Courtesy of ABC
From the bowels of the Pentagon to the bowels of…well…a cadaver, sh*t gets real in ‘The Key’.
Let’s bitch it out…
Alright, I know I’ve previously said that I liked the realism of “Smelly Mellie” and the fact that her depression wasn’t presented in a “very special episode” that she got over in 44 minutes. That being said, I am so over it now. I pray that Mellie’s (Bellamy Young) shower at the end of this episode is the end of it. I thought seeing her daughter’s need her last week would have flipped the switch. But turns out, it’s finding out that her son was murdered, that there was a plan and purpose for his death (to keep his parents in the White House) that finally woke her up. A bit disturbing, but to get her out of those Uggs and that wig, I’ll take it!
First things first, though, poor Jake (Scott Foley) is hidden in the bowels of the Pentagon (Side Note: I’m pretty sure there’s just a gym and dry cleaners down there). He’s not answering his phone and Liv (Kerry Washington) is freaking out, like someone who, dare I say it, may be in love with him. Her dad (Joe Morton) is comforting her, saying that the ol’ B613 boys just like to sow their wild oats when they’re younger. Meanwhile, if I’m playing poker, I want Rowan on my team! Dude didn’t even flinch when Liv said she was worried about Jake.
Jake’s confrontation with Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) is everything I wanted it to be. Jake knows how to play the interrogation just right to force Fitz to come to him. He pleads with Fitz to stop being played by Rowan and realize he didn’t kill his son. Then when Fitz makes a snarky comment about Jake’s trip with Liv, the lightbulb visibly goes off above Jake’s head and he knows he’s screwed. It doesn’t matter what the truth is, Fitz WANTS him to be guilty so badly that he’ll make it happen. The part that bothered me the most is when Mellie confronts Fitz for skipping their appointment to visit their son’s grave (presumably because she thought he was with Liv) and he had the audacity to self-righteously talk about finding their son’s killer. But really…Fitz…you were jealous and trying to lash out at your opponent for the affections of your mistress. Take it down a notch.
Cyrus (Jeff Perry) stops by Liv’s to tell her that Jake murdered Harrison and JJ. Her dad confirms it and she…maybe believes him? How is that humanly possible? Granted, Jake did, in fact, murder James, but Rowan hasn’t exactly been the pinnacle of honesty either.
Meanwhile in the ongoing murder investigation of Catherine’s daughter, Liv and Quinn (Katie Lowes) witness the murder of her best friend Faith during a stakeout. Turns out, Catherine’s father has a “fixer” (aka: Russian Mobster) who killed two teenage girls to find a secret file that they stole. We don’t know what’s on it, but it’s gotta be good right? What we do have, however, is the titular key to where the file is hidden. Thanks to Quinn for sifting through the intestines of a dead body to find it (gross).
Other Observations
- David Rosen (Joshua Malina) is too moral for this world. After causing the suicide of a judge he blackmailed, he has become a drunkard (along with most of his predecessors) and taken to stalking Abby (Darby Stanchfield).
- Abby and Liv may be on a path to reconciliation (which I am totally onboard with. Am I the only one sick of their bickering?).
- Huck (Guillermo Diaz) goes to his ex-wife’s house. She promises to let him see his son if he promises to stop creepin’ outside their house. Alas she tricks him and instead of his son, when he arrives he finds a counselor. This went a LOT better than I expected actually. I was convinced she would have brought muscle and Huck would have added to his body count.
- Cocky, imprisoned Jake is great. “Handcuffs are a suggestion for me…I’m being nice, stop talking,” “You should stand, you stand for the President, Bill. Game over Bill.”
What did you think? Are you ready to retire “Smelly Mellie”? What do you think is on those files? How is Liv going to save Jake? Sound off below!
Scandal airs Thursdays at 9pm EST on ABC