I Will Try to Fix You: Scandal “Say Hello to My Little Friend” Review

By Chelsea Hensley

Last night’s episode of Scandal, “Say Hello to My Little Friend” saw OPA representing an Anthony Weiner-esque senator whose sexting scandals go up a notch when one of the recipients of his texts is murdered, and he’s the main suspect.  Though no one is enthusiastic about representing him,  OPA is on unsteady legs after most of their clients jumped ship and they had to practically beg to get this one.  The senator (Patrick Fabian) isn’t an ideal client, but he’s a client with a problem that is solvable, unlike the other big issue in Olivia’s life: her father.

Not many things scare Olivia Pope, but one thing definitely does, and it’s Rowan.

While Jake wants Olivia and Huck to help take Rowan down, neither is optimistic about their chances  in coming out on top.  Rowan’s a powerful guy, perhaps the most powerful player we’ve met thus far.  He pulls Cyrus’ strings and isn’t subject to the demands of even the President.  So of course Olivia isn’t excited about the prospect of going toe-to-toe with a man who hasn’t lost a fight in his life.  The last time Olivia went against him Rowan made sure to put her back in her place, and with the stakes being even higher now, there’s no way Olivia could make it out of this one unscathed.

This high-powered, successful fixer who is admired, respected and even capable of scaring a few people herself, is afraid of her own father. In order to keep herself safe – and sane – Olivia’s ready to give in to her father’s demands.  She’s ready to be a “good girl”, because she doubts she has any other choice in the matter.   Already drowning in her professional life, Olivia’s more willing to give in, attend the Sunday dinners and do whatever Rowan says, than to risk sinking herself and her staff.  So she focuses on what she can win which brings her to the case of her Sexting Senator.

But as the episode went on even that had a question mark hanging over it.

Though the senator was acquitted in court, it was a hollow win.  The public still despises him for his inability to keep his private bits private, and the actual murderer went free (which is simply not the way Olivia likes to do things).  Though OPA got a nice check at the end of it all, Olivia’s reputation is still sunk, and she’s stuck in unfamiliar territory.

Guillermo Diaz as the troubled Huck (ABC/Randy Holmes)

Even when her personal life was on shaky foundation, Olivia could always rely on her status in the world of Washington where she rubs elbows with political royalty, privy to their secrets and their lies and capable of manipulating an entire situation, even an entire country, to suit her needs. Now even that is in shambles. She’s not Olivia Pope, fixer.  She’s Olivia Pope, in need of a fixer herself.  The old Olivia has been buried beneath a presidential sex scandal, and she’s having trouble digging herself out.

After everything, Jake asks Olivia is she’s okay.  Her response:  “I don’t know what I am.”   What is Olivia Pope?  She’s taken a lot of pride in her career, and suddenly it’s not what it used to be.  Now the only titles she can give herself are the President’s ex-mistress and daughter of Command.  Nowhere in there is Olivia Pope, fixer.  If she can’t be Olivia Pope, fixer, then what can she be?  What does she have that’s really hers?

Also trying to keep themselves afloat are Huck and Jake, but they find different ways of coping. Huck’s just trying to keep it together and is back in AA meetings speaking in metaphors about his relapse into murder.  Meanwhile Jake is trailing Rowan looking for weaknesses. Even when Jake and Huck agree about stopping Rowan and reclaiming their autonomy, Olivia doesn’t commit.  The fear is still there, and it’s unlikely it’ll go away anytime soon, but Operation: Remington may be just what they need.  This could be the very thing to separate Olivia from her father for good, but could it also mean taking down Fitz?

Whatever happened on the mission is still pulling at Fitz, and it’s something that makes him guilty enough to arrange a military funeral for Pete Foster. It also compels him to go straight to Rowan in what he calls an overdue “reunion”. If Rowan and Fitz once conspired to keep Remington buried before, are they going to be on the same page again?  Is Olivia going to have to choose between freeing herself from her father’s influence and protecting the man she loves?  Though reclaiming her title as Washington D.C’s favorite fixer may be an uphill battle, her chances of gaining an advantage have slightly improved.

And all isn’t lost on the professional front either.

Next week Olivia takes on Josephine Marcus (Lisa Kudrow) as a new client. Helping Josephine, Democratic senator and presidential contender, work around her abandoned baby scandal could be a huge boost to Olivia’s professional image.  Still, it’s certainly going to put her at odds with Fitz and the White House, perhaps even damning Fitz’s chances for reelection.  Taking Josephine on as a client could be at the expense of a presidency Olivia helped steal, but it’ll get her right back where she belongs: at the top. The same is true with Operation: Remington.  Whatever that entails could give Olivia some peace of mind, but how much peace can she find if she ends up destroying Fitz? Even with the sparks between her and Jake, Olivia and Fitz aren’t finished yet, but maybe they will be if Olivia has to sacrifice him for her own happiness.

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