User reviews

If shonda rhymes knows how to do anything it's create a show that is utterly ridiculous and unrealistic in every way but very entertaining.

As a medical professional I think greys is the best and worst show. I love the characters but the medical stuff frustrates me. But still I allow myself to switch off and enjoy the show.

And I think that's what you also need to do with Scandal. If you have an intelligent bone in your body you have to switch off your brain and suspend total belief. This show is so ridiculous in so many ways. But who doesn't love some political drama, lots of cliffhangers, mysteries and plot twists.

I'll admit it is better in the first few seasons and just gets to preposterous levels by about season 6. The utterly horrible and treasonous acts committed by employees of the White House are insane I'm so glad that it's not unrealistic as it would be just plain scary if our world leaders acted this way.

Nevertheless it had me hooked after about 3-4 episodes and I binge watched the entire series in a few weeks.

I'd label this one a guilty pleasure. Don't watch if you can't switch off your brain as it will only leaving you saying wtf a lot!!!!

This is a great show. The chemistry between Kerry Washington and the man that plays the president is superb. Best chemistry i have seen on a show. I love how she is African American and he is Caucasian. Different is finally on television and she is the lead. I love how it's crime, suspense, slight thriller, and most of all romance. When I first saw the previews for this show, I thought oh no another crime show but this is like no other crime show on TV. I was very impressed and now it's returned for a second season, I'm so excited to watch. Abc is taking over TV channels with best shows. It will be hard for other shows to compete with the chemistry between the characters. The only thing I do not like is, for a president, I need him to be a little stronger and vulnerable. He needs to take initiative sometimes on his own but he's gorgeous even though he's older.

The top portion of this review was written in 2012. This portion is of 2015. I no longer enjoy this show as much as I use to. The seasons have started to rush and a lot of things have happened too quickly. Scandal has gone from Olivia fixing Scandals to her being more of an asset than the president. She has been kidnapped, held hostage, etc. This show could have gone longer at a steady paste but it is now a soap opera. Because, soap operas have unbelievable twists and turns constantly. I miss the first season when she and her team would fix scandals.One more thing, It seems like the president, Mellie, Olivia, Cyrus, Quinn, Huck, Abby, etc. all talk the same! They use to not speak the exact same way but now they do. For example: They start talking fast, very fast, like their minds are racing and the person they are talking to starts to call their name in a repetitive state until they get their full attention. Like, Liv, Liv, Liv, OLIVIA! Stop Talking! Many of them have done this over and over! What's up with the characters talking alike?

Like most other reviews, first two seasons of this show was great, then it completely fell of the grid. Every episode is of Olivia Pope, a vile excuse for a human being. She's hypocritical, devious, arrogant, self-righteous, annoying and throws a temper tantrum whenever she doesn't get her way. She bends the rules as they benefit her regardless of who she hurts or kills in the process. Thank God this is a terrible drama, because our country would have no hope if it ran even a tenth of the way this show portrays. The other supporting actors save the show in my opinion, because Kerry Washington is very annoying in this role. Other reviewers speak of her over- enunciating, talking slowly and raising her voice to make her point, i.e. get her way. I think a fun drinking game would also be to have to take a shot each time one of the characters (mainly Pope) says "Look at me." Pause. Then again, slower and exaggerated, "Look. At. Me."

Scandal is trully amazing series,probably one of the best I have ever seen. It is really worth watching it ,every second of it ,every little twist. Olivia Pope is absolutely brilliant,every character is trully amazing. Thank you so much for that. A series you just have to watch with holding your breath.

I really love this series and think the acting and story are terrific!

My only complaint is that more often than not it seems as though someone hit the fast forward button. Most of the actors speak so fast that it is difficult to follow and I am constantly rewinding to catch what they said. Also, the picture is at times too dark.

It would be much better if they could slow the pace just a little. It really does seem as though the actors are being timed to see how fast they can say their lines.

The casting of the characters is very good and I hope the show stays on the air for many years.

When Grey's Anatomy start going stale Scandal pops up. One of the best TV series ever. Every single episode leave you wanting for more! Starting off with the president looking scandalous to understanding the love he and Olivia have for each other. Fast pace keeps you guessing. Just not enough in your face dirty politics like 'Boss'. Something different from those boring same old monotone drama. 7 episodes in Season 1 is not enough. Till the last episode will keep you guessing who is the one that orchestrate all the things that happened. It is definitely one of the best TV series in 2012. Not to be missed most definitely.

Finally a show that's smart, entertaining, love the simmering suspense and the build up of secrets that will ultimately explode on the show. Read the other naysayers reviews. Especially the one with the 'liberal' dig.

