The episode starts with Mellie discovering Fitz and Olivia making out in the Oval Office, probably the most recorded room in world history. Mellie at least has the head necessary to stick to the news she came to give. She must have enjoyed telling her completely faithless husband that his VP was betraying him. Which VP Sally does, noting Fitz's moral failings as she announces she's running for President as an Independent. But VP Sally isn't just out for a chance at the White House- she needs to make sure Fitz screws up to a point where not even Rockefeller Republicans will support him. So she announces that she'll stay on as VP for the rest of her term, enraging Team Fitz. James reacts by wanting to know what he'll tell the press; Cyrus needs to see the polls before he'll tell James what to say. So, essentially, Team Fitz scrambles to find out what America wants to hear so they can say it with a straight face.
I can't just go out and say what I think, dammit!
The highlight of tonight's episode, hands down, is the 2-minute speech Daddy Pope (Joe Morton. I'm just going to repeat that man's name until everyone knows it and acknowledges his performance on this show.) gives Olivia in some DC Park. I've attached the video just to make sure everyone sees it. Daddy Pope literally scolds his daughter, telling her that Fitz has defiled her and the organization Daddy Pope literally sold his soul to. Fitz kidnapped Daddy Pope to then brag about fucking Olivia while a terrorist who betrayed Daddy Pope personally escaped the country. To say that Daddy Pope is out for blood is putting it mildly. Fitz will be lucky if blood is the only fluid Daddy Pope takes. While almost no one on the show knows all that much about Daddy Pope, he knows everything about everyone involved, even Fitz. Will Daddy Pope ruin Fitz before finally killing him? His speech left little room to think Fitz will be killed quickly, much less quietly. Will Cyrus' and Olivia's vote rigging be exposed? Will Fitz's murder of a judge who knew about the vote rigging be exposed? The scandal could take everyone down, including DA David, who knew about the scheme and used it to bargain for his job. James perjured himself to protect Cyrus. Fitz killed to keep it quiet. Even Mellie was involved. The only characters who would be left standing are Jake, Quinn and Charlie. If Daddy Pope is going to out Project Defiance, it would make some sense that he's warning Olivia to get out of the game, and get away from Fitz now.
You're in big trouble, young lady!
Jake has a sit-down with Charlie, much like the loyalty swearing necessary by mid-level employees must endure when their favorite boss has just jumped ship for the competition. Charlie swears his loyalty to B-613, and apparently has no hard feelings towards Jake, or soft ones for Daddy Pope. Jake warns Charlie that he's not to involve Quinn in B-613 business, as Jake doesn't trust her. Charlie, who got Quinn to betray the other Gladiators by tricking and then extorting her, doesn't bat an eye as he promises Jake what he wants.
David and James have two meetings. At the first, James refuses to help David, telling him he'll have to proceed on his own and pointing out that David has the recording of VP Sally's phone call to Cyrus. David points out that he can't use it, and James will have to help him. It's after that interview that Publius makes his debut.
VP Sally is doing tremendously well, considering all the self-serving bullshit she's convinced herself of. Apparently, it's not her fault Daniel Douglas is dead. It was Satan. And abortion. Or something. Leo rolls with it.
Totally not delusional at all
Quinn and Charlie, meanwhile, are not done cleaning up after VP Sally's crime. Cyrus brings them in after an anonymous tip to a journalist leads to questions about the autopsy on Daniel Douglas, he of the purple button-down shirts and the sad closet he lived in. The tip comes from a source named "Publius", calling some unremarkable reporter with cryptic warnings about Daniel Douglas' non-existent autopsy. To get the coroner to give the right answer to the press, Quinn uses her people skills on a pre-teen kid. At first, he's justifiably suspicious; but Quinn knows enough familiar names and then invokes the possibility of ice cream. Hell, I'd get in the car. But it works. The coroner knows better than to talk now.
Olivia's talking points about VP Sally and her move are more of the same: patriotism attacks, loyalty attacks, etc. Basically, VP Sally is today's Benedict Arnold. Leo Bergen is completely unconcerned. Radio stations are playing classic rock homages to her, plus she keeps her day job where she can undermine Fitz at every turn. Leo spends the episode buttering Sally up to keep her on the warpath, needling Cyrus, and using the cover-up of VP Sally's crime to worm his way into the game. A master who Cyrus cannot intimidate.
