If you’ve been craving a new binge-watch you can really sink your teeth into, Netflix just added all seven seasons from one of the best Shondaland series from the ABC era — the extremely juicy political drama, “Scandal.”
The acclaimed hit series stars Kerry Washington as the now-iconic Olivia Pope, former media consultant (and lover) to the president, who shaped his campaign from a diamond in the rough to the leader of the free world … until she decided to strike out on her own with her esteemed and feared crisis-management firm.
Creator Shonda Rhimes is a familiar name on Netflix, where her Shondaland banner has produced the juggernaut period romance hit “Bridgerton,” as well as its spinoff series “Queen Charlotte,” Emmy-nominated miniseries “Inventing Anna” and, most recently, a return to the White House in the charming murder-mystery “The Residence.” But before her beaucoup bucks streaming megadeal with Netflix, Rhimes was already a heavy-hitter on network TV with her ABC hits “Grey’s Anatomy,” “How to Get Away With Murder” and, of course, “Scandal.”
The Emmy-winning D.C. drama was a runaway success for the network over seven seasons between 2012 and 2018, following Olivia as she leads her firm, Olivia Pope & Associates. There, she commands her team of “gladiators” — lawyers (and one former assassin) — who specialize in fixing political scandals and protecting the reputations of the nation’s elite.
That gives “Scandal” its super-bingeable case-of-the-week element, letting Olivia and her team deliver maximum competence porn on the clock. At the same time, their messy personal lives lend “Scandal” an irresistible soapy side. Not least of which is the tortured, toxic, super sexy, super secret relationship between Olivia and President Fitzgerald “Fitz” Grant (Tony Goldwyn).
It wasn’t just one of the top-watched shows of its era (an a cultural phenomenon that got plenty of parodies, including the “SNL” bit below), it was also groundbreaking. When “Scandal” premiered, Washington was the first Black woman to lead a Network drama in nearly 40 years. Rhimes fought to center women’s reproductive rights despite network pushback, and the series consistently bridged complex social and political issues with its signature blend of sharp writing and super-twisty high-stakes drama.
In addition to Washington and Goldwyn, “Scandal” also stars Bellamy Young as politically savvy first lady Mellie Grant; Jeff Perry as Cyrus Beene, a senior White House official and seasoned strategist; Guillermo Díaz as Huck, Olivia’s former black ops tech expert; Darby Stanchfield as Abby Whelan, a smart and resourceful investigator; Katie Lowes as Quinn Perkins, the newest member of the team who’s eager to learn the ropes in a hurry; Joshua Malina as principled lawyer David Rosen and eventually, Scott Foley as Jake Ballard, a complicated figure in Liv and Fitz’s life.
The show has been available to watch on Hulu and Tubi (where it’s still streaming), but for Netflix subscribers who might know Rhimes’ streaming hits, now’s your chance to dive into all 124 episodes of one of her best.
