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Thursday 8 November 2012

Scandal 1.3 "Hell Hath No Fury" Review

Well that title had to enter the equation at some point in time as this episode Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) and associates look into the rape by the son of Olivia's friend Sarah Harding (JoBeth Williams).  Assuredly his mother believes Travis (Michael Cassidy) didn't do it cos he's been manipulating her for so long that she just believes everything he says.  A bit like Olivia and the President (Tony Goldwyn) and Cyrus (Jeff Perry) too.  Though being rich only casts aspirations on the defendant and as Olivia says "it's all about perception, not evidence."

Olivia wants a meeting with Gideon (Brendan Hines) too and when he arrives she tells him it wasn't a meeting, he's been writing about cherry blossoms blooming late.  She'll give him a story with Amanda Tanner (Liza Weil) and a quote, if he holds off for 72 hours, which he agrees to.  She also tells him once this story gets out he won't be writing it as the other experienced reporters will take it over, so she promises the above.

Travis is dragged out of his hotel room, after spending the night with yet another blonde, that's his pattern: blondes, so find it hard to believe they didn't figure this out.  How could someone that smarmy and he was, be telling the truth.  Hey even his lawyer was the same, when will Curtis Armstrong stop playing a sleazy lawyer, can't use smarmy again, he played the same in The Closer final season.  Anyway the case will boil down to "he said, she said" and reading the jury, body language, etc as Stephen (Henry Ian Cusick) tells Quinn (Katie Lowes) the jury is against Travis.  Abby (Darby Stanchfield)  finds out the Vic Helen (Ellen Woglom) is a saint in comparison.  Leading to Olivia proposing a settlement, which Helen rejects.  Asking Olivia "How much would it be worth? to her"  Seems such questions are always posed and asked to put Olivia on the spot that little bit more.

Olivia also tries to dig some dirt on the Prosecution, as if buying US Attorney David Rosen (Joshua Malina) a cup of coffee will make him spill.  They're not friends and Jane (Mina Badie) is a colleague, not so subtly reminding him that she's after his job.  Olivia doesn't give up and Quinn asks what they do when they "lose."  A word not being in Olivia's vocabulary as Harrison (Columbus Short) tells her.  Obviously it may not be a word she likes, but she appears to be meeting it in every episode now, since the last one.

Harrison attempts to dress down Travis in a 'cheap' suit and he should wear a blue tie, you can always trust a man in a blue tie. Harrison wearing one too.  Travis lets slip that they "always take the money in the end."  Showing he did it after all.  Harrison looks into Travis's finances and finds he paid off a Rachel back in 2008. Rachel killed herself later and Abby finds an expensive car parked in her parent's driveway, with an American Uni sticker in the window.  Photos show Helen wasn't raped by Travis but Rachel was.  In the photo Helen is a brunette and dyes her hair to blonde.  Helen stalked him in order to get justice for her friend.  The very ammo they use against her in court, leading to Travis getting off.

Mellie (Bellamy Young) invites Olivia to the state dinner at the Whitehouse cos she's got a free space and the President can't sleep.  She's figured out he needs to see her and then tells him the same, now he'll sleep.  President being overjoyed at the sight of Olivia and tells her several times over he loves her whilst on the dancefloor.  He wants to meet her in their usual place.  Cyrus puts a spanner in the works as he stops Olivia from seeing him and has her escorted off premises by agents.  Not to mention the CD recording he got of the President in full swing with Amanda.  Cyrus thinks Olivia is blackmailing him and the meeting they agreed to was to ambush him with their terms.  Cyrus lies to Olivia by saying the meeting is off and he tells the President that Olivia called off the meeting.  So who exactly is he looking out for here.  He's not making things easier by accusing Olivia of blackmail when someone else sent him the CD.  After knowing her for so long, why would he even think she would stoop to blackmail.

Quinn attempts to call Gideon for a drink to find out what he knows and is nervous, yeah she likes him really and who wouldn't have a soft spot for fresh faced Gideon, reporter - yes, naive - yes and trying to make it big with one story.  Huck (Guillermo Diaz) tells her she's weird.  At the bar he tells her to untie her hair, orders virgin drinks for her but ensures Gideon is well boozed.  Gideon figures out she's not drunk and they've been drinking the same but he tells her he didn't call Amanda cos he wants that quote.

Olivia tells Sarah to stop 'mummy-ing' Travis and at a meeting they tell him to come clean.  Sarah knew he'd come up with a plan to leave the country and Olivia having got the rape kit with his DNA, courtesy of Harrison, has him arrested.  At least some justice there then.

Olivia once more tells Amanda she'll be on her side, but only if she tells her the truth, finally admitting she's pregnant.  Olivia gives Gideon the scoop on the Travis story which will be front page news and he can interview Sarah.  Wonder if she did that to keep him on side, since Quinn doesn't tell her until afterwards that Gideon didn't call Amanda.

Thus the mystery intensifies, wonder if Mellie has anything to do with that, she does know about Olivia, so why not his other affair(s).  Or clearly this goes much deeper than the First lady trying to keep him happy cos she knows he can't do anything, which will cause a scandal.  Also I resisted the urge to include another Brendan Hines photo, ha!

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