ABC’s ‘Scandal’ season 5, episode 5 review: Cyrus challenges Fitz in one awkward job interview

The fifth season of “Scandal” started off in a relatively uncertain place, but it certainly feels clear that matters have changed ever since then. This is a story that has become about Olivia Pope coming clean and battling her demons, while at the same time Fitz is being challenged over the impeachment hearing.

Through most of the episode, Fitz tried to think of a wide array of potential problems as he could be removed from office over his affair. Basically Congress was just looking for a reason, and eventually they started to figure it out: West Angola. The tape that exists out there makes it fairly clear that Olivia was a key point in his decision to go to war, and if that was ever revealed, it would be “game over” for him. He needed to get back anyone who could expose him, and that included Cyrus.

Jeff Perry is brilliant in this role. What we love about Cyrus is that while he wants to be back with Fitz, he wants it on a matter of respect. He does not want it just because Fitz feels like this is his only move. After a long speech in which he explained how he knows everything about the President, he made it clear that he did not want the gig. It was only after Cyrus turned him down that Fitz made it clear that he did care about him much more than he let on, and this was the real last-ditch effort to win him back. Cyrus then agreed … but only after a series of demands that included the end of Elizabeth North.

Another strong performance tonight came from Kerry Washington, who delivered a gut-punch of a speech during a TV interview explaining how she wishes she never met Fitz, but unfortunately, she was in too deep with him now to imagine life without her.

This episode of “Scandal” was, perhaps unequivocally, the best of the season. It kept things simple, focused on a few characters, and set the stage for events to come. Episode Grade: A-.

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