ABC’s ‘Scandal’ season 3: Dan Bucatinsky reacts to shocker

Obviously, we’ll start this “Scandal” episode off with a major message: Stop reading now if you haven’t watched the episode yet. Otherwise, you will likely be extremely disappointed about what you read the rest of the wait.

It was assumed that there was going to be a death on this week’s episode, but who thought that the person who was going to pass would be James? It makes sense, especially when you think that he had his own involvement with B613 and posed a threat to them. But still, seeing him die while Jake watched over him was one of the saddest things the show has ever done.

Speaking about the matter in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Dan Bucatinsky tried to put into words just what it was like finding out the news that his character was dying, and how it took a big emotional toll on him:

“It was really hard to take; I pulled over to the side of the road and was in shock. It was a tough pill to swallow and took me a long time to wrap my head around. I started going through the five stages of grief: anger, denial, bargaining. I sent an email to producers playing out some thoughts I had. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I hadn’t tried! (Laughs.) Then I entered the sadness stage; I kept thinking about James’ glasses, pockets squares and daughter, Ella. I started to feel the sadness of the death of the character. I was promised [I could] read the script before the table read for the episode. I sat in an office two hours before the table read and wept as I read that episode with all the flashbacks, the dancing sequence and the final moment. I can’t complain. As an actor who has to die on a show, I feel honored to be in an episode like that.”

Will we see James in some more flashbacks? It’s certainly possible, but for the time being, we have to accept this situation as it is … and that is not an easy thing to do for many fans of Cyrus and James.

Are you still shocked that James is dead, and where do you think that “Scandal” is going to go from here? Share some of your thoughts on the matter below, and also visit the link here if you want to get a sense as to what is coming up on the show. You can also sign up now to get further updates via our CarterMatt Newsletter.

Photo: ABC