Scandal-heads, we’ve gone through five months of withdrawal, and with Thursday night’s season 4 premiere, we’re finally going to get our fix! We’ve got our wine and popcorn ready, but first, let’s take a quick look back at where our favorite characters landed at the end of season 3.
1. Olivia and Jake fly off into the sunset. After all the death and destruction that transpired at the hands of the people she loves (mostly her mother and father), Olivia decides that she is the common denominator and, therefore, is the scandal that needs to be handled. So she finally takes her dad up on his offer to fly her far, far away. To where, we don’t know. And even though Olivia has repeatedly told Jake, the supersecret spy agency chief, that she’s in love with President Grant, aka Fitz, Jake decides to join her. It looks like Olivia’s father, aka Papa Pope, made good on his promise to get Olivia on a plane and out of Washington, D.C., “come hell or high water.”
2. RIP, James. After Vice President Sally Langston murdered her philandering husband, Daniel Douglas, White House Press Secretary James Novak intended to blow the whistle on the involvement of his husband, and White House chief of staff, Cyrus Beene, in covering up the murder. That is, until Jake murdered James to keep him from talking. You can bet that this isn’t the kind of thing that Cyrus is likely to forgive and forget.
3. Huck and Quinn became a “thing.” Gladiator Huck tortured Gladiator Quinn. Then Quinn joined B-613, the supersecret spy agency. Then Quinn started dating B-613 bachelor Charlie. Then Huck decided that he wanted Quinn. Like wanted her. Huck and Quinn have sex here, there and everywhere—even at the Pope & Associates office! Mad that Huck stole his girl, Charlie told Quinn where to find Huck’s estranged wife and child. In the season finale, a hesitant Huck offers an awkward hello to his long-lost wife. But where does that leave Quinn?
4. Andrew and Mellie forever! Nope. After first lady Mellie Grant was caught cavorting with her husband’s running mate, Andrew Nichols, Olivia forced Andrew to choose between continuing the affair or becoming vice president. Andrew decided that “veep” had a nicer ring to it than “Mellie’s boy toy.”
5. Fitz and Mellie make peace. Fitz finally learns that his father raped Mellie and Mellie didn’t know if Little Jerry was Fitz’s son or his sibling, a situation that gave a whole new meaning to the phrase “my kid brother.” This news drew Fitz closer to Mellie, and all the dreams Fitz sold to Olivia about making babies and jam in Vermont were put on hold (that is, if you bought them in the first place).
6. Mama Pope was full of mischief and mayhem. Olivia’s mother, aka Mama Pope, escaped from prison after 20 years. What’s a terrorist-for-hire to do with her newfound freedom other than plot to assassinate the president? A plot that almost worked, had Cyrus not caught wind of it. Papa Pope, former head of B-613, captured Mama Pope and tossed her into “the hole” where they keep bad B-613 agents. But don’t underestimate Mama Pope. The woman gnawed her own wrists to escape from imprisonment before. What body part will she gnaw at next?
7. Four more years for Fitz! After someone (it was Papa Pope … shhhh) murdered Little Jerry by infecting him with a superspecial strain of meningitis, voters turned out for Fitz in his family’s time of need, securing for him a second term. A partial win if I’ve ever heard of one. Cheers?
8. Papa Pope is back in charge. Papa Pope pinned Little Jerry’s murder on Mama Pope, and in exchange for Papa Pope’s avenging his death by disposing of her, Fitz ousted Jake as the head of B-613 and reinstated Papa Pope. Papa Pope is back on top … but for how long?
9. David Rosen: The People’s Champ! Before Jake skipped town, he had scores of secret B-613 files sent to Attorney General David Rosen with a note that read, “Go get the bad guys.” Well, somebody has to wear the white hat, and on behalf of the people, I thank you, David Rosen.
10. We’ll never get to know Harrison. Harrison confronted Papa Pope about killing Little Jerry (big, huge, gaping mistake, Harrison), and in his last scene, Harrison had a gun pointed to his head by Papa Pope’s goon. Given that Harrison has been written off the show, we can guess what happened. What exactly Harrison’s life was about—Michael Jackson or Prince? Atkins or Paleo? Dark liquor or light?—we’ll never know.
All caught up? Great! Now, where on earth is Olivia Pope?
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Akilah Green is a recovering Washington, D.C., lawyer-lobbyist-politico turned TV and film writer and producer living in Los Angeles. She currently works for Chelsea Handler’s Netflix talk show, Chelsea. She has also worked as a staff writer for Kevin Hart’s production company, HartBeat Productions, and as a consultant for Real Time With Bill Maher on HBO. In addition, she co-wrote and is producing Scratch, an indie horror-comedy feature film, and is a regular contributor to The Root. Follow Green’s adventures in La La Land on her blog, Twitter and Facebook.