains that she is not just some bimbo.  She came to Washington with a purpose, because in some countries girls don’t get an education just because they are girls.  As a viewer, I see this as an attempt by the writers to make Amanda likeable, which, so far, she isn’t particularly.  If anything, she’s naïve, possibly dumb, which is in direct contrast to every other smart-as-a-whip character on the show.

Abbey’s words have hit home and Olivia shows up at the hotel wearing her hat to tell the General’s wife that if she still wants asylum, Olivia is there to help.  Since the General is wrapping up his speech, they need to move fast.  They don’t move fast enough and the General walks in.  The wife speaks up for herself, confesses that she doesn’t love him.  The General agrees to let her leave, but he will keep the children, including the screaming baby he tears from her arms.

We catch a glimpse of Gideon researching video of the president with Amanda Tanner before cutting to the president and Mellie in the presidential limo.  Fitz asks Mellie, “Would it be so bad if all this ended?” to which she replies, “Catastrophic.” 

Cut to Amanda on the phone saying, “I can’t lie any more.  I’m going to tell the truth.”  Oh No!

Back from commercial and the president’s speech gets a standing ovation, apparently enough to bolster his confidence because he walks in on Cyrus and announces, “I am the president of the United States of America.” 

Outside the hotel, Olivia lays out the consequences of his actions to General Flores, ending with your wife will be a hero and everyone loves a hero.  This convinces the General to give up his children. 

Gideon and Amanda are making out in a bar while the president’s speech plays on TV in the background.  Gideon asks a pointed question about Amanda sleeping with the president. 

The DA walks in on Harrison reading a paper, who then recites the entire history of the newspaper stand.  He finishes by saying there will be an 800-word story coming out and a press corps at the newsstand.  The DA asks if Olivia ever apologizes.  Harrison says, “She just did.”

The team is gathered at the office when Cyrus walks in and announces that war is being declared against Olivia, and it’s not by him… the President sent him.

Olivia lays out what the team will be up against by going against the White House, the biggest thing they’ve ever done.  It will be hard, mean, personal.  She takes a vote and one by one they say yes.  The last vote is on Abbey.  Her face turns from neutral to a smile, “over a cliff!”  Olivia announces, “We go to war.”

These votes are intercut with Amanda watching the president’s speech on television.  First she’s gagged with duct tape, then she’s drugged.  The last we see is her being carried out the door, slung over a man’s shoulder.  The backdrop to this is the president’s speech on democracy and freedom calling out ruthless dictators such as Flores, Castro and Chavez. The Twist-a-Roo!

And… a new problem!

Hell Hath No Fury - Scandal, Episode 3

We open on Amanda Tanner in Pope Associates’ office.  Per normal, the team is watching her from behind a glass wall.  Olivia pronounces, “We are not voting.”  Amanda is their client.  Meanwhile, Sandra Harding, a powerful CEO, for whom Olivia handles business matters such as mergers and acquisitions, is begging Olivia to handle the case in which her son Travis is being accused of rape.  

Across town in the presidential master suite, Fitz has slept in and missed his call with Nelson Mandela, all because Mellie let it happen, “You were pacing ‘til 4 AM. You needed to rest.”

Things get complicated when the reporter Gideon shows up at the office expecting a meeting with Olivia.  Olivia lays out the consequences of what will happen to this aspiring cub reporter if he tries to run a story about an intern having sex with the president of the United States.  Basically, all the big guns will rush in and his scoop will be scooped from beneath him, so she gets him to promise to keep quiet, stop calling Amanda, and she’ll reward him in good time.

Back to Amanda Tanner at Olivia’s apartment and Olivia asks what she asks all her clients, “What’s the end game?”  Olivia can make pretty much anything she wants happen… money, job, relocation… but Amanda wants only one thing.  “I want to see the president.”  And that’s our Oh!  Sure enough, commercial break.

Cyrus and Billy are lunching at a restaurant when Olivia walks in and forces Billy to leave so that she can talk to Cyrus privately.  This pushing-around of Billy is minor business that will pay off with big results in episodes to come.   Cyrus announces, “He isn’t sleeping.”  Olivia replies, “Not my problem.”  Olivia goes on to deliver the message that Amanda wants ten minutes alone with the president.  Cyrus says fondly, “We made a president together,” as if he and Olivia are actual parents, adding, “I miss you.”  Message delivered, Olivia gets up to leave and Cyrus repeats, “He’s not sleeping.”  As she walks away, she says, “Neither am I.”

