Scandal (2012–2018) User Reviews

This show is absolutely ridiculous but surprisingly addictive!

[fatelovesthefearless · 7/10 · 2 April 2021]

If shonda rhymes knows how to do anything it's create a show that is utterly ridiculous and unrealistic in every way but very entertaining.

As a medical professional I think greys is the best and worst show. I love the characters but the medical stuff frustrates me. But still I allow myself to switch off and enjoy the show.

And I think that's what you also need to do with Scandal. If you have an intelligent bone in your body you have to switch off your brain and suspend total belief. This show is so ridiculous in so many ways. But who doesn't love some political drama, lots of cliffhangers, mysteries and plot twists.

I'll admit it is better in the first few seasons and just gets to preposterous levels by about season 6. The utterly horrible and treasonous acts committed by employees of the White House are insane I'm so glad that it's not unrealistic as it would be just plain scary if our world leaders acted this way.

Nevertheless it had me hooked after about 3-4 episodes and I binge watched the entire series in a few weeks.

I'd label this one a guilty pleasure. Don't watch if you can't switch off your brain as it will only leaving you saying wtf a lot!!!!

Olivia Thumbs Down

[leitonavarretepainter · 7/10 · 5 September 2018]

After her kidnapping, Olivia's character really turned sour, and not for the betterment of the show. Watching her act so self-righteously and bitter towards everyone ruined the show and made it unbearable to watch without getting pissed off at her.

Olivia and Fitz Best TV Chemistry: Updated (2012/2015)

[MeMeTellem · 7/10 · 29 September 2012]

This is a great show. The chemistry between Kerry Washington and the man that plays the president is superb. Best chemistry i have seen on a show. I love how she is African American and he is Caucasian. Different is finally on television and she is the lead. I love how it's crime, suspense, slight thriller, and most of all romance. When I first saw the previews for this show, I thought oh no another crime show but this is like no other crime show on TV. I was very impressed and now it's returned for a second season, I'm so excited to watch. Abc is taking over TV channels with best shows. It will be hard for other shows to compete with the chemistry between the characters. The only thing I do not like is, for a president, I need him to be a little stronger and vulnerable. He needs to take initiative sometimes on his own but he's gorgeous even though he's older.

The top portion of this review was written in 2012. This portion is of 2015. I no longer enjoy this show as much as I use to. The seasons have started to rush and a lot of things have happened too quickly. Scandal has gone from Olivia fixing Scandals to her being more of an asset than the president. She has been kidnapped, held hostage, etc. This show could have gone longer at a steady paste but it is now a soap opera. Because, soap operas have unbelievable twists and turns constantly. I miss the first season when she and her team would fix scandals.One more thing, It seems like the president, Mellie, Olivia, Cyrus, Quinn, Huck, Abby, etc. all talk the same! They use to not speak the exact same way but now they do. For example: They start talking fast, very fast, like their minds are racing and the person they are talking to starts to call their name in a repetitive state until they get their full attention. Like, Liv, Liv, Liv, OLIVIA! Stop Talking! Many of them have done this over and over! What's up with the characters talking alike?

Should be called "Pouty little big girl gets her way"

[shainaemazzio-53850 · 25 August 2018]

Like most other reviews, first two seasons of this show was great, then it completely fell of the grid. Every episode is of Olivia Pope, a vile excuse for a human being. She's hypocritical, devious, arrogant, self-righteous, annoying and throws a temper tantrum whenever she doesn't get her way. She bends the rules as they benefit her regardless of who she hurts or kills in the process. Thank God this is a terrible drama, because our country would have no hope if it ran even a tenth of the way this show portrays. The other supporting actors save the show in my opinion, because Kerry Washington is very annoying in this role. Other reviewers speak of her over- enunciating, talking slowly and raising her voice to make her point, i.e. get her way. I think a fun drinking game would also be to have to take a shot each time one of the characters (mainly Pope) says "Look at me." Pause. Then again, slower and exaggerated, "Look. At. Me."

Amazing series

[eliflower-79102 · 10/10 · 3 April 2022]

Scandal is trully amazing series,probably one of the best I have ever seen. It is really worth watching it ,every second of it ,every little twist. Olivia Pope is absolutely brilliant,every character is trully amazing. Thank you so much for that. A series you just have to watch with holding your breath.

