Watch Me (Scandal)
"Watch Me" is the first episode of the seventh season of the American political thriller television series Scandal, and the 107th episode overall. Written by series creator and showrunner Shonda Rhimes and directed by Jann Turner, it premiered on the American Broadcasting Company on October 5, 2017. This episode was watched by 5.52 million viewers.
Plot
Local news announce Luna Vargas' death, which was considered a heart attack; Cyrus Beene's new position as [Vice President of the United States|President of the United States|Vice President]; and President Mellie Grant's first joint session at the Congress, during which she promised a bill to free education. Senator Michaels is interviewed by Curtis Pryce and tells him he does not stand for the bill. However, Olivia Pope, President Grant's Chief of Staff, blackmails Senator Michaels with an envelope containing a lot of prejudicial info on him in exchange of his positive response during the bill vote. Shortly after, Pope enters the Oval Office to tell Grant and Beene about Michaels' "help," and convinces Beene to talk with other senators. Olivia is interviewed by Pryce about the bill, and the two end up arguing about meritocracy and racism.Meanwhile, at the office of Quinn Perkins & Associates, Abby Whelan, Charlie and Quinn Perkins try to rip out of David Rosen someone he knows who is in crisis so that QPA could work. A woman desperately enters the office looking for help and Quinn and Abby rushes to talk with her. The woman, named Madeline Stewart, tells her father travelled overseas and, during the previous two nights, he wasn't calling her, which triggered suspicious. At night, Olivia and Jake Ballard discuss about their uncommitted affair. The next morning, Ballard investigates Joshua Stewart, Madeline's missing father, and discovers he is a CIA agent who helps the Nation several times as an undercover, so his vanishing is something to worry about. Jake suggests they kill him in order to prevent any type of betray since he could've been caught by terrorist and such.
Cyrus meets with Senator Diane Greenwald to talk about the Vargas bill, and she reveals that she opposes to the bill because it should be a Democratic rather than a Republican product, as well as prompting Cyrus to look forward to a future where he is President, and not Pope and Grant's doormat. Quinn omits to Madeline the fact that her father is a spy, and Huck thinks ahead and visits Olivia, already knowing that she and Jake planned Joshua's death, and states that his daughter will need a body to bury. However, the next morning, President Grant summits Jake in the Oval to ask him about Joshua's rescue, which was planned by Olivia, much to Jake's dismay. President Grant has a reunion with Ambassador Marachi in which she regards American assets being kept in Bashman.