Scandal Season 3 recap: Episode 1 — “It’s Handled”
By Sterling Silver III
Scandal Season 3 started with Vanessa Chandler (Jennifer Peo) reporting the affair between the president (Tony Goldwyn) and Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington). Olivia was just about to leave for a run when she was met with the media bombshell. She hopped in the limo she was guided to and was met by her father, Rowan Pope (otherwise known as the look-alike, personality-opposite Magic Johnson, played by Joe Morton).
Rowan shook his daughter’s confidence with a pressure-filled lecture on a new identity, new bank account, and a new country away from the future media onslaught. As she tediously began to think about her new life in the plane, Olivia changed her mind after a call from Cyrus (Jeff Perry).
The show then switched to the Oval Office, with an annoyed Cyrus hearing from the Vice President (Kate Burton) not wanting to fill in the President’s speech schedule. As Cyrus was about to burst, Cyrus cleared out the office to talk alone with the Vice President. He explained to her that he was going to come clean and that she should attack it when it happens so that she can look like the moral leader of the party by the next election.
The next scene is Hal explaining to Cyrus and the First Lady (Bellamy Young) that the leak about the affair was not from him. After both left, Hal recollected on how it was he who mentioned the leak to Vanessa, and his associate who said, “Olivia.” As this scene finished, video of the President leaving Olivia’s house (from last season, when he snuck over there) was played by networks everywhere.
Olivia responded to the new news by opening up her safe, and initializing “Operation Providence,” where she was transported to the underground of Camp David. There, the First Lady, the president and Olivia discussed how they would handle the affair, and decided on agreeing to two sexual encounters between Olivia and the President.
The episode ends with Cyrus being kidnapped by Senator Edison Davis. The Senator then shows him a copy of “Operation Remington,” a secret case that has something to do with the still-in-captivity Jake Ballard (Scott Foley).
RELATED: SCANDAL SEASON 3 PREMIERE SETS SERIES-HIGH VIEWERSHIP
Analysis Topic
I think it’s a good time to take a tangent and to identify what the white hat represents; Pope & Company’s commitment to the client, or making choices in good faith. Episode 4 from the first season clarifies this to a degree when working with their client, Benicio Florey. Florey explained that his family was “kidnapped” and he needed help in finding them so he could return to his happy old dictatorship. When the team at Pope & Associates returned the family, they realized it wasn’t moral to force a wife back into a relationship she didn’t want to be a part of. They ended up convincing Florey to allow his wife and family to get American citizenship. In making a moral decision, they showed that the white hat represents right and wrong.
This belief is further echoed by Merriam-Webster’s definition of what “white hat” means. The second definition explains that it its defined as a mark of symbol of goodness. It also says the white hat concept originated from movie westerns.
The problem with wearing a white hat and working in Washington is that it’s hard to get power and follow a moral code. As I’ve gone through the show, it’s becoming more evident how the workers at Pope perpetually try to justify the actions they take, despite them not always being morally just. Obviously, Olivia’s hat was compromised long ago, but it seems to be extending to her other coworkers. Right before Harrison reminded Olivia that they wear the white hat, he and the other Pope associates agreed to give Cyrus a video of the White House secretary video-blogging about how sexy she thought the president was. Their small reference turned the innocent secretary into the front-page story, all for the good of protecting Olivia. This character development is something to watch for as the show goes on.
Great quotes from Scandal Season 3, Episode 1
1. Rowan:
“I am the Hell and high water.”
2. Rowan talking to Olivia:
“The White House will destroy you.”
Olivia:
“That’s what mom said about you.”
3. Harrison:
“Are we warriors or are we bitches?”
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Scandal Season 3, Episode 1: “It’s Handled” — Eric McCandless/ABC