Not to be missed

[yuknow · 10/10 · 24 May 2012]

When Grey's Anatomy start going stale Scandal pops up. One of the best TV series ever. Every single episode leave you wanting for more! Starting off with the president looking scandalous to understanding the love he and Olivia have for each other. Fast pace keeps you guessing. Just not enough in your face dirty politics like 'Boss'. Something different from those boring same old monotone drama. 7 episodes in Season 1 is not enough. Till the last episode will keep you guessing who is the one that orchestrate all the things that happened. It is definitely one of the best TV series in 2012. Not to be missed most definitely.

Great series

[cookiekatz · 8/10 · 13 May 2012]

I really love this series and think the acting and story are terrific!

My only complaint is that more often than not it seems as though someone hit the fast forward button. Most of the actors speak so fast that it is difficult to follow and I am constantly rewinding to catch what they said. Also, the picture is at times too dark.

It would be much better if they could slow the pace just a little. It really does seem as though the actors are being timed to see how fast they can say their lines.

The casting of the characters is very good and I hope the show stays on the air for many years.

Bravo!!

[diva-342-165924 · 10/10 · 12 April 2012]

Finally a show that's smart, entertaining, love the simmering suspense and the build up of secrets that will ultimately explode on the show. Read the other naysayers reviews. Especially the one with the 'liberal' dig.

I disagree with the prediction that this show will fail. I think finally network TV is getting it right. Can't wait to see where the shows goes!!

Especially since I've since learned from that trashcan Faux News channel that the lead character is based on a real powerhouse woman in DC that deals in crisis management. This show has so much further to go!

When the series shifted to a love story with tragedy after tragedy and away from Olivia and her agency saving the world and various lives the entire show started falling apart

[kevin_robbins · 6/10 · 13 July 2021]

Scandal (2012-2018) is a movie I watched as it aired on television. The storyline initially follows Olivia Pope as she works as a secret cover-up agency for the national government and often for the president directly. As the show matures the focus shifts from the crafty agency to a relationship between the president and Olivia. They both have demons in their closet that as they unravel shows why their brilliance and character is what it is. This series was created by Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy) and stars Kerry Washington (Django), Darby Stanchfield (Waitress), Guillermo Díaz (Half Baked), Tony Goldwyn (Ghost) and Joe Morton (Terminator 2). The storyline for this the first couple seasons was actually really, really good. Then the storyline started getting a bit too crazy, outside the box and unrealistic. When the series shifted to a love story with tragedy after tragedy and away from Olivia and her agency saving the world and various lives the entire show started falling apart. It's really too bad because the original premise was very good. The show really started to run it's course after season four and was on life support after that. It's amazing it lasted as long as it did. I would score this series a 6-6.5/10.

Exciting New Show

[doc40-337-222442 · 9/10 · 6 April 2012]

AWESOME and awe inspiring main character (I mean Kerry Washington, who should be listed in the top 3 on IMDb title page for the show, not at #8!!) Oliva Pope, who is confident, strong,"legendary" and knows the ins-and-outs of D.C. political power brokers. Snappy fast-paced dialogue, intense story lines and soap elements intertwined with political intrigue. Main plot points were engaging and not always foreseen, which in storytelling, is a very good thing. Pilot shows a lot of potential to be a great can't-miss show. This should be another big hit for Shonda Rhimes, if ABC commits to it and doesn't continuously pre-empt it. Shonda Rhimes scores big again! Yeah Rhimes!Keep it coming!!

Fast, captivating - but Ms Washington's acting is just bad

[a_lavdas · 6/10 · 31 May 2019]

Maybe it's not her fault. Maybe the director pushes her to speak ultra-fast, act as if the whole world depends on her next move every minute, and utter every word with an expression that would make you think she has just ingested something very disgusting. I have no idea whose fault is it, but her character is a caricature. The ultra-fast talking also appears in some other characters, as do some verbal mannerisms that ALL characters have, like briefly pausing at mid-sentence, and generally at points that make no sense. So for instance Olivia's father wants to say "Olivia, Mellie is going to lose, you are going to lose" but instead says "Olivia, Mellie is going to lose you...are going to lose". (By the way Joe Morton is the second-worse actor here, almost as unbearable as Washington). Does the director think this sounds natural? Like a natural hesitation? It could sound natural if it happened rarely. But it happens all the time by all characters. It's just silly. At least the other actors are more convincing in their acting (when they are not instructed to speak in such as ridiculously artificial way). However, despite all this, it is addictive. It may not be convincing, but who cares? You will want to watch it till the end. Irrelevant comment: Bellamy Young makes you wonder, how is it possible that the president could look at another woman (let alone go beyond looking).

