There’s no doubt that Scandal Season 4 had plenty to discuss, and that’s just what we’re going to do in our TV Fanatic Report Card.
Whether it was kidnapping, a stabbing, the slit throat of a high-profile guest star or the reveal of just what it looks like in the first lady’s nether regions, there’s probably a hash tag for that to drive discussion onward and upward.
We hope this does the same. Chat about the best and worst before Scandal Season 5 takes the airwaves by storm!
BEST EPISODE
Scandal Season 4 Episode 14 was a bold piece of storytelling for Shonda Rhimes and company. “The Lawn Chair” was an episode examining the death of a black teenager at the hands of a white cop, a narrative we’ve unfortunately seen in real life too. The episode wasn’t for everyone, with some arguing it was unrealistic and poorly timed. But no matter where you fell on the hate it or love it spectrum, you can’t deny that it was a powerful piece of television. Poignant, emotional and thought-provoking, it was Scandal at its best.
WORST EPISODE
I’m sorry, but what in the world was THAT season finale? What actually happened? For about 3/4 of Scandal Season 4 Episode 22, Rowan/Eli/Command/Dad continued to reign supreme, until Olivia was able to get him arrested on embezzlement charges. Seriously, Scandal? You can do better than that. And is Quinn going to actually shoot Huck? Do we even care? Let’s not even talk about all the work this season did in making Fitz and Mellie into a cohesive unit, only to have it burned down in 2 minutes. At least Olitz was able to get their moment. I’m sure it will last this time.
MOST CRINGEWORTHY HUCK SCENE
This could easily go to Huck killing someone in front of his son, but his brutal killing of Sue (guest star Lena Dunham) was even more disturbing. Huck has been to hell and back and you can’t help but sympathize with him at times, but then he goes and brutally murders a woman to “keep her quiet” and all sympathy goes out the window. Huck has been a problem for a while and this move did him no favors. RIP Sue and that ridiculous wig.
BEST OLITZ MOMENT
Olitz is here to stay, whether you’re Team Jake or Team Anyone Else, so it’s time we all just get used to it. Olitz always has their fair share of emotional talks and sexy encounters, but a very quiet moment between the two proved to be the best moment these two have had in awhile. After the kidnapping and Fitz’s decision to go to war, Olivia was done with Fitz and even took off the ring she vowed she would never take off. When she showed up to Cyrus’s wedding with the ring back where it belonged, Fitz knew he was back in the game. Cue the swooning Olitz shippers all around the world.
BEST TWIST
Jake Ballard was stabbed repeatedly at the end of Scandal Season 4 Episode 19 leading fans everywhere to wonder (and worry) if he could really be dead. Shonda Rhimes has proven that she’s not afraid to kill major characters, so anything was possible. Luckily, he survived despite his severe injuries. Scandal would not be the same without Jake!
BEST RELATIONSHIP
There should probably be an asterisk here because things imploded in the finale, but the relationship between Fitz and Mellie has never been stronger than it was this season. They found a great balance this year and really came together as a team. It was nice to see them get to a point where they could truly respect and support one another. There may no longer be a romantic love between the two, but there is a deep connection and their friendship was one of the more unexpectedly sweeter aspects of the season.
MOST FRUSTRATING EPISODE
Season 4 Episode 11: After using the video message she was forced to make to leave clues for her team back home, Olivia didn’t even give them a chance to decipher them and find her! Instead, she convinced her captor to sell her on the black market, which in her mind buys her time, but couldn’t she have just waited one more day to play that card?
MOST WELCOME RETURN
Former Pope and Associates member Stephen Finch could not have picked a better time to resurface after leaving the firm. When the rest of Olivia’s team failed to win the auction, he swooped in and rescued her from certain death. A very thankful Olivia invited him to come back with her, even offering him his old office, but sadly he declined. Still, there’s hope that he could reappear again someday!
MOST VALUABLE GLADIATOR
Quinn went rogue for a long while when she was wrapped up in B-613, but she was back where she belonged this year. With Abby gone, Olivia kidnapped and Huck his usual unstable self, Quinn was forced to really step up and be a real leader within the group. She looked after Huck (as best she could) and she was always willing to do what needed to be done to help OPA. Remember that time she pulled that key out of the dead girls stomach? You can’t deny the girl does her job and does it well.
MOST UNDERRATED CHARACTER
He may never get the girl, but Jake still sticks around and always has Olivia’s best interest at heart. Even when the show did everything it could to make us believe Jake had gone crossed over to the bad side, Scandal fans everywhere held out hope that Jake would continue to be the guy we rooted for. Sure he has flaws like everyone else, but he continues to be a rather bright spot in a dark world. Who doesn’t want to watch his adorable dance with Olivia on a loop? Stay gold, Mr. Ballard.
HOPES FOR SEASON 5
The number one hope for most Scandal fans has to be the death of B-613 once and for all. It was an intriguing idea back when it was first introduced, but it has truly run its course, like Operation Remington and Defiance before it. The Scandal universe is ready for a new big bad and season 5 would be a great time to reinvigorate the story. This should also be the season where Olivia and Fitz find a way to make their love affair work. It will be tricky to pull off, but I don’t think the fans can take anymore back and forth.
We should be done with Rowan Pope but, unfortunately, Shonda Rhimes didn’t have the guts to go there and kill the bad guy. We’d like a season without him.
