Man down situation, 'Scandal' recap, killers in fly coats

Daddy Pope's reunion with Momma Pope has tragic consequences

(photo credit:  Joe Morton via Twitter)

Episode 17:  “Flesh and Blood”, aired Thursday, April 10, 2014.  Spoiler alert has been issued, so please do not read any further if you don’t want to be shocked.  Between Ms. Shonda Rhimes (show creator) and Ms. Debbie Allen (episode director), we knew this episode would leave us gasping.  Right away, let’s just go ahead and give the quote of the night award to the President’s wife.  The advisors are gathered around telling Fitz that a lot of people out there want him dead.  A three-sheets-to-the-wind Mellie pulls her nose out of the vodka glass long enough to mumble “and not just out there” just loud enough for Fitz to hear. 

We left off last week with Jake waving a gun in one hand to keep the gladiators at bay, while the fingers of the other hand were in a death grip around Liv’s neck.  This week opened in the same office, but all of the major players have been called in.  In one room we see arguably the most powerful people on the planet trying to figure out where in the world Momma Pope has disappeared to with her bomb.

In the midst of this “business” discussion, Jake makes it personal.  The bruises from Jake’s choking have barely faded from Liv’s neck when Jake accuses her of sleeping with him to get information.  Even killers, if they are gentlemen, know not to kiss and tell.  Oh the shame.  Jake blurted this out in front of Fitz, Cyrus, and Daddy Pope.  Maybe it was a male ego thing because they were there desperately trying to stop an international terrorist, but Jake had to let President Fitz know that he too had been there and done that, in regards to Liv.

For the first time, two men are vying for Quinn and she is reveling in her glory.  With Huck’s superior tracking skills, they locate Dimitri, and bring him to Pope Central to squeeze out of him the whereabouts of Momma Pope.  To Liv’s shock, Poppa Pope says that Dimitri is no simple work acquaintance.  Momma Pope and Dimitri were in love before she even met Poppa Pope and continued an affair for years after Momma and Poppa Pope tied the knot.  They get Momma Pope on the phone and she doesn’t so much as flinch as she hears Dimitri’s voice pleading in the background for his life.  She says kill him because what’s love got to do with it?  She is Rick James cold as ice.  The gladiators drag a screaming Liv out, as Poppa Pope shuts the door and puts a permanent end to Dimitri.

Leo, Vice President Sally’s PR person/campaign manager sinks to his lowest point yet.  He corners this high school girl behind the bleachers at the school and asks her to do what she must to get a “donation” from President Fitz’ son for a DNA test.  While most girls would be demanding tickets to see Luke Bryan, smart chick agrees to do it for guaranteed acceptance into Harvard or Yale.  She does it, Fitz Jr. does it, and it’s all delivered in a nice paper bag to Leo.

Meanwhile Quinn and Huck have one of their licky sticky smooch sessions.  They are not the most romantic kissers in the world.  While all of this muck and mire is going on against their car in the garage, Momma Pope sashays right past them into the office and sneaks up on her bird of prey Poppa Pope.  Huck and Quinn finally come up for air, and find a distraught and crying Liv on the floor clinging to Poppa Pope.  We don’t know whether the weapon of choice was a gun or knife, but Poppa Pope is splayed out with blood streaming from multiple chest wounds. Apparently neither hell nor high water could save him from Momma Pope’s wrath.  But that creek may not be completely dried up because previews show him in the hospital next week.  Which begs the question did she attack him because of the bomb or because he killed Dimitri?

Cyrus finds out from Jake that Momma Pope murdered a senator so that President Fitz would have to deliver the eulogy, the bomb is actually planted beneath the church and they need to evacuate.  With music and words “smiling faces tell lies sometimes” playing in the background we see Cyrus’ satisfied grin as he decides not to make the warning call to evacuate the church, but, instead just delay Fitz’s arrival at the church.  He is sure all of his troubles will be over because Sally, Andrew, and Leo are all already arriving at the church.  Never mind the possible collateral damage to the innocent church members.  Stay tuned for next Thursday’s explosive finale at 10p.m. on ABC.