The BEST SHOW on air this year

[barnesfamily_02 · 10/10 · 29 April 2012]

I had my doubts. I saw the show being advertised and I decided I would not watch the show. I always jump and support black actors and writers and I usually am disappointed. I jumped into Undercover and The Event and was sorely disappointed. I told myself, I would not jump into watching this show. I heard from some friends on facebook how good this show was. Granted, they are people who also support African-American people on shows and movies. But after reading their posts and how excited they were about this show, I folded and recoded this past weeks episode. I was bored Saturday afternoon and decided to give it a chance. I turned it on and it immediately had me hooked. I didn't know what Olivia's job was, but she is a tough woman. I love this show so much I couldn't stop talking about it to my husband. After the show, I went on and on about the episode. I also couldn't get enough of Olivia. She has all the qualities of a strong woman. Kerry is a phenomenal actress!!! Rimes did another fabulous creation on this show. I hope this show goes the distance. I never write reviews for show EVER, but this time I created an account and found this site to take time out to write a review on this show because it is the best show I have seen in a LONG time.

burned bright for a few seasons

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 2 November 2017]

Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) runs a firm of political fixers in D.C. Her group of loyal associates are gladiators. She has a troubled secret relationship with President Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn). He has a political convenient marriage to Mellie Grant (Bellamy Young). Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry) is the calculating Chief of Staff and David Rosen (Joshua Malina) is the Assistant US Attorney. Olivia hires Quinn Perkins (Katie Lowes). Troubled Huck (Guillermo Díaz) and Abby Whelan (Darby Stanchfield) are two of the associates. Olivia's scheming father (Joe Morton) runs the mysterious shadow government organization B613. Grant assigns Jake Ballard (Scott Foley) to guard Olivia in mid second season.

For a time, Shonda Rhimes owned a night of network television. Grey's is the gold and this is the silver programming. It burned hot for a couple of seasons with overblown plots, and overwrought melodrama. The love triangle is the pinnacle. It definitely burned bright for a time but it burned itself out. By the fifth season, the convoluted story twists and ties itself into a knot. The biggest dead end is Fitz's presidency ending. Even the white hot romantic triangle fades into nothingness. The acting is usually big and over the top. Kerry Washington does a lot of near cry acting with her quivering lips. When a story twists and turns this much, it will almost always go out of control. The last few seasons are simply this show stalling and running in place. Shondaland has an expiry date.

Had to stop watching it for my own sanity

[thanvlachos · 2/10 · 5 May 2017]

This show was way better in the first two or so seasons. Back then, a lot of the episodes focused on the main characters using their skills to mop up different political scandals around town. There was a larger story arc that was okay too, but it was never all that interesting.

The show goes way downhill as it grinds on, however. Once Olivia Pope gets into a ridiculous love triangle with two dudes, the whole show devolves into her making pouty faces and yelling a lot, or sitting around on her couch making pouty faces while she drinks wine and eats chocolate, etc. That's pretty much every episode. All the characters talk with the same annoying diction and frequently make ridiculous and hyperbolic speeches about "the republic" and other nonsense. The writing is painfully predictable. I gave up somewhere in the fourth season. Or maybe the fifth. I don't remember; I do my best to pretend this show never happened.

Kerry Washington's acting hard to watch

[adrianapereyra · 26 January 2018]

It was a great show in the beginning but then it jumped the shark when Washington's character became rambo on the show, started over-acting, and her facial expression became a constant look of smelling feces. I fast-forward through her rants on the show; love all other characters, except her dad's rants that are just as terrible as hers.

