PRODIGAL SON Sets

Article first published as TV Review: PRODIGAL SON on Seat42F.

This week, FOX launched the new drama series PRODIGAL SON. The titular child, actually a grown man, is a mentally unstable profiler of serial killers. Fired from the FBI in the opening sequence, he returns home. But rather than leave the business behind, he is recruited by the local cops to catch a copycat murderer. The slayer the copycat is copying is the PRODIGAL SON’s dad, who helps our hero expose the bad guy. But did genius daddy orchestrate the whole thing?

That all sounds convoluted, a mix of a bunch of other television shows, and it is. Part Silence of the Lambs, part Blacklist, part every crime procedural on the air, PRODIGAL SON puts in a bit more mythology and serial story than most case-of-the-week series, but the main focus will still be that easy criminal caught in sixty minutes or less. And the extra stuff layered in is weird, doesn’t entirely make sense, and seems over the top, at best.

PRODIGAL SON has a stellar cast. The lead is Tom Payne (The Walking Dead), playing Malcolm Bright, whose last name is exactly as on the nose as one would expect from the rest of the program. Daddy dearest, Dr. Martin Whitly, is Good Omens’ Michael Sheen. Rounding out the family is Bellamy Young (Scandal) as controlling mother Jessica and Halston Sage (The Orville) as reporter sister Ainsley. Lou Diamond Phillips (Longmire) is the cop whose life young Malcolm saved and who now is depending on the grown lad. Other law enforcement officers are played by lesser knowns Frank Harts (The Path), Aurora Perrineau (Jem and the Holograms), and Keiko Agena (Gilmore Girls). Michael Cerveris (Fringe) is wasted in a one-episode role, appearing only in the pilot.

Frankly, this cast is far too good for this show. Yes, many fine actors are staying with the small screen these days for high quality programs, but PRODIGAL SON does not qualify. While there might be some interesting concept buried in this that could be teased out were it on FX or AMC or Netflix, the mix of unbelievability and caricature render it less than the some of its parts. Payne and Sheen, especially, are playing crazy wonderfully. But they’re practically begging for a complex story that is worthy of their performances.

We’ve seen cops. We’ve seen good guys working with the bad. Several very popular current and past shows fit into the category. If you’re going to go down that road again, you’d better have a very good reason for doing so. Or at least a solid story. This series has neither.

I get what FOX is doing here. The broadcast networks are slowly dying and they’re trying to hold onto their audience by thinking short-term. Crime procedurals still make money, and adding the serial element could possibly make it binge-worthy when it hits a streaming service. It sounds good in theory, even though it’s been seen to fail over and over again when not going enough into the serial.

If that were the only thing PRODIGAL SON had wrong with it, the cast alone might be enough to let the flaws be overlooked. But the flimsy story-telling full of connections that shouldn’t be and characters that feel one-note seals the deal that this is one to skip. Might it garner enough of an audience to run for half a dozen seasons? Sure, I’ve seen worse shows make it. But will it be a beloved classic folks remember and want to re-watch? Unless it changes significantly, definitely not.

My recommendation is to not tune in. Let PRODIGAL SON die quickly and release the performers to go onto better things. Most of them will bounce back with something better.

PRODIGAL SON airs Mondays on FOX.

"The Price" of Great SCANDAL

Article first published as TV Review: 'Scandal' - 'The Price of Free and Fair Elections' on Blogcritics.

ABC’s Scandal is a fast-paced thrill ride in the political world, but even compared to itself, its recent season finale, “The Price of Free and Fair Elections,” is bonkers. Perhaps the writers are rushed, ending the season earlier due to their leading lady’s pregnancy, or maybe they are just obsessed with topping December’s excellent mid-season ender. Whatever the reason, this hour is one to remember.

