Scandal - Season 3 Episode 7 - Recap - Everything's Coming Up Mellie

Scandal - Season 3 Episode 7 - Recap - Everything's Coming Up Mellie

This week's episode of ABC's hit political melodrama Scandal is a real doozy. We focus on the First Lady, Mellie Grant, both today and in flashback. There's also a bunch of movement in the B-613 plots. Check it out!

Mellie's got a documentary crew following her through the White House today. She's trying to revamp her image for Fitz's re-election push. She breaks down and flips out at Fitz when he misses an appointment with the reporter. Then, the next day, when the reporter gets aggressive with Mellie about her blowing up the affair on TV, Fitz comes to Mellie's defense. She's also plotting to destroy the VP via her husband. Mellie and Cyrus plan for an escort to seduce the hubby while Vice President Langston is out of town. When it doesn't work, they notice that he's more interested in flirting with Cyrus's husband... Twist! Now they've got their hook!

Fifteen years in the past, Mellie and Fitz are still in love. They meet Cyrus (with a beard) for the first time, in the preparations for Fitz's gubernatorial campaign. While discussing strategy, Fitz explicitly rejects using his military experience during the campaign. Hmmm... Papa Grant knows about the plane being shot down, and they fight over it. Cyrus almost quits, but Mellie promises to make Fitz her full-time job. Fitz's dad and Mellie get real drunk and he tells her about the flight Fitz shot down. She's horrified, naturally. You'd think that would be as dark as it could get, but then Fitz's dad rapes Mellie. Yep. Really. The next morning, Mellie smiles politely and demands from Papa Grant that he lend Fitz all his support, and that he apologize for being such a bad father. They're at a dinner later when Mellie reveals her pregnancy to Fitz, realizing in visible horror that the baby might belong Fitz's dad instead.

Quinn runs into Charlie again, at the gun range. He's continuing to bait his CIA trap, trying to get her recruited. She talks to Huck about her newfound interest in super spying, and he shoots her down. Quinn follows Charlie, but he spots her easily. She stumbles for an excuse, but he interrupts her with... a kiss?? Whaaaaat?! They go on a spy date soon after. Charlie has Quinn inject a nighttime security guard with sleepy juice. All goes to plan, but then Charlie cuts contact and the security guard starts having a seizure, oh nooooo! Quinn runs and hides, trying to call Huck. Charlie finds her, shows her the incriminating security tape, and tells she that she belongs to B613 now. This is an interesting direction for this character. After her life's secret was a main plot in season one, she kinda had nowhere to go. Seeing her become an evil spy is cool!

Olivia and crew are taking on a new case: Uncovering the mystery behind the death of Olivia's mom! Whaaaaat. Olivia shares all her data with the team, including Fitz's involvement, and they get to work. Looks like the plane was delayed, but not listed as such. Also, Fitz's dad headed up the Congressional investigation into the crash. They talk to the gate agent and find out that a passenger was removed from the plane right before take-off, which caused the delay. It was never in any of the reports, which is odd. The guy who operated the stairs is dead, which is also odd. then, we're shown Olivia's dad head down to a secret jail cell where he wakes up... Olivia's mom! Olivia's real alive mom! Wooooaaaahh!

There's a lot to say about this episode. This episode alone could keep Jezebel flush with articles for a month. I like Scandal, but it's got problems. They don't often manifest like they did just here in this one. Ultimately, Scandal is a show where gay people, women, and people of color all destroy themselves to help a really boring white guy be president. I'm hoping there will be a twist this season that reveals why anyone would want Fitz to be the president of anything. He doesn't do a good job and he treats his loved ones like trash, but Mellie kept quiet about sexual assault for this man. She rigged a national election to get him his office. Why?! I'm much more interested in following Olivia and the super-spy stuff. The revelation that her mom is secretly alive! I mean I kinda figured, but still! Great stuff! Below is a preview!