The Shondaland Source - Latest Comments

Re: You Wanted to Hear the Words

MNGreysfan — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:53:06 -0000

I LOVE Jo and Alex together! Such great chemistry! I was all but holding my breath waiting for him to just kiss her when that tree came through the window and nearly threw something at my TV! I hope Alex gets to keep his happy for a while too!

Re: It Always Comes Back to the Leg

MNGreysfan — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:48:06 -0000

White in the beginning, I understood Arizona being angry over this and saw it as only natural that she be angry at the person who made the decision to take the leg and was closest to her, overall I think Arizona is using it to excuse what she has done now. None of what she said excuses anything she's done. There isn't a person alive who would watch their wife die over a promise to save her leg, you take the leg. As a doctor Arizona should have by now accepted that fact. She was saving her life. Personally, I never though Arizona and Callie's chemistry was that great. Arizona a good majority of the time has been a selfish whiner, everything was about what SHE wanted. She didn't want kids. She wanted to go to Africa. Callie wasn't allowed to have an ounce. She wasn't allowed to be sad or upset she was having to leave everything she's known to be with the woman she loves(the Africa move), she wasn't allowed to have children if she wanted to keep the woman she loves. It's been all about choices with Arizona. Me, or what you want. Can't have both. Callie has stuck by Arizona this season doing what she thought was best, trying to be there but give her some space without putting TOO much space between them is not an easy balance. Callie has been patient. And I agree with a poster above that I did not feel Callie was ever "acting like she was in the woods", I always felt Callie was being an advocate for her and Mark's daughter, who is entitled to Mark's share of whatever settlement they received, as well as trying to advocate at first for her wife who refused to give her input. I love Arizona as a doctor on the show, I also love her relationship with Alex as his mentor. I think she's brought a better person out in him. But I don't like her and Callie together, and I'm sure all the Calzona shippers will be jumping down my throat over it, but lets face it. Callie has been the only one giving. Arizona can not take credit for "forgiving Callie" for having a baby with Mark, she was the one who ran off to another country and ended it with her. Callie finally made HER make a choice in that case. I hope that Callie bounces back from this and tells Arizona right where to go. Once I saw Lauren come onto the scene, I knew instantly what was about to happen. And frankly Lauren and Arizona's chemistry was 100 times the chemistry I've ever seen with Calzona.

Re: It Always Comes Back to the Leg

IrishEDP — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:55:38 -0000

I'm not sure how the main thing that stuck with you during this season in terms of this couple and the plane crash is Callie acting like she was on the plane? I never got that feeling once. I also never took her presence at all of the survivor meetings with the lawyers to be anything more than her representative as Mark's proxy for their daughter. I presume Mark would leave everything to Sophia and Callie as Sophia's mother would be the one to deal with all of that legal process. I recall in the earlier episodes Callie asking Arizona if she was going to go in to represent herself and her issues with the crash and this was when Arizona was stil in her 'I hate you and the world but mostly you' phase (guess it wasn't a phase). At no point did I think Callie was acting like she was on the plane.

Later on when she comes up with the idea of saving SGMWH by pooling their financial resources (her's being her trust fund) so that they could buy the hospital to me was Callie's attempt to hold on to a place that she felt was a safe place. So many things were falling apart or had fallen apart (the death of her best friend/baby daddy) and the tangible problems in her marriage with Arizona that perhaps she was attempting to act like those problems didn't exist by ignoring them and focusing on something she thought she could fix. Callie is a fixer, hell they all are they're doctors... fixing things is what they do. So while I don't agree with Callie coming up with this plan of spending all Arizona's money without talking to her about it first I hardly see how this is Callie acting likes she was on the freaking plane?!!

Want to know what did irk me about this season? Why was NO ONE in therapy? When they had the shooting at the hospital in season 6, all of the doctors were required to get cleared by a therapist before they could practice surgeries again. But when they're involved in a plane crash that kills 2 of their own, one being the father of Callie & Arizona's daughter the other being the sister of Meredith we get NOTHING in terms of their mental health recovery? That is what irked me about this season. Not Callie attempting to do what her wife was unable to do at one time and also being the proxy for their daughter.

Remember the end of season 8 was foreshadowing when Callie says to Arizona, 'whatever you can't do I will. That is how this works.' It's called support. Sometimes it can seem overbearing or suffocating but then that is usually when the person feeling that way SPEAKS up and says back off. Arizona waited until she was caught in what clearly seems like vengeance (you broke my trust so I'm gonna break yours- LAME) to do just that, speaking up. Day late and a dollar (that's all Boswell is worth IMHO) late.

