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Scandal Review: Sleeping With The Enemy

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Now THAT is how you go on hiatus, TV Fanatics and Gladiators. This episode of Scandal was jam-packed with everything I love about this show... with a side of awesome for good measure.


Rosen and Harrison

I don't even know where to begin breaking down this review because my brain is running in about as many directions as the plot twists and potential plot twists in tonight's episode. I have so many questions swirling in my head right now that this review might be comprised entirely of questions.

What is Jake up to, you guys?

Did he plant the attacker in Liv's apartment just in case she turned on the TV at his house and saw the cameras there? So that he could pretend to be her knight in shining armor when we all know he's been watching her for months?

Or was that a really huge coincidence that she decided to show up at his house with cheeseburgers so they could get down to business on the night when she was supposed to be attacked in her home? Did Jake know about this planned attack because he orchestrated it? Anticipated it?

What in the world is going on?

I want to believe that he's not the bad guy he's being painted to be and that he just anticipated that someone would strike at her apartment. But I fear that he knew someone would show up to her apartment because he sent that someone there. That's why he wanted to go over there and cook her dinner. So that their little rendezvous could take place at her house and he would be there to protect her. Or fake protect her.

He had no way of knowing she would show, but her appearing certainly put a wrench in his plans. (And a beautiful woman in his bed, but still.) When she saw the surveillance footage and started questioning who he was, I wanted to believe him when he said he wasn't going to hurt her and he was only trying to protect her. But then I also wanted to shout that she probably wouldn't need protection if he wasn't a crazy sort-of stalker.

Jake knew before now that he was being asked to watch Olivia for personal reasons, but he didn't know just how personal those reasons were until tonight. His face when he saw Fitz lean in and hug her in the hospital was the moment when the Fitz and Olivia relationship really clicked for him. And the look was one of jealousy and rage.

Jake does not at all like the fact that Fitz and Olivia's relationship was or is more than whatever Fitz led him to believe. Watch out, Mr. President!

Another thing about Jake is that I can't decide if he's the mole or if he's covering for the mole. Is Cyrus the mole? Why would he torpedo Fitz' presidency?

Charlie being "baseball cap" and working with Jake and Cyrus is an interesting turn of events. Why did Cyrus need Charlie to look into Jake? Did I miss something? Did Cyrus order Charlie take Huck out independent of Olivia being under surveillance?

There's a missing piece to that puzzle and I can't wait to see what the piece is. Cyrus' involvement certainly has me intrigued. It feels like a return to Amanda Tanner when we thought he was involved, then thought he wasn't, and then suddenly found out that not only was he involved, he was behind her death. 

And now Cyrus knows that Fitz killed Verna and he excuses it as one of those things people sometimes do. Like brushing their teeth or paying their taxes. It's no big deal. He just killed a Supreme Court Justice. He absolved Fitz of his crime like he's a confessor and has the power to do such things. Fitz says "I killed Verna" and Cyrus replies "Go be happy."

Cyrus getting relationship advice from Fitz was rich, but it was a nice moment for the two characters. 

One thing's for sure, after fighting to keep him, hoping he'll be successful, Cyrus will not be telling James anything about anything this time. James made it clear tonight that he wishes he could go back to the time before he knew about Defiance and pretend that he didn't know what Cyrus is capable of doing. More importantly, James wishes he didn't know what he himself was capable of doing. But he can't pretend. 

It seems Mellie's the one who's mastered pretending. 

The Mellie/Fitz relationship is one that is so broken and bizarre to me. If what he said tonight was true, that she was brought to the dinner meeting unaware that she was basically being sold to him and Big Jerry like chattel, then my heart kind of breaks for her. I do believe she loved Fitz, then and now.

She's just come to love herself and her own wants and ambition more. 

Fitz is miserable in just about every aspect of his life. The look on his face in Olivia's hospital room said as much. Her face, however, said she wasn't interested. At least not now. She's far too confused to be interested right now. She didn't return his "hi." I kept waiting for that, but I'm glad Olivia didn't give it. I want her to be angry at him. Just as angry at him for the way he's treated her as he has been at her over Defiance. Sometimes, like in this case, anger is completely justified.

A couple of other things to point out before wrapping this up:

David Rosen as a sort-of employee of Pope & Associates. LOVE IT.

David: Gladiators in helmets, right?
Harrison: Suits. | permalink

How perfect was that moment? He's standing around listening and then just says "Oh, you know? I have this idea and it's better than all of your ideas. So let's do my thing, okay?" And then they do and it works. Way to go, David!

I also like that David confronted Abby about their mutual feelings for one another and the fact that he knows she really did steal the Cytron card. I liked the two of them together and I think lovers in the work place is murky but also interesting. 

Quinn kicked some serious butt tonight! She gave Zeke a verbal beating and saved Huck! She's really hitting her stride as a member of the team lately and I like it.

I do not like that Huck keeps getting put into these torturous situations. Can we please, please send the man on a vacation? Or to therapy? Poor Huck!

What did you think of "Molly, You In Danger, Girl"? What are your theories about Jake? About Cyrus? Watch for the Scandal Round Table and in the meantime, be sure to check out the Scandal quotes page for more Gladiator goodness.


