Two days ago, Shonda Rhimes uttered the one word that sent TGIT fans into a frenzy: crossover.
While the date for the mega 2-hour episode is still unknown, fans can expect to see Scandal’s leading lady Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) and How To Get Away With Murder’s Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) dabble in each other’s worlds.
Given the series’ tonal similarities, it’s surprising it took so long for these shows to collide.
The only thing that could make this announcement remotely better is seeing Rhimes’ first-hit Grey’s Anatomy added to the mix.
For now, on our first crossover experience, we’ll take whatever we can get and that’s shared scenes with two of television’s most vibrant, audacious and taketh-no-bullshit power players.
So far, all we know is that Washington and Davis will share scenes in the two-part, back-to-back crossover, which has our minds spinning and leaves much to the imagination.
Here’s are some of our not-rooted-in-reality hopes for the episode.
Annalise & Liv Will Drink Lots of Wine (Or Any Alcohol Really)
Rhimes’ characters are defined by alcohol. Pope is always drinking red wine from her long-stemmed glasses on her white couch in neutral clothing, never considering or fearing spillage. Similarly, Davis knocks back vodka like it’s water. I’d love to see these ladies brainstorm, talk life hacks and lift each other up over a glass or two. Add the most powerful woman in the world, Mellie, to the mix with her hooch and we’ve got a golden hour of television on our hands.
Annalise & Liv Will Stride
The stride; The Power Walk; The Walk of Victory. Call it what you want, but it happens in every single one of Rhimes’ episode. And it’s inspiring. These women walk with a purpose; a mission to get shit done. They make fierce entrances and effective exits. Now imagine two forces doing it at the same time — Iconic.
Annalise Puts Fitz In His Place
Putting Fitz into place? The Scandal women have been there and done that… sometimes multiple times an episode. He likes to think that he’s all high and mighty given he was once the leader of the free world, but that job description isn’t going to cut it with Annalise. She’s been through some stuff, okay? I’d like to see her tell him what she really thinks.
Connor Schmoozes Cyrus For Some Top-Secret Intel
Can you imagine what Connor would do if he had Cyrus wrapped around his finger? The amount of intel and top-secret information he could score just by whispering sweet nothings into the Vice President’s ear! Sure, there’s a hefty age difference but Cyrus is a sucker for anyone who will give him attention. And it isn’t the craziest thing that could ever happen; he married a prostitute and had a child with him, remember?
Annalise Becomes President
Annalise is a boss, no one will argue with that. She possesses all of the mandatory qualities: she’s incredibly smart, deviously clever, strong, vulnerable at the right times, and determined to a fault. And she knows how to put up a facade and pretend everything is fine when it’s really falling apart. (So important for a President!) What if she comes to Olivia and ends up running for office after Mellie’s four years are up? Technically, Scandal is ending and we’ll need a President. And I’d pay to see Annalise running things from the comfort of her Oval Office.
Annalise & Liv Tackle Sexual Assault As Part of the Initiative
There are no two better women to stand up against sexual harassment and declare that the future is female! Annalise has been a victim of sexual assault, while Olivia has dealt with the fallout of being the President’s mistress. Both ladies, much like the actresses that play them, have a real voice to stand up to against abuse, harassment, marginalization, and underrepresentation. Maybe the episode will focus on the new initiative, Time’s Up, which both Washington and Davis are backing in real life. It’s designed to “fight back against systemic sexual assault and harassment in the entertainment industry and beyond.”
Bonnie & Abby Drink Up
I can’t be the only one who would love to see Liv and Annalise’s right-hand ladies indulging in a night of girl talk. They’d have a lot to talk about considering they’ve both been through hell and back, done questionable things and yet, remained unwaveringly loyal.
The Keating Four Become Gladiators For a Day
Gladiators: It’s a noble title and one I could see the Keating Four taking on for the day. Maybe Olivia returns to OPA briefly to help out on some hot case — possibly to find Quinn because Rowan didn’t actually kill her — and enlists Annalise and the Keating Four to help. There aren’t any trophies but the prize is working under Liv’s guidance.
Jake and Frank Take Care of Business
Can you imagine if Jake recruited Frank for B613? Annalise and Liv’s fixers working together to do something totally disturbing — they would take someone out, clean up some mess, dispose of a dead body and never speak of it again… to anyone!
Laurel Babysits Quinn’s Baby
We don’t know what happened to Laurel’s baby on HTGAW, but if they were to crossover, I’d imagine she would be told to hang back and watch Quinn’s baby, if she’s still alive, of course.
Annalise Gets Real With Liv
Olivia has been riding her high horse all the way to the series finale and it’s about time someone put her in check. And who better than Annalise-freaking-Keating? She would have Liv grasping for her white hat in no time and putting an end to all these power-move shenanigans. After all, she knows what goes around comes around and that the shadiness will catch up with you, tenfold.
Huck & Oliver Do Some Hacking
These two do what hackers do best: hack, code, get incriminating evidence and geek out over it.
Bonnie Is Actually Amanda Tanner
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned… and brought back from the dead! This is far-far-fetched, but bear with me. Bonnie reveals herself to be Amanda Tanner who we met in season one of Scandal. It was believed Amanda, who was a campaign worker for Sally Langton when she was running against Fitz, died after claiming to have an affair with the now-President and being pregnant with his baby. Well, turns out she just changed her name and moved to Philly where she became Annalise’s right-hand lady, gaining enough knowledge about the law in order to come back and get revenge on the power players in DC. Also, Charlie, who tried to kill her, and Billy Chambers, the actual baby daddy. Oh, Bonnie!
BONUS: Olivia Is Killed & The Mystery Continues on HTGAWM
No Vermont. No happy ending. No more Olivia Pope. TVFanatic’s very own Carissa Pavlica suggests they kill off Olivia Pope at the end of Scandal, giving way to HTGAWM’s next season. All the supporting players will be suspects, but we all know, someway, somehow, Rowan Pope will be responsible. Or Quinn… she doesn’t seem too fond of Liv at the moment.
BONUS #2 – Quinn’s Baby Will Be Born at Grey Sloan Memorial
It goes a little something like this: Rowan admits that he didn’t kill Quinn, they find her in Seattle where she goes into labor is rushed to Grey Sloan Memorial, thus opening the doors for a second crossover, this time with Rhimes’ Grey’s Anatomy.