The framework of the story is set around election week. There are only days to go before the public votes on whether to keep Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn) in the Oval Office. At the start of this episode, he’s ahead in the race. Then tragedy strikes and Vice President Sally Langston (Kate Burton) surges in the polls. Then another tragedy his and Grant wins. Viewers are left guessing right up until the end if there’s another twist around the corner. Scandal might have a tough time continuing as it is without a Grant presidency, but it seems like the type of series that might take that chance.

One wonders if Scandal is so cynical to believe that this is how politics work, or if it’s just trying to be the most soapy, angsty-filled drama on television. Surely creator Shonda Rhimes isn’t accusing our sitting leaders of election stealing and murder at their own hands. But there’s a point made here that this is how the system is set up. This is a dreary world, indeed, if what Scandal portrays is the only way national government can function.

Most shocking in this mess, is the action (or rather the inaction) of Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry). He’s been through a lot, his husband having been recently murdered and all, but even so, it’s surprising to watch him willing to let innocents die. It’s one thing (albeit one terrible thing) to allow a political rival and betrayer like Sally stay in harm’s way to ensure Grant will win the election. It’s quite another when there are bystanders in the line of fire. Cyrus knows this, but he doesn’t warn anyone. This is a harder, colder Cyrus then we’ve seen before. Without his love for James, is there nothing likeable left in the man?

Grant, on the other hand, has never been more sympathetic. Learning about his wife, Mellie’s (Bellamy Young), rape at the hands of his father, Grant stands by Mellie instead of following his heart to Olivia (Kerry Washington). Then, we watch as Grant loses his son, Jerry (Dylan Minnette), to poison. Finally, at his lowest point, Grant reaches out to the woman he loves for comfort, and Olivia ignores his call. Grant may still be president, but he is broken, and through no fault of his own. Grant isn’t perfect, far from it, but especially in “The Price of Free and Fair Elections,” he is a victim of circumstance.

Olivia, for her part, is justified in leaving. Her life sucks, serving Grant professionally, but unable to be with him. She’s right that so many bad things have happened in the past few years, even if blaming herself as the common factor doesn’t quite hold up. Of course she wants to get away from it all. And when a handsome man whom she’s slept with, Jake (Scott Foley), who has also done bad things but wants to start fresh and doesn’t care about Olivia’s baggage, why not let him come along? The two fly off into what could be a happy ending.

It won’t last, because Olivia, despite her best intentions, will never be happy to sit idly by on a beach. Nor will Jake, I imagine, given his most recent position as the head of the secret government organization that Olivia’s father, Rowan (Joe Morton), has been reinstated to and will likely kill Jake should the man come back to town, daughter’s happiness at stake or not. Not only will the couple soon be zooming home, but it’s hard to imagine they’ll stay together, Olivia never being able to get over Grant.

Did anyone else not see the turn coming that Rowan is the one who murdered Jerry? We know Rowan is evil; it’s necessary to do his job, and he’s never really pretended otherwise, though he has motivations for certain actions. But to kill a child just to get what he wants? A child who has done nothing to him? Ruining a family forever? That’s a whole new low, and it definitely begs for a schism in the repaired relationship between Olivia and Rowan. Olivia has to come back and dismantle B-613 all over again because it cannot be allowed to stand, with Rowan at the head or otherwise, as leadership for this organization is corrupting, as seen in Jake this year.

I’m sure Olivia’s organization will be glad to have Olivia back. Abby (Darby Stanchfield) can’t run things herself, and that’s the position she’s in. Harrison (Columbus Short) may very well be dead, at worst, and in B-613′s clutches, at best. Quinn (Katie Lowes) and Huck (Guillermo Diaz) are in the middle of their kinky, sick romance, so they won’t be of much use. That just leaves the redhead to handle things on her own, and she doesn’t seem quite up to the task.

What could happen, is that Abby puts her resources in the hands of boyfriend David Rosen (Joshua Malina) to help take down B-613, as Jake leaves Rosen some tools with which to do so. Again, I don’t think the two of them could accomplish this without Olivia’s brain- and will-power, but at least they could start. This is a hero’s journey, the knights off to slay the dragon, so it will be something to root for them on.

