Tonight on ABC Scandal starring Kerry Washington continues with another exciting episode in an all new Thursday February 11, season 5 winter premiere called, “It’s Hard Out Here for a General,” and we have the recap for you below. On tonight’s episode, Olivia (Kerry Washington) adjusts to single life differently than Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) six months after their breakup. Meanwhile, Pope and Associates tackle a case that may lead to the emergence of a national crisis.
On the last episode, Olivia made a judgment call about intel she received as Fitz worked on an important peace deal. Meanwhile, Huck’s assistance allowed Jake to inch closer to his target; and Cyrus refused to sit back when he’s excluded from the inner circle. Did you watch the last episode? If you missed it, we have a full and detailed recap right here for you.
On tonight’s episode as per the ABC synopsis, “It’s been six months since Olivia and Fitz have broken up, and they are both handling their newfound freedom in very different ways. Meanwhile, the Pope and Associates team take on a case that could lead to a national crisis on the red-hot return.”
Tonight’s episode of SCANDAL is going to be absolutely incredible, and you won’t want to miss even a minute. We’ll be recapping it for you here live.
Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page often to get the most current updates!
#Scandal starts six months after the last episode with a Sally Langston Lovers of Liberty show. She talks about power being the heart of the US’s bosom. She says politicians get nothing done because of their lust for power.
Rowan sits at dinner with Olivia. People stare. Rowan says celebrity, meh. He asks if it’s benefited her business. He says she had the Oval and says she was running the place, and Fitz was clueless. Olivia says it’s better this way.
He says she can’t fool him and says now she knows what it’s like, she wants it. She says he tried to make her First Lady, and it felt like a prison. She says go ahead and says it – no one can cage you. He says he misses her and wants her to come by the house.
She asks why Jake is at his house, and he says he came home and she should too. Sally says to be powerless in this town is to be impotent. Olivia finds Jake outside her door, and he says she’s late, and she says then leave.
He asks if she wants him to go. They have a stare down. She calls the elevator and just as he goes to get on, she jumps into his arms, and they barely make it into her apartment before he starts pulling off her clothes. Steamy. They strip off, and he swats her rear hard.
Sally says people cross any lines for any little bit of power. She says it’s modern warfare and says no one comes out unscathed, and she’s so proud to be an American. Abby’s phone rings and wakes her at 2 am. It’s Fitz. He says he needs his schedule for the next three days.
Abby gets up and says he should talk to Cyrus since he’s Chief of Staff. He says she’s on the call now, and she agrees and says she can clear up a lot of it, and he asks her to join him for one of the dinners. He says they can talk about the summit, but she says no.
She says Leo is sick with the flu and says he’s there trying to sleep. He says he’ll send some gourmet chicken soup. He talks about carbon emissions and asks her to move to another room so Leo can sleep. Huck comes to Liv’s and says they have a client.
She says why not call, and he says it’s not the kind of client you can talk about on the phone because of the NSA. He asks why she’s not opening the door. She asks who it is, and he says it’s the head of the NSA. She shuts the door and whispers to Jake to get out.
Diana Peters is the head of the NSA, and Marcus and Quinn run through the woman’s credentials. She’s the first woman to hold the post and was appointed by Fitz. Huck says she’s a badass. Peters says she was hit by a root kit, and Huck explains they took control of her computer.
She shows them security footage and how files were copied by the hundreds. She says they were looking for Project Mercury. Huck knows what it is and says it’s on the dark net and all about the NSA eavesdropping on top leaders of other countries.
Peters says the program is impenetrable. Huck says it was installed directly onto her server likely from a thumb drive. William Torrance is her new BF, and he’s a possible suspect. Diane says no way can he be the one but Liv says he’s a programmer.
They also remark that Billy’s phone is shut off, and he hasn’t shown up for work. She says engineers drop off the grid when they’re on a big project. She says she vetted Billy thoroughly and says he’s not the one to do it. Quinn says she knows why she doesn’t want to accuse him.
Liv says he’s either a spy or a whistleblower and tells them all to get to work. That night, Jake is back in Liv’s bed for more sweaty sex and her phone rings. She finally answers – it’s Cyrus. He says he needs a Liv-pinion. She says no way – they are not besties.