We then have a montage of the client’s case, with Olivia stating, “It all comes down to perception.”  She attempts to get info from the DA but her charms fail as he categorically states, “We are not friends.”  Back at the office, Olivia’s team kicks into high gear.  Huck learns that the jury is set to hang Travis as a date raper.  Abbey’s research shows that the rape victim is a saint.  Little Uh Oh!  Olivia urges the mother to settle.  At the settlement conference, the victim refuses, pointedly asking Olivia how much her peace of mind would cost… would $10 million do it? Ouch! Commercial break.

We return to the White House where Fitz is in a photo opp thanking Vets for their service.  When they leave, he comments to Cyrus on the prosthetics that obliged them to use their left hand in order to shake his hand.  Cyrus says, “I wish you were a cynic.  It would make my job easier.”  He delivers the message, “Amanda Tanner wants a meeting.”  The President asks, “Will Olivia be there?” 

At Pope Associates, Olivia is urging her team, “We do not give up.  It’s my name on the door and I do not give up.” 

Harrison helps Travis get dressed for court.  The suit is cheap polyester, in an attempt to make him look less like the spoiled rich brat he is.  Travis questions, “Does it matter?  They always take the money in the end.”  This leads Harrison to investigate Travis’ financial history. 

Meanwhile, a sex tape featuring the president shows up at the White House.  We assume it is with Amanda Tanner. Cyrus, “Olivia is blackmailing you.” The Big Uh Ohhh!  Commercial break and we return to the same scene.  Fitz, “This isn’t Olivia.”  Cyrus and the president fight.

Abbey is on the trail of a rape kit, while Quinn calls Gideon for a date.  She is so appallingly bad at it that Huck calls her weird, but “Weird is good.” 

Olivia receives a call from the First Lady, claiming there’s been an oversight and that Olivia should have received an invitation to a state dinner that night.  Harrison cuts in, “You’re going to want to see this.”  A photo montage tells the story of the victim’s best friend being raped and paid off by Travis.  A conference with Travis and his mother ensues.  Travis admits it was a one-time thing and he handled it.  Unfortunately, the girl killed herself.  This is a moral dilemma for Olivia, the Oh No! We cut to commercials.

While the case is being tried, Olivia (dressed in grey) sits in the corridor talking to the mother, who bemoans how she was never there for her son.  Olivia soothes her, “It’s not your fault.”

Ordering a Margarita at a bar, Quinn is surprised by Huck, who tells the bartender to give her virgin drinks and double up the liquor in Quinn’s date’s drinks.  He tells her to let her hair down, take off her jacket. 

At the state dinner, Mellie and Fitz are in a receiving line when in walks Olivia, stunning in a white gown.  The president is transfixed.  When Olivia dances with Billy, Mellie intercuts leaving the president to dance with Olivia.  He can’t take his eyes off her, all the while she tells him to look away as they are in public.  He tells her, “I love you,” not once but three times.  Olivia asks, “What about Amanda?”  The president tells her to meet him in their spot in ten minutes.  Olivia tells him that he can’t leave his own event.  “Watch me,” he replies.

At the bar, Gideon is seriously buzzed while it’s obvious that though she’s had the same amount of drinks, Quinn is stone cold sober.   He has not called Amanda; he has kept his promise.  Quinn has a drink and it’s now a real date.

Walking along a White House corridor, Olivia is circumvented by Cyrus, who tells her, “I don’t take kindly to blackmail. I never took you to be the hell hath no fury type.”  He goes on to call her the president’s whore… all very dirty and best-seller.  The meeting with the president is off.  He orders her escorted from the building.

Olivia shows up at the mother’s house and delivers a 30-second speech, “I was wrong.  It is your fault. You love him, but you can’t fix everything for him.  You can’t.  He’s playing you because you let him.  You give him everything he asks for and you clean up his messes and you believe him even when he lies to you and that is, that is not love. Love is making him face who he is.  The best thing you can do for him is to do the best thing for him.  It’s not your fault what he did, but letting him get away with it, that is your fault.”  Now, to whom do you think Olivia is really talking?  She could have driven home, or faced herself in the mirror, all the while talking to herself, but instead, the message is delivered in conflict and given as advice to a client. This is absolutely brilliant writing.

The president is in the White House Garden mooningly gazing at the stars.  Cyrus arrives, “She’s not coming. She cancelled the meeting with Amanda Tanner.  She’s playing with you.”  The president leaves and we end on Cyrus.  The Twist-a-Roo!

In Pope Associates’ conference room, Travis is whining, “You want me to turn myself in?”  Mom has already taken care of the matter.  Police show up to arrest Travis.  The DA tells Olivia, “Maybe we can be friends.”

