This week’s Scandal was brilliant – nightmarish – but brilliant! crisscrossing conspiracies, tragedy, operatic histrionics (that’d be Bellamy Young as First Lady Mellie Grant), Shonda Rimes has taken Scandal to a whole new level of fabulous! I’m sure some fans are not as thrilled as I am, but they should hold on. This flight is still ascending – so really, what does that say about the fall that’s to come?
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
This week’s Scandal title is “Icarus.” This is one of Shonda’s more complex titles. The Scandal titles always come from a word or phrase used within the show, and the meaning is usually also contained within it as well. A good example – last season’s “Top of the Hour” which refers to the start of the evening news. That episode had a focus on the way the news cycles work and the preparations for it. However, she also will do titles like “Icarus” where she’s using word or phase has ramifications and meanings outside of the show’s world – and thus many more layers of meaning. Let’s start with the simplest one.
Last week we learned that the secret mission – Operation Remington – apparently involved President Fitzgerald “Fitz” Grant (Tony Goldwyn) shooting a passenger jet down over Iceland (back when he was serving during the first Gulf War) killing all 329 passengers on board. One of those passengers was the mother of Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington). The information was tracked down by Jake Ballard (Scott Foley) and Huck (Guillermo Diaz) – who to me are the best new bromance on television – and presented to Olivia. The basic story of Icarus is a boy is given wings to fly, gets too close to the sun and falls out of the sky into the ocean and drowns. That the airplane equals Icarus is pretty straightforward.
Icarus is also Quinn Perkins (Katie Lowes). The moral of the Icarus story is “don’t fly too close to the sun.” Icarus was told what would happen if he flew too or too low. Low, the ocean’s spray would weigh down the wings, too high and the sun would melt the wax. Icarus got so enthralled with flying and what he could do that he just kept going higher and higher. That’s exactly what’s been happening with Quinn Perkins and that wax is definitely melting….
Really, Quinn, you’re going to trust Charlie (George Newbern) and B613? As we saw later, Charlie being there is no accident. Rowan Pope, “Command” (Joe Morton) has Charlie actively trying to recruit Quinn, the need more urgent since Fitz’s guys just took out one of his female B613 agents in the process of saving Jake’s life.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
“Don’t fly too close to the sun” has become an allusion that means beware of hubris. Beyond simply a person having pride or being arrogant, hubris implies a blinding arrogance. One can be arrogant but still be aware of possible consequences. Hubris is when you either don’t see or forget about the possible consequences because of that arrogance or pride. In Greek tragedy, hubris always leads to a tragic end. Quinn is guilty of hubris in the sense that Icarus was. She’s become enthralled with the idea of power and control through violence. Huck though, is also guilty of it. He believes that by simply shutting Quinn out he can keep her away from becoming, “more like him” – completely forgetting that he’s not the only one with the information she wants. Quinn asking Huck about B613 should have set off fire alarms in Huck’s brain. Instead, he thinks that he can shut her down with silence. She’s just “baby Huck” – no way would attract the attention of someone like Charlie. The idea that B613 would bring her in the way they did him doesn’t seem to have crossed his mind. Much like Huck, Fitz seems to think he can stonewall his way through this Remington issue. Beware people!
While Fitz wishes he had defied the orders to shoot down the plane, (you can see that when he tells Cyrus that some orders should be defied.) I’m hoping to be wrong about Huck. I really don’t want to see Quinn brought into B613 or hooking up with Charlie. I love my HuckleberryQuinn! However, all things considered it seems that Quinn being recruited is the road she’s been put on. While Scandal does air on the ABC television network, there’s nothing Disney about it. If you want to see the story of The Little Mermaid, or Snow White check out Once Upon a Time on Sunday nights – not Scandal.
There is hubris all over this episode. However, there’s one moment of amusing arrogance that’s more about the writing than the story. Was I the only one who laughed in disbelief when Olivia said this?
Let’s get an interview on the books. An in-depth profile, in primetime, lots of eyeballs, with someone big, someone experienced. A Diane Sawyer, a James Novak.
