Scandal S-3 Ep 8. Vermont Is For Lovers Too. Mmm Hm.

Papa Pope and Mama Pope do not share a cosy relationship, that much is obvious but it further solidifies the theory that Mama Pope is not going to win “mommy of the year” award anytime soon. At a point in their relationship they cared about each other and they obviously love their daughter. When it comes to Papa Pope I’m more inclined to believe that he is or was acting in the best interest of his daughter, B613 given, whilst mama pope aka Omar Dresden was out doing whatever the hell she was doing. Papa Pope was being the parent and I shudder to think he would go through so much trouble just to punish his wife if it didn’t endanger their daughter. There’s obviously something more amiss, its Shonda Rhimes how can there not be and when we find out its going to be a doozy. She can eat all the human parts of her body she wants to, (EW!) but Papa Pope is determined that she stay away from his daughter. Mama Pope on the other hand has plans of her own…

In the words of Olivia, “what did she do?’

Quinn is in trouble and I for one am happy that she gets found out because she is a dunce! Like come on, you are surrounded by ex B613 boys how will they not be able to tell their own. Ugh. She’s going down. All the way down and I hope out too because I have had it up to here with her bullishit. I’m done.

Cyrus is the devil and this time he is the architect of his own undoing, playing with James like that and now that James knows what kind of monster he is married to…only God can judge Cyrus and he’s going to hell or close because James is going to give him just what he wants. I love the soundtrack of that moment though and seeing Cyrus a little undone is just pure golden. Mellie does try to warn him that he is playing with the devil but Cyrus is all “my husband is not your husband” that may be true but good on James for pulling one over Cy in this way.

Josie Jo has a problem in lil sister-daughter taking a page out of Blair Waldorf’s book of tricks by setting up the Restin campaign to take the fall for the theft of a laptop. At least she should have planted some fake rumour on it or something but Candace shows how green she is with this here country girl tomfoolery. Now mama-sis has to take the fall for her and return for whatever forgettable county she is from to play with the little leagues and be a hometown girl…kids these days.

Okay, now lets get to the nitty gritty.

Liv. Liv. Liv. Olivia Carolyn Pope. I am shaking my damn head at you girl. I mean I’ve had it up to here with her and Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III. This pull back push forward dance they are doing is having my head in a spin but we need to move things along. Are they or aren’t they? And if they are, what happens to Mellie who now knows her husband is back between the golden thighs of Olivia Pope, despite whatever Presidential balls he flashed on her account in the last episode. Fitz is callous and weak and I wonder what he’ll do when he finds out that his wife was raped by his bastard father and that his son may in fact be his half brother (ew!). His love for Olivia will not change the situation, it will greatly impact their relationship so this fantasy world he is building for himself and Liv, complete with high beams and handmade fire places out in beautiful Vermont, will not be enough to cushion the almighty blow he’ll be dealt. The true test will come from how he deals with the aftermath. Will it be Mellie or Olivia?

Still, Vermont is for lovers because Goddamn! Fitz and Liv give a good love making scene. Build a girl her dream house and the panties will come off. And the way he summons her up to the house with the copter, very Christian Greyish of you Mr President, pick up the mistress for an almighty booty call in old town Vermont. Nicely played. Fitz sells this fairy tale to Olivia and for that moment she wants what he wants for them. In that moment she wants to make jam and have lots of kids and play house with him. In their perfect world this is them and it is all she can do not to come undone. This is their normal with the man she loves. This is the life she craves, somewhere deep within which explains why she says to Fitz.

“Don’t sell the house. Not yet.” because someday she hopes this will happen for them.

After thinking about it from that point of view I’m less inclined to be so mad at her. I get it but I’m still mad. BUT I GET IT. Their action in that scene got me sweating in the chilly London morning. Its love making at its finest. No question these two love each other but they recognise the limits they are up against which is why every time feels like the last time until the next time and every time its so DAMN GOOD! However, I don’t know if it makes her pathetic or foolish…certainly not strong because the bottom line remains, after walking through the sliding door to hitch her ride back to Washington, on tax payers dollars, Fitz is still a married man, one who does not know the sacrifices his wife has had to make for him.

Poor Mellie calling Fitz and Liv, knowing exactly what it is they are doing, lying in a bed somewhere…Oh Mellie, Mellie, Mellie darling do not torture yourself in that way. Cyrus is all that’s our boy acting like the president again and Mellie is like he just got booty from Livvie of course he’s having presidential balls.

But here’s the thing, even if Olivia is all “do what you have to do” when Fitz says he is going to go after Command with all he’s got, when it comes to the crux of it, when she finds out what her mother was up to, because mama pope is the big fly in the ointment, why her father heads up Command, will she still be so gung-ho when reality bites?

And what the hell is Mellie playing at by dangling the Olivia carrot before Fitz for the campaign? She doesn’t help herself. Does she even really love Fitz anymore or is this just some psychological play for her? I mean, I know she loves Fitz and she wants him to love her back but why stoke the fire?

Ugh.