Huck lives!

That was revealed on Scandal Season 6 Episode 9 when the genius escaped from a car that was submerged in water. 

Below, TV Fanatics Christine Hinton, Jasmine Blu and Jim Garner discuss the great escape, Liv smacking Abby and Fitz being the voice of reason. 

What did you think of Huck's escape from the car?

Christine: Exhausting, hard to watch at times, and requiring a heavy dose of suspension of disbelief because I don’t think anyone could have survived that much blood loss and trauma.

But it was just what I’d expect from Scandal, and for the most part, I mean that in a good way. The one thing I noticed was that in Huck’s mind, Olivia always wears white, but in reality, she’s in black. The Gladiator white hats are long gone!

Jasmine: It was the most ludicrous thing I have ever seen. The suspension of belief required was out of this world. I don't even care, because Huck lives! It was so ridiculous, but I was glued to the screen the entire time.

Typical,  absurd, soapy Scandal goodness. I especially loved his thought process.

Jim: I guess Christine and Jasmine didn't appreciate the amazing use of Pope & Associates as the metaphorical (and physical) representation of Huck's thought process as much as I did.

I loved it! I had no problem with believing that Huck's force of will kept him going until he was on the shore. 

React to Liv smacking Abby.

Christine: I hated that. Maybe one slap, but over and over again bothered me, especially since Olivia knows about Abby’s history of being abused. Abby got played, and in trying to get out of it she made things worse, but Liv never even gave her an opportunity to explain.

It turned my stomach when Liv said, “You think I won’t get a chair and work it out on you.” I found that horrifying. 

Jasmine: She should have smacked her harder (I realize how awful that sounds given Abby's history, and for what it's worth I don't condone violence outside of fiction).  Liv's prep-school training showed.

If she put her weight into it the first time, she wouldn't have needed to do it more than once. Slaps in rapid succession was very, I don't know, Dynasty? Damn. 

Jim: Sorry Christine, Abby earned every one of those slaps and probably a few more! Abby had PLENTY of time to come to Liv for help getting out of the situation she was in. The bottom line is that she wanted the power and the Oval, so she didn't want to get out, just go through.

Also, I liked Liv's warning about her use of a chair. Liv is a strong friend by a powerful opponent, and Abby knew that and still worked against her and betrayed her. Think about it, the only reason Abby knew that Jennifer was alive was due to Liv.    

How did you feel about Fitz being the voice of reason?

Christine: Goodness knows someone had to be! Everyone else is so power hungry and desperate, but Fitz is to the point where he just wants to retire to Vermont, make jam, and spend time with his kids. It gives him a perspective that no one else seems to have. 

Jasmine: He should have allowed Olivia some time to just be angry and feel her feelings before she had to forgive Abby. That aside, Fitz has grown a lot (despite his limited screentime), and I enjoy seeing that. I mean, Fitz is the voice of reason. Fitzgerald Grant, guys!

Jim: I agree with Jasmine, Olivia needs some time to be mad before there is any hope of forgiveness. PS. I have a bit of a man crush on Fitz now. His willingness to be a friend to Abby and to check on Liv made me really like who he has become. 

Will Charlie have questions for Quinn after that look he gave when she was with Huck in the hospital?

Christine: Probably. I really hope that Quinn’s reaction doesn’t spell the end of Quinn and Charlie. Oddly enough they are the happiest couple on the show, which says something about how twisted Scandal can be. But I really enjoy these two, and I love it when he calls her Robin.

I hope they actually do get married soon. 

Jasmine: I don't know. Maybe? The three of them have a bizarre bond. Charlie and Quinn are Facebook official, but Huck will always be there playing this indefinable role in their relationship. 

Quinn and Huck have such an unusual bond because they obviously had a super twisted romantic/sexual relationship, but they have this bizarre, sort of sibling thing, too. It's like Tim Burton meets "Flowers in the Attic" or something, I don't know. Maybe this is to set Charlie up for another departure. I love him, and his presence at OPA has been amusing,  but rousing speech aside, he's just there. 

Jim: I'm less worried about Huck ending Charlie and Quinn and more worried about the monster Charlie saw Quinn let loose torturing Meg. If you watch his facial expressions, he is clearly seeing someone go a place that he hasn't even gone.  

Did you like the gladiators reuniting to help find Huck?

Christine: Yes, and no. They don’t feel like a team anymore, even when they’re all in the same room and working for the same cause. I feel like the reign of the gladiators as we know them may be over. 

Jasmine: The reunion was great. I think the reign of gladiators as we know it has been long gone. Harrison's death was the end of an era in that sense.

I enjoyed Gladiators of old and gladiators of new, official and unofficial, all coming together because Olivia's favorite Gladiator was missing. But let's be real, Quinn did all the real work. I have never loved Quinn as much as I loved her in this episode. She usually irritates the hell out of me.

Jim: I did like the reunion, though Marcus still weird without facial hair. Again, I have to agree with Jasmine on how much I loved Quinn in this episode. When she went across the desk at Abby, I wasn't sure if they were going to be able to stop her or not!  

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Over to you, Scandal Fanatics! How did you feel about the twists? 

Hit the comments below!

Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.