Editor Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 (253 Votes)


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    When Scandal is on I can hardly breath: I do enjoy this show very much: I am in NY and my best friend is in CA and I text her to say wait until you see the show: When I meet anyone the first question is do you see Scandal and then the conversation starts. The writers are excellent and the cast is wonderful: My only complaint is the show stopping for re-runs to often: î¼Keep up the good work: Love you all


    Miranda, I already watch the show, and you made me want to watch it.
    Greatest sleeper since "WISEGUY" in 1987.
    Season 1 I went about my way, and then "BAM" my jaw dropped. I had a good kept guilty pleasure. The 2nd tie around, they did an incredible job of linking everything together. Olivia Pope is a Rock Star, and thanks for the Cuddy appearance. Every character in this series has a closet full of skeletons! Quinn was suppose to be the headliner, but Django Unchained Ms. Washington stole it back. Like I said, it all was put together very nicely. So nicely, I have no clue whats going on. I love that. ( I get it, what is going on? I get it, what the hell is going on?? )
    Gotta run, my Sundays are full of Shameless, House of Lies, and Californication!


    Wow - everyone here has such insightful opinions and I agree with the ones that support Jake is a bad guy/mole; Fitz needs to be slapped again before Liv takes him back; Mellie & Fitz will never have a true marriage only an arrangement; David will become a Gladiator; Quinn will get her own red toolbox soon; and Cyrus is the power behind everything going on. Cyrus wasn't saying "woe is me" during the 22 days in a hotel when he & Fitz weren't close. Cyrus is up to something big.


    Great recap! Only thing I disagree on is jake not knowing that Fitz had a thing going with Liv, I've always got the impression that he was fully aware. He's creepy, but I'm glad Liv slept with him, time for her to move on. I am so sick of the way Fitz treats Mellie! I am a huge Mellie fan and I know that she loves him in spite of their damaged, broken, dysfunctional, unhealthy marriage. Lots of people live in those types of marriages, and what Mellie said about married folks pretending was the absolute truth! That's why I love this show, because its intuitive, honest and smart! I also like how she assumed that Cy and James were the perfect couple, and then the scene immediately jumps to Cy who's sleeping at a hotel and separated from his husband! I also like David as a Gladiator, shoot he aint busy, so why not make him one. Not sure I'm gonna be able to make it three weeks without this Walking Dead, no Real Housewives....yep, safe to say I will be going into a deep depression :/


    I think Charlie was watching Jake for Cy, he's not the mole. Jake is the mole/works for the mole, knocked Huck out! We are yet to find out why. Sleeping with him was an epic error (as it just me or there was no real heat there). Mellie and Fitz obviously can never be happy together, with that declaration of 'marriage is all pretense'. I felt sorry for them both. It took Fitz almost 20 years to figure out the arrangee marriage. That does not bode well for his IQ. Mellie knew the deal, though. Very smart *itch! Quinn, you go girl. Huck, get therapy already. Harrison needs to work on his gut, it seems it is never on point. Mr Rosen, welcome to OPA and finally, Liv, pls give Fitz a really hard time and them allow him to make sweet, gentle vs rough love to you, however YOU want it...*sigh*


    And I actually think that Jack would be pretty mad that Fitz was using him to spy on a woman he loved for personal reasons. Professional military men would take offense to it.


    If to rewind a conversation of Jack with the Bench guy, there was nothing about who did what, they were discussing a matter rather impersonally. I don't think Jack is bad guy. It was a remote chance that Fitz would be asking him to watch Olivia 24/7, who can build a solid coup on such low probabilities. That he called Molly puts him in the "know" circle of people to home the mole information was pertinent
    That he told president that he saw his source threatened, how would he know that Osborn would show up on Olivia's doorsteps?
    I think his relationship to mole was that he was contacted by killed girl. What I don't get if the girl (Molly's friend) was killed for the info on a flash drive, and a professional who killed her didn't look around the David's computer?
    Killing her supposedly for the information she had with a single purpose to frame David, doesn't make sense. Her place was not searched, not in disarray, when her body was brought in, there was a need to create mess,meaning nobody was actually looking for the supposedly threatening to the mole information?


    I don't know who to believe, or who to like!!! That was an amazing episode, I love so much the partnership of Quinn and Huck together and felt so bad for poor Huck. Also I loved Olivia's look in her face when Fitz hugged her, she better be super angry, like throwing stuff at people angry. I don't want to believe that Cyrus is the mole. Also I'm so confused over my feelings towards Jake. I love this show


    Amazing episode. It was so good I was surprised when the hour was up. Just about everything has been said in the review and the comments. I am so confused I don't know who to trust right now.*sigh*. The only people I sort of trust are the OPA folks and Fitz *urgh*! All the moments were great this episode. I really want Cyrus and James to work through their issues & Mellie & Fitz need to get a divorce. That is such a toxic marriage & it's sad that Mellie thinks that is what marriage is all about. Big Jerry really did pick the right political wife for Fitz. Correct me if I'm wrong but when Fitz asked her if she is on the arrangement, she didn't accept nor deny complicity no? She's a very smart lady (smarter than Fitz in so many ways), It's possible she knew what was happening no? I believe Jake is playing all his boss(es) cos he has true feelings for Liv *intrigued*. Final scene with d love triangle had me catching my breath and then all I saw were credits. I can't wait for this show to be back!!!


    I think she's a sociopath, personally, and I am glad she has nannies for her children, but still, that whole scene was played so delicately it was beautiful and tragic and full of pathos.
    This show has some truly gifted actors and actresses on it. The scriptwriters aren't bad, either.
    I think the scene with Mellie and Fitz sort of mirrored the scene with Cyrus and James, because Cyrus was pointing out to the man he loves that he's really mostly angry at himself, because now he realizes that he's capable of deceit and lies and all the things he has accused Cyrus of. He really has sold his soul for love, just as surely as Cyrus sold his soul for power.
