Scandal: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 205 Ratings

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7.1	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 205 Ratings

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Scandal: Gladiators Don't Run

Now Playing: Scandal: Gladiators Don't Run

Season Details & Credits

ABC | Season Premiere Date: April 5, 2012

Starring: Cornelius Smith Jr., Jeff Perry, Portia de Rossi

Summary: A former White House communications director, Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) now runs her own crisis management firm, helping clients fix potential career-ending problems.

Creator: Shonda Rhimes

Genre(s): Drama, Suspense

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E7. Grant: For the People
Air Date: May 17, 2012
tbd
S1:E6. The Trail
Air Date: May 10, 2012
tbd
S1:E5. Crash and Burn
Air Date: May 3, 2012

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Mark A. Perigard

Apr 5, 2012

On "Grey's Anatomy," particularly in the first two years, Rhimes proved herself skilled at crafting gripping love stories. She's outdone herself here. Read full review

Maureen Ryan

Apr 5, 2012

Even if Scandal isn't quite as instantly addictive as "Grey's Anatomy" was back in the day, this is a well-paced, generally well-acted show with some promising elements (though there is also an occasional tendency to offer contrived redemptions that don't make a ton of sense). Read full review

Nancy DeWolf Smith

Apr 6, 2012

It's still a fun, fast ride, with lots of twists and turns, murder and menace, and after only a few episodes we know enough back story about most of the main characters to care what happens to them. Read full review

San Jose Mercury News/Contra Costa Times

Chuck Barney

Apr 3, 2012

The cast around Washington is also quite solid, and the show looks and is refreshingly different from a typical procedural. But it also feels a little too slick and superficial, and those gaps in logic may be a problem for some viewers. Read full review

Lori Rackl

Apr 5, 2012

This female-skewing drama gets points for its actors' performances and its originality. Read full review

Cynthia Fuchs

Apr 5, 2012

The show's formula looks to be this: the silly plots swirl, the brokers scheme, and the minions toil, but in each episode, Liv finds a moment to chat with one of these wise, powerful, and inevitably troubled women. In these moments, Scandal is slightly less tabloidy and soapy, and slightly more beguiling. Read full review

Brian Lowry

Mar 30, 2012

As usual, Rhimes' workplace characters talk very fast, but the manic visual style can't obscure a series flawed on most every level. Read full review

SEE ALL 29 REVIEWS

User Score

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7.1

User Reviews

bigweezey

Jul 12, 2013

This is the best show on television right now and I have watched a lot of shows recently. Kerry Washington does a really good job of taking the seriousness of this show and mixing it with pleasure. The acting and writing for this show is extraordinary. It is a show that you have got to keepThis is the best show on television right now and I have watched a lot of shows recently. Kerry Washington does a really good job of taking the seriousness of this show and mixing it with pleasure. The acting and writing for this show is extraordinary. It is a show that you have got to keep up with because it is a fast-paced show dealing with the white house and other things around that. I hope this show stays on for many more seasons to come.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

viny

Jul 27, 2015

I just love it... The actors are amazng, the characters well developped. The further it goes with the other seasons, the more I fall in love with this TV show... Just PERFECT.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

mrose2012

Dec 28, 2012

I discovered Scandal really late. I am not a fan of Private Practice or Greys so I avoided this show but I am now hooked,. Scandal is smart, fast and sexy. Its like a romance ,mystery , crime novel wrapped up in a nice package . I love it

7 of 7 users found this helpful70

raviopatra

Nov 17, 2013

The first season is a little bit shaky. Understandable, since the plot is quite complicated. The show's got potential, big ones, and Shonda Rhimes is usually the person to trust when it comes to good drama. Apparently, she's not only good at medical shows, but also political ones.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

rmdashrf

Dec 11, 2012

Full disclosure: I watched two episodes.

This promises to be a lousy show. This is for people who didn't watch "Lie to Me" and many other 6/10 and 7/10 shows that this one apes badly. I'm certain that Darby Stanchfield (Abby) can make more than two facial expressions, so I think sheFull disclosure: I watched two episodes.

This promises to be a lousy show. This is for people who didn't watch "Lie to Me" and many other 6/10 and 7/10 shows that this one apes badly.

I'm certain that Darby Stanchfield (Abby) can make more than two facial expressions, so I think she should have been asked to make them on this show.

There's plenty of acting talent on the screen. This show doesn't give them the characters, lines, and direction they need to make it work.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

Bowimbiri

Mar 22, 2016

Bad acting, over acted, Kerry Washington looks like she is going to have an asthma attack every time, most characters are obnoxious. Good plot, good setting but this thing needs better actors ASAP

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

otstrel

Mar 23, 2014

Kerry Washington totally ruins this otherwise pretty good series. I don't think I ever saw such poor acting anywhere else. Every single scene she plays is overacted and fake.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

SEE ALL 55 REVIEWS

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Seasons & Episodes

66

Series Overview
Season 7

tbd
- Season 7 Overview
  Air Date: October 5, 2017
Season 6

tbd
- Season 6 Overview
  Air Date: January 26, 2017
Season 5

tbd
- Season 5 Overview
  Air Date: September 24, 2015
Season 4

tbd
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: September 25, 2014
Season 3

tbd
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: October 3, 2013
Season 2

tbd
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: September 27, 2012
Season 1

64
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: April 5, 2012
- tbd
  S1:E7. Grant: For the People
  Air Date: May 17, 2012
- tbd
  S1:E6. The Trail
  Air Date: May 10, 2012
- tbd
  S1:E5. Crash and Burn
  Air Date: May 3, 2012
- tbd
  S1:E4. Enemy of the State
  Air Date: April 26, 2012
- tbd
  S1:E3. Hell Hath No Fury
  Air Date: April 19, 2012
- tbd
  S1:E2. Dirty Little Secrets
  Air Date: April 12, 2012
- tbd
  S1:E1. Sweet Baby
  Air Date: April 5, 2012