So, taking a break from Veep for another, assumedly differently toned, political show. I’ve heard a lot of good things about Scandal and so I’m giving it a try despite the fact that it’s on *gasp* ABC. Kerry Washington stars as Olivia Pope, the head of a crisis management firm in Washington, DC. This is a really great episode, actually. The series is apparently going to have a season-long story arc and also have a new story every episode and this episode manages to make them both feel like they’re given enough screen time. I found the episode specific story to be surprisingly moving and I loved the fact that Pope & Associates were able to clear their client without finding the real killer; “That’s for the police to do,” one of the characters says, and I kind of love that the episode closes without the murder actually being solved. The season-long arc revolves around a White House intern claiming she slept with the President. The President is ably played by Tony Goldwyn and his Chief of Staff is perfectly played in a wily, suspicious turn by the always great Jeff Perry. The two scenes between Goldwyn and Washington are the obvious highlights of the episode; the two of them have genuine chemistry and this episode sets up the rest of the season perfectly. Season One was a test season of only seven episodes, so we should be done here pretty quick. Color me incredibly excited. This is a great pilot. Highly recommended. 4 stars.
tl;dr – fantastic pilot introduces a stellar cast; Goldwyn and Washington are phenomenal together and the episode excites for the rest of the season. 4 stars.