With the new season beginning last night, I was reminded again about how Scandal is by far the best show on broadcast TV and how it’s always overlooked.
The answer is probably obvious: it’s promoted as a sexy soapy opera like the rest of Shondra Rhimes’s dramas. But it’s primarily a political thriller, where sex scandals are only a part of it. The plotting is strong, it can be both extremely funny and heartbreakingly sad, and it’s far more fun and entertaining to watch than anything else. It is a little bit goofy and, as the New Yorker said in its review,* “unafraid to be ridiculous,” but that makes it even more fun.
Since the beginning of the second season it’s turned into a dramatic roller coaster filled with plot twists and turns. Characters are well drawn; the character of Huck is one of the most fascinating to appear on TV, and Melly (the first lady) is becoming a close second. Just about everyone else constantly reveal depths and unexpected secrets, with the kind of logical surprises that make TV thrilling.
Yet no one here seems to talk about the series. At this point, it joins Community (at the moment) as the only TV series I make sure I never miss.
*Where they said it was better TV than House of Cards
My girlfriend is hooked on this show, but I still don’t get it (she is also a big “Grey’s Anatomy” fan).
My best description is that it is like the Star Trek “Mirror Mirror” alternate universe of Washington. And even more ridiculous. I joke with my girlfriend that I’ll be interested to watch when the US declares war with…Denmark.
If by “Isn’t afraid to be ridiculous” you mean “Suspend all your disbelief in how things would work in the real world” then yes.
I watch the show with my wife as something to watch together since all the good shows we like keep getting cancelled, but I have to bite my tongue.
I especially had to bite my tongue that Olivia had some sort of burner code she could use “just once” to get a meeting with the president in some sort of secure bunker. Or that all the super-smart folks in the show could be completely blindsided by stuff so obvious.
Always sweeping for bugs on the same day of the week/month? Wow, who sees a hole in that plan? Maybe anyone with security training, but not our super-spy/hacker/conspiracy-theory nut…
There has literally been a truck-sized hole in logical, intelligent thought in almost every episode, and the 2 leads Olivia and the Prseident have absolutely NO convincing onscreen chemistry. He’s a complete lying, sack-of-shit opportunist, and she claims to be part of some “White hat brigade” and yet she supports him and various other scumbags for…??? I don’t think I’ve seen more than one or 2 episodes where she’s actually managed to help someone who I wouldn’t consider a complete ass.
So, maybe that’s why people aren’t watching. It’s like Grey’s Anatomy, but Shonda just doesn’t have the intellectual skills to write this sort of thing convincingly.
A co-worker was talking it up, so I checked it out on Netflix. (The first two seasons are streaming.) It’s outrageous fun–a stylish soap with political hijinks and undercover plotting. Plus fascinating characters who really change over time.
Realistic? The news gives me me all I can stomach of “The Real DC.” (And I’m not watching Sleepy Hollow to learn about the American Revolution, either.) For facts, books are great!
Now that I’ve seen House of Cards, I can’t see that being any more realistic than Scandal. Frank’s plan makes no sense whatsoever, which is surprising since they were able to plot the whole season in advance. It’s also so convoluted that it’s amazing that a smart guy like him would even attempt it. But the main difference is that it pretends to be serious, while Scandal does not.
I know Scandal is doing well in the ratings, but I was wondering why no one is talking about it here before this.
I watched the first season of House of Cards and the first season and a coupleof eps of the second season of Scandal on DVD.
House of Cards is objectively better than Scandal, but it is relentlessly bleak and none, I mean none, of the characters has any redeeming values whatsoever.
Scandal, yeah, it has the screwball comedy pacing and I imagine it’s a lot like the 50 or so crime procedurals that are on the networks, none of which I watch. And I agree the chemistry between the leads is bogus. And it’s not good for binge viewing because of all that.
But at least they sprinkle a tiny little bit of sugar on top every once in a while.
I agree. Scandal is by far the best TV Drama on network television right now. It’s such a thrill ride because you never know what’s going to happen next. Which is probably why the fans love it so much.
Because (most) people on this board are only concerned with the more serious shows or respectable comedies. Taking a show like Scandal semi-seriously (to the point of watching it every week and having a discussion) isn’t something I expect on here. Also, an equally absurd show like American Horror Story wins awards, but until Scandal does I wouldn’t count on the Straight Dope talking about it.
I love the show and will gladly participate in a thread if anyone wants to have one next week. It’s nice to bounce ideas off of someone else besides my viewing party friend.
Last week’s episode was AMAZING!!! Definitely worth the wait. Thank God the hiatus is over. All of us Gladiators were having a hard time coping without Olivia. This video pretty much sums it up. #Scandal #Gladiators#OliviaPope
I won’t list the spoiler, but a main character was killed off last night.
Our household was quite happy about it. We know that actor, met/worked with him years ago when he was an “unknown” and he was, to say the least, not a particularly nice person. Our guess is that he probably pissed off one too many people on his claw to the top.
That’s interesting about hewhoshallnotbenamed. Possible to learn some details on why he wasn’t such a nice person?
I still like Scandal, but the endless flip flopping Fitz and Olivia do with their ‘relationship’ is getting tiresome. For me season 2 was the best, then it got off the rails with all the B613 drama.
Nah, leave it at the envious innuendo–which fits the show far more. Since I’m not failed theatre folk, I can just look forward to seeing The Deceased in his future career.
The show is hardly perfect but continues to surprise…
