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.

Dirty Little Secrets - Scandal, Episode 2

I had intended to post on a regular basis, but life has a way of intervening that actually allows for more reflection and aids in the learning process.  While my original intention was to come to grips with how a moral premise creates character and drives story, I have become much more fascinated with the structure of how characters and storylines are introduced, developed and interwoven within an episode, a season and over several seasons… all the while maintaining an eye on that elusive morale premise.  With its references to “gladiators in suits” and Olivia Pope being the ultimate gladiator who wears the “white hat,” we may be lead to believe that Scandal is a morality tale in which the good guys always win.  However, with such a complex television series as Scandal, I don’t believe this is the case… and since I have hindsight (having watched the entire four seasons, I know that the “good guys” have not always behaved in exemplary fashion).

Lajos Egri presents the morale premise as a somewhat simple proposition, e.g. “Intelligence conquers superstition.” [Egri, 1946, p.6]  A more contemporary proponent of the morale premise, Dr. Stanley Williams, presents the morale premise as a double-barreled equation:  [Vice] leads to [defeat], but [Virtue] leads to [success]. [Williams, 2006, p.61].  In my analysis of the season pilot, I hypothesized that the premise is “A person should be allowed to be themselves and love openly, because such secrets lead to scandals.”  Extrapolated into Dr. William’s format, it might read as, “Deceit leads to scandal, truth leads to respectability.”

Without further ado, let’s see how our characters are doing.  We last left Pope Associates with a new client, Amanda Tanner, the intern who claimed she had an affair with the president.  We open Episode 2, “Dirty Little Secrets” with a close-up on Olivia’s face.  Today the president will announce his Supreme Court nominee, the subtext of which is his work on the “Right to Privacy” statues.  A woman compliments Olivia, “You did a nice job getting him elected.”  While on the face of it, this is an innocent compliment, it contains subtext and hints of things to come.  The woman also asks Olivia why she left the White House.  “Nobody leaves the West Wing.”  The woman is the new client who is waiting with Olivia while Abbey, Harrison and Huck retrieve items from the woman’s house, with Stephen on watch outside.  When the DA drives by, Stephen announces, “You have ten minutes.”  Abbey and Harrison hustle to gather items as Huck wipes computer's hard drive clean.

Cut to Pope Associates’ office where the DA delivers a speech about how he’s the upholder of the law, he’s the good guy, ending with, “I wear the white hat.” Olivia responds, “My white hat is bigger than yours.”  Olivia outlines the consequences and, since he doesn’t have a warrant, the DA is obliged to leave, just as the team exits the other elevator carrying their box of illicit goodies.  Remember how Olivia delivered a box to save the day in episode one?  The ever-curious Quinn, still trying to learn the rules of the game, introduces herself and it’s revealed that the woman is “DC’s finest madam.”  So, like episode one, we open with a surprise.

Following the titles, Cyrus tells the President that Olivia is representing Amanda Tanner and we hear one of Cyrus’ catch phrases, “I’m on your side.”

A montage of the client’s case ensues and, as in episode one, the clue to solving the case is something the client says; in this instance, it’s “did you get the photo albums?”

At the White House, Olivia learns her clearance is revoked.  The VP’s chief of staff, Billy, comes to her rescue and she gains access.  Meanwhile, a new problem arises in the form of a reporter sniffing around Amanda at the hospital.  Olivia tells Quinn that under no circumstances is she to let Amanda out of her sight.  Inside the White House, Olivia advises Cyrus that the Supreme Court nominee is on the Madam’s list of clients.  Billy is keen to move forward (foreshadowing his subversive character) but Olivia points out, “dirty little secrets have a way of coming out, don’t they Cyrus?”  As Olivia leaves the White House, she passes a room in which the President is giving a press conference.  Their eyes meet.  Olivia keeps walking.

Back at the office, the DA arrives with a warrant, “Where’s my Madam?”  As cops handcuff the Madam, Olivia tells the DA that her client had better be provided suitable accommodations.  The DA is about to poke Olivia to make his point, when Huck steps in, “Do not touch her.”  This is the beginning of the extent to which we will see Huck go for Olivia.  Meanwhile, we have a new problem:  Amanda is gone from the hospital.  We are at the 17-minute mark.