Rowan didn’t kill the mother of his daughter, Maya (Khandi Alexander), though he says he does. This is a good thing because she’s a terrific character and door remains open for her to return. But why does Rowan choose to let her live? She’s a terrorist and a woman that broke his heart. There’s definitely no going back for the couple, and she isn’t of much value alive. She doesn’t have lots of useful information, being out of the game for so long. She has murdered many. Rowan’s reasons for keeping her are unclear and puzzling.

“The Price of Freedom and Fair Elections” is a heck of a wild ride and that’s a good thing. A lot happens in the installment, but that’s how Scandal works best, rocketing along at top speed. Somehow, it manages to keep story and characters balanced while doing so, rarely knocking off anything and leaving it behind, and always going just slow enough to avoid missing its stops. I greatly look forward to see what Rhimes and company cook up for season four.

Scandal will return next fall on ABC.

SCANDAL Makes a Heck of an "Exit"

Article first published as SCANDAL Makes a Heck of an "Exit" on TheTVKing.

I am ashamed to say I fell behind on ABC's excellent Scandal this fall. But marathoning through the recent installments, culminating in "A Door Marked Exit" this past Thursday, I was very impressed. The entire run has been built expertly, stringing along various bits that mesh together in the most exciting and unexpected of ways, and ending with a number of absolutely stellar performances by several cast members.

The biggest shocker going into the finale is when Vice President Sally Langston (Kate Burton) kills her husband, Daniel Douglas Langston (Jack Coleman). Daniel has been cheating on Sally with James (Dan Bucatinsky) and is intent on leaving her, destroying her political career, but I think it's more Sally's personal pain that causes her to snap and lash out. She's been played for a fool by a man she loves and trusts, and she isn't the type to let him get away with it.

Sally calls Cyrus (Jeff Perry) to clean up the mess. Since James is Cyrus' husband and Cyrus is aware of the cheating, something he and Mellie (Bellamy Young) set up, though Cyrus hadn't expected James to go through with it, this may not be the best situation for Cyrus to go into. Cyrus keeps things together enough to get rid of the body in a non-suspicious way, using his power and influence. But he is also deeply affected, vomiting in a moment of weakness.

The performances by Burton and Perry are both amazing. Burton's shock and Cyrus's grief, both knowing that they bear direct responsibility for the circumstances and not being sure how to handle it, comes through. Both manage to capture all of the layers of the event, making them sympathetic, in spite of the despicable things they have done. Wow, they've come a long way since their days as Meredith Grey's parents!

The full weight of Douglas' death had not yet settled. Mellie Grant, at least, thinks she has Sally right where she wants her, blackmailed into not running against President Fitzgerald "Fitz" Grant (Tony Goldwyn) in the upcoming election. But once Sally starts thinking clearly again, she may decide revenge is the best strategy, as she has every reason to blame Mellie and Cyrus for pushing her into the deed. With the deliciously calculating Leo Bergen (Paul Adelstein, Private Practice) figuring out the truth and wanting to help Sally win, she might have a shot.

The more interesting question is, will Cyrus and James' marriage survive? They've been pushed to their limits before by one another, but unlike in the past, Cyrus is utterly broken when James leaves this time, a man who has lost the most precious thing in the world to him, and he's too upset to try to manipulate James back home. Instead, he offers James his dream job, something that could lead to professional trouble for Cyrus, and that only brings James back to the house, not doing anything towards repairing their emotional bond.

This raises the debate of when is a relationship dead? James has always used Cyrus for his own gain, but now it appears that's all that's left between them. Can Cyrus really be happy if James never forgives him, James only sticking around because he would have to give up the lifestyle to which he is accustomed if he left? I really hope they can move past this because, despite what Cyrus has done, he definitely cares about his partner.

