1. A woman of color is the lead.
And she's incredible. Kerry Washington plays lead character Olivia Pope, independent "fixer" and ex campaign worker for current president Fitzgerald Grant, with whom she has a long-standing and complex relationship. She is a beautiful example of a woman of color in a position of power who will not be trivialized or demeaned for her gender or her race, and when people try to, she calls them out. Olivia Pope is an icon and a blessing considering the lack of diversity in our media today.
2. A variety of strong female characters.
On top of Olivia Pope's resounding brilliance, the series has a number of other recurring female cast members that portray women as diverse, powerful, good, evil, and everything in between. They are dynamic characters that tackle a number of issues and all come with their own personal demons. They love, they hate, they fight, and they cry. They are strong female characters, and not in the sense that they punch things, like people like to say strong female characters are. They are human, and that is what makes these women strong.
3. They portray a neuroatypical man with respect.
Huck, a main character and ex-CIA, is displayed, from the beginning, as a respectable human being. His neurological differences and ticks are not seen as inhibitors to his capabilities but as simply part of his being. He is respected for his intelligence and is never belittled by those around him, a stark contrast to the usual condescension with which characters with neurological disorders are treated in modern media.
4. A gay man is another central character, but his character is not centered on his sexuality.
Cyrus Beene, the President's Chief of Staff, is an openly gay man, but his storyline is not his sexuality. He's married, he's happy, and he [spoiler alert] adopts a baby with his journalist partner. He is allowed to have very human struggles that are not inextricably linked to his gayness, and he is not written as a stereotype. And he has comebacks that cut like knives.
5. The president is not a god.
Fitzgerald Grant is as human and as involved as any other character in the show, and he's not treated differently by other characters because he's the POTUS. He is plagued by feelings of inadequacy, haunted by experiences in his past, and is scared for the future--even though he's having these anxieties in the highest office in the land.
6. The team is incredibly relatable.
Olivia Pope & Associates is a group of diverse, relatable characters that tap into every vein of American society. Abby is a victim of domestic abuse. Harrison is an ex-con who speaks regularly and eloquently about the Black male experience. Quinn and Huck are...less relatable (no spoilers).
7. Great throwback music.
Weaved throughout this series is an incredible set of throwback tunes that set a fun vibe but also remind you that these problems are not new. From "Don't You Worry Bout a Thing" to "I'm Every Woman", these songs are meticulously laced through episodes to highlight emotions, problems, and events characters navigate. There are characters that enhance the placement of the music and references to scandals like Watergate to ensure the viewer's acknowledgement of the cycle. Because just as there are news cycles to tell you about scandals, there will always be a new scandal.
8. The show doesn't shy away from "buzz words".
The words "racist", "sexist", and the modern f-bomb "feminist" have all been dropped without fear on this show. Show creator Shonda Rhimes and the writers are deliberately writing a show for the modern progressive audience. Olivia questions the racial differences between her and the President. Presidential candidate Senator Jodie Marcus [pictured below] questions the gendered staging of her interview and the gendered language with which she's introduced into it. If you want a show with representation and legitimate questioning of social norms, Scandal's jam packed.
In short, Scandal is perfect. Grab your red wine and popcorn, curl up on your couch at 9 P.M. every Thursday, and watch this new classic.