Seriously? James Novak (Dan Bucatinsky) put in the same rarefied air as Diane Sawyer? Diane Sawyer started out working in the White House press office in 1970, has been an on-air news correspondent since 1978, was the first woman to ever be a news correspondent on CBS’s news magazine 60 Minutes in 1984, was a news co-achor for ABC’s Primetime Live for ABC for ten years, Did another ten as co-anchor for Good Morning America, has done a ton of special report interviews with important political figures as well as big names in entertainment throughout her career and is currently the News Anchor for ABC’s World News Tonight (www.biography.com/diane-sawyer.) The character of James Novak got his first on-air interview because of Mellie – last season! In fact, there was a very big deal made over that. Remember how Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry) made James cry by saying the only reason they offered him the job is because Mellie insisted it had to be James? Come on, Shonda! Maybe if you’d dropped off the “someone experienced” part I could have gone with it. Someone popular in prime time news doesn’t necessarily need to be experienced. James could very well be the new hot interview guy, but experienced? The audience knows it ain’t so!
That slip up with James and Diane Sawyer is even more prominent considering the campaign issues of Senator Josephine “Josie” Marcus (Lisa Kudrow) Josie is stubborn and inexperienced, and wants to play nice. Olivia knows playing nice won’t get her elected. Olivia has also figured out that Josie has a temper, and uses that to her advantage:
Yes, Olivia and Abby had her look at that on purpose right before her interview. In fact, they made the video in order to get her fired up.
Lisa Kudrow kills it! I love that scene! However, watching the attitude of Candace Marcus (Sally Pressman) – Josie’s sister/daughter has me concerned. She knows that Olivia and Abby made that video and calls them on it. In this episode it becomes clear that Candace is’ mad as hell about being replaced by Olivia and the Gladiators. Plus, she’s likely just mad as hell overall considering she’s just learned that her sister is her mother. Expect her to become a major problem as the season continues. With her interest in things like apple pies and looking sweet, I could see Candace somehow teaming up with Vice President Sally Langston (Kate Burton) and her plot to launch a run for President as a third-party candidate.
If Candace does get mixed up in that it would be unfortunate, because Cyrus Beene is already two steps ahead of Sally. She and her new campaign manager have hatched this great plan to buy air time for some tea party, far-right conservative ministers, so that she’s been sent on tour to talk to that base on his behalf. Instead, she’ll be fanning the flames of discontent because of Fitz’s sleeping around. As you’ll see, Sally doesn’t really know the leaders of her base as well as she thinks.
Not only does Sally not know her friends, she really doesn’t know Mellie, whom she sees as the poor wife being cheated upon. She has the cheated on part right, put that’s it. Sally has no idea the lengths Mellie will go to keep Fitz in power Sally had mentioned her husband – Daniel Douglas Langston (Jack Coleman) – had a wandering eye to Fitz when she still had faith in him. Once Fitz mentioned it to Mellie, she was off and running, flirting with the man at dinner just be sure it was true. Now she’s letting Cyrus in on the plan. Frankly, I’ve been wanting Mellie to have an affair of her own. The idea of her hooking up with Daniel is a delicious one! Mata Hari Mellie!
It’s too bad Candace dislikes Olivia so much, because if anyone understands what it’s like to have been lied to by a parent it’s Olivia Pope. This scene with her on the phone with her dad was heartbreaking!
First of all, kudos to the actors because this was a stellar piece of work. It’s not easy to film a scene that intense when you don’t have the benefit of working with other person in the scene with you.
Information-wise, what this scene tells me is Rowan Pope may not have had his wife Maya (Khandi Alexander) killed. Not because he says he didn’t do it, but because of all his emotions around it when it happened. He’s genuinely distraught in the flashback, and as he’s talking to Olivia in the present. I’ve jokingly called Olivia’s dad, “Darth Vader” (yes, it’s Darth, not Dark) but it’s looking like he really may be that kind of character, an evil born from tragic losses of a loved ones, some of which he inadvertently caused. It would explain why he sent Olivia away at 12. If someone else killed his wife, it would have been for her own protection, not only from those who killed her mother, but perhaps also because he knew he would be working to become Command.
By the way, how are you liking Khandi Alexander as Olivia’s mom? Do you think the character of Maya is as mundane as she sounds? Just flying off with her boss to London for a few days to get him settled…. I wonder if her relationship with Rowan is supposed to be something like the outed CIA operative Valerie Plame? In 2003 her identity was leaked to the press and reported by the journalist Robert Novak.
Novak? Whoa! Interesting choice of name for Dan Bucatinsky character, right? Granted, the character has nothing in common with Robert Novak beyond both being Washington D.C. reporters. I mean James has never inadvertently or purposely leaked classified information in a news column…at least not yet. Besides Robert is definitely straight.