Which makes Fitz's choice of new running mate a bitter pill for Team Fitz to swallow. Fitz, concerned about "loyalty", drunkenly demands that he run with his former California Lt. Governor, Andrew Nichols. His team point out the obvious demographic problems of Nichols, but Fitz uses a tumbler to make a point. It's sad to see Cyrus treated like a slave from an 1800s narrative, mostly because we know this is the life Cyrus chose for himself, and repeatedly chooses over his own husband. Olivia looks like this is the first time she's seen Fitz in angry-drunk mode. Really, Olivia?
Leo further proves his chops in his first debate with Abby. Leo completely ignores the issues, and resurrects the rumor of Olivia's affair with Fitz. Abby is flustered, using a really unfortunate metaphor to combat Leo and fail wildly. It's to the point that Mellie has to get involved, mostly because Cyrus blames her for the Olivia problem. So, Mellie has a very public frenemies lunch. These two ladies are masters of the political game, and stage the friendliest-looking cat fight ever scene. Mellie gets the better of Olivia, though. She gives Olivia a folder full of info on DC's best bachelors, and tells her to pick one. Any one. Olivia has to have a relationship of her own to keep working with Fitz. It's like having a fake spouse to convince people you're straight, only Olivia just needs a fake boyfriend to convince the world she's not a home-wrecker.
Best Frenemies Forever!!!
In the meantime, Olivia has the job of vetting Andrew Nichols for running for the VP slot. Nichols has no scandals, but no family. Just a long list of former, uninteresting girlfriends. Olivia confronts Nichols, demanding to know why he isn't married. Is he gay? No. Is he a player? No. Just heartbroken years ago, and looking for professional success to replace the loss. Olivia, stupidly, doesn't try to figure out who exactly broke the poor man's heart. It won't be important until it threatens the campaign.
Meanwhile, Harrison has been acting terrified of someone named Adnan Salif for the entire season. Was he frightened for his life? Nope, his virtue. Salif turns out to be a striking woman who shows up in the office while Harrison is all by his lonesome. Her main danger to Harrison? That he can't resist her. She claims that she wants to talk about his future. They don't talk much in this episode. Maybe we'll see what game she's playing by season's end.
Fitz and Olivia talk about whether she should get a fake boyfriend, with Fitz hating the idea and Olivia warning that she'll have to resign to avoid any more rumors about them. Fitz has a tantrum that involves trying to make out with Olivia to show she's not going anywhere. Knowing he's trying to express his power over her rather than affection, Olivia just looks scared. And wondering what she's gotten herself into.
James and David meet again, this time with more dirt to go over that James brings because he has decided to bug Cyrus' office. What's more, James is on a rampage now. Repeating that Cyrus is a monster, he declares that he will be the most thorough double-agent in White House history, and praises Publius for trying to get someone besides David to investigate Team Fitz. David reminds James that Publius is playing a dangerous game just in time realize that James is Publius. James is literally doing all he can to destroy his own husband. That's one way to get custody.
Only and idiot would... oh. You're the idiot.
Olivia, playing the Dating Game, makes a decision. Even though he's not on Mellie's list, he's still an excellent pick. And she goes to his apartment herself to ask him pretty please? Telling him she knows that he's the new command of B-613, she also tells him she wants Quinn back. Jake, who has already told Charlie that Quinn ain't working for B-613 while he's in charge, tells Olivia he doesn't have Quinn. So Olivia has to ask for the really super huge favor she needs from him. And he says....
But the real Man Scorned tonight is Andrew Nichols. Mellie, who has not liked Fitz's choice at all, finally makes it obvious why not- because she's the girl who broke Andrew's heart years ago. Andrew flat out tells her he's been waiting to see her again for years, promising the audience that he'll be trying to get what he couldn't have years ago now. Right when Fitz needs loyalty first. Mellie ends the episode between them- the man who hates her but has made her career, and a man who loves her and could ruin everything she's worked, plotted, and suffered for. Lucky girl.
Mellie only holds hands with guys she truly hates
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