Starring Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope, a 'fixer' who along with her team manages PR crises and scandal, started last night.

 

http://img2.timeinc.net/ew/i/2012/04/06/scandal-kerry-washington_320.jpg

 

The pilot was extremely strong. First half it seemed like frothy silly fun where everybody speaks too fast and says implausible things but the second half really picked up and packed quite an emotional punch surprisingly. The scene between Olivia and the President was awesomely good. Definitely something I'll be sticking with and I really hope it gets the ratings it needs to keep going.

 

Anyone seen it yet? Thoughts?

 

I've downloaded it and shall be watching in due course. It certainly looks/sounds good so I'm hopeful.

I really enjoyed this. I like the approach they have to the legal work, without them being a legal team. Hopefully the following episodes are as strong, and of course, Kerry Washington was fantastic as ever.

I intend to watch this in a couple of weeks. It does look rather good. Although I hate this ABC fascination for saving shows to April. It's retarded.

Ok, I expected it to be good/for me to like it, but it was REALLY REALLY GOOD. Olivia is such a brilliantly written character and Kerry acts the f*** out of it too.

 

The actual storyline was fairly obvious though, especially the Sully thing, the Amanda thing less so - but it didn't stop it being good, sometimes obvious can be good if it's compelling which this is.

 

I really like the whole team and slightly different stance they've come at regarding how they help people, it's quite a clever and original look on things.

 

L-U-V

Terrific second episode. The story arc with the President and Amanda Tanner is building real intrigue right now. I need this show to survive so badly. The only character I don't care for at all at this stage is the computer geek one, he seems totally pointless. Kerry Washington is the living tits.

 

Finally saw the pilot. It's brilliant! Like John I too guessed the Sully "twist" immediately, like instantly.

 

 

Still really enjoyed it.

The 'twist' in episode 2 was pretty obvious too I thought. Elsewhere the writing is really very clever indeed and unlike a lot of shows of this type really packs in the emotion too.

This is utter crap.

 

The whole OMG I'M NOT GAY I CAN'T ACCEPT IT I JUST LIKE TO HAVE ANAL SEX WITH MEN and then OMG I'VE SO TOTALLY ACCEPTED IT I DON'T CARE (4 MINUTES LATER REMIX) shit was awful.

 

The only character I liked was that redhead who seems to have a crush on Desmond from Lost.

 

OTT acting (especially from Kerry Washington), predictable twists and it seems no creative thinking was involved when writing a plot whatsoever. Dry, uninteresting, clichéd.

 

Also, Damages, anyone?

Edited April 18, 201213 yr by Caïn

I'm struggling to find a valid comparison between this and Damages if I'm quite honest. Yeah the 'twist' with the soldier was a bit predictable but given that the main thrust of the series is this thing with the President the side cases really don't have the power to make or break the show. Did you honestly not think the scene between Olivia and the President in the White House was stunningly written, acted, directed? It was such a WOW moment, it totally elevated the pilot. Better acting and writing than you would see in most network series. Kerry Washington is flawless.

 

Yes I'm stanning hard for this show.

 

I love that they actually managed to slip 'I am the leader of the free world!' into the script yet again. You know you're watching a Shonda show when snatches of dialogue are repeated infinitely. :D

 

The twist in the rape case was actually something I didn't see coming. Speaking of twists I'd suspected the President's wife knew about Liv. This is the second time that actress has played a wife of a politician who finds out she's being cheated on and stays in the marriage to make her husband's life difficult (both times on an ABC show) - talk about being typecast! The way Liv dealt with the reporter was also beautifully handled. Amanda Tanner's revelation in the final scene was huge. Poor Cyrus might have an actual heart attack when he finds out. Jeff Perry is amazing in this and I never liked him much in Grey's. Cyrus was so smart in this episode, some of the writing was as strong as the best in The Good Wife. (Kate Burton has also been cast as the Vice President so it'll be a Grey senior reunion!) And does anyone else love the camerawork? The use of mirrors and shards of light is gorgeous. I just basically love everything about this wonderful show.

 

Might start giving this a watch from next week when i should be in lectures :lol:

Seeing Jark's The Good Wife comparison is funny because I was going to come in here and say something very similar myself. The quality of this is up there with that which is about as high praise as I can possibly give to a show. Loving Cyrus a lot now, the way he handled it all, playing both sides perfectly was brilliant and brilliantly written. Mel knowing about Olivia wasn't a huge surprise, but I liked how it was handled too. The Amanda reveal wasn't the least bit surprising though.

 

As for the case, I didn't see that twist coming, very clever. Much better than the last 2 from the point of view. LOVED seeing Curtis Armstrong as the lawyer, he's amazing in The Closer and did a good job here too.

OH MY, Cyrus' TIRADE at the President was just so sublimely INSANE I had to rewind it 3 times. ''Oprah's retired now, so I guess I'll have to do a post funeral interview with Barbara Walters ... she's nice'' :lol:

Ok, that just took another serious LEAP in quality this week. Right now this is BETTER than The Good Wife and I really do not say that lightly. It's so perfectly written and acted - Olivia in the opening scene was just staggeringly good. Cyrus and the President too. I was worried it might get a little heavy handed at times, but thus far it's been pitch perfect. The final scene(s) with Cyrus 'waging war' and the Amanda thing bode really really well.

 

That said, there is still one slight chink in the armour - the cases - this weeks was the best yet, probably because it felt like they integrated it into the story better than any of the rest with Abby confronting Olivia on it.

The flashback episode was proper brilliant (dare I say better than the Revenge flashback ep this week!). Quite brave to give that much screentime to Olivia and Grant but it totally paid off and it was interesting to see what Olivia was like before this thing with the President hardened her. Also quite an unexpected twist with the Amanda Tanner case - the scene at Gideon's place near the end was shockingly brutal! This show HAS to come back. It can't end. Now or ever.

 

Is anyone else besides John still watching? This has seriously been such a FLAWLESS season, not one episode which was anything less than riveting. They're such teases closing on that scene they did... I WANT TO KNOW WHO QUINN IS! The scenes at Gideon's place were genuinely quite horrifying. The power games between the VP and Fitz were proper good fun. Mellie is such a piece of work. Poor Fitz doesn't seem to make any decisions of his own, it's always Mellie, Cyrus or Liv. Amazing finale.

 

I agree about it being an amazing episode and season.

 

I don't actually CARE about Quinn's real identity all that much though, although I think they did a good job ending with that. She acted the shit out of those scenes in Gideon's apartment. I thought the Sally/Fitz scene was fantastic, I loved her righteous indignation turned OH f*** when he handed her the file, Kate Burton is SO GOOD. And then we get to MELLIE, what a fabulous thundercunt! I love how she can turn from charming to bitch in a split second.

The finale was adjusted down to a 2.3, but still a great result.

Started watching this yesterday finished already, really enjoyed it, hopefully hear about a full season episode order soon.