March Makeovers: Does ‘Scandal’ season 5 need a further spark?

We know that there are a lot of people out there who are big believers in the idea of a sophomore slump for many shows, and we will say that sometimes, it does exist. However, just as often we would say that there is something else out there that also exists in the Sophomore Success Story, a phenomenon in which a show spikes to its highest point in creativity, and tells some wonderful stories that keep you on the edge of your seat.

When it comes to “Scandal” on ABC, we’d say that this show experienced that and then some in season 2. It had some great storylines, drama, a soapy feel, and this caused the show to build to what we’d say was its most commercially-successful time in season 3. Since that time the ratings have fallen hard, and we feel like there is a fairly logical reason for that in that the numbers just haven’t been there in the same way that they were.

Is this drop because of quality? While we’re not going to say that the show is now bad, there are some things that need fixing … and these are things to be discussed fully in this latest edition of our March Makeovers article series.

What’s wrong? – More than anything else, we’d lay the biggest problem for the show at the feet of there simply being way too much going on as opposed to what the original premise of the show was: Watching Olivia Pope “fix” clients who had done extremely scandalous things. We’ve seen the series become complicated with B613 and Elizabeth North and a wide array of other plotlines, and we feel like it’s caused it to be unfocused. We do find Jake Ballard and Rowan interesting, but we almost feel like they need to be on their separate show. Instead, keep “Scandal” more about Olivia Pope and Associates, and give the show more of that hybrid feel with stories-of-the-week and then also larger plotlines.

How to fix it – First, simplify the main cast and focus more on OPA, and then also things going on with the White House. Get rid of a lot of the espionage stuff, and also give us at least a few reasons to want to like Fitz as a character again. The guy has been so miserable as of late that it’s hard to see any redeeming qualities. In some ways, it feels like so much energy is being put into Mellie’s campaign, it’s easy to forget that he is actually President at present. Focus more on these characters and why we like them, since this is the way to keep people excited. We’ve become so numb to the “OMG” moments that it’s hard to be surprised by any of them.

What do you think that “Scandal” needs to do to get back some of the momentum that it once had? Share below, and head over here to get some other scoop on the series! Also, sign up over here to get some other TV news on all we cover, sent right over to you via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: ABC.)