SCANDAL is an addictive political
thriller. I love the show and I know how easy it could become a bad soap opera,
but the writing and characters are spot on. SCANDAL revolves around Olivia Pope
(Kerry Washington) and her gladiators in suits at Pope and Associates (who are political fixers)- a crisis management firm. The show also focuses on cheating U.S. President Fitzgerald “Fitz” Grant
III, his administration, and the First Lady as Fitz has an on-an-off relationship with Ms. Pope while a mole in the White
House is leaking top secret information which leads some CIA agents to be captured by terrorists in a foreign country. The second season starts with the truth of who Quinn Perkins is and how she is connected
to the fixing of voting machines in Defiance. Pope and Associates along
with certain people in the Grant administration including the White house Chief of Staff work to keep the election fraud from
coming out as a reporter and David Rosen (an attorney at the U.S. Attorney) try to bring out the truth.
SCANDAL is the type of show that has a
lot to say about the underbelly of the Beltway and how politics works in addition to the way things are fixed and spun (spin
control). It has turned into a gonzo political conspiracy thriller with lots
of steamy relationships, an assassination attempt, political coup attempts, and incredible twists. I kinda of like all the characters in the show as you see how each of them can go good and bad deeds. Kerry Washington is impressive as Olivia Pope as she shows a strong character
who is also so vulnerable, but Olivia has to remain strong in front of the press and her clients while only showing how fragile
she is to her associates and friends. Huck and Quinn are a couple of characters
I really love and how they bond as they form a mentor and pupil relationship. Then it is quite interesting how the show plays
out like two seasons rolled into one since the writers initially planned out a storyline for the first 13 episodes, but the
back nine is a new arc that picks up the pieces from what happened in the first 13 and plays out like a different season since
it picks up 10 months later. I can’t wait to see what they will do in SCANDAL
season three.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
A CLOSER LOOK: PRESIDENT GRANT’S
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT- a behind-the-scenes look at how they prepped the chaotic moment when someone tried to kill Grant.
BEING HUCK- Actor Guillermo Diaz reflects
on the emotional journey Huck goes through in the episode SEVEN FIFTY-TWO that reveals Huck’s past. This featurette has interviews with Shonda Rhimes, one of the producers, and members of the cast.
38 deleted scenes from various episodes
with the bulk of them coming from NOBODY LIKE BABIES, SEVEN FIFTY-TWO, and the two episodes leading up to the season finale. No deleted scenes are included from the season finale since they are all included
in the extended version of WHITE HAT’S BACK ON.
The outtakes reel shows line flubs, swearing,
dancing, and singing. It is a quite a fun gag reel. Also on disc five are previews for other ABC TV series and THE LONE RANGER.
FINAL ANALYSIS: SCANDAL season two is an addictive political thriller/ drama.
I couldn’t stop watching as I devour the show two to three episodes at a time.
I can’t wait to see what season three will bring. The set is a must
for SCANDAL fans for the deleted scenes, gag reel, and extended finale (which is seven minutes longer).
This movie review is (c)9-8-2013 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com
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