Shonda Rhimes Scandal is Lacking Love

Shonda Rhimes Scandal is Lacking Love

By Cassandra George Sturges

Shonda Rhimes is the only person, I have ever tweeted a personal message. In fact, I learned how to tweet just so that I could tweet her an urgent, urgent message last season—I begged her not to kill Jake Ballard. I don’t think she read my tweet—but that’s not important—because Jake is still on the show. Whew! 

I have never loved any show in my life, the way I love Scandal. I haven’t gone to therapy to figure out why—it just is what it is.

After watching last week’s, Scandal: Wildcard on February 25, 2016, I now understand why Scandal is not as entertaining to me as it was in the past seasons. I need 3 L’s in balance in order to be happy with a book, movie, or television series: Love, Lust, and Loyalty.

Scandal season 5 so far is saturated with Lust. Jake is fucking Olivia Pope or visa versa. Vice President Chief of Staff, Elizabeth North is banging Attorney General, David Rosen--who is giving it to, Vice President, Susan Ross. President Fitzgerald is screwing a reporter. I don’t know what the hell happened to Cyrus Beene’s husband. I don’t find just sex with a script and a political agenda entertaining. It feels hollow.

Too much lust is like too much salt. Without it the food is bland, with too much it’s not edible, the perfect amount brings out the best natural flavors in the food. For me right now, Scandal is too Salty.

Loyalty is lackluster too, so far in season 5 of Scandal. White House Chief of Staff, Cyrus Beene, who is one of my favorite characters on the show, is no longer loyal to the president. It breaks my heart after the episode where they exchanged memories of how much they loved and respected each other.

I must have played it a thousand times. Cyrus shared a story about how he picked the bananas from Fitz’s bowl of fruit because Fitz doesn’t like bananas. You know the episode where Cyrus tells Fitz that he doesn’t remember his mother’s name. Then Fitz tells Cyrus a story about how his moods were affected by whether or not he had received a letter from his mother that day…then at the end Fitz tell Cyrus… your mother’s name was “Helen.” Best writing ever!!! It still brings tears to my eyes.

Shonda Rhimes, after this episode—how could the love and loyalty between Fitz and Cyrus be so nonexistent? I would whether watch them fight—than be nothing to each other.

And what about the deep, soul-mate love that you, led us to believe that was unbreakable between Fitz and Olivia? Again, I need the relationships to be rich, complex, and meaningful.I want to see them make it work with ups and downs. I want to see Fitz cry when he learns that she aborted their unborn fetus. I want to see a big screen movie of their wedding and how he almost went back to Mellie. 

(My bad-- this your story not mine. I need to get to writing the Jungle Beauty Goddesses, Book 3. I am sorry.)

The relationships between the main characters are the foundation for all of the B613, Olivia Pope and Associates client’s ordeals, the elections… I don’t care about those things if the main characters do not have enough love and loyalty to glue the changing episode pieces together. None of the characters seem really happy or passionate anymore. Lust keeps the series juicy and fun, but it is not enough to fill your spirit to continue to watch week after week, and then wait months and months for it to return between seasons… Well unless, you are a hopelessly addicted fan like myself.