5x03 Paris is Burning

(http://jorahandal.tumblr.com/post/130849373539/the-girl-who-cant-shut-her-mouth-scandal)
When season 4 ended and Olivia went back to Fitz I wanted to hit my head against a brick wall. After four seasons of them being on again and off again, on again and off again, on again and “hey, guess what: Off again!” Scandal had stopped feeling like the sassy and smart political drama that Shonda Rhimes conceived 5 years ago. With the love triangle that Jake signified and the constant “on again off again nature” of the Olitz relationship, what Scandal really felt like was a daytime soap. Hence my exhasperation at the season 4 finale. “They’re never going to REALLY be together.” I thought. “They’re gonna break up again. Mellie’s gonna come back to the White House. He’ll never truly divorce her” Thank god and tank Shonda Rhimes I was wrong.

Few words have ever made me happier than last week’s Yes. “FINALLY” I thought. They’re not dancing around the topic. They’re actually doing it. These few episodes have been truly great. In fact, it’s probably the most satisfying streak of episodes ever in this show.

In this week’s episode Olivia seems to step aside and give the spotlight to Fitz and Mellie, as well as Abby still taking center stage (as she did last week). Consequently, Quinn, Huck and Jake are almost non-existent, with David Rosen not appearing at all. But that really doesn’t bother me, because the execution of this episode and what the writers did with Fitz and Mellie was truly superb.

The Grant marriage has always been… tumultuous to say the least. I’ll never forget that she was raped by Big Jerry. Never. If that doesn’t explain the sacrifices Mellie’s had to make for Fitz, I don’t know what does. Mellie is a martyr. An angry martyr, no doubt. A vindictive martyr, true. But she’s no villain. If anything, she’s a victim. But if there’s something we know about Mellie is that when she falls, she ALWAYS gets up. Always. And this time is not the exception.

As I said before, the episode primarily focuses on their marriage, how can it end and the harm Fitz has inflicted onto Mellie. Not only on Mellie, but also how he’s beggining to hurt Olivia as well. It’s not secret that I dislike Fitz Grant as a basic human being. He’s selfish, oblivious to anyone else’s wants and wishes, irresponsible and basically and abusive husband. I do admit he has his good moments, but he’s just not a good person.

Olivia: “You ever think about what I’m giving up?”

Fitz: looks down trying to recollect if he ever has No answer

Probably the best scene and the best performance of the episode was delivered by Bellamy Young (once again), during the conversation she has with Olivia in her dressing room/biggest closet ever.

Mellie: You don’t get to say what you don’t want, not in here. Your wants, your needs… Nobody cares anymore. All that matters from now on is him. You will make so many sacrifices and compromises. [Chuckles] You won’t even feel like a real person anymore. You will be unrecognizable. You think you’re gonna be able to keep that little business of yours up and running, that group of thugs you got working for you? What, you’re gonna find a place for them here on your staff in the White House? I don’t think so. You forfeit all that the moment he takes your hand and presents you to the world. You get dropped in a cage, and you are trapped. The amount of bile you will force yourself to choke down… But like I said, that’s what this here liquid gold is for.

Olivia: To feel numb.

Mellie: Oh, honey, no. Living here in this prison, that is what makes you feel numb. This is what makes you feel alive.

Bellamy Yound’s performance is so raw and so real that you cannot help but root for her above everyone else. Especially after the montage of every bad thing that has happened to her because of Fitz. She is so perfect in this role, that we have forgotten that she is because the role she’s created is so amazingly believable and consistent.

Then there’s Abby. If someone asked me which character has grown the most through the course of the series… I’d have to say Quinn. But Abby comes second. She’s always been portrayed as an exceptionally strong female character, even though we know she wasn’t always like that. But last season she grew apart from Olivia, who always gave her the orders and she obeyed without thinking twice. And last episode she took the reins and went over Fitz’s head. Abby has great strength and untapped potential that only now are they beggining to use. I hope Abby doesn’t budge to Fitz, Liz or anyone, ever again. This episode not only continued to show how she’s in control, but how capable she is. Olivia acknowledging her confirmed to us how good she is at her job (not that she needs her approval or appreciation). The future certainly looks bright for Abby.

Last but not least is Cyrus. Cyrus is a monster. Lets never forget that. The best way I can describe Cyrus is as a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde who controls the switch that changes him. He can be a sad puppy who makes you feel sorry for him (and he deserves your compassion) or he can be a heartless son of a bitch who can send someone to kill anyone who can harm the government, the nation (his standard excuse he uses to dignify the dirtiest of his work) and Fitz’s so-called-legacy. Lets not forget he once was about to kill his very own husband, And now, Cyrus understands that there’s no going back. Fitz does NOT want him. He detests him. He is never going to be his Chief of Staff ever again. Which leads me to the second thing I have to say about Cyrus: I’m quite sure he’s the main antagonist of the season. Just as Billy Chambers, Verna Thornton, Marie Wallace and Eli Pope, I think Cyrus will set fire to the rain and unleash hell upon the White House. He definetely has the means and the weapons he needs to bring him down. He know every dirty little secret, and as they say “Dirty little secrets always come out”. That’s the premise of the show, and who better to do so than Cyrus? The only person who could be more dangerous and take on the role of this season’s antagonist would be Mellie, but they have always portrayed Mellie as angry, not evil. I doubt very much she could be it.

We should also mention that the Louvre is on fire, which Jake takes the trouble to personally communicate to Rowan. Apparently that means something to them, though not to us (at least not for the time being). Yet, if it movilizes Jake to visit Rowan in prison it had to be quite serious.
Overall, this season has had a great start. The writers have dived head first multiple plot points that they have been tip-toeing around from episode 1. This has the potential to be the best season, even though I don’t think anything could ever top the first 13-episode arc of season 2 (and season 1 was pretty amazing as well). I do lament that they haven’t been using much their trademark camera angles involving windows and glass panes, but the production hasn’t really faltered lately. With every passing episode I’m more impatient for the next one.

Regarding the episode at hand, I enjoyed how the main storyline for this season took center stage and occupied 100% of the screentime. They don’t waste any time with a secondary one-episode story (even though some, like this season’s premiere, are superb). Not only has the storyline advanced really fast, but characters such as Mellie and Abby continue to grow in great ways. I honestly can’t thing of anything bad to say about it, so it gets a perfect and unusual 10. Scandal is back and better than ever.