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Scandal

  • TV Series
  • 2012–2018
  • TV-14
  • 43m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
82K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
565
27
Kerry Washington in Scandal (2012)
A former White House Communications Director starts her own crisis management firm only to realize her clients are not the only ones with secrets.
Play trailer0:31
21 Videos
99+ Photos
Political DramaPolitical ThrillerDramaThriller

A former White House Communications Director starts her own crisis management firm only to realize her clients are not the only ones with secrets.A former White House Communications Director starts her own crisis management firm only to realize her clients are not the only ones with secrets.A former White House Communications Director starts her own crisis management firm only to realize her clients are not the only ones with secrets.

  • Creator
    • Shonda Rhimes
  • Stars
    • Kerry Washington
    • Darby Stanchfield
    • Katie Lowes
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    82K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    565
    27
    • Creator
      • Shonda Rhimes
    • Stars
      • Kerry Washington
      • Darby Stanchfield
      • Katie Lowes
    • 338User reviews
    • 50Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Primetime Emmys
      • 36 wins & 71 nominations total

    Episodes124

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    Videos21

    You're in Danger
    Clip 0:17
    You're in Danger
    Sweep Day
    Clip 1:19
    Sweep Day
    Sweep Day
    Clip 1:19
    Sweep Day
    Scandal: The Complete First Season
    Clip 1:14
    Scandal: The Complete First Season
    Scandal: The Complete First Season
    Clip 1:17
    Scandal: The Complete First Season
    Scandal: The Complete First Season
    Clip 0:45
    Scandal: The Complete First Season
    Scandal: The Complete First Season
    Clip 1:13
    Scandal: The Complete First Season

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    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Kerry Washington
    Kerry Washington
    • Olivia Pope
    • 2012–2018
    Darby Stanchfield
    Darby Stanchfield
    • Abby Whelan
    • 2012–2018
    Katie Lowes
    Katie Lowes
    • Quinn Perkins
    • 2012–2018
    Guillermo Diaz
    Guillermo Diaz
    • Huck
    • 2012–2018
    Jeff Perry
    Jeff Perry
    • Cyrus Beene
    • 2012–2018
    Joshua Malina
    Joshua Malina
    • David Rosen
    • 2012–2018
    Bellamy Young
    Bellamy Young
    • Mellie Grant
    • 2012–2018
    Tony Goldwyn
    Tony Goldwyn
    • Fitzgerald Grant
    • 2012–2018
    Scott Foley
    Scott Foley
    • Jake Ballard
    • 2013–2018
    Joe Morton
    Joe Morton
    • Rowan Pope
    • 2013–2018
    George Newbern
    George Newbern
    • Charlie
    • 2012–2018
    Cornelius Smith Jr.
    Cornelius Smith Jr.
    • Marcus Walker
    • 2015–2018
    Portia de Rossi
    Portia de Rossi
    • Elizabeth North
    • 2014–2017
    Columbus Short
    Columbus Short
    • Harrison Wright
    • 2012–2018
    Kate Burton
    Kate Burton
    • Sally Langston
    • 2012–2018
    Erica Shaffer
    Erica Shaffer
    • Reporter Julia…
    • 2012–2018
    Brian Letscher
    Brian Letscher
    • Tom Larsen
    • 2012–2018
    Dan Bucatinsky
    Dan Bucatinsky
    • James Novak
    • 2012–2017
    • Creator
      • Shonda Rhimes
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews338

    7.781.8K
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    Featured reviews

    8cookiekatz

    Great series

    I really love this series and think the acting and story are terrific!

    My only complaint is that more often than not it seems as though someone hit the fast forward button. Most of the actors speak so fast that it is difficult to follow and I am constantly rewinding to catch what they said. Also, the picture is at times too dark.

    It would be much better if they could slow the pace just a little. It really does seem as though the actors are being timed to see how fast they can say their lines.

    The casting of the characters is very good and I hope the show stays on the air for many years.
    chubbydave

    Look at me; I'm So Sophisticated

    This is about the most reprehensible people you could ever dream about. It starts off with the group hacking a voting machine to facilitate the election of Fitzgerald Grant (with a name like that, you know he's gotta be a weenie). Then from there it escalates to murder, treason, torture and lying with the intent of obtaining and/or maintaining power.

    And they never do anything with this power. I mean, the entire series these people are doing these horrible things to gain control of The White House, but once they obtain the power they have no agenda neither to enrich themselves nor to cut taxes or help the poor. It's playing "King of the Mountain". Once you get up there, your only objective is to stay up there.

    There doesn't seem to be much creativity in writing dialogue. The dialogue seems to always go the same way. The President likes to make a decision, and then after his advisers tell him the risks of the decision, he repeats himself with a louder voice. I want a bologna sandwich with cheese. But, Mr. President, cheese is bad for your cholesterol and bologna is bad for your gout. I WANT A BOLOGNA SANDWICH WITH CHEESE! It's dramatic the first time, but after five times per episode it tends to just get annoying. Another character is Huck, and he talks as if he always has to go to the bathroom. Olivia. I have to go to the bathroom real bad. Is it number one or number two, Huck? It's number twoooooooo.

