Scandal - S3E11 - Ride, Sally, Ride
Previously on Scandal, ‘A Door Marked Exit’
Leo Bergen is a smooth mofo. He has somehow managed to convince Sally Langston to run for president over the hiatus. Mellie is beside herself and is in full crisis management mode.
Before Cyrus will give the new White House press secretary, James, their talking points, he wants to give over the poll numbers. But the poll numbers are already being gone over by Fitz and his new campaign manager, Olivia. And going over poll numbers looks a lot like tongue kissing.
While they wait for Sally’s announcement, Olivia preps the team on their attack strategy.
Talking points:
- Selfish quitter
- Loose cannon
- Endangering our troops
Then Sally goes on TV and announces her candidacy, BUT she’s not relinquishing her post as the current vice president. So much for those talking points.
Fitz throws a presidential temper tantrum in the Oval Office. Olivia says they can turn things around with the right running mate. She and Cyrus have come up with a list, but Fitz ain’t got the time for no list. He wants the governor of California, his former lieutenant governor, Andrew Nichols. Everyone thinks this is a bad idea since they’re from the same state (won’t help with votes) and he’s a straight white man. Fitz needs color and a vagina. And not just in the bedroom. But Fitz’s mind is made up and he dismisses Cyrus, Mellie, AND Olivia. Damn. It’s like that?
David plays the tape of Sally’s incriminating phone call for James, but now that he has a sweet government job, James has no intention of rocking the boat. He came to David a month ago, and all David wanted to do was show him exams with penises drawn on them. ‘Member that, David?
Harrison calls David and asks him to look into Adnan Salif’s arrival in the states. At first David says no, but we all know he ends up doing whatever Pope & Associates wants. Meanwhile, Jake is taking stock of all of his B613 agents and warns Charlie that Quinn is not, and never shall be, B613. Welp.
Olivia meets with Andrew Nichols and she has her suspicions. He polls well with men, but that’s no help to Fitz. She goes to Cyrus for help, but Cyrus points out that Fitz places loyalty above all. That’s why Jake is now the head of B613. Olivia’s reaction? “Say what now?”
Knowing that Daddy Pope is probably at the park all up in his feelings, Olivia meets him there and tries to express her sympathy over him losing his job. Daddy Pope don’t need no consoling.
“You know what happened. [scoffs] No, you have no idea what happened. You have no idea what is currently happening. You’re skipping around in a field full of bombs and mistaking them for daisies. This, dear, sweet child is what happened. The married man you can’t seem to stay away from had me abducted, locked me up in chains, spoke to me about how you taste, while he allowed the terrorist who snaked her way into my marriage bed to clear US airspace. What happened was the man you screw betrayed me by freeing the woman who birthed you as a bargaining chip. What happened was the man who defiled you also defiled an organization that I gave my SOUL to build. THAT is what happened. What is currently happening is that President Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third has made an enemy, the worst kind of enemy, because I know all his secrets. I know where every body is buried, and the greatest weapon I can use against him calls me DAD. ‘Uncommon Valor’ was a common virtue. The thing about that quote is that it was from the good ole days. It no longer applies. Today everyone is afraid. Everyone SHOULD be afraid. The President should be very afraid. And if I were you, Olivia, I would be terrified. I would pick up whatever chips you have left and run as far away as possible from that burning building known as the White House. Run, Olivia. RUN, because mark my words, Fitzgerald Grant is not going to make it to the end of his term.”
Welp.
A reporter gets a text from a blocked number, from someone named Publius, and it asks why Daniel Douglas’ autopsy reports were never revealed. Meanwhile, Abby goes head-to-head with Leo Bergen on a political talk show and he insinuates that Fitz and Olivia are having an affair again. Poor James has to field more questions about Olivia in a press conference, but then Vanessa (the reporter from earlier) asks about the autopsy report. Olivia wants to fan those flames, but we all know why Cyrus ain’t about that life.