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

shownufftuff — Tue, 28 May 2013 19:10:41 -0000

Kay: you brought up a good point I forgot about...she did say "run clean...the reset button has been hit" now that would be fine and a good breakup for Olitiz BUT...you are right..how is pretending to be with Mellie running clean? and basically she is telling him to continue to be dishonest, scheming and manipulative and in Mellie case let her be shrewd b4 the American people for 4 more years..dont rig the election again but keep on lying.. that's DEEP! I didnt think about that to deeply until you wrote it..she should have left the white hat in the box..she aint ready:) hahahah AND...now I do believe this may have been a writers error or again its really how Olivia thinks..Fitz said Hollis was the worst (dark vader?) and OLIVIA said "HE IS NOT SO BAD" the man bombed a building innocent PEOPLE all because he didnt like being hit up for more cash! NOT SO BAD REALLY?
But again...this is Shonda story and maybe she is telling us..this is who Olivia is we think she is one way but we got it wrong she really is this confused, double fisted,contradictive,selfish,unable to judge right from wrong type of person..so on and on and if so okay with me...we know what Mellie is and we still enjoy her antics so it may be time to see who Olivia really is as well?

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

thoughtcomment — Tue, 28 May 2013 17:23:46 -0000

One more thing...just as a lot of fans are pleased with the finale many fans are being vocal in expressing dislike of the gimmick and stunts, and concerns regarding Scandal character development. A lot of fans signed up for provocative nighttime drama (or nighttime soap), not a soap employing shock over solid story telling. I want Scandal to get back on track, win awards, and do something spectacular as did "24" with Keifer Sutherland and Dennis Haysbert and as are the creators of Mad Men, Good Wife, etc. doing now. The casting talent is superb and the potential is great.

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

thoughtcomment — Tue, 28 May 2013 15:53:10 -0000

I hope critically acclaimed film director Tony Goldwyn and critically acclaimed film actor Kerry Washington stay interested in the show for several years--long enough to reach syndication. Scandal needs to get back on track with tight writing and tell this compelling story. TV is producing fabulous dramatic material which is why I don't see them staying years on one tv show at the expense of signing on with varied creative projects in film and elsewhere in television. The duo are professional and respectful of boss Shonda but it's still obvious from several press interviews this year that opinions differ on character development.

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

cudascrawl — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:56:31 -0000

for the purpose of the show the writing needs to follow it's own lead

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

cudascrawl — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:53:58 -0000

He can do whatever he wants, sans breaking any laws. The plan is stuck in tradition, where the show is expected to be breaking conventions.

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

cudascrawl — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:52:32 -0000

at the end of the day, Olivia is a character that will be scripted according to how the story leads her

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

cudascrawl — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:44:30 -0000

thundering applause, if only I had read your post...which sums everything up I'd have saved myself some time...

agreed. agreed. and agreed. Shonda is the writer of genius, the scripting that Olivia cannot or Mellie is the only ride in this year, is a 10 lb. pile of dung in a 5 lb. sack...

Shonda is forward writing but seems stuck in the soap suds of 1970's trend where a public would not dream of voting an AA male into the highest office of the land.

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

cudascrawl — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:37:54 -0000

there's about four years left in real time for Fitz to hold office

if the show follows the real time pace, the show will be tied up in a neat bow for a series finale mid-season as it's familial op Private Practice

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

cudascrawl — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:35:37 -0000

what did you like about it...

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

cudascrawl — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:32:28 -0000

ita. I've read all over that many of the OLITZ fans expected, even anticipated the fail would be by way of the OLAKE sex tape...they literally predicted the shoe would drop

I've found their dismay is due to the plot holes, the flat characters turned 3-D, and a blank stare and wonder how all of this was forced into one unconvincing finale episode when the previous two leading up to it were allegedly the rising actions.

The finale is expected to be full of shock and awe, not shockingly awful.

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

cudascrawl — Tue, 28 May 2013 10:27:35 -0000

What shall we call a wife who peddles her husband for a gig as FLOTUS? a pimp?

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

bebe — Sun, 26 May 2013 20:07:17 -0000

Precisely.
TV writers seem to think the audience enjoys being emotionally abused, and despite the fact that this tomfoolery always leads to bad ratings they stick with it.
If they keep this up, Scandal will survive, but not for long as new fans will watch back episodes and end up feeling the same way.

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

Kay — Sun, 26 May 2013 20:02:58 -0000

A lot of lies have been told in this review to justify bad writing and editing.
Scandal has been jumping the shark for some time and has been largely held together of recent by the chemistry of the leads.
It is now transparently clear that the writers have decided to do everything in their power to discredit the Fitz character and failed.
(Probably because Fitz would have to romance a chimpanzee to not be good enough for a woman whose illegal activities and den of crooks and murderers got him shot)
Having failed to destroy the possibility of a romance that brought in a significant portion of ratings, the writers decided to use it to bring in viewers and then at the last minute Shonda Rhimes cut it out instead of thinking of a genuine logical reason for a break up.
THAT'S why people are angry.
And pretending Fitz did terrible things to Olivia when he never actually DID anything to her, pretending Mellie can be maternal to Fitz when she has admitted she lacks the mother gene, and asking viewers to get excited about a mole revelation that makes no sense, isn't going to solve the problem.
The only way I can see to clean up the Fitz mess is if the kneeling was an apology for past sins and a prelude to a divorce, because running with Mellie ISN'T running clean. Their marriage is as big a lie as defiance, and after the election of Mark Sanford, the idea that you need a wife to win is ridiculous Fitz wouldn't even be the first divorced president, that was Reagan.
With Mellie having already outed him, there is no reason to return to her and no benefit in it.
It was bad advice, from the brand new Olivia Pope, the one who was actually stupid enough to KEEP THE CYTRON CARD,
How they're going to clean up Olivia's weird joy at dumping the supposed love of her life, I don't know, but this is what bad editing DOES. Scenes stop making sense.
The only POSSIBLE people who would have anything to gain by outing Olivia are James for his career, Sally Langston, or Billy for revenge. But knowing the writers, it'll probably be someone ridiculous like Huck.
Thankfully, I don't intend to watch it live.
As for Cyrus, he does show some genuine affection for Olivia, but he feels more for himself and has shown no affection whatsoever for Fitz.
To him, and to Mellie, Fitz is a means to an end, nothing more.
As for Olivia, she's shown she has no problem with murder, by Cyrus, Jake, Huck and little difficulty forgiving Hollis and possibly her father.
Is it any wonder people are disgusted that she was written to be unable to forgive Fitz?
Is love supposed to make you LESS forgiving?
That's not love.
It doesn't mesh with the woman we saw fighting Cyrus to be with him.
Fitz and Olivia have changed personality. It's bad writing, and bad writing is ALWAYS upsetting.