Other relationships also remain broken. Huck (Guillermo Diaz) has no intention of welcoming Quinn (Katie Lowes) back into the fold, even though she can forgive him for torturing her, pushing her into the arms of Charlie (George Newbern), who would turn on her if ordered to do so. Jake (Scott Foley) has given up on having a relationship with Olivia (Kerry Washington), since Olivia is back to sleeping with Fitz. And Olivia isn't on good terms with either of her parents.

Olivia's mother, Marie (Khandi Alexander, Treme), is an escaped con who returns to D.C. with unknown motives. She may want to get even with her husband, Rowan (Joe Morton), for locking her up all of these years. She'll definitely want to get to know Olivia, and probably won't like it when Olivia turns less than receptive, now that Olivia knows how bad a person Marie is.

Rowan also can't be happy with his daughter, knowing Olivia's boyfriend has him removed from his post, with Jake taking over the shady organization.  Rowan surely has connections that can help him retake his position. And Jake's seat gives Fitz new powers no president should have. Time will tell if Jake can be a better leader than Rowan, with or without POTUS consent. It's all kind of a mess.

Not to mention, David Rosen (Joshua Malina) will now be on Sally and Cyrus' scent for the coverup of Daniel's death, even if lead James recants, now that a second person, Shelby Moss (Julia Cho, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries), has come forward with solid evidence.

Scandal delights at keeping every character off balance, each always scheming, forming alliances when it suits them, and working to take others down. It's not like Dallas, in which everyone vies for their own power, as some actually have noble intentions. But it is a well-written, well-performed Shakespearean drama of screwed up people, ripe with constant betrayals, murders, and secrets, making for a fast-paced, compelling series.

Scandal will return for its uninterrupted spring run on ABC in a couple of months.

SCANDAL Puts Its "White Hats Back On"

Article first published as SCANDAL Puts Its "White Hats Back On" on TheTVKing.

ABC's Scandal begins season two last fall with "White Hats Off" and ends it this week with "White Hats Back On." In between, we get a dark, twisted game of manipulation, struggles for power, torture, murder, and intrigue. The characters go to places lower than they consider possible before, and do things they will live to regret. It's a hell of a ride.

It's nice to see the "White Hats Back On" for Olivia (Kerry Washington) and crew. They've done enough, suffered more than their share. They need to refocus on a mission of helping people and making the world better, not participating in the kind of stuff they've been doing. Not if they want to hold their heads high and be proud of their work. Olivia's literal donning of a white hat late in the episode symbolizes this shift.

Olivia's turning point is motivated by selfish reasons. Going into the hour, she believes she can finally be with Fitz (Tony Goldwyn), coming up with a plan that will allow him to both stay in the White House and have her on his arm. It's smart, it's fairly simple, and it should be possible to enact it.

However, Cyrus (Jeff Perry) sabotages everything, not by ruining the plan directly but by poisoning the romance between Olivia and Fitz. Both have secrets to hide: Fitz murders Verna (Debra Mooney) and Olivia sleeps with Jake (Scott Foley). They, as a couple, could get past these latest setbacks when Cyrus tells each the hidden truth. But Olivia decides their relationship shouldn't be so hard, and calls it off.

Stepping back from the mess she's been embroiled in all season, stemming from the Defiance election rigging scandal, helps Olivia better live with herself. I do think she's sincere when she talks about how she's been bringing her team down, and wants to improve their situation. However, she wouldn't have the courage to do this just for their sake. It takes an epiphany, brought on by continued manipulation and rule-breaking, to change her mind.

The one person who may have a problem with Olivia's about-face is Harrison (Columbus Short). In her absence, he has often had to step up to fill the void. He isn't necessarily the de facto leader, and hasn't really served as replacement. But it's likely he thinks he has, based on the ego we've seen from him, and he may bristle against going back to being second banana.