Excellent Show

[atiner · 10/10 · 11 May 2012]

I really love this show. Sad to find out their is only one more episode left for this season. This show has everything I love-intrigue, mystery, conspiracies, and great plots and story representations each week. Every week feels like a finale to me. I hope the show comes back next season with many more episodes. I can't get enough. The acting is great as well as the writing. I love Kerri Washington and all the other actors on the show have great delivery. This show is in my top 3. I might even dare to say it's becoming my number 1 show. It's nice to watch something other than reality TV and this is a great alternative. I love the way we find out new things about the main characters every week, which let us know who they are and why they are the way that they are.

Scandal is Intriguing

[rejavanation · 9/10 · 23 April 2012]

Perhaps its because the powerful female lead is African American and people are just not used to seeing a competent power broker being a person of color. Kerry Washington is spot on as the driven "fixer" in Scandal. Shonda Rhimes has spun another gorgeous tale without color casting and letting the actors be whomever does the best job rather than a vehicle for whoever is "hottest" right now.

To the story. I wasn't planning on watching Scandal, but it kept popping up on Hulu so I thought I would give it a shot. From the very beginning the show caught my attention because the drama of the inner workings of the White House and the lengths by which people will go to protect their reputation was just interesting. I imagined that the stories that leak out in the press are, to some extent fabricated, but to pull the curtains back and see the wheeling and dealing at work it a ton of fun. Enter Olivia Pope, confident, driven, assured and yet vulnerable and to be pitied on intimate level. All her crew are broken in some way shape or form, but they function together to get the job done. "Gladiators in suits," is what they consider themselves to be.

I didn't go into the show making up reasons to like it. The shows stories held my attention and I like them, in much the same way I like Grey's Anatomy, another Rhimes creation. I am really enjoying Columbus Short, an actor with lots of talent a few opportunties to shine. I hope the show does well for him. Kerry Washington wouldn't have been my first choice, but she's won me over. I hardly recognized Guillermo Díaz, because he looks so different than from his other films. But I see potential for his role as the mysterious CIA hacker.

I can't wait to see what is going to happen throughout the season and I hope the show gets picked up. It is really that good. I can understand that the show is a shock to the system because Kerry Washington isn't your typical blonde or brunette power female and the ideal of her ***spoiler*** having a relationship with the President of the US would seem absurd to someone who's mind is conditioned to see beauty in the typical European way, but I think the show works because it is so unexpected.

Scandal (witty and Smart)

[mrerecs · 8/10 · 1 April 2012]

Very hip modern show. Diaologue is very witty story lines very believe able. it's an interesting show that is worth watching! Awesome casting, actors fit their roles and they seem to have great chemistry. Episodes are fast pace and there are a lot of side stories. But that what I think makes the show. They will be one main story for and episode. then another smaller side story to change the pace. With there being larger sporadically place Story that connects the episodes and keeps the show moving toward a goal. This show is like Lost meets Law and Order with a House type wit and sensibility. I think its great how each episode wraps up but leaves you with a little something to look forward to until next week. If your looking for something fresh and interesting i would suggest this show!

Political thriller

[trepessa · 9/10 · 21 November 2014]

I have watched hundreds of television shows on the networks over the years but this one even though about Washington politics, is very slick. I saw someone say they speak too fast but I don't agree besides one can turn on close caption to follow if they have a difficult time. I'm elderly and have no trouble following what they are saying. The acting is great and the chemistry of all the actors very good. Characters are written to be a certain way and that is that. The actors have a director and who wouldn't be naive about a secret organization with more power than the Presidential office. The show doesn't have to be plausible because it is a work of fiction period. Kerry Washington is amazing as a strong, savvy women that helps people solve things...fixers. I have watched most of the segments back to back so it's far easier than waiting for the next episode or season to follow the story. I love the way things twist and sometimes I can guess. If you are a person who watches a lot of suspense and mystery shows or reads books it doesn't get that difficult. That doesn't mean it's predictable or cliché. There are only so many things one can do to make a story twist and still be cohesive. This show keeps you on the edge of your seat, it has clandestine romance and big politics showing the seamier side of things. Some things are based on real happenings with false conclusions which is as it should be. It shows the strength and the weaknesses of the characters and flashbacks so you understand why in the present they are doing what they are doing. It unfolds slowly because of all the cast members. Many times I have found myself laughing because some scenes are humorous on purpose to cut the seriousness of some of the issues they are portraying. I don't know what people want but if this isn't your cup of tea it doesn't mean the show is bad because it is not, it is an exceptional series. If you don't like espionage, spies, murders and illicit relationships then don't watch this show. It is for adults plain and simple and all of the actors gel together superbly.

