Scandal Revival? Shonda Rhimes is Interested in Revisiting Olivia Pope
When Scandal wrapped its run in 2018, Shonda Rhimes was against the idea of revisiting the series.
However, it seems that absence makes the heart grow fonder.
During an interview with IMDB, Rhimes said that the character she wants to revisit is Olivia Pope.
“Olivia Pope, I like that character so much,” Rhimes said.
“Even when she was bad, I liked that character so much — she’s very interesting.”
Kerry Washington toplined Scandal for seven seasons on ABC.
If you watch Scandal online, you know the sudsy drama focused on a Washington D.C. fixer who finds herself wrapped up in the world of politics.
The series was well-known for its wild twists, romances, and stellar acting.
Loosely based on the real-life lawyer Judy Smith, who represented Monica Lewinsky during the Clinton scandal, Scandal started with middling ratings.
However, thanks to word-of-mouth, it became one of the biggest shows on TV.
During a live table read for the series finale script in April 2018, Rhimes said the series is done.
“Scandal is finished,” said Rhimes at the time.
“I love everybody and would work with everybody again in a heartbeat, but Scandal is finished.”
As for Washington, the actress revealed in 2020 that she would find it hard to decline a future return if the show got a revival.
It’s unclear whether the show can return because Rhimes has a rich overall deal with Netflix.
However, it’s difficult to imagine Disney not considering another series in that universe. It was so much fun to watch, so we can imagine it was a blast to make.
Washington did play the role on an episode of How to Get Away With Murder.
Any potential return would probably come down to the believability of any project and how it would bring Olivia Pope back to the forefront.
Far too often, beloved shows are brought back to life, only for them to dilute the brand and leave a bad taste.
What are your thoughts on a Scandal comeback?
Hit the comments.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.