At the White House, Mellie asks her husband if he’s okay.  He asks, “Why did you invite Olivia?”  It’s clear from Mellie’s response that she knows about the affair and that he needed to see her in order to get a good night’s sleep.

Olivia gives Gideon a better deal than talking to Amanda; he gets the exclusive interview the CEO who just turned her son in for rape and who will announce her retirement tomorrow.  Quinn tells Olivia that Gideon kept his promise, her gut tells her Amanda is not telling the truth.

At Olivia’s apartment Amanda is still insisting on 5 minutes with the president.  Olivia lays out the situation.  If she’s to help Amanda,  “I need to hear all of it.”

“I’m pregnant.”

And so we end on a new problem!  Now, this differs from Ms. Sandler’s formula whose Ah! is a resolution that returns all the characters back to the so-called normal that they were at the beginning of an episode.  And this differentiating factor, which is huge, may be the thing that makes Scandal addictive and audiences coming back for more.

So, still no premise, but I have identified a structure and a button that seems to apply.

Reflection On Premise...

On the subject of premise and trying to identify the morale premise of Scandal and whether it applies equally to all characters: clearly it has to do with secrets and the consequences of their revelation. Could it be, “Secrets (vice) revealed lead to scandal (defeat), while secrets kept lead to no harm done (success]?”

It could well be that the premise I’m trying to prove (that a successful show is based on establishing and maintaining a morale premise) does not hold true for Scandal and the show is merely based on a theme or set of themes.  I have at least identified that the structure matches the Oh!, Little Uh Oh!, Ouch! et al formula set forth by Ellen Sandler.  So, in episode three, Hell Hath No Fury, I will look at where these beat points hit in the story -- I’m guessing they will be at the commercial breaks -- and also to which story thread they apply, knowing that, in order to be successful, a TV show has to have 13 storylines.

Thirteen storylines is dramatically different from a feature film script, which only has the A, B, and C plots, hence the need for this writer to understand the structure of a TV show, in this instance, over one season.  Scandal is complicated, but the show breaks the audience in slowly, that much I have learned. 

Currently, we have three main characters:

Olivia Pope is a “gladiator in a suit;” she goes to battle for her clients.  It is said repeatedly that Olivia wears the “white hat” and, indeed, she is typically dressed in white.  In scenes in which the morality of her character is in question, her wardrobe tends toward grey.  Olivia is the boss; she literally wears the pants.  The only time you see her in anything other than pants is at a state dinner in which she will be the head turner in a fabulous gown.  Olivia has several phrases that are repeated – those that she gives to clients, e.g. “it all comes down to perception;” those she says to Cyrus and the President, “I don’t work for him/you any more;” and, to her team, “I trust my gut,” and “It’s my name on the door.” Olivia owes her allegiance to her clients, for whom she will never, every give up.  She has a team of loyal employees who will die for her.  We don’t, as yet, know why she has won their loyalty, but these stories will unfold over coming episodes.  What we know is that she is of high moral character, other than the teeny, tiny fact that she’s an adulteress, whose lover just happens to be “the leader of the free world.”  As an audience we like Olivia because she is a nice person, thoughtful and considerate, who does not judge others.  She is the kind of classy, smart, workaholic, caring woman who secretly we all want to be.

Fitzgerald Grant is your typical tall, handsome, Caucasian American president.  After only two shows, we don’t know much about him other than secretly he’s a bit of a revolutionary (which came out in subtext in episode two) and, though a Republican, his character might be loosely modeled on Bill Clinton; certainly there are enough references to the Clinton era to think so.  His marriage is strained and he is madly in love with one of his former campaign workers, who just so happens to be African American, but that point is never mentioned.  Supposedly, in this age in which we have a real African American as a president, we are now all color blind, which would be nice if only it were true.  As the “leader of the free world,” “the most powerful man on earth,” Fitz owes his allegiance to the American people and there is only one other thing that would make him happy and that is to have Olivia Pope as his first lady.  We like Fitz because, other than being an adulterer, he’s a stand-up guy with high morals.

Cyrus Beene, on the other hand, is the scrappy, presidential wannabe, who could never be president because, although we may have our blinders on when it comes to skin color, we could never have a homosexual as president of the United States of America. So, instead, Cyrus puts his considerable brain and politically savvy into pulling the strings behind the scenes.  Cyrus likes his position of power and wants it to continue so his goal in life is to make sure Fitzgerald Grant runs and wins a second term.  He will do anything and everything to make that happen, as we will see, even murder.

If it weren’t for Cyrus, Olivia and the President would never have met and would, presumably both go on blithely about their own business, their love affair a thing of the past.  Cyrus is the glue that both holds them together and pulls them apart, as we shall see.