I disagree with the prediction that this show will fail. I think finally network TV is getting it right. Can't wait to see where the shows goes!!

Especially since I've since learned from that trashcan Faux News channel that the lead character is based on a real powerhouse woman in DC that deals in crisis management. This show has so much further to go!

Scandal (2012-2018) is a movie I watched as it aired on television. The storyline initially follows Olivia Pope as she works as a secret cover-up agency for the national government and often for the president directly. As the show matures the focus shifts from the crafty agency to a relationship between the president and Olivia. They both have demons in their closet that as they unravel shows why their brilliance and character is what it is. This series was created by Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy) and stars Kerry Washington (Django), Darby Stanchfield (Waitress), Guillermo Díaz (Half Baked), Tony Goldwyn (Ghost) and Joe Morton (Terminator 2). The storyline for this the first couple seasons was actually really, really good. Then the storyline started getting a bit too crazy, outside the box and unrealistic. When the series shifted to a love story with tragedy after tragedy and away from Olivia and her agency saving the world and various lives the entire show started falling apart. It's really too bad because the original premise was very good. The show really started to run it's course after season four and was on life support after that. It's amazing it lasted as long as it did. I would score this series a 6-6.5/10.

AWESOME and awe inspiring main character (I mean Kerry Washington, who should be listed in the top 3 on IMDb title page for the show, not at #8!!) Oliva Pope, who is confident, strong,"legendary" and knows the ins-and-outs of D.C. political power brokers. Snappy fast-paced dialogue, intense story lines and soap elements intertwined with political intrigue. Main plot points were engaging and not always foreseen, which in storytelling, is a very good thing. Pilot shows a lot of potential to be a great can't-miss show. This should be another big hit for Shonda Rhimes, if ABC commits to it and doesn't continuously pre-empt it. Shonda Rhimes scores big again! Yeah Rhimes!Keep it coming!!

I had my doubts. I saw the show being advertised and I decided I would not watch the show. I always jump and support black actors and writers and I usually am disappointed. I jumped into Undercover and The Event and was sorely disappointed. I told myself, I would not jump into watching this show. I heard from some friends on facebook how good this show was. Granted, they are people who also support African-American people on shows and movies. But after reading their posts and how excited they were about this show, I folded and recoded this past weeks episode. I was bored Saturday afternoon and decided to give it a chance. I turned it on and it immediately had me hooked. I didn't know what Olivia's job was, but she is a tough woman. I love this show so much I couldn't stop talking about it to my husband. After the show, I went on and on about the episode. I also couldn't get enough of Olivia. She has all the qualities of a strong woman. Kerry is a phenomenal actress!!! Rimes did another fabulous creation on this show. I hope this show goes the distance. I never write reviews for show EVER, but this time I created an account and found this site to take time out to write a review on this show because it is the best show I have seen in a LONG time.

Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) runs a firm of political fixers in D.C. Her group of loyal associates are gladiators. She has a troubled secret relationship with President Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn). He has a political convenient marriage to Mellie Grant (Bellamy Young). Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry) is the calculating Chief of Staff and David Rosen (Joshua Malina) is the Assistant US Attorney. Olivia hires Quinn Perkins (Katie Lowes). Troubled Huck (Guillermo Díaz) and Abby Whelan (Darby Stanchfield) are two of the associates. Olivia's scheming father (Joe Morton) runs the mysterious shadow government organization B613. Grant assigns Jake Ballard (Scott Foley) to guard Olivia in mid second season.

For a time, Shonda Rhimes owned a night of network television. Grey's is the gold and this is the silver programming. It burned hot for a couple of seasons with overblown plots, and overwrought melodrama. The love triangle is the pinnacle. It definitely burned bright for a time but it burned itself out. By the fifth season, the convoluted story twists and ties itself into a knot. The biggest dead end is Fitz's presidency ending. Even the white hot romantic triangle fades into nothingness. The acting is usually big and over the top. Kerry Washington does a lot of near cry acting with her quivering lips. When a story twists and turns this much, it will almost always go out of control. The last few seasons are simply this show stalling and running in place. Shondaland has an expiry date.

This is about the most reprehensible people you could ever dream about. It starts off with the group hacking a voting machine to facilitate the election of Fitzgerald Grant (with a name like that, you know he's gotta be a weenie). Then from there it escalates to murder, treason, torture and lying with the intent of obtaining and/or maintaining power.

And they never do anything with this power. I mean, the entire series these people are doing these horrible things to gain control of The White House, but once they obtain the power they have no agenda neither to enrich themselves nor to cut taxes or help the poor. It's playing "King of the Mountain". Once you get up there, your only objective is to stay up there.