The Supreme Court nominee shows up with Billy at Olivia’s office and gives a speech about his dedication to the law, reiterating the DA’s speech from earlier.  Billy begs Olivia to not ruin the man’s reputation.  Olivia asks the judge to withdraw, explains that his name is on the Madam’s list.

At the police station, Stephen tells the Madam that she has to give up the list if she doesn’t want to go to prison; goes on to outline living with choices, being able to spend time with her grandchildren.  The Madam tells about her life as a single mom, how her daughter hasn’t spoken to her since she found out what she did for a living, hasn’t seen her grandchildren; she knows about “living with choices.” The Madam concludes with “those men have grandchildren too.” This seems to sum up this episode’s moral dilemma - the choices and sacrifices one must make in life.  So, while this is not the moral premise of the show, it’s a moral dilemma akin to what we saw in episode one.

Back at the White House, the Amanda Taylor problem escalates in the form of two sentences in a blog post, which Cyrus reminds the President is how Watergate began.  Mellie enters on cue (half-way through the show) and asks how the nomination is progressing, indicating that Mellie has an active interest in politics and the presidency.

Quinn arrives at the office and announces that she screwed it up.  She needs Huck to help her trace Amanda. Huck asks if she did the obvious – “Did you try her home?” Olivia enters, the DA right behind her with a subpoena for the Madam’s list of clients.

Harrison and Abbey approach a former prostitute, now mother with her kid, in the park, to ask questions about the prostitute with whom the judge had relations.

At Amanda’s apartment, Olivia is forced to admit that Amanda told the truth about the president then lays out the consequences of what will happen to Amanda if she continues her course of action, i.e. scandal.  Amanda closes the door.  Olivia tells Quinn to write a note on her card and slip it under the door, “She’ll be calling you.”  “How do you know?”  “I’m good at my job.”

At the office, Abbey is casting aspersions on Stephen and asking why such a man would sleep with a prostitute.  Olivia states, “We don’t judge.”

At the entrance to the White House, Olivia is back on the approved list as requested by the President.  She delivers a dozen red devil muffins to the security guard, further evidence that Olivia cares for people; she’s a nice person.  Olivia confronts the judge’s wife, who is indeed a former prostitute who was on her first date when she was stood up and, instead, met the judge.  She maintained the lie of dating him to protect herself with the Madam, while the judge lived on in ignorance.  Across the room, the President and Olivia lock eyes.  A minute later she reminds him, “I don’t work for you.”  The President retorts, “Love is stronger than mistakes,” which is definitely a theme of the show as we shall see!  They touch hands.  Olivia leaves.

With seven minutes left in the show, we reach the screenwriter’s “All is Lost” moment. [Snyder, 2005, p.86]  At this point, our heroine, Olivia, gets an idea.  The ‘johns’ on the list are among DC’s most powerful men.  The team goes to work, resulting in all the ‘johns’ convening in Pope Associates’ conference room.  They will exert their influence to quash the story; case solved. 

At the White House, the President is pleasantly intoxicated discussing with Cyrus how Olivia saved the day.  He announces, “Liv is the love of my life.”  Cyrus, “I’m on your side.”

On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Quinn tells Amanda how Olivia saved her, "I was alone, I was in trouble. I would have given anything to have someone by my side and Olivia Pope... she wears the white hat."  Back at the office, we have a new problem when Gideon shows up and finds Quinn, Olivia and Amanda together.  Now he has a story.

Recap:

While the problems and their escalation are not hitting the mark to the exact second (as compared show by show), they are following a pattern, which appears very much like that laid out by Ellen Sander in the TV Writer’s Workbook, elegantly described as:

Oh!

Little Uh Oh!

Ouch!

The Big Uh Ohhh!

Oh No!

The Twist-a-Roo

Ah!

This is the second show in which Olivia’s client’s problem mirrors her own as it relates to her relationship with the President.  Furthermore, there isn’t any dialogue that doesn’t contain subtext, reveal character, or advance the story and I can see that I will have to look beyond a moral premise to identify story lines, A, B, C and more, as well as look at how the interaction between characters affect and influence the story.  The best is yet to come!