Olivia's decision comes not a moment too soon for Quinn (Katie Lowes). The delight she takes in torturing Billy (Matt Letscher) is disturbing. Huck (Guillermo Diaz) is very worried about Quinn, but still dealing with his own failings and struggles, is not in a very good position to lend her a hand. Thus, Olivia coming back into the fold, concentrating on her own people, whom she has mostly stood apart from this season, could be just what Quinn needs. Maybe Olivia can salvage Quinn's soul, restore Huck, and do what she has done for her team before.

Which isn't to say that Scandal is now going to be "White Hate Backs On" all the time. That isn't the way this series works, and before this season finale comes to an end, a new problem rears its head: Olivia's affair with Fitz is outed. This takes her, and those connected with her, right back into the muck, and should provide an interesting conflict to begin season three on.

Who is responsible for outing Olivia? It's doubtful that Cyrus is behind it. He is so stressed with the White House politics that he has a heart attack, surprising only in that it doesn't happen before now. Cyrus fights to stop Olivia and Fitz's coupling, and telling the press about them will only drag the issue out, hurting Fitz's chances of  re-election. So he's likely innocent of this.

It could be James (Dan Bucatinsky), Cyrus's "better" half. The concern in James's eyes when he comes to Cyrus in the hospital bed is genuine, but he also still asks about Fitz's marriage, furthering his career as a reporter. James and Cyrus's marriage is rocky and fraught with complications, but there is love in there, which is why it's my favorite element of the series, tied with Cyrus and Olivia's friendship.

It would not be above James to hurt Cyrus's career for the sake of his own, as a journalist, but considering we don't see James finding out above Olivia yet, the exposure will probably come as a shock to him, too, throwing more flame to the fire fight in his union. Cyrus doesn't keep James in the loop, and James is just as likely to tell Cyrus before the rest of the press, to rub his snooping abilities in his husband's face, which is something that doesn't happen. It's probably not James.

Jake, who could be jealous of Olivia and Fitz, most likely isn't responsible, tossed in a pit and left to rot. I hope Olivia learns about Jake's fate, maybe through Huck, even though Huck wants to get away from that world, and saves him. With Fitz and Olivia on the outs, Olivia could use a new, steady love interested, and Jake has that potential.

It could be Mellie (Bellamy Young). Earlier in "White Hates Back On," Fitz makes it clear their marriage is over. This is before Olivia sends him right back to Mellie's arms. Mellie can be self-destructive, and thinking everything is ruined, she may have taken the nuclear option and leaked Olivia's name. Though that would work against her own professional goals, so while she is a serious possibility, I wouldn't rank her at the top of the list.

David Rosen (Joshua Malina) is also a suspect. He plays Olivia and the group to get back into his old position, with even more power. In doing so, it proves he is susceptible to the same game playing everyone else in the cast engages in, even though it's something he despises in them before. This could be a parting shot as David leaves the group, looking for some justice against Olivia. Though, David doesn't seem super vindictive, and may still harbor feelings for one of the gang, Abby (Darby Stanchfield), so like Mellie, while it could be him, he isn't my first choice.

No, the most likely culprit is Rowan (Joe Morton, Eureka). He is introduced recently, has tendrils in many places, is behind the locking up of Jake, and is shown to be plotting against Olivia. At first, it seems his scheme could be to kill her, as someone tries to shoot Olivia this week. However, now that we know, because of the shocking ending, that Rowan is Olivia's father, it is likely his techniques against her would be less lethal.

What is Rowan's goal? Why is he after Olivia? What does he want her to do? Would outing her help him accomplish this? There is still so much mystery surrounding who Rowan is and what his mission is that Scandal could go in any number of directions from here. This is a rich vein to tap.

Or it could be someone else, someone we may not even have met. Maybe it's a secret service agent with a beef against the president, or who considers themselves well versed in morality. Maybe it's a political rival. Maybe it's an old foe. Who knows?

