I've been mentally drained the past months coz of work, which is why anything TV-related I want to blog about seems to be enough for this 140-character limit. (Follow me!)
But, as a TV viewer, Shondaland must've really broken me. Because I felt the need to blog and pour my thoughts about her new show Scandal. I guess that this only shows how strong my feelings are about this. (Haters gonna hate, yes?)
Ever since the Danny Duquette brouhaha on Grey's Anatomy, I've been predisposed to dislike anything she does. (It's your work, hon. And it is personal!)
I know I'm being unfair. I acknowledge I have issues I need to work out. But since therapy is expensive, blogging about it would help. Right?
So, let me turn to her show now...
Scandal... A political thriller based on Judy Smith, who used to work under Pres. George W. Bush. The premise seems new to me because I'm not aware of any other crisis-management team like it on TV, so it's supposed to be different from any other cop or law series.
But as the episode unfolds, everything about it is pretty basic and cliche'.
A new girl is welcomed to Olivia Pope's team. She's naive and nervous and she cries on her first day at work because she discovers that Pope, her idol, the best crisis-manager in the world without the superhero costume, is sort of a monster in high heels. How long can she stomach working for her? And what's the deal with Pope? Why is there a broom stuck up her ass?
Olivia Pope screams "type A personality". I'm supposed to be scared of her. I'm supposed to believe she's so bad-ass, she can boldly deal with a gun-totting Ukranian kidnapper and he would fold, or even talk back to the President of the United States and he would listen.
But the problem is, I hate her face. Dear gad, how she frowns a lot! She struts with this scowl tattooed on her. And I'm supposed to be convinced she's fierce?
There's a side to Pope that's also vulnerable, by the way. Her heart was broken at one point. (See? Cliche'!) And it was the kind of heartbreak that reached powerful heights, she must've been really devastated. (I don't wanna give anything away, in case you want to watch.)
I'm not liking this co-worker either:
Her enthusiasm, just like Pope's fierce look, is so unconvincing. There's also a side to this character I'm sure the show will delve into later because as it turns out, Overly-Enthusiastic Lady here is pinning for someone she can't have. And she works closely with this guy.
Something else about Scandal I don't get it is how fast these characters talk. And it's not in the way only the best Aaron Sorkin series would have executed it.
I got the sense that the fast-talk was needed to reel audience in. Since this team is supposed to be working under pressure all the time (hello, crisis-management!), talking fast should give viewers a feel of just how critical the situation is.
The problem was, I was more annoyed, rather than convinced, by it.
Whining aside, I'm gonna stick till three more episodes to see where this goes for three reasons:
- Scandal had a promising debut and there were feedback from other viewers about liking the show, I must be missing something. And I intend to find out what that is.
- Henry Ian Cusick
- Joshua Malina
For those of you who haven't, give it a try... and perhaps you and I can whine together and resolve our issues. :D
