ABC’s ‘Scandal’ season 5, episode 11 review: Mellie Grant, Susan Ross’ Presidential dilemmas

Even though Fitzgerald Grant may still be President of the United States on “Scandal,” there is one thing that we’re really starting to get a sense of: Nobody really seems to care. Much like true American politics, everyone is already starting to move on to the next election, and we feel like the writers are also setting up here some that there could be an election for the upcoming sixth season.

In one corner, we have Mellie Grant. This is a woman who has wanted, rather desperately, to be President for a long time. She wants to be in the Oval Office so badly that she is pressing Olivia Pope of all people for advice, and she constructs a narrative for her about inner strength so that the American people genuinely believe that she wants to be President. It’s a smart move, and a step in the right direction for the former First Lady.

As for Susan Ross, let’s just say that she doesn’t really want to be President. She doesn’t seem to think that this is the right venue for her skill set, and she also remembers how she was effectively appointed as VP as a way for Mellie to continue to hold all of the power. Who was to bet that the American people would vastly prefer her over almost anyone else? It’s certainly surprising, and Elizabeth North is pushing hard for it.

It’s therefore unfortunate that it doesn’t seem as though Susan is budging … at least for now.

At this point “Scandal” largely is what it is, and that is a sometimes-surprising character drama that does find a way to come up with some bold storytelling choices here and there. What we appreciated here was the focus largely on politics, and the show managing to avoid some of what it struggles at, in between all of the spy business, love stories, and characters we don’t care too much about. Grade: B+.

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