Scandal is getting worse

[Avery_August · 6/10 · 27 May 2014]

Review is based on recently watched DVDs of Seasons 1-2. I loved the first season of the show: A great premise, a great cast, great acting and it was well written. ABC's full-season orders are destroying the quality of the show. The stories are becoming even more outlandish while also having clichéd and predictable conclusions.

Problems:

• That rapid shutter sound when a scene changes is overly loud and obnoxious. What purpose does it serve, exactly, beyond being an annoying, unnerving sound?

• The use of the "white hat" metaphor when used as often as it is in this show makes it a useless allegory. They also had the bright idea to have Olivia wear a literal white hat in the last episode in the second season (thanks for beating us over the head with this, Shonda).

• The pilot has Huck mention a basic mantra that characters repeat throughout the series: "We are gladiators" and "We don't ever cry for any reason because Olivia doesn't cry". After the pilot, Olivia cries in literally every single episode. Either Kerry is overacting (doubtful) or the writers and producers don't really care that they gave a basic "no-crying" maxim and choose to repeatedly violate it for some reason. Every episode also exposes how worthless she and her team are at being said gladiators until 7 minutes before the end of the episode.

• Making a powerful main character like Cyrus gay and married? Great. Making him a hyper- masculine character and his reporter husband James a hyper-feminized homosexual man because for some reason every gay couple on TV needs someone to take the "wife" role in the relationship? Not so great. Why can't gay men be attracted to each other for their masculinity?

• The Quinn problem: After the first season and a few episodes of Season 2, Quinn/Lindsay basically becomes irrelevant. The writers clearly didn't know what to do with her so they partnered her with Huck for no reason. But not before they made her a very frustrating, annoying, useless character who suddenly becomes apt at everything she does after her initial struggles. After her crisis is over she becomes a static character.

• The use of sex is an overused plot device for the story. Sex is not a replacement for good writing, but the producers and writers seem to think it is. There is an actual moment where a character asks another character a question with a difficult answer and instead of answering, kisses the other character and then they have sex on screen.

• Randomly fastforwarding the story 10 months in the middle of Season 2 (no mid-season break; just a one week to the next week) shows how lazy the writers and producers were. They didn't plan ahead, so suddenly at the beginning of S02E14 it reads "10 months later" on the screen and literally nothing changed in that 10 month period for any of the characters. Suddenly after 10 months everything starts changing again?

• Huck is the most compelling and complex character in main cast. His story and his emotional journey was great to watch in the Season 2"Seven Fifty-Two" episode (the only exceptionally good episode of the entire season).

• Reinforced gender roles: There are only 1.5 male characters in the entire show that are capable of an emotion other than anger. Huck is one (see above)and the .5 represents Cyrus's husband James. He counts as .5 of a male character because the producers decided he was supposed to be the equivalent to a gay wife (see above). Every other male character yells at the other characters.

-- Millie is the only interesting female character in the show that is not overcome with her emotions and painted as a weak, feminine character in every single episode. She actually schemes and uses everything she has, including crying, as a way to manipulate herself into more power and control. As stated before, Olivia cries all the time because she's just sad and Quinn is useless for most of both seasons. Abby is the clichéd hyper-sexualized female character who stares at penises all the time, makes inappropriate comments and is only female because if the producers and writers made her a male character, he would be seen as a sexual predator/sexual deviant/rapist. Finally, the other .5 of James is depicted as a permanently flustered, nagging, baby-obsessed gay-wife of Cyrus.

The biggest problem is that because there are so many episodes ordered by ABC, the writers and producers have no idea of the direction they want to take the show or their characters. They play it by ear and it really shows. "Oh, that main character is suddenly the big bad guy? Oh wait, no he wasn't. Oh wait, he's the big bad guy for something else? Oh wait, no he wasn't. Oh, he really was the bad guy but somehow framed 12 people to take the fall for him?" That totally doesn't get annoying, writers. The writers and producers are also forced to rely on overused tropes in thrillers/dramas leading to predictable episodes. The only moment that genuinely surprised me was the attempted assassination of a main character in Season 2.

