Scandal Round Table: What Does Olivia Want?
Paul Dailly
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That was pretty crazy, right?!
On Scandal Season 5 Episode 21, Olivia went head-to-head with her father and it got her to where she wanted to be.
Below, TV Fanatics Jim Garner, Christine Orlando and Paul Dailly discuss who they want to be president, Fitz finding out about the abortion and Liv "saving" Jake.
Who do you want to see elected President: Vargas or Mellie?
Jim: I really want to see Mellie as President! To see why, just rewind and watch her conversation with Fitz.. Sooo much power and emotion behind her words I wanted to vote for her twice.
Christine: I’m with Jim. I’m voting for Mellie. She’s a powerhouse. I think in her heart she wants to do what’s best for the country and she’s willing to do what it takes to get things done. I think she’d be a far better President than Fitz ever was.
Paul: I agree. Mellie is fantastic. Her rants are the best!
Were you surprised that Fitz didn’t confront Olivia about choosing to end the pregnancy?
Jim: It almost felt like the scenes were out of order. He didn't seem to have any emotion about the baby when he saw her and I know that would have been the first thing on my mind in his shoes.
Christine: Yeah, I would think that topic would be worth a conversation, even though I doubt it would have gone well. Where he told her he understood her choice for VP was kind of a metaphor for understand her choice of terminating her pregnancy but I still think it deserved a real conversation between these two. I found the subtext very unsatisfying.
Paul: I was surprised. I agree with Jim that some of felt out of order. Maybe they had too much and had to cut it down and threw all logic out the window!
Would Liv have saved Jake if she couldn’t use him?
Jim: Yes, in time Jake will realize that the only way to remove Command from his life was to become Command in his life - at least for a little while. Now the question is, "will _she_ let go of that power?"
Christine: I don’t know. More and more I’ve begun to think that the only person Olivia truly cares about is herself. She’s become addicted to the power, much like her father. Jake may just be a tool for her to gain more.
Paul: I honestly don’t know. Liv seems a bit too far gone to be redeemed and she’s getting too much like her father.
Jake wants the sun. Fitz wants Vermont. What does Olivia want?
Jim: The Oval Office and non-mundane life. She said as much in more than one episode. She's her father's daughter when it comes to power.
Christine: I agree with Jim. Having a normal career, being someone’s wife, having a family…Olivia doesn’t seem to want any of those things. Her desires seem to be closer in line with her father or Cyrus. She want to run the Oval office. She wants the power. She’s had a taste of it and much like an addict, she can’t give it up.
Paul: I I agree with Jim. She wants power, but what will she do in order to get it?!
Is there one character on the show that you actually root for?
Jim: They've done such a good job of making everyone not totally good or not totally evil (ok, except Cyrus, I suspect it will take a wooden stake and a cross to kill him), that it's hard to pick anyone to root all the time. I seem to root for different people depending on the situation.
Christine: Oddly enough, Jake. Yes, he’s a trained assassin who has done horrible things but he was almost forced into that life and I think he might have truly been happy just living with Olivia in a regular house with regular kids for the rest of his life. He wants the sun. I hope some day he finds it.
Paul: I The only one I root for these days is Mellie and that says a lot about how terrible the other characters are these days!
Was there anything in “That’s My Girl” that disappointed you?
Jim: I was kind of hoping they would wrap-up the election story so that next season could start with the new President taking office. Sadly, that didn't seem to happen.
Christine: I hated that Cyrus didn’t truly seem to care about his daughter at all. He sees her as more of a possession than anything else. If it would have suited his goals he would have killed Michael and the poor kid would have lost two fathers before she’s out of her toddler years and I don’t think Cyrus would have thought twice about it.
Paul: It didn’t really feel like a season finale. I also wanted Rowan out of the equation for good.
What was your favorite quote or scene from the season finale?
Jim: I have to go with Olivia taking Jake from her father. She did exactly what Huck said she would have to do. Go in through the front door and take him. Watching her stand there and telling Jake to come with her was pretty scary to watch.
Christine: I loved Mellie telling off Fitz. It’s true, the man can make any situation all about him. Mellie is at her best when she’s telling him off.
Paul: Olivia taking Jake from her father. It was a huge risk, but it worked out in the end!
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Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
