“Scandal” is known for being … scandalous (duh), but the show wouldn’t have its notoriety for being so without its shady characters. Ahead of its series finale tonight, we’ve got the definitive ranking of how shady all the main characters of “Scandal” really are.
11. David Rosen (Joshua Malina)
So David is one of the few people that actually is as kind as he comes off.
He’s the attorney general, so naturally he tries to do the right thing even if it does mean exposing Olivia Pope and her little shenanigans, but once in a blue moon, he will dibble and dabble on the dark side.
But it’s never for his benefit, mostly just to save face and protect his friends.
But we’ll see if he goes down with this ship when the core group is set to testify to all their darkest crimes in the final episode, “Over a Cliff.” David may not have done a lot on his own — but he’s helped cover up a lot of messed up things.
10. Abby Whelan (Darby Stanchfield)
Abby definitely has her shady moments, she isn’t the worst of the bunch — nowhere close.
Although she’s stolen some things and manipulated certain situations, it is Abby’s persistence that gets her what she wants.
However, she played a heavy part in the attempted murder of her friend and former co-worker.
9. Fitz Grant (Tony Goldwyn)
We don’t really know how we feel about Fitz.
He seems to be oblivious about all of the dirty things going on around him and when he finds out, he’s upset, but doesn’t really do much about them.
Anyway, Fitz isn’t a super shady person overall — compared to others. The worst thing he probably did was put an entire country in danger and go to war over his mistress, but hey, which one of us wouldn’t? And he also murdered Supreme Court Justice Thornton. That last one should probably come first though.
Oh, we almost forgot — he’s a (reformed) adulterer.
However, since leaving the Oval Office, he’s worked to right any of his own administration’s wrongs with his acts through is foundation.
8. Huck (Guillermo Diaz)
Oh sweet, angry, adorable, animalistic Huck. We feel sorry for Huck and absolve him of all his shady crimes.
He turned into the person he is because of B613 and Olivia’s dad, but Huck is a loyal friend.
He only gets his hands dirty for the people he loves and cares deeply about, so he’s “good” in our book.
7. Charlie (George Newbern)
Charlie was also a longstanding member of B613, so he’s done many things that he shouldn’t be proud of. But Charlie is actually alright with letting them go and accepting himself for who he is.
We’re not saying the guy isn’t seriously flawed, but he’s charming AF and made a point of wanting to make an honest woman out of Quinn when she got pregnant because he loved her. And he is more than happy taking orders from her as a now legit member of QPA.
We also have to give him a break seeing as he has been framed as the man who helped Mellie attempt to kill Cyrus — and we don’t know if he’s going to be proven innocent before the end of the series. And if he’s not — uh oh.
6. Quinn Perkins (Katie Lowes)
Well you had us fooled, Quinn!!! If that’s even your real name — which it isn’t.
It was a mistake to have her train with Huck because in a moment’s time she turned out just like him. But she’s a little shadier than Huck.
However, since she became the head of OPA (actually, now QPA) she’s been taking the job of helping those in legit scandals very seriously. She was also kidnapped ON HER WEDDING DAY and almost murdered by Eli Pope WHILE PREGNANT because Liv was willing to let her die to keep the upper hand — cause those daddy-daughter issues come first before someone’s life, sometimes.
So Quinn, you get a pass here.
5. Mellie Grant (Bellamy Young)
We have a love-hate relationship with Mellie. At first, we hated her but honestly, how can you hate a woman scorned?!
She’s dealt with her husband’s affair in such a civil and professional manner, but of course we can’t forget that she did so in order to advance her own political agenda. Which worked, because girl is killing it in the White House as the first female POTUS.
Let’s not get it twisted, Mellie cannot be trusted, but we can definitely have a drink with her and an impromptu dance party without worrying about her killing us. No, no killing people for Mellie’s administration is more Olivia’s style.
4. Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington)
Do we really have to break this one down at all? OK, fine.
The only thing that differentiates Olivia from her dad is her humanity. Yes, Olivia is a “gladiator,” and helps people fix things, but let’s not get it twisted. In the process of “fixing” things, she does some pretty questionable things too.
Olivia isn’t entirely evil, but she’s like a manipulative best friend. You don’t know if she’s coming to your wedding bearing gifts or to dismantle your marriage.
She also committed murder in Season 5 (like, straight up did it herself) and has secondhand killed more than one person in the final season.
That’s why she lost all her friends and co-workers for a while, was ousted by Mellie’s administration and was only saved when she had a “come to Jesus” moment during the crossover with “How to Get Away with Murder.”
She also more than made up for her crimes by being the ringleader in the decision for the group to testify to all of their shadiest moves in the final episode. And seeing as they are all willing to agree to go “over a cliff” with her — well, she’s less an anti-hero than she was before.
3. Jake Ballard (Scott Foley)
Jake … he is the definition of shady and becoming more so with each passing episode. This dude got introduced to us as a sweet, handsome, caring, gentle and just all-around good guy and then we find out it was all part of a game plan.
As if that part didn’t bring back traumatic memories of men we’ve dated in the past (albeit being stalked by a guy at your father’s orders doesn’t seem like something everyone has been through), Jake just continues to be untrustworthy.
We never know if his actions are genuine or influenced by Olivia’s dad. At least one thing we can be sure of — his love for Olivia.
But he is currently helming B613 and in bed with Cyrus, Mellie’s VP who is working overtime to become president himself by throwing Olivia and co. under the bus for the last time. So chances are Jake is going to land firmly on the shady side once and for all come the finale. Maybe.
2. Eli Pope (Joe Morton)
PAPA POPE IS SHADY AF!!! And has been since day one.
There’s really nothing we can say that will exemplify how shady Eli Pope is. Combine all the manipulative characters into one and you’d probably get a third of how truly twisted Daddy Pope is.
Other than being the head of B613 for over 20 years (as if that doesn’t mess you up for life enough), he’s just a very mean person.
But his love for Olivia endures (as it does for most men in her life) and he will tell you time and time again that whatever he has done has either been to protect her — or the freakin’ Republic.
Which is the only reason he doesn’t land at No 1.
1. Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry)
You know, we used to think Eli was the top of the iceberg when it came to evil on “Scandal,” but Cyrus now takes the cake.
As innocent as he looks, there’s honestly very little we can trust about him. Cyrus will literally do whatever it takes to get what he wants — like have his own husband killed (although thankfully that was stopped at the last minute).
But he then orchestrated the death of President Frankie Vargas so that he could become Mellie’s VP instead and is now working to take her down (along with Olivia, and everyone else who has ever been in cahoots with them) so he can officially run the White House himself for the first time in seven seasons.
How is he doing that? Oh, he planned a fake terrorist attack to make himself look like a glowing figure to the American people — and is pinning the “assassination” attempt on Mellie. And we’ll see how that all plays out tonight. Maybe the rankings will need to be updated again after that. But probably not.