There doesn't seem to be much creativity in writing dialogue. The dialogue seems to always go the same way. The President likes to make a decision, and then after his advisers tell him the risks of the decision, he repeats himself with a louder voice. I want a bologna sandwich with cheese. But, Mr. President, cheese is bad for your cholesterol and bologna is bad for your gout. I WANT A BOLOGNA SANDWICH WITH CHEESE! It's dramatic the first time, but after five times per episode it tends to just get annoying. Another character is Huck, and he talks as if he always has to go to the bathroom. Olivia. I have to go to the bathroom real bad. Is it number one or number two, Huck? It's number twoooooooo.

Another thing that happens frequently is that a character will give a lecture to someone else looking them right in the eye, talking rapidly and loud and over pronouncing the words. We'll take the bologna and cheese sandwich as an example. No. You are going to go into the kitchen and grab some carrots. Then you are going to slice them up. Then you are going to get some tomatoes. You are going to eat that, and you are going to like it, because if you don't, then your cholesterol will skyrocket.

The one highlight of the show (other than the wonderful Brenda Song who only appears in a few episodes) is Emmy Award Winner Joe Morton who plays a ruthless manipulative evil, evil man who makes the others look like rank amateurs, and his only weakness is that he loves his daughter. The actor is fantastic. We first saw him years ago in Terminator 2 when he played the scientist/electronics genius who blew up the Cyberdine (sp?) building, but he has peaked for this role. He's just a fantastic actor.

Another good point is that the soundtrack includes a lot of 70s music. Listen to the music whenever you watch a show. You can always tell the age of the producers.

I really love this show. Sad to find out their is only one more episode left for this season. This show has everything I love-intrigue, mystery, conspiracies, and great plots and story representations each week. Every week feels like a finale to me. I hope the show comes back next season with many more episodes. I can't get enough. The acting is great as well as the writing. I love Kerri Washington and all the other actors on the show have great delivery. This show is in my top 3. I might even dare to say it's becoming my number 1 show. It's nice to watch something other than reality TV and this is a great alternative. I love the way we find out new things about the main characters every week, which let us know who they are and why they are the way that they are.

Very hip modern show. Diaologue is very witty story lines very believe able. it's an interesting show that is worth watching! Awesome casting, actors fit their roles and they seem to have great chemistry. Episodes are fast pace and there are a lot of side stories. But that what I think makes the show. They will be one main story for and episode. then another smaller side story to change the pace. With there being larger sporadically place Story that connects the episodes and keeps the show moving toward a goal. This show is like Lost meets Law and Order with a House type wit and sensibility. I think its great how each episode wraps up but leaves you with a little something to look forward to until next week. If your looking for something fresh and interesting i would suggest this show!

I was a big fan of this show in its opening season and most the way through season 4. It was clever, with some good writing, interesting characters, and good plot twists. Then something happened and it turned into a soap opera. Rather than being an interesting show with some big moments, it turned into every scene being a yelling feast. I love an intense interaction, but when it's every dialogue in every scene...it's gets old. It's like they turned the volume up to 11 and left it there for 2 seasons. Characters became ridiculous and inconsistent, writing got predictable. Every character intensely flip flops back and forth, usually multiple times an episode. I'm trying to finish the show just to see how they resolve everything but it's basically just suffering through episodes that are mostly unwatchable. Sad to see it fall so far from its first seasons

This is a good series, I found much to like about almost every thing. My first is for the camera work there has been none better that I have witnessed in a T.V. series before, with the lenses focused on the never ending beveled glass shots and characters through I would assume to be glass doors. It is very unique. The second major point is the quick dialog, not a lot of deep thinking scenes to take away the mood of the cases. Every thing is rapid fire and on the go. The characters are equally balanced with mostly good points and a few bad flaws thrown in for good measure.

At first the cases i felt were a bit to dramatic but the second episode was more of what I feel this show will become. I recommend this series to anyone who likes something a bit different and if you suspend belief on a couple of things you will enjoy it.

Curiously fascinating, utterly trashy TV show about generally despicable human beings, with few redeeming features, getting away with morally horrific things. A testament to how wearing a shirt and tie can be seen to somehow make horrible people palatable within the context of an inequitable criminal justice sistem - even though there is a moral and an actual violence that results from their actions that is just as contemptible as any criminal. Far more wide reaching than a random meth-head, this is criminality that corrupts the very fabric of the society that serves them (all the while they masquerade as serving society).

Unlike How To Get Away this doesn't really manage the high-wire balancing act within the grey areas of morality, with characters that are less interesting and fall too squarely into being morally reprehensible (also, no Viola Davis). Still oddly watchable in short bursts, though.