Scandal Recap 1×03
This episode kicks off with Olivia and the crew discussing Amanda (the white house aid who claims to have had an affair with the president) as they look in at her through the glass doors. Olivia has already decided to take her on as a client, but the other members of the crew are divided on the vote. Olivia says they are not voting. They are taking her on.
Meanwhile inside the room, Amanda is paranoid of the onlookers. Quinn walks in, and Amanda asks if they always talk at the door like that. Quinn says yes. Amanda breaths a sigh of relief and says she thought they were talking about her. Quinn says they definitely are.
In the next seen, Olivia and Harrison head to a fancy hotel room. We see flashes of some of Olivia’s gang with a client in a court room. They are waiting for the defendant to show up. We find out that it is a rape case with a rich, young male defendant.
Olivia and Harrison pose as room service and a half-naked blond lets them in the room. They head straight to a young man, also half naked, lying in bed. He recognizes and greets Olivia. She makes him get dressed. He is very late for his court case and the jury won’t be pleased with him. There is press waiting in the lobby. Olivia tells the half-naked girl to walk down with Harrison so as not to draw more attention to the sexual habits of young client, Travis.
Court gets dismissed before Travis makes it. Olivia talks to Travis’ mother who hired her. Though Olivia has found her a great defense attorney, she expresses her desire for Olivia to stay on board throughout the case as someone she can trust.
Like Travis, Mr. President has also slept in. His wife canceled his morning meetings saying that he needed sleep. He is visibly upset and states that the leader of the free world does not sleep in. His wife asks why he hasn’t been sleeping well. The audience knows its because of Olivia when the President becomes awkward and gives no answer. They kiss.
The reporter we say last episode shows up to Olivia’s office asking for a quote and saying there is a meeting. Olivia says its not a meeting, calls him a baby reporter, and says to keep it out of the papers for 72 hours. She’ll deliver him something at the end of the time frame. He leaves saying that was a good meeting which is a cute bit of humor.
Olivia’s staff is going over pictures from Travis’ case. They believe her rape photo wounds were self-inflicted.
Olivia meets meets with Cyrus, the White House Chief of Staff who is at breakfast with the Vice President’s Chief of Staff. She asks for privacy, and once alone with Cyrus, she asks for a meeting between herself, her client Amanda, and the president. He tells her that the president is not sleeping. Olivia doesn’t have sympathy to spare. She is not sleeping either. She leaves.
Olivia and staff go over the jurors chosen for the case. They learn their biases and the forecast doesn’t look good. They find out Helen, the alleged rape victim, is a saint who works a non-profit job helping kids. She has one area they can exploit. She is broke, and $250,000 in student loan and credit card debt.
Even with this information, Olivia tells Travis’ mom this case will be tough. A pretty girl with wounds means more than lack of evidence. She recommends the mom settle since she has plenty of money.
Next, Olivia meets with alleged rape victim Helen and her lawyers. Olivia tells them that the family will offer a $9 million dollar settlement including a $500,000 donation to the charity of her choice. The lawyer likes the deal, but Helen refuses the money asking Olivia, “How Much Is Your Body Worth?” Â Helen also says money can’t make your forget, and gets teary as Olivia leaves the room.
Harrison preps Travis for a rescheduled court date. He puts Travis in a rayon suit and a blue tie to endear him to the jury. Travis admits he is worried the girl did not take the money. He doesn’t want to go to jail, and thinks maybe they didn’t offer her enough. He says “they always take the money.” Harrison becomes suspicious and reports this to Olivia later.
In doing due dilligence, Olivia’s crew find out a girl who was paid $600,000 by Travis is dead. Suicide.
Cyrus goes to the oval office and has the president put on headphones. He plays a tape. As the president listens his face changes. It’s a sex tape. The president is moaning on the tape. Whoever sent it to the president is trying to black mail him. Cyrus says Olivia is behind it, and that the president should not meet with her.
Olivia meets with Amanda again and finds out she is taking phone calls. Â She tells her not to answer the phone, not even to say leave me alone. Amanda says it is the reporter from the Sun, (baby reporter Gideon).
Harrison does more due diligence on Travis, and finds out someone named Rachel Kline, a 4th grade teacher with an $80,000 Mercedes S class in her driveway. He locates her rape kit and has it run through the system. He figures out what’s going on.
Olivia meets Travis and his mom. Travis’ mom find out Travis raped a girl a few years ago. He paid her off. She killed herself. The girl accusing him of rape was her best friend and she wants vengeance.
Despite his guilt, the trial proves easier now that they have background into her motivation. Travis’ defense attorney sets the accuser up as a plotting stalker and he gets off.
Quinn schedules a date with Gideon to see what background he has obtained on Amanda. One of Olivia’s crew, Huck, tells her she needs help. He shows up at the date and orders her a supply of virgin drinks, while telling her to take her hair down. He’s gone before Gideon arrives. Gideon appears genuine. He says he never called Amanda. He is waiting for the 72 hours to be over to receive Olivia’s tip. Quinn believes him and tells Olivia later.
The president is holding some kind of black tie dance event, and Olivia shows up. During the event, the Vice President’s Chief of Staff dances with Olivia and flirts with her. Obviously Olivia can’t get involved, but she is polite. The dancing duo are interrupted by the president’s wife. She says she wants to dance with Billy (VP Chief of Staff), who is the best dancer in the room. Olivia and President Fitz are left standing together. In line with television tradition, a slow dance comes on. As they dance, the President begs Olivia to meet him in their old spot. Olivia refuses to look at him and asks him not to look at her. He stares at her through the whole dance.
At the end of the dance, they part and the president reminds Olivia, our spot, 10 minutes.
Olivia leaves the ballroom and is intercepted by Cyrus. He makes her cancel her meeting with Amanda and the president, and has her escorted off the property by security. Cyrus goes to meet the president at “the spot” and we found his treatment of Olivia that just transpired was Cyrus’ own plan. The president is disappointed when told Olivia won’t be meeting him.
Before going home, Olivia stops at Travis’ mothers house. She says that what Travis did was not her fault, but it is her fault if Travis gets away with it.
The next day Olivia, Travis, and his mother sit in conference. His mother says Travis can’t go on living his life without taking responsibility for his actions. Olivia inserts an opinion , but Travis silences her and pleads with his mother like a spoiled brat. He wants to spend a few years in Europe then take over the family company. He says rape won’t happen again.
Their meeting is interrupted by the police and David Rosen, who were listening in. They arrest Travis.
The President is shown one more time in his office with his wife. The President asks why Olivia was invited to the black tie event. His wife says he needed to see her. After a silence she says he slept better last night.
In the penultimate scene, Gideon, the reporter visits Olivia’s office. She says he can’t report on Amanda’s story (which remains open ended). Instead she offers an exclusive deal. She talks about Travis’ arrest earlier in the day. Because his family owns HDX, a $300 Million company, it’s big news. As Gideon leaves, Olivia tells him that was a meeting.
The show ends with a shock. Olivia visits her client Amanda. Amanda tells Olivia that she is pregnant (presumably with the President’s baby, but I’m not convinced).
