The "pro" of this habit is that it ensures Scandal will always be addictive and much-discussed due to its shamelessly and even bravely insane approach to soapy melodrama. However, the "con" is that too many of these twists rely on destroying the moral fiber of one or more characters. It services the story, but short-changes the good work the actors have done in building up a complex and beloved character over the time they have been on the show.
One day, it's hero to "never mind, you're evil." I think it's disheartening and disillusioning in many cases. The best Scandal OMGs manage to make jaws drop without cheaply stabbing a character's integrity in the sometimes-proverbial back. So here's a list of the biggest Scandal shark-jumps to date, both in terms of shock factor and just...you know...why, Shonda, why?
1. Fitz kills Verna - There are so many reasons why I hated this moment. Sure, Fitz was always an immature and egotistical whiner, but he had some fine qualities, too. He's hot and sparks amazing chemistry with Olivia. Equally part and parcel to the intense love between "Olitz" was her admiration and deep belief in Fitz's strong moral fiber as the American President. The reason she was so inspired by him originally was that Fitz embodied the American dream. Even the cynical Cyrus believed that Fitz was the real deal: an honest (aside from his marital behaviors, clearly) and admirably patriotic man with America's best interests at heart.
But Scandal chose to throw all of that away as if it meant nothing at all. Sorry, you can't kill someone and then act like it was no biggie and keep being President. Ever since this murder occurred, the character has gone steadily downhill. I thoroughly agree with Papa Pope: Fitz is a boy. A spoiled and morally bankrupt criminal with no business in the White House or in Olivia's arms. Since the whole show revolves around the Olitz romance, this did really ruin everything on one level. Thankfully, Scandal is too entertaining not to keep on chugging along into further irrepressible infamy. But Fitz becoming a criminal just totally destroyed one of the show's most pivotal characters.
Why Shonda Why factor: 10/10
How many sharks jumped? 10/10
2. Huck tortures Quinn - The next-worst example of a ruined character is Huck, the sweet, yet completely unhinged and uncontrollable former B6-13 assassin who will straight jack you up if you even might know something about anything. I know all that, and I even agree with Huck's recent speech to Liv about how she never should have let him have Quinn as a protege, and that Olivia let the monster loose and all that. Fine. Yup. Sure.
But can Huck ever be redeemed as a character after pulling out Quinn's teeth? Not even a little bit, sorry, and the mere idea of him and Quinn having a romance after that is nauseating (of course, I'm on Team Charlie anyway). Was the original scene and the plotline that developed from it amazingly well-acted and compellingly daring, horrifically spell-binding television? Yes, and that's what makes this shark-jump a million times better than Fitz killing Verna. At least it had/has all of that going for it, not to mention the legendary quote "YOLO, Quinn."
Why Shonda Why factor: 9/10
How many sharks jumped? 8/10
3. Jake kills James - We can all see a pattern emerging here, right? Scandal again attempted to ruin a perfectly good nice guy character when Jake recently gunned down James and several others to cover up the Daniel Douglas murder. Not only does this fly in the face of everything we'd previously seen Jake say or do as a basically moral human being, but we're not even treated (yet anyway) to an explanation of when he changed his mind and decided to kill these people to protect America from realizing that the first lady is a killer. I do appreciate his explanation to Olivia as to why he felt he had to do it himself, as well as his backstory-illuminating monolog from the beginning of his murderous episode. But still. Meh.
I say "attempted to ruin" because somehow, even though he murdered one of the show's most completely adorable and sadly already much abused characters, Jake is not completely unredeemable. To put it in Papa Pope terms, Jake simply needs to be dragged back out into the light. The fact that Jake is so smolderingly and unbelievably gorgeous is another mitigating factor. Swoon.
Why Shonda Why factor: 7/10
How many sharks jumped? 5/10
4. Pretty much everything Cyrus does to James - Scandal puts so much time and energy into making us believe in the love between Cyrus and James. We're pummeled with the idea that his love for James is the only redeeming quality about Cyrus. And then, we're asked to keep believing that when Cyrus almost has James assassinated and then pimps him out to Daniel Douglas. And we're expected to feel sorry for Cyrus when his continued manipulation and emotional abuse or neglect of his husband yields predictably terrible results. Sorry, Cy. I love it when you say the funny things to the people. But when it comes to the James thing, I really hate you.
Why Shonda Why factor: 7/10
How many sharks jumped? 5/10
5. Fitz shot down Mama Pope's Plane - The nuttiest element of the completely maniacal Mama Pope backstory was definitely the reveal that while in the military, Fitz was tricked into shooting down a plane full of innocent people. At the time, we thought he'd also killed Olivia's mom, and even though that was disproved by M.P.'s happy, healthy, wicked return, there's still all of those other people on the plane that have Fitz to thank for their demise. Twisted!
Why Shonda Why factor: 5/10
How many sharks jumped? 6/10What do you think of Scandal's shark-jumping proclivities? Any shocking moments you'd add to the list? Share your thoughts in the comments!