This is a wonderful, exciting season finale, concluding some arcs, but also leaving the door wide open for any number of new stories. Scandal doesn't operate on a week-by-week basis, and in keeping with its serial nature, much is not wrapped up. Life goes on, and the past will continue to haunt the present.

Scandal, thankfully, has been renewed and will return to ABC next fall.

No one wins in a Scandal

Article first published as No one wins in a Scandal on TheTVKing.

I admit, I was growing tired of ABC's Scandal last fall. The case-of-the-week format was tedious, and the characters were growing less interesting to me by the minute. I had a hard time motivating myself to watch it.

Then came the voter rigging scandal arc. A vast conspiracy among many of the top people in the presidential administration, steeped in lots of cover up and mystery, information being leaked to us only in tiny bits. As the plot gets thicker and thicker, and the focus moves to the offenders, rather than Pope's team and their regular job, the series gets better and better.

All of this culminates in the most recent episode, "Nobody Likes Babies," as all of the truth is finally revealed, at least to certain parties, and the guilty have to face their sins. This episode is a lot about loss, and not just for those who deserve it. In a situation like this, there is plenty of collateral damage, and the fall out is devastating.

First, there's David Rosen (Joshua Molina). He loses everything: his career, his credibility in his field, a little bit of his sanity, and even the women he loves. Rosen may be a little more zealous than some would like, but his mission is justice, and he is trying to right a wrong. Yet, he makes the mistake of trusting the wrong people, something easily forgiven by viewers, but not by Rosen's peers. The lies of a few are enough to ruin him.

Will Rosen recover during the rest of the season? I hope so. He's a good man, and he deserves a break. Fans are often put in the position to root against him because Rosen's actions could hurt other main characters whom we adore. And yet, at this point, it's hard not to care about him, too. Knowing he is in the right only makes the situation more difficult.

Abby (Darby Stanchfield) loses Rosen. She learns that he really loves her, and while she wants to be with him, her loyalty to her colleagues wins out. Abby could be perfectly happy in a relationship with Rosen, but it would cost others she cares about dearly, and so she betrays him by stealing evidence, then denies it, though he sees through her.

Can Rosen ever forgive her? Abby only did what she thinks she has to to protect those she loves. Can't Rosen understand that? Even if she chooses Olivia (Kerry Washington) over him, Abby's feelings for Rosen are valid, too. If Rosen can find it in himself to take her back, it's likely this conflict of interest wouldn't come up again, and they would never have to be tested this way as a couple. The hard part is getting over this particular instance.

Quinn (Katie Lowes) loses her chance for revenge. She has the option to take out Hollis Doyle (Gregg Henry), but when Huck (Guillermo Diaz) makes her pick between her new life and her old, she chooses the new. After all, murdering Hollis won't undo what has been done to her, and she has come to rely on her current support system. It might feel good temporarily, but what Huck is trying to teach Quinn is that evil has great cost. I think she gets the message.

Huck should know. He has lost just about everything that he possible can. He struggles every day with who he is and what he has done. Huck doesn't suffer a particular loss in "Nobody Likes Babies," but he is far from making up for his past. He wants to spare Quinn the same price, and by doing so, he heals just a little piece of himself.

Olivia gives up the chance at a happy life as a senator's wife when she turns down Edison's (Norm Lewis) proposal. Edison doesn't understand why she would seek pain rather than serenity. Is it really love if it hurts? He has a point, and even though Olivia cannot stop herself, one has to wonder if it's worth it, even in that moment, before what comes after. Is she in a bad cycle she needs to break, or is there really a hope of something more if she can hold out just a little longer?

The best executed plot on this theme, though, belongs to Cyrus (Jeff Perry). He is faced with an impossible choice: his husband, James (Dan Bucatinsky), or his freedom and professional identity. There doesn't seem to be any clear way out for Cyrus, as he can't continue to lie to James and save his marriage, but telling the truth could land him in jail, disgraced.

