I have been meaning to write about Scandal a long time now but since I did not have time to blog, it never happened. But, OH.MY.GOD, Scandal where have you been all my life.
I am a huge Kerry Washington fan and heard about some promotional work she did for Scandal, but not being a TV watcher; I did not start watching until the trail episode when I saw the "one minute" clip. I watched it back to back about ten times before going to ON Demand to not only watch that episode but the whole season 1.
The chemistry between her and Tony Goldwyn was so palpable and thick that you can cut it with a knife and I was hooked and my life has not been the same since.
To start with, mad props to Shonda Rhimes. I was already sweet on Shonda when I read about her taking Issa Raye under her wings by working with her to develop a new series(Oprah, this is how it is done)Then to find out she was behind Scandal made me respect her even more.
Shonda paid her dues and accumulated capital that she can spend on a show like Scandal being led by a woman of color. By being successful with Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice, the powers that be knew she had the chops and the wherewithal to pull this off. So thanks to the TV gods, the casting and Shonda Rhimes for bringing Tony Goldwyn and Kerry Washington together because watching their love scene is better than any porn.
Each and every cast member bring something special to the dynamics of the show. I will be writing about all the individual casts, but today I am going to start with Kerry.
Kerry has been around for a while. I enjoyed her performance in Mr and Mrs Smith with my other favorite actress Angelina Jolie. That movie also had two leads whose chemistry was so palpable. I loved her in The Last King of Scotland and save the last dance, but most importantly, I have enjoyed seeing Kerry in Political shows and how intelligent, articulate and politically savvy she is.
I was very impressed when she coolly schooled a Republican Operative on Bill Maher's Real Time, her intelligence and grace shone through. You would have thought she was my best friend the way that I was hollering at the TV.
She clearly has paid her dues and was ready to embrace this opportunity once it came her way. It took almost 40 years for a woman of color to be a lead in a network series, here's hoping that it never takes that long again. An interviewer asked Kerry if she was under pressure for the show to do well and she said the pressure was on the audience to show that America was ready was ready to watch shows that reflect all our stories. Well Kerry, the Gladiators have spoken and the mainstream media is finally paying attention. Networks can not ever say that audiences will not watch a show a minority in the lead.
It is not often that you watch TV and see the exploits of a woman of color who is dynamic and successful professionally but cannot hold it together in her personal life, so thank you to Ms Washington and the Scandal crew for giving me life every Thursday with your antics at OPA and the Whitehouse. The wardrobe will get a special blog, because that is shoe and clothes porn every thursday.
Kerry, you have arrived and I hope you continue be grounded like you have been all these years and hopefully Scandal runs for many many years.