SCANDAL: A STOMACH FOR BLOOD (TV)

Summary

One in this drama/political thriller about the Pope & Associates crisis management firm in Washington D.C. In this episode, on Election Night, everyone watches in horror as President-Elect Vargas is assassinated on live television, and Abby, numb with shock, receives a call from an unknown person responsible for the murder. The caller then gives her instructions, ordering her to somehow leave Fitz's side. Two months earlier, as Fitz begins to fantasize about his post-White House life, Abby meets with two potential donors, Theodore Peus and Samantha Ruland of the "Fund for American Renewal," who offer her a staggering $300 million -- but for her own theoretical campaign, not for the Grant Foundation. Stunned by the suggestion that she should abandon Fitz and run for office herself, she declines. Later, however, she visits Cyrus and, over an expensive bottle of bourbon, asks him what sparked his confidence in Vargas as a good president, and Cyrus immediately guesses that she is thinking of striking out on her own. He agrees that she would make a strong candidate, but wonders if she can live with the guilt of "abandoning" Fitz. At the same time, Fitz decides to move to Vermont for a relaxing life of fly-fishing and jam-making, and when Abby accuses him of dodging his lifelong responsibilities as a president to continue bettering America, he argues that he has already done more than enough to serve his country. Angered, she contacts Peus and accepts the offer.

On Election Night, Mellie's fate is sealed when Vargas wins California, and Ruland calls Abby to tell her to await instructions. When Vargas is shot, Abby is floored to realize that the "donors" were behind the entire plot, and Ruland calls again and instructs her to go to St. Anne's Hospital and have Vargas' floor locked down. When Abby refuses, Ruland adds that the $300 million actually came from North Korean intelligence, meaning that Abby is now hopelessly trapped by their blackmail. Fitz and Jake scramble to investigate the shooting and quickly zero in on Nelson McClintock as a suspect, and Abby manages to trick Fitz into sending her to St. Anne's. She locks down the ward as ordered, and Meg Mitchell, posing as a nurse, orders Abby to plant evidence and switch out the bullets used to kill Vargas with different ones, informing her that her boyfriend Leo's life hangs in the balance. Learning that the bullets are still inside Vargas' body, Abby tries to persuade Fitz to order an immediate autopsy to recover the evidence. When he refuses, she enlists the help of Major Morales, promising to get him his long-awaited transfer to California if he performs the procedure. Morales is then interrupted mid-autopsy, as he does not have formal orders from Fitz, and Abby promises to handle the situation -- and then manually removes the bullets from the corpse and leaves the replacements, much to her own profound disgust.

Abby rushes home to find a badly injured Leo, who can't remember the circumstances of his "mugging." Sometime later, Olivia produces Jennifer Fields' voicemail and declares Cyrus the true conspirator, and Abby, knowing that he has been framed by Peus and Ruland, tries to convince Fitz not to follow the false lead. McClintock falsely confesses, thanks to Jake's draconian methods, and Cyrus is soon arrested and charged with capital crimes punishable by death. Desperate, Abby decides to tell Rosen everything -- but Ruland stops her, assuring her that she cannot outsmart her blackmailers, and then reveals that she has formed a romantic relationship with an oblivious Rosen. However, Huck then finds Abby and reveals that Fields is actually alive and can exonerate Cyrus, and Abby promises to do "whatever it takes" to free him. She meets with Ruland and Peus and offers them a deal, demanding Cyrus' release in exchange for Fields' whereabouts. Shortly thereafter, Meg arrives at Fields' hiding place and shoots her -- and Huck as well. Includes commercials and promos.

Details

• NETWORK: ABC
• DATE: November 30, 1999 9:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 0:58:56
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: 130645
• GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense
• SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Drama; Drama, mystery/suspense; Politics; Conspiracies; Assassination
• SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2012-2018
• COMMERCIALS:
  • TV - Commercials - "Beauty and the Beast" motion picture
  • TV - Commercials - "The Circle" motion picture
  • TV - Commercials - Apple iPhone 7 devices
  • TV - Commercials - Blue Diamond almonds
  • TV - Commercials - Claritin-D allergy medication
  • TV - Commercials - Glade Atmosphere scented candles
  • TV - Commercials - HomeAway travel website
  • TV - Commercials - Indeed.com employment website
  • TV - Commercials - International Delight coffee creamer
  • TV - Commercials - Kohl's stores
  • TV - Commercials - Kraft macaroni and cheese
  • TV - Commercials - Lexus automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Linzess constipation medicine
  • TV - Commercials - Lowe's stores
  • TV - Commercials - Marie Callender's pies
  • TV - Commercials - Neutrogena HydroBoost water gel
  • TV - Commercials - Nivea In-Shower body lotion wash
  • TV - Commercials - Olay Regenerist facial serum
  • TV - Commercials - Old Navy stores
  • TV - Commercials - Pantene hair care products
  • TV - Commercials - Rimmel London ScandalEyes mascara
  • TV - Commercials - Samsung Galaxy S8 cellular phones
  • TV - Commercials - Seresto pet flea and tick protection
  • TV - Commercials - TJ Maxx stores
  • TV - Commercials - Target stores
  • TV - Commercials - Verizon Wireless cellular services
  • TV - Commercials - Walmart stores
  • TV - Promos - "20/20"
  • TV - Promos - "American Housewife"
  • TV - Promos - "Black-ish"
  • TV - Promos - "Dancing with the Stars"
  • TV - Promos - "Designated Survivor