Perry excels in several scenes, first with a raw confrontation, in wish the nakedness is emotional as well as physical, and then later, as he is forced to decide if he should order James's death to protect himself. Neither is easy, and I'm amazing at the way Perry plays it. Cyrus is a character who starts out as such a cut-and-dry cold SOB, but has quickly grown into a fully fleshed out, sympathetic man, warts and all.

In the end, Cyrus can't kill James. It's a good thing, as I don't think Cyrus would ever recover in the eyes of Scandal fans had James been shot. Somehow, though, I am surprised when Cyrus calls off the hit. I didn't expect to see the depth of his love for his husband, and all of the sudden, I am a huge fan of the actor and the character, much more so than previously, and that's saying something.


All of these situations make us questions ourselves. Everyone wants it all, but no one can have that. These are stories on a screen, to be sure, but the best such ones make us think. When there is no black and white right or wrong, it challenges our preconceived notions and ideals. "Nobody Likes Babies" does this as surely as considering the title of the episode does, over and over again throughout the hour.

One big shocker comes when we learn that Verna Thornton (Debra Mooney) is behind the attempt assassination of President Grant (Tony Goldwyn). Many, including the president himself, assume that the first lady, Mellie (Bellamy Young), is to blame. The evidence points to her, and she's heartless enough to do it. Verna is portrayed as being kind and compassionate.

However, the other thing to take into account is that Verna is dying. Arguments can be made whether her most recent missteps come from a place of guilt or a desire to protect herself. Is she ashamed? Is she arrogant? The fact that she calls Grant and Rosen to her death bed hint that she could be good, but the writing dances around motivating factors enough to leave everyone in doubt.

Then we get the second shocker: Grant murders Verna before she can confess to Rosen. Why does he do this? Is he not stupid, as Verna challenges, and knows about the conspiracy the entire time, even if he struggles to convince himself that he is wrong? Is he furious at her? Is he feeling so betrayed by Olivia that he has to lash out at the person in front of him? Is he complicit in the atrocities committed before?

This levels the playing field. Grant is held up as a noble leader throughout all the mud in this season. Others around him break the law so that he can stay clean. This calls into question if he ever was pure, and makes him more complex. Also, he could never really be in a fully equal romantic relationship with either Mellie or Olivia when still being so much more holier than they are.

It's interesting that Grant chooses Mellie over Olivia in the end. Again, the reason why isn't completely clear. Is he seriously mad at Olivia for lying to him, or for not believing in him? Does he find Mellie's honesty, brutal or not, refreshing, or is he trying to hurt Olivia by choosing Mellie? Except, Mellie isn't always honest, as Grant tells Olivia he knows Mellie induces labor and thinks she is hiding it from him. There are definitely negative emotions in play here, and the truth could well be a little of everything. I am curious as to how this will play out.

This episode, curiously delivered in February, rather than season's end, is huge. It's the best of the series so far, and all of the various twists and reveals make it extremely memorable. Sprinkled with Emmy-worthy performances, "Nobody Likes Babies" delivers everything fans of the show want, and more. This is definitely an A+ installment.

Next week, rumor has it, we get a big time jump, and then mostly go back to case-of-the-week stuff for the rest of the season. This is disappointing news. Yes, it's hard to follow up something so big as these past few months, but does that mean Scandal shouldn't try? Can it really go back to being an average series after such a triumphant story? Or will it surprise me, taking the time to really delve into the emotional fallout of "Nobody Likes Babies," and build into something great slyly, even as the main stories are smaller? Hopefully, the latter.

Scandal doesn't take a breath, picking right back up this Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter.

Scandal takes all hats off

Grade: 92%

ABC’s SCANDAL is back this week with “White Hats Off.” The episode title is a nod to the frequent reference the characters in the series make to ‘wearing the white hat,’ meaning, acting like a hero. But what does it mean to be a hero? Does one necessarily have to follow the law? What role does justice play in deciding the right thing to do, and does the end justify the means? These are just a few of the questions that SCANDAL explores weekly.

