‘@TVGMMattRoush
Question:What about Scandal being completely out of focus? After an amazing episode with Olivia going nuts and finally embracing the darkness inside of her, did we really have to get back to the same laziness of she and her love interest drama? Can you figure a less interesting way to return after such an amazing episode like that? And seeing how dramatically the ratings are dropping, is ABC planning to get involved and do something about it, or will they just let Shonda continue to fly solo and destroy this show? — Alexis
Matt Roush: I’ve come to believe there’s a reason the logo for Shondaland is a roller coaster, because her shows tend to have dizzying highs and lows, sometimes within the same episode. From the start, Scandal has been perilously uneven, and often polarizing- — including the reaction to Olivia’s recent murder-by-chair-bashing, which appalled quite a few fans. I’ve enjoyed some of this year’s election storyline, if only because of the opportunity to see Kerry Washington and Bellamy Young (my beloved Mellie) play more scenes together. But the show is undoubtedly a mess, reminding us why the term “guilty pleasure” was ever invented. Can’t really address your question about whether the network will step in, because ABC tends to give Shonda Rhimes fairly free rein to do her thing, for better or worse.
To submit questions to TV Critic Matt Roush, go to: tvinsider.com