Sally feels like the lies are unspooling because someone is asking about Daniel Douglas’ death. She thinks it’s cause she turned her back on abortion. Leo points out that the list of shit she’s done has murder at the tippy-top. Sally says the devil made her do it. Leo just wants her to keep all that crazy talk to herself. He goes to Cyrus and let’s him know that he knows all about the murder and cover-up. Your move, Cyrus.
Charlie has lied to Quinn and told her that Jake is still thinking about letting her work for B613. In the meantime, they’re shopping for torture tools. Cyrus calls Charlie and wants some maintenance on the last job he did for him: covering up Daniel’s death. Then Quinn goes and abducts a little boy outside of his school. Quinn’s new name is Stranger Danger.
James tries his best to get Cyrus to confide in him about Daniel’s death, but Cyrus tells him to address all his questions that-a-way. And that way is Sally’s office. Huck and Abby visit the medical examiner’s home to question her about Daniel’s autopsy results. She gives them a story about Daniel drinking too much and hitting his head on the toilet. She does this because Quinn and Charlie are holding her kid in the next room. Quinn needs to die.
David tells Harrison that Adnan’s VISA was issued from on high and Salif can’t be deported. Cyrus slaps Mellie with a newspaper cover showing Fitz looking at Olivia with puppy dog eyes. He wants her to stop worrying about what he’s doing and do her own damn job.
Mellie has lunch with Olivia and tells her they need to smile and play nice. Olivia notes that they are being watched and their lunch will be all anyone can talk about by the end of the day, but it’s just the first step. Mellie agrees and presents Olivia with a list of men on First Lady White House letterhead. That means it’s official: Pick someone to date so people can stop saying you’re screwing my husband. Oh, Mellie. I love you so.
Abby finds Harrison stealing her gun from her office. He got a picture from Adnan of him and three colleagues and the other three in the picture are dead. Olivia meets with Nichols again, and she wants to know why he’s single, but doesn’t like his “married to my work” answer. He finally admits that he had his chance at love and lost it so he chose to work on his career.
Olivia meets with Fitz in his office and they both give poor Lauren a heart attack over whether the door should remain open or closed. Olivia wins when Fitz says the door can stay open.
She tells Fitz that her gut tells her Andrew Nichols is the wrong pick, but whatever. He’s being a stubborn ass. And she wants to quit. All talk of quitting is shut down when he slams the door closed and lays a big kiss on her. And some more kisses. She insists that he doesn’t trust her due to going with Nichols against her judgement. She also brings up the fact that he put Jake in charge of B613 without telling her. He needed to put someone there he could trust after they made him kill over 300 innocent people. He has a point, but how the hell does he have control over B613 now? Anyway, let’s overlook that little plot hole for now. Olivia agrees to stay on like we all knew she would.
Harrison is working late and alone at the office, as one does when they’re worried about their life. Adnan shows up and she’s a super hot Middle Eastern woman in a red coat. And then they have sex on his desk.
Leo is back in Cyrus’ office and he wants to talk about the Daniel coverup again and who could be stirring up trouble with the press. Their conversation is being recorded by a bug on a picture frame, and James and David are listening to it. James is working to bring down Cyrus from the inside! He’s been leaking the info. He’s Publius! And David rightly points out that James, “is as good as dead.”
Jake shows up at Olivia’s and she’s been drankin’. She’s been drankin’. He defends his position in B613 by saying he can make a difference. He can find her mom and bring her to justice. He couldn’t say no to the president. Olivia can relate to that. Next, Olivia and Jake make sure to be photographed kissing in the park. He is patriot! He’s doing all he can for God and country and Olivia’s magical vagina.
Fitz isn’t happy about it, but Olivia insists that it’s the only way to stop the rumors about them. Fitz goes on stage to announce his new running mate. Meanwhile, Leo is meeting with Papa Pope and that shit can’t be good. Then we see that earlier Andrew is alone with Mellie and says that every day for the last 12 years he’s dreamt of being near her again. Awwww, shit.