In season one, the overarching story was of Amanda Tanner’s accusations against President Grant (Tony Goldwyn). As season two begins, there are two major plots, which is fine, given the increased number of episodes in which they can play out. Grant still figures in prominently, as he prepares for re-election. His wife, Mellie (Bellamy Young), manages to get pregnant, as she’d hoped, and spin the baby into a way of controlling the campaign and the president’s policies. Grant doesn’t take too kindly to this, striking back in a public fashion, even while maintaining the illusion of a happy marriage.

Mellie is more prominent in “White Hats Off,” which speaks to further sparring between the First Couple. On one hand, it’s great to see just how manipulative and selfish she can be, Bellamy playing the villain nicely. But it also brings out the worst in Grant, turning him into a worthy opponent for his shrewish spouse. This makes for very entertaining television.

On the other hand, though, it’s sad that a couple has to fight so much, and it will certainly make the election hard to win, as they risk imploding at any moment. They should be teaming up to concentrate on defeating Grant’s opponent, and instead, they are engaged in an internal struggle for power. It’s hard to say who will come out on top, but it definitely will not be the American people.

The worst thing about seeing President Grant go down this path is that it tears him away from the great man he can become. When he is with Olivia (Kerry Washington), it is true he is cheating on Mellie, but he is also inspired to be a better leader, to live up to what Olivia believes him to be. This isn’t so with Mellie, who tears him down. He will fail professionally, as well as personally, if he doesn’t cut Mellie off. His campaign could take a hit from a divorce, but by not seeking one, he is risking a bigger meltdown.

While the arrangement is not made one hundred percent clear in “White Hats Off,” it appears that Olivia is back at work on Grant’s campaign. As much as being with her makes him better, it sort of does the opposite for her. If he were single, it probably wouldn’t, but the doubts she has about herself because of her feelings for him and the in appropriateness of it all cloud her judgment in other areas. She has lost a lot of that brazen confidence first glimpsed in season one, and breaking away may be her only shot to return to form.

It can’t be easy for Olivia to find the strength to do the right thing, with everything else going on. Stephen (Henry Ian Cusick) has gone on to find his happiness, which is what she encouraged, but it’s taken him away. Olivia is in the business of helping people, and Stephen is a prime example of what she can accomplish. Unfortunately, by helping Stephen to grow, Olivia cost herself a confidante and close friend. This leaves her more vulnerable to her new, negative shift.

The second major arc this year involves Quinn (Katie Lowes), who we learned last season is not really named Quinn. As “White Hats Off” opens, she is being tried for murder by David Rosen (Joshua Molina). If she can be trusted, and given her position as a main character and Olivia’s faith in her, she probably can be, she is innocent. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t a lot of questions about who she is and what happened to her.

Viewers get only a brief glimpse at the Quinn debacle in this premiere, but it is a rich taste. I won’t spoil who is involved for those who haven’t watched it yet, but suffice it to say, there is definitely a lot going on that we still need to know, and Quinn’s inclusion into the group does not come about by happenstance.

One does feel bad for Rosen. He is fighting hard for justice. Finding Quinn guilty might not be justice, but he doesn’t know that, and it’s not like Olivia is going to make it easy for him to lock Quinn up. Rosen just wants to solve a murder and put away the guilty party. And while Quinn may not have killed anyone (or maybe, as unlikely as it seems, the twist is that she did), she is guilty of other things, as is Olivia. Rosen wants to work with them because they can help him to do his job effectively. But listening to this group costs him a little bit of his soul each time, as even if they do right, they often do it while breaking the law.

SCANDAL worked last year because of the intricate, engaging mystery, the juicy plot twists, and the likeable cast of characters. All of these elements continue on par in season two, so fans should be satisfied with its return.

SCANDAL’s second season begins this Thursday on ABC.