Scandal: Put a Ring on It Review

This Scandal review contains spoilers…

Our favorite Washington D.C. hooker was back last night when Michael was caught hooking up with a guy in a bar. In order to prove the “relationship” between him and Cyrus, Liv and the rest of the Gladiators thought it was finally time for them to tie the knot. 

We left off with the impression that Michael may actually have feelings for Cyrus. However, Cy was so disgusted by his transgressions with Elizabeth at the time, that he basically wrote him off as nothing but an object to keep his reputation intact. However, we got a whole new side of Michael tonight showing us insight on how miserable and lonely he truly is.

We were constantly flooded with flashbacks of Cyrus’ first marriage to his ex-wife, as well as his relationship and eventual marriage to James. Both marriages were full of dishonesty and deceit and it felt like, at the beginning of the episode, that’s what it would be with Michael too. However, after a heartbreaking scene where Michael’s parents meet with him and Cyrus for dinner, a very broken and timid Michael is exposed and Cyrus finds he can feel for him and even relate to him. 

Matthew Del Negro really moved me in his portrayal of a man still excruciatingly scarred by the unacceptance his parents have of who he is. We didn’t need flashbacks to understand this. Just through his body language and the way he sinks into himself at their dinner, almost as if hoping his skin would shield him from his parent’s disdain, was image enough of his past.

After tonight’s episode, I hope to see more of Del Negro and maybe to see more spur between his character and Cyrus than just a marriage agreement. Cyrus’ confession to him about the lies his past marriages started with and his promise to not start this one the same way gave hope that maybe Cyrus’ heart is a bit larger than we thought. While it took him seeing Michael at his lowest point, Cyrus finally is starting to empathize with him. 

Though Cyrus did end up putting a ring on it at their beautiful White House wedding, that wasn’t the most shocking ring put on someone’s finger last night. Liv, too, had her share of flashbacks including one of Cyrus’ wedding day. Fitz had given her a ring; a family heirloom he was meant to give the woman he loved. He told her even if she didn’t love him, if she wore that ring he would continue to have hope. In the final shot at Cyrus and Micheal’s wedding, Fitz sees that Olivia has put the ring back on. Does that mean there is still hope for Olitz? Even a little more than Jake? All I know is, this is the first episode in a while where Olivia and Fitz aren’t screaming at each other or tenaciously avoiding each other, or painfully glaring at each other…and it was so refreshing. After that flashback and Liv putting that ring on, I was rooting for team Fitz too.

Pairings I’m unsure of…

Mellie and Elizabeth: While at first I thought these two women would make for a killer Presidential team… now I’m thinking it will just be one power struggle after the other. I think what Huck did to Elizabeth knocked out a lot of her gusto, but there’s some fight in her that I’m hoping Mellie won’t continue to stomp on.

Abby and Leo: No, no, no. Their relationship has been toxic from the beginning. While they love each other’s witty banter and how they use each other…I for one, don’t.  

Michael and Cyrus: After hearing Michael talk about how he dreamed about his wedding day since he was young, I wanted more for him than vindictive Cyrus. Even though Cyrus had a change of heart at the end of the episode, not wanting to throw Michael under the bus, Michael still deserves better! Well, maybe I shouldn’t say that quite yet. This is Scandal, after all, and anyone remotely decent for even a moment will be corrupted in a heartbeat. 

I am hoping for more Michael and more Fitz and Liv moments like tonight. But really, who wasn’t rooting for Fitz and Olivia after next week’s preview? One way to totally make a man non-viable option for a woman: make him go nuts. Hopefully the preview was embellishing a little, but if not, Jake looks like he will have some explaining to do. 

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