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

sharing — Sun, 26 May 2013 13:08:39 -0000

Divorce attorneys and judges recognize that life is more complicated than that. Book authors, television script writers, and film screenwriters also recognize that incompatibility is the root of marital breakdown and that affairs or divorce are usually a symptom of such...incompatible financial views, child rearing views, household views, incompatible personalities undeniable once stressful events arise, or simply evolving and growing apart over the years. And, of course, falling in love with another person and wanting to divorce one partner in order to be with the other person. These realities are the basis of most dramatic fiction, autobiographies, and of course, very real divorces, at least in the U.S.

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

christy — Sat, 25 May 2013 11:22:49 -0000

The thing is Fitz and Mellie don't have a conventional marriage! It's not about love, respect, admiration, it is a business transaction. Olivia knows this, and the audience too! Life is not black or white, things are way more complicated than that. And this man was ready more than once to give up eveything to be with her, she's the one who is not ready for that.

And he's the president of the united states, so he can't take the decision to leave his wife all of a sudden . That's the reason of Olivia's plan.

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

Debbie Jones — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:15:43 -0000

By the way, there will be 24 EPISODES in S3 divided into two 12 episode arcs.

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

Debbie Jones — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:56:13 -0000

Any married man who sleeps with a woman other than his wife is by definition WEAK. A smart, well-educated, powerful rich woman who thinks so little of herself that she would have an affair with a married man think it's love is definitely in a dream world.

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

Debbie Jones — Fri, 24 May 2013 22:54:03 -0000

I loved the season 2 finale. Of course I already figured out that Rowan was her father. I was surprised that someone had outed Olivia and that her father was there to either rescue her or scold her or both.

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

yobi — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:48:35 -0000

I love this recap!!

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

shownufftuff — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:56:23 -0000

Renee, you know what I was reminded of today and now I kinda of get it even more...when I read all the people who are saying that's it i'm not watching anymore..Shonda said on that Oprah interview with Kerry Washington that someone had said to her "scandle was her their "guilty pleasure" and she didnt like it one bit and even said "Then don't watch it" because that's not a compliment to me" and I was LIKE WHOA! and then started cracking up bc that's just the kinda chick i am...but I had to do a rewind...did she just say "DONT WATCH THE SHOW THEN IF YOU THINK ITS A GUILTY PLEASURE" it still cracks me up because I have never heard an Executive Producer/Creator tell an audience of viewers TO NOT WATCH HER SHOW because of what he or she classifies it as in their own mind or opinion...because they don't promote the show as a guilty pleasure that's just someones take on how they classify it....okay i say all that to say ..."GLADIATORS" don't be sending Shonda tweets and messages about how you arent going to watch anymore...cause the woman done already told you she don't care...matter of fact some one recently sent her a tweet talking about how they couldn't watch one of her shows anymore... i don't even remember if it was scandle but she said "i'm sorry to hear that we will miss you" oohh hahah tee hee....i almost fell out my seat at work laughing at that one! i was like aww poor thing thought Shonda was going to be like trying to get him or her to stay and that woman said "Bye" hahah.. she is a cold piece..hahaha

Re: It Always Comes Back to the Leg

Syl — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:14:16 -0000

thank you! You really put my own thoughts into words!
Callie's actions through the season annoyed me too, it hit me especially when she tried to persuade the survivants to buy the hospital and was offering both Arizona and Sofia's shares without talking it out with her wife first.
I didn't quite interpreted AZ repeating the 'I lost Mark, you almost died' as a mockery. For me AZ says that, even if Callie lost her best friend, she was the one who spent those days in the woods taking care of him, she lost him as a 'patient' as much as a friend. Also, for me, she says that Callie herself almost died in the car accident and had been, in Az's eyes, closer to dying than she herself had been.
In any case, if I understand Arizona's side of the argument, it doesn't excuse the cheating. It just brings a new light to it.
Thank you for a great article.

Re: Life is Not a Romance Novel

christy — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:03:54 -0000

Yes to all of this!!