So, with all things considered, let’s hope Candace learns how to make nice with Pope and Associates. If not, maybe she’ll end with a different route to act out…like seducing David Rosen (Joshu Malina)? I’ve absolutely no story script reason to think that she would but come on, how long do you think happy Dabby will last? This is Scandal! There was some hint of a David, Abby, and Harrison triangle last season.
Besides, it looks like Harrison Wright (Columbus Short) is going to be needing a lot of support from his best gladiator friend.
We know Huck did his best, but Cyrus already has a way to circumvent the plan. He’ll be issuing an entirely new VISA application. Harrison’s former boss will be re-entering the country.
Getting back to our “Icarus” theme and issues of hubris, Cyrus is definitely filled with it. What he’s doing to Harrison is just another example. Really, Cyrus, you’re letting a dangerous criminal back into the country as leverage? He’s got no way to control the said criminal!
Cyrus is doing this because Rowan has charged Cyrus with derailing the Josie Marcus campaign – while Rowan will deal with James Ballard. Cyrus has assumed doing so would be relatively simple, but thus far he’s been defeated at every turn. Even his husband is no help. As Cyrus tries to suggest questions for Josie Marcus, James get more and more incredulous.
James: Adoption and sexual orientation? Those are your talking points? For me?
Cyrus: Well?
James: (as he walks out the door) You’re a shameless monster.
Cyrus: (yells after him) Who loves you dearly!
You would think that dealing with someone like Rowan Pope would be enough of a hassle. Now Cyrus is bringing this other insane criminal too? I see the wax melting, Cyrus!
Finally, let’s get to the overarching meaning that can be assigned to the title, “Icarus.” It’s used early in the episode when Cyrus is talking about Mellie’s plan to have Olivia run the re-election campaign for Fitz.
…This is Greek. Mythic and disturbing. This is winged horses – no wait is it the horse who wings who almost melted? I don’t know, I can’t remember. The point is, the greek tragedy in the making, winged mistress flying too close to the sun.
Shonda Rimes uses Cyrus to introduce the phrase early on in the episode so that it would be an idea that would help frame it – in the ways previously mentioned. However, the largest point being made is about the show itself.
I’ve said before that Scandal is not a fairytale. In fact, I’ve compared it to Dante’s Inferno (click here for that review). A quick google search of the term greek tragedy pops up this definition:
A drama or literary work in which the main character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow, especially as a consequence of a tragic flaw, moral weakness, or inability to cope with unfavorable circumstances.
There’s no doubt that this last scene between Fitz and Olivia fits the description!
Just…wow. Tony Goldwyn, folks! It’s one sentence, “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” yet there’s as much emotions, rage, sorrow, despair, anguish as one of Hamlet’s soliloquies. There’s got to be an Emmy nomination for this man! Watching him and Kerry Washington at the top of the scene is painful too. Olivia wants to go to him, represses smiling when she sees him, because the unanswered question is still there. A tour-de-force all around for these two!
There is no doubt that this story is tragic. Expecting Olivia and Fitz to come out of this with a giant wedding and her moving into the White House is just not in the cards. How could be, giving everything that they’ve done? The law of cause and effect can’t be denied. If Fitz shot down that plane he not only killed 329 people, but ended relationships between lovers, husbands and wives, parents and children…for him to just blissfully and easily end up with the love of his life isn’t the way that law works. Even if he didn’t do it, he clearly was involved with covering it up. His hands are not clean.
Does this mean that Fitz and Olivia are doomed? Not necessarily, but it does mean a considerable amount of pain and suffering is to be expected. If you watched the recently ended series Burn Notice you know exactly what I’m talking about. ( SPOILER ALERT for the final season Burn Notice – including the finale) In the series the central couple is Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan) and Fiona Glenanne (Gabrielle Anwar). Michael has had to do some truly awful things, including things that got his brother murdered and things that made Fiona walk away. The final season is deception on top of deception. it’s them both having other lovers, and there are a lot of dead bodies (it’s cable). Near the end, as the various facts reveal themselves Fiona does end up back with Michael. In the final, Michael and Fiona are in fact re-united, but at a very high cost – the sacrificial death of his mother (her choice, not his) and a life completely off the grid and presumed dead. It’s a tragic story – despite the fact that Fiona and Michael do get to be together.
So, Olitz fans, take a deep breath, and strap yourselves into the rollercoaster car. If you thought the issues of season two’s “Defiance” were bad, this ride has a lot more loops and hairpin turns than ever!
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