    Another thing that happens frequently is that a character will give a lecture to someone else looking them right in the eye, talking rapidly and loud and over pronouncing the words. We'll take the bologna and cheese sandwich as an example. No. You are going to go into the kitchen and grab some carrots. Then you are going to slice them up. Then you are going to get some tomatoes. You are going to eat that, and you are going to like it, because if you don't, then your cholesterol will skyrocket.

    The one highlight of the show (other than the wonderful Brenda Song who only appears in a few episodes) is Emmy Award Winner Joe Morton who plays a ruthless manipulative evil, evil man who makes the others look like rank amateurs, and his only weakness is that he loves his daughter. The actor is fantastic. We first saw him years ago in Terminator 2 when he played the scientist/electronics genius who blew up the Cyberdine (sp?) building, but he has peaked for this role. He's just a fantastic actor.

    Another good point is that the soundtrack includes a lot of 70s music. Listen to the music whenever you watch a show. You can always tell the age of the producers.
    7MeMeTellem

    Olivia and Fitz Best TV Chemistry: Updated (2012/2015)

    This is a great show. The chemistry between Kerry Washington and the man that plays the president is superb. Best chemistry i have seen on a show. I love how she is African American and he is Caucasian. Different is finally on television and she is the lead. I love how it's crime, suspense, slight thriller, and most of all romance. When I first saw the previews for this show, I thought oh no another crime show but this is like no other crime show on TV. I was very impressed and now it's returned for a second season, I'm so excited to watch. Abc is taking over TV channels with best shows. It will be hard for other shows to compete with the chemistry between the characters. The only thing I do not like is, for a president, I need him to be a little stronger and vulnerable. He needs to take initiative sometimes on his own but he's gorgeous even though he's older.

    The top portion of this review was written in 2012. This portion is of 2015. I no longer enjoy this show as much as I use to. The seasons have started to rush and a lot of things have happened too quickly. Scandal has gone from Olivia fixing Scandals to her being more of an asset than the president. She has been kidnapped, held hostage, etc. This show could have gone longer at a steady paste but it is now a soap opera. Because, soap operas have unbelievable twists and turns constantly. I miss the first season when she and her team would fix scandals.One more thing, It seems like the president, Mellie, Olivia, Cyrus, Quinn, Huck, Abby, etc. all talk the same! They use to not speak the exact same way but now they do. For example: They start talking fast, very fast, like their minds are racing and the person they are talking to starts to call their name in a repetitive state until they get their full attention. Like, Liv, Liv, Liv, OLIVIA! Stop Talking! Many of them have done this over and over! What's up with the characters talking alike?
    shainaemazzio-53850

    Should be called "Pouty little big girl gets her way"

    Like most other reviews, first two seasons of this show was great, then it completely fell of the grid. Every episode is of Olivia Pope, a vile excuse for a human being. She's hypocritical, devious, arrogant, self-righteous, annoying and throws a temper tantrum whenever she doesn't get her way. She bends the rules as they benefit her regardless of who she hurts or kills in the process. Thank God this is a terrible drama, because our country would have no hope if it ran even a tenth of the way this show portrays. The other supporting actors save the show in my opinion, because Kerry Washington is very annoying in this role. Other reviewers speak of her over- enunciating, talking slowly and raising her voice to make her point, i.e. get her way. I think a fun drinking game would also be to have to take a shot each time one of the characters (mainly Pope) says "Look at me." Pause. Then again, slower and exaggerated, "Look. At. Me."
    6kevin_robbins

    When the series shifted to a love story with tragedy after tragedy and away from Olivia and her agency saving the world and various lives the entire show started falling apart

    Scandal (2012-2018) is a movie I watched as it aired on television. The storyline initially follows Olivia Pope as she works as a secret cover-up agency for the national government and often for the president directly. As the show matures the focus shifts from the crafty agency to a relationship between the president and Olivia. They both have demons in their closet that as they unravel shows why their brilliance and character is what it is. This series was created by Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy) and stars Kerry Washington (Django), Darby Stanchfield (Waitress), Guillermo Díaz (Half Baked), Tony Goldwyn (Ghost) and Joe Morton (Terminator 2). The storyline for this the first couple seasons was actually really, really good. Then the storyline started getting a bit too crazy, outside the box and unrealistic. When the series shifted to a love story with tragedy after tragedy and away from Olivia and her agency saving the world and various lives the entire show started falling apart. It's really too bad because the original premise was very good. The show really started to run it's course after season four and was on life support after that. It's amazing it lasted as long as it did. I would score this series a 6-6.5/10.

    Shondaland Series Through the Years

    Shondaland Series Through the Years

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      At the table read for the pilot, Shonda Rhimes told Bellamy Young that her arc on the show would only consist of four to five episodes before Young's character would be written off.
    • Goofs
      Washington, D.C. rarely appears to have a winter. When the plot happens during a winter, often characters will wear light outdoor clothing, there is no trace of snow on the ground, and the sun doesn't rise late and set early.
    • Quotes

      Olivia Pope: It's handled.

    • Connections
      Featured in Chelsea Lately: Episode #6.163 (2012)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 5, 2012 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Bê Bối Nước Mỹ
    • Filming locations
      • The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens - 1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, California, USA(stand-in for White House exteriors)
    • Production company
      • Shondaland
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      43 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
      • Dolby Digital

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