SPOILER ALERT: Shonda Rhimes is dishing up some juicy details about “Scandal” season 3!
Season three of “Scandal” is set to debut in October, and Shonda Rhimes has got some fantastics things lined up for fans that have been dying to catch up with Olivia Pope & Associates. Viewers can expect Joe Morton (aka Byron) to return to the show on a recurring basis, but Scott Foley will become a series regular as he continues to play Jake.
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As “Scandal” is known to do, it will take viewers on a ride from the moment it pops back up on screen. “Season three begins with a tsunami, like this explosion that completely floods the White House,” Tony Goldwyn, who plays President Fitzgerald Grant, told The Hollywood Reporter.
But Shonda and the cast got into some specifics with THR about what you can expect to see when you tune in this October! For those that need to be explicitly warned (again), there are some spoiler alerts when you flip ahead.
1. BRB
Unlike season 2, not much time has elapsed between the season 2 finale and the season 3 premiere in Olivia’s world. In fact, Shonda said that it’s really only been about 22 minutes since Olivia came face-to-face with her father, B613 head honcho Rowan, in the limo.
2. Who is Olivia Pope?
Even though we’ve spent two seasons with Olivia, her life is still largely a mystery to fans of the show. That’s about to change in season 3!
“Olivia, with these two bombs of her name being leaked and her dad showing up, has a lot to navigate,” Kerry Washington told THR. “You’re going to learn a lot about Olivia’s past; it’s really shocking.”
3. It’s over…but not really
Olivia may have cut Fitz loose, but they still have to deal with each other quite a bit. “That is going to pose an interesting challenge for them that we’re going to see them try to deal with in the first episode back,” dished Shonda.
4. Whodunit?
Now that the world knows President Fitzgerald Grant was sleeping with Olivia Pope, the question is who outed the illicit lovers? Most would assume that First Lady Mellie Grant is the culprit, but she may not be the only one with a vendetta.
“You’d be surprised by how many people have motive and opportunity and means,” said Bellamy Young, who plays Mellie. “It’s an incredible hour of television of going on the ride to find out who leaked it, and you will find out in the first episode back. It’s the big giant domino and sets the whole season in motion.”
5. Et tu, Cyrus?
If Mellie didn’t out Olivia and Fitz, then the president’s righthand man Cyrus Beene might be the snitch. He’s fiercely loyal to country and he’ll do anything to protect the president, but all bets are off when it comes to anyone else. Remember, the man waffled about calling off a hit on his own husband!
But would Cyrus really blow up President Grant’s spot? “We know that Cyrus has no boundaries in what he’d do to protect his interests, so you’ve got this very good horse race that’s building up,” said Tony Goldwyn, who plays Fitz.
6. Fitz hits the campaign trail
President Fitzgerald Grant’s sex scandal could not have come at a worse time as he begins his campaign for re-election this season. What could this mean for his two-term aspirations?
7. Eyes on the prize
As leader of the free world, Fitz might need to get his priorities in order. The heavily guarded veil that shields his personal life from the public is crumbling and he’s got a bid for re-election at stake. If ever there was a need for a fixer, it’s now. Unfortunately, Fitz may not be mentally present enough to deal with that.
“We’re in a deep disastrous mess in the White House, and somehow we’re going to have to figure out how to not only try and save Fitz’s presidency, but that’s maybe not Fitz’s No. 1 priority,” Tony revealed. “A lot becomes clear in episode one, and you understand where Fitz is coming from — and what we find out is pretty shocking.”
8. Love and marriage
No one on “Scandal” really has an ideal love life, but one couple comes pretty close.
“James [Dan Bucatinsky] and Cyrus are the healthiest relationship on the show, and they continue to be, which is my favorite thing ever,” said Shonda. While infidelity has never been a concern for these two, Shonda admits that even Cyrus and his hubby have their problems. “Their healthy relationship includes an assassin being hired to kill one of them but the romance being that he pulled him back.”
That said, Shonda really enjoys the duality of Cyrus’ character, stating, “Cyrus to me is the most intriguing character I’ve ever gotten to write because he’s so dark and so full of love and is so kind and cruel.”
9. New kid on the block
Olivia’s not the only fixer in D.C. What’s a market without a little competition? As an unabashed fan of “Doctor Who” and “Torchwood,” Shonda would really like to see John Barrowman return to “Scandal” as Mellie’s crisis manager.
“I hope we can bring him back,” said Shonda. “The day he flew in to shoot his scenes, I was dying that I couldn’t get to set. He’s amazing.”
10. Are you still down?
Olivia’s team is going to be feeling all types of ways about her affair with President Grant. Not everyone will take it the same, but they’re again in the position of having to think about their place in the fixer’s entourage.
“Every single Gladiator in the office has to question whether or not, again, they’re on board or not,” Shonda said. “It makes everyone ask themselves whether or not they support this or don’t support this, and how to fix it and how not to fix it. It causes a lot of conflict.”
Bonus: Who is Harrison?
Aside from Olivia, Harrison has been a complete mystery on “Scandal’! We’ve been hearing since the end of season 2 that the show may finally delve into his past, and it seems that Shonda intends to keep that promise by telling his backstory during some flashback-heavy episodes.
“All season we’ll be traveling through time,” Shonda revealed, “more recent flashbacks as well as flashback flashbacks. We’ve already had some unanswered questions in terms of characters’ pasts that have come up in the first two scripts.”
Look for a few more spoilers at THR. Don’t forget to recap all the drama on “Scandal” this weekend when BET airs a marathon of the first two season starting at 8 a.m.!
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