He says it’s about Abby to stop her from hanging up. She says he has 20 seconds. Cyrus asks if she can handle being a full-on work wife. He says he’s outside the door with Fitz and asks can Abby handle it. Liv says she can. Cyrus thanks her and Liv says that’s a lot of power.
She says it’s the Oval and asks if he’s sure and says don’t give it up unless you’re sure. Liv comes in, and Huck says Mellie is in her office. Liv is surprised and goes in. Mellie hands her a draft of the book she wrote. She says it’s all her dirty laundry to clear her way for the campaign.
Liv refuses to run her campaign and Mellie says she’ll pay her to read it. She says no and Mellie says to do it as a favor and leaves it. She runs out before Olivia can give it back. Nelson complains to Abby about her not calling on him, and she says he wrote a smear piece.
Nelson says he can do her a favor about Project Mercury and says someone has documents. She pretends to know and then screams at her staff to get her a folder on it. She goes to Cyrus and Fitz and says the Post is on the verge of having all this.
Fitz asks Abby’s plan to shut it down. She calls Liv and asks about Jillian Foster, the owner of the Post. Liv asks what she’s trying to shut down. Olivia tells her gang that Billy took it to the Post which means he’s a whistleblower. The team heads out to try and nab him before he can hand files over.
Jake comes to see Fitz at the White House, and they hang on the balcony. Jake says he seems good, better than he expected. Fitz says he’s good and has his freedom, and he’s focused. He says Abby told him he’s all cylinders.
Jake asks what he wants him for, and Fitz says he has a problem with the Post. He shows him the folder on Mercury, but Jake knows what it is. Fitz says it’s a diplomatic nightmare. Jake asks how they got it, and Fitz says he doesn’t know.
Jake says this must be an NSA whistleblower, and Fitz says he needs someone he trusts to take care of it. Jake says that doesn’t make him an obvious choice, but Fitz says it does. Jake asks if he talks to “her” and Fitz says no he doesn’t.
He asks if Jake does and he lies and says no. They share a drink and Jake says he’ll take care of it. Fitz thanks him. They have another drink. Jake says he needs to get a view like this. Fitz says there’s only one way to get this view, and it’s a bitch.
Abby comes to see Cyrus, and she asks if he’s punishing her. He offers her a truffle and says Fitz is driving her crazy and calling her at all hours. She says it’s non-stop and one night wanted her to explain the back story of a TV show.
She says she can’t run the press room when she has to listen to him. She says she’s exhausted, and he won’t stop talking to her. She says he’s broken and she can’t figure out what to do and can’t fix the spy program either. She asks why Cyrus isn’t helping.
Cyrus says she’s the new work wife, and marriage can wreak havoc. She says eww no. Cyrus says he can’t operate without a wife and says he did it too then Mellie then Liv. She says Fitz forgave Cyrus but he says she’s the new wife, and he can’t help her.
He says good luck working out your marriage. Marcus and Quinn come back with no progress. Huck gets his cell signal and is 30 miles away. Marcus wants to go, and Quinn says it could be dangerous. They think he’s an inside cat, but he insists on going.
They find an empty house and then Quinn hears something. It’s Jake, and he has Billy’s phone in hand. He talks to Olivia and says he’s working for Fitz while she’s working for the stupid woman who started this. She wonders why he would break into the house to leave his phone there.
Jake and Olivia argue about this. She says they still have a chance to stop this, and he says there is no we. She says Diane fell for the wrong guy, and Jake says don’t spin it, the woman is guilty. He says he wins, and she and her client lose. He walks out.
Olivia comes to Diane’s house and finds out the Inspector General is there and is digging into her. Olivia tells Diane that they found a call to the Post on Billy’s cell phone. Diane says men find her stars threatening since she’s a general and she says she thought he saw her but saw an opportunity. Liv says she’s not at risk as long as she didn’t collude.
Liv says she’s not at risk as long as she didn’t collude. Diane says they need to talk to Fitz so that no one says a woman can’t do this job. She says punish her but not women. Abby gets a call from Fitz as she knocks on Liv’s door. He wants to talk to her, but she says she can’t and says Leo may have pneumonia, and they’re at the hospital.
