'Scandal' according to romance author Dee Davis: All this for the love of a woman

So last week we left Olivia and Ian flying the friendly skies with a plan to sell Olivia to the highest bidder. The apparent logic being that he who controls Olivia, controls Fitz, who of course is the president of the United States.

The only thing more absurd than this plot line is the fact that all the characters are seemingly buying into it. And the fact that we now have a power-mad dude for vice president. And obsessed dude for actual president. A clearly not-rowing-with-all-her-oars first lady and a group of tortured crazed ex-black ops folks running around pretending to be gladiators.

And so we begin …

B613 pays very well, it turns out. Or at least if you transfer all the money to an off-shore account. So Huck is a very wealthy man. As everyone scrambles to try to find Olivia, or at least buy her, we find the lady herself feeling pretty confident until, well … Ian is taken out by one of his subordinates. Welcome, Gus — who seems to be a tad on the crazy side or maybe just crazy mad that Olivia bashed him upside the head in a previous episode.

Covered with blood, Olivia struggles with panic as the bids start rolling in. Good luck controlling that, Olivia. Honestly, if this was a book, I'd have either thrown it against the wall or skipped forward to the end.

Thankfully, we're finally doing something about the VP. Although why they're not putting Andrew in prison is beyond me. Too many other secrets, I guess. And he's doing the little side-step (which means I'm now going to be singing the song from The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas for the rest of the night).

Wouldn't you know they're having a special sell-Olivia party and we didn't get an invitation. So enter Olivia's terrorist mother. (Who used to be a medical examiner on one of the CSIs). I predict this won't end well. I mean, the woman has her own agenda, and I sincerely doubt it includes saving Olivia without some quid pro quo involved.

Ah ha, surprise, surprise, I was right. She wants something. Preferably her husband's head on a platter. Can't argue with that. But just when they're losing me, she asks for a library. I kind of get that. But that can't happen. But a TV … now we're talking. Fifty channels with HBO.

Fitz and I are together on wondering why the VP is still in office, but it turns out again it's all about Olivia. It is actually a kind of Helen of Troy thing (remember all the references last week). And we cut to Liz skipping town. No surprise there, although I figure she should have gotten a more powerful shredder. So Cyrus can handle the help, but not the VP. At least Cyrus has recovered his cojones.

And Jake is being … Jake. But Huck is still our man. And David is losing his stuff. Although it looks like mommy dearest is playing them big-time. Why couldn't we have just broken Liv out last week when we had the chance? Oh, right, because she decided to make her own play rather than trust her friends. How'd that work out for you, Olivia? Besides, it gave this plot line a whole 'nother episode. So here we are, the clock ticking down, while Huck is sent to kill some drug buyers and Jake is stuck playing the get-away man.

I will say that if they do manage to buy Olivia with B613 money, it'll be ironic as all get-out. And in the meantime, where is the rest of the government? Isn't anyone playing attention? Seems unlikely that this whole thing would stay buried. But, hey, that's just me overthinking, right?

And now a Sonny and Cher moment … I got you, babe. Desperation leads to some really ugly stuff. Mellie is now in a world of hurt. But then for my money all these despicable people kind of deserve each other. It's comforting to remember that Jake was once in The Unit. But even he's got fall-out issues from his time in B613. Although thankfully, not as much as Huck. Yeesh … that was a scene I could live without.

I will say that I still really love Olivia. Listening to her talking to her kidnappers (minus Gus) is almost worth the rest of this episode. Will they or won't they? Not a chance. Olivia played it wrong. But at least she gave it a shot. And didn't manage to decapitate someone in the process.

The interesting thing here is thinking about what one does when one writes oneself into a corner. And I'll admit I've certainly done that before. It's easy enough to do. I But thankfully, either I or my editor have realized it and I've managed to back out (sometimes by deleting entire chapters) and change direction so that the plot I'm working on doesn't completely derail. Plowing through and continuing to write is never the answer. Rarely does a lack of restraint end in good storytelling. Not that I'm criticizing, mind you. Just an observation, for whatever it's worth.

I do believe an author, whether of novels, movie or television, makes a covenant with a reader/watcher. Promising the kind of ride they're going to get. And when that creative person deviates from that promise, then the readers/watchers aren't going to be happy. That promise has to be fulfilled, or fickle as they are, they'll find someone who will keep their promises. Sound familiar Heroes and Lost?

So David lied to Abby and now he's fast-talking himself out of it. (Josh Malina is one of the best fast-talkers around. But then he was weaned on Aaron Sorkin dialogue. ) I do love them together as a couple. And wish they'd find their way back together again. In fact, I wish this show were about the relationships again. At least move us beyond Olivia as a captive. It's like putting the heart of the show in a glass case and expecting the body to go on like nothing has happened.

Best line of the night: Mellie: "We sleep better when she's lying between us."

So let me get this right: Mellie wants to be president, so we are going to let the VP walk. Seriously? Scandal is an understatement. Wow … and then we're back to Huck and his insane, cutting-off-limbs dark place. But the ends have brought us to the means, and now we can bid on Olivia. Except that the auction is over. And the president is sleeping it off.

And Olivia has been sold — to Iran. Gus has his revenge, and we're beginning to think this plot line is never going to end. Although if we go to Iran we'll be treading on Homeland territory, which could be interesting if Carrie Mathison and Olivia Pope met face-to-face.

Back at the ranch … err, White House, the powers that be want to neutralize the asset (they learned that terminology from Jack Bauer). Which, in this day and age, means "launch a drone." Of course, if they did that it would change the tenor of the show forever.

Meanwhile, there's a meltdown in gladiator headquarters, and Huck summarizes the plot thus far. Which causes Quinn to lose it totally along with probably a couple hundred thousand viewers. Basically, we're learning that Liv is indeed the glue that holds all these crazy people together. And the moment in Harrison's (which was Stephen's) office shows that nobody is safe on prime-time TV anymore.

Cut to the Oval Office and a soliloquy on how the VP's double-dealing not only may result in Iran gaining state secrets, but also cost the American people thousands of lives when Fitz ordered our troops into West Angola. And all for the love of a woman.

I think this montage, complete with Mellie giving condolences, was to show us how much Fitz loves Olivia. But I don't know that I see it as a grand love anymore. It seems so twisted now. Maybe it always was and that's what we're supposed to be seeing, but I'm a romantic. I believe in happily ever after. And right now, I'm seeing that as a true possibility.

So next week we find out who bought Olivia. And we're supposed to care? I don't know about you, but I'm not sure that I do. Although I'm sticking with it because, "I just gots to know …"

See ya next week.

Dee Davis is the bestselling author of 22 novels and five novellas. When not glued to her television screen, she can be found pounding away at her keyboard, trying to put words to one of the stories running around in her head. Find her at www.deedavis.com.