Scandal's ratings appear to keep going up, but I'm out. I'm done with the show after the end of Season 2 and will not be coming back to it.

Very well written....Very well thought out

[Da_Homiee · 10/10 · 10 March 2024]

Shonda Rhimes is a highly astute talent that will keep you engaged and on your toes. I have never seen anything written so well done before. This series is pretty fast and with a blink of an eye you can miss a really interesting part. (Every part is interesting.) Shonda who is college educated takes her time to write each episode from the soul. She gives it her all. Each finale episode per season will be better than the last. I am inspired by Shonda writing techniques and her style. I am encouraged to go go to school and start my career in the entertainment business, one of which is writing. Scandal is the best show.

Great start then fell apart

[faithfulgrace-330-50991 · 6/10 · 16 July 2018]

I was a big fan of this show in its opening season and most the way through season 4. It was clever, with some good writing, interesting characters, and good plot twists. Then something happened and it turned into a soap opera. Rather than being an interesting show with some big moments, it turned into every scene being a yelling feast. I love an intense interaction, but when it's every dialogue in every scene...it's gets old. It's like they turned the volume up to 11 and left it there for 2 seasons. Characters became ridiculous and inconsistent, writing got predictable. Every character intensely flip flops back and forth, usually multiple times an episode. I'm trying to finish the show just to see how they resolve everything but it's basically just suffering through episodes that are mostly unwatchable. Sad to see it fall so far from its first seasons

Loved It!

[mayaowens-43071 · 9/10 · 27 August 2021]

One of the main reasons for why I am writing this review is because I saw a LOT of reviews of people hating on this series! The fact that the show lasted for 6 years speaks for itself... Anyhow, I absolutely adored the story line of the show because there were so many twists and turns, not to mention the show is based on a REAL political fixer who's helped produce the show! Kerry Washington plays a political fixer and finds herself in an entanglement hahaha.. I mean it is a show so it plays on our desires and has some points that could possibly feel unrealistic but, not overly done! The show always gave me good vibes. I was watching Scandal in high school and found myself juiced to be coming home on a Thursday night because I'd get to watch and tweet with the cast members on twitter. The deeper and deeper things would get, the BETTER! Please look past her overly expressiveness but, really feel and get connected with the characters... Huck's back story is AMAZING along with Olivia's, Abby's and everyone else. Kerry's acting on the show is actually amazing besides her over express facial expressions. Give the show a chance, watch it through and through, it gets sooo good.

The only reason that I am not giving it a 10 is because it didn't end the way that I wanted it to haha.

Love it!

[junemo · 7/10 · 18 May 2012]

This is one of those shows that is simply a guilty pleasure. And if you approach it without any expectations as I did, you probably won't be disappointed. All I knew about this show originally was that it had a black female lead character based loosely on a real life person who is a Washington power player. Generally ALL of the characters on this show, except perhaps the President, are a bit over the top and dramatic, and if you're looking for great writing ala The Good Wife or Mad Men, then this may not be the show for you. For me, the star-crossed love story between Olivia and the President and their chemistry together, however, is reason alone to watch. This show is the stuff great soaps were once made of, and there's enough mystery to keep you wondering who did what to whom.

Season 3 ruined what could have been a good show!

[Gio85 · 1/10 · 17 May 2014]

Wow season 3 of Scandal was so bad it absolutely wiped out what Scandal had established in Season 1 and 2. For a political drama this show has now turned into a fantasy satire. Every character on the show is a villain. The president, the vice president and all of Olivia's love interests, as well as her entire family are mass murderers involved in some recycled Alias storyline that has been done to death. Olivia is no longer the strong, independent woman from season 1 and most of season 2, she is now a incompetent, weak cry baby who follows the president like a puppy no matter what he does or who he kills. There is no one to root for anymore as this is a show about terrible people doing ridiculous things. The acting is over the top as everyone in the cast seems to scream one line after the other and the dialogue is so unbelievable and clichéd. The show is now filled with cheap thrills and gimmicks(Hannibal would be proud of Mama Pope), taking itself so seriously yet offering nothing in return.

This show had so much potential but season 3 not only jumped the shark, it sunk the ship. I am sorry to say I have now given up this show which use to be must see TV!