(ABC)
On Thursday’s “Scandal,” Fitz and Olivia worked on a plan to prevent his impeachment, while Mellie had to face some hard truths about her marriage. Here are the most important things to know about “Get Out Of Jail, Free,” the sixth episode of season 5.
The episode began with Sally’s “Liberty Report” revealing it was “impeachment week,” with Mellie the first to testify at the congressional hearing. During her testimony, the First Lady claimed she had no idea about Fitz and Olivia’s affair until Liv recently went public, but her lie was exposed with evidence of how she previously helped cover up the romance during the Jeannine Locke scandal. Mellie’s entrapment made Fitz’s lawyer, Patty, decide to change their game plan.
No longer would Fitz testify, and instead he’d claim executive privilege. And to get Olivia out of testifying? Cyrus said they had to get married to claim “spousal privilege.” Liv called the idea “insane,” especially since Fitz and Mellie weren’t even yet divorced. In the meantime, Quinn, Huck, and Abby were all subpoenaed, and they blamed the deceased Harrison for the Locke drama.
Meanwhile, Elise met with Papa Pope in prison, revealing she planned his escape and got him a passport. But the guard who was supposed to help him turned on him, and a brawl broke out leaving the guard dead at Papa Pope’s hands. Jake was notified by the prison hospital, since he had previously visited, and he confronted Elise about her involvement with him. But she claimed she wasn’t intending to help Papa Pope, but kill him.
And when Papa Pope called Olivia to tell her his life was in danger, she immediately hung up on him. Papa Pope then called on Quinn for help, and she refused. Olivia went to Abby for advice on the marriage scheme, saying otherwise she would lie on the stand, even though that would be perjury, to protect Fitz from impeachment. “I love him too much to let that happen,” she said. Abby warned her she could land in prison, to which Liv fired back that life in the White House is pretty much the same thing.
She also clearly didn’t want to get married under these circumstances, but was then surprised by Fitz with a proper proposal, complete with roses and candles. She begged him to “get up,” and stopped him from popping the question. “This is not what I wanted,” she said. “Not some fake storybook romance.” Fitz said he was only doing it out of love, but thought it was now obvious she didn’t want the same. “You’re not ready,” he told her. “And you know what I think? You never will be.”
Asked what she wants, Olivia couldn’t respond, which gave Fitz all the answer he needed. Not surprisingly, Liv then called Jake, asking, “I can be a married person, right?” And even less surprisingly, he was not interested in having such a conversation. Quinn then offered her another solution, which led Olivia to Papa Pope’s bedside. He was faking an illness in fear of being killed in his cell, and begged Liv to get him out. In exchange, he said he could make the whole impeachment mess “disappear.”
Olivia went next to meet a pissed-off Mellie, who feared her Senate career was now over just like her marriage. “I despise you,” Mellie spit. But Liv said if she could secure a “prisoner’s” release, it would be their “way out.” Mellie knew Papa Pope as Damascus, and was stunned to find out he was actually her rival’s father. She refused to help a “murderer” or help Olitz get their happy ending. And then Olivia dropped the bomb: “My father killed your son.”
The next morning, Olivia put on the Betsy Ross heirloom engagement ring, and told Fitz “okay,” but no wedding dress, flowers, or vows — and she’d keep her name. Naturally, she called Jake to let him know she’s “gonna do it,” so he wouldn’t find out through the news. His response? “Whatever.” The call motivated him to join Elise’s plan, and they agreed to meet at Central Station the next day.
Fitz and Mellie had the final divorce details to work out, and of course they sniped at each other the whole time. Fitz accused her of “taking everything I had,” and she questioned how he could see himself as “blameless.” They went back and forth about their transgressions, with her saying he has been at the root of every problem she’s ever had before walking out.
Amidst all this, vice president Susan went to David to find out about resigning, and he told her there would no “legal impediments” to such a move. Asked why she’d want to, though, the VP said Fitz’s behavior has been “disgusting.” David, however, called her out on being scared of becoming president, which would happen if Fitz was impeached by both houses. “I don’t want to be president,” she ultimately confessed. David told her she at least couldn’t be “worse than what we have now.”
In the Oval Office, a dressed-in-white Olivia met her new Secret Service detail, and she clearly became overwhelmed at all the ways her life would be changing. Before the wedding proceedings could begin, however, she got a call from Mellie. The show then cut to Jake meeting Elise at the train station, only to find her sitting there dead. Next, Abby gave Fitz the engagement ring back, as the judiciary members received secret files that led them to call off the whole trial.
The episode ended with Mellie meeting Olivia, and telling her, “You’re going to make me President of the United States. You owe me, Olivia. I gave you what you wanted.” And with that, Papa Pope walked up. The preview for next week showed Liv facing the consequences of her father being out of prison. TELL US: What do you think of tonight’s episode?