He wants to talk to her, but she says she can’t and says Leo may have pneumonia, and they’re at the hospital. Abby has scotch she pilfered from the White House, and they drink, and Abby says she needed silence and no political talk. Abby asks if Liv misses him and she says no. She says yes and no. She says the energy of a political day is a rush.
Abby says Leo wants her to quit and took a campaign in Texas because he never sees her anyway. Liv says she can’t quit. Abby says he’s work wifing the hell out of her. Abby says she has no life, but Liv says she has the president’s ear.
Abby says what is his problem and says she can’t feel that sorry for the rich, handsome, powerful man. Liv says he’s not lonely, he’s alone. She says she was the last person he had and doesn’t have anyone. Abby says now she feels bad.
Olivia says she has to call him about Diane and says she can’t ask him for a favor. Abby says she doesn’t buy it and says Liv is afraid that he’ll do her a favor then she’ll owe him, and she’ll be back in his life, and she’s scared.
Liv says she would tell Abby to pick up the phone and do what’s best for your client but can’t her own advice. Quinn lies in bed with Charlie talking about the hunt for Billy. She gets annoyed with all the questions. He says he disappeared very well and must have game. Quinn sits up and thinks.
Liv sits alone on her couch then sighs and makes the call. She gets Charlotte and asks for him. Fitz thinks for a moment then says he won’t take the call. Olivia is stunned but thanks her politely. Fitz calls Abby late into the night. She ignores it, and it starts ringing again. She answers.
He asks her to talk to NSA director candidates. Liv gets dressed for her day, and Jake is there also getting dressed. She tells him to lock up when he leaves and goes after moments of awkward silence. Quinn tells Charlie that he was right about Billy being too crafty.
She’s trying to hack into the voicemail at the Post, and he suggests using the software used to hack Diane’s. Abby and Fitz talk about an NSA candidate. She hands him his speech and reminds him what to do. He walks off and smiles back at her.
Fitz announces that he accepted her resignation. Liv says she can help her transition to the private sector. Diane asks what Fitz said, and Liv says he was unhelpful. Liv wants her to prepare for her next step. Olivia asks who’s replacing her.
Diane says Liv is out of the loop, and it’s an old crony of the president. At his press conference, Fitz talks about the important of the NSA. Quinn says the whistleblower wasn’t Billy and says he wasn’t the one who called the Post.
Quinn says someone was trying to set Billy up. Liv calls Abby and asks who’s the new head of the NSA. Fitz talks about the replacement and Liv meets the team at the house where they found Jake. Liv opens the fridge. They find Billy’s dead body in the fridge.
Liv says Jake was disposing of Billy’s body. Jake is the new head of the NSA! Holy cow. And he’s in Rowan’s pocket to boot. Fitz talks about the NSA’s power to fight terror and says the new director will wield the power with wisdom and might.
Olivia shows up angry to her dad’s house and tells Jake it was him from the start. She rages at him, and Rowan says Diane Peters failed them. Rowan says you can rat us out or get some power – real power. Liv ponders.
Abby gets a call late at night again and takes it finally. Abby hangs up on him then comes to the Oval and rages at him and says she’s not the head of these branches and says she’s not any of the people he should be calling.
She reminds him she’s the press secretary and is not a companion animal. She rants then leaves for her office. Cyrus tells Abby well done after she calls him. Marcus comes in to invite the others out to eat, but Huck says no and kicks him out.
Huck tells Quinn they have to protect him since he’s normal. He says Marcus can’t be friends with them. Olivia tells Mellie the book is a bore and screams that she wants to be president. She says it’s formulaic and dishonest. She says she needs to write about what people want.
Olivia says to write a real book about who she is, what she thinks about what she’s been through. She says write a heard book because this one is forgettable. She says that’s the book that will make her president – the hard book. Mellie says that’s the book she wants to write.
Olivia says she’ll call her tomorrow, and they can get started. Olivia is making her power move! Sally says power is the fuel that runs the machine. She says it’s the American way and says love your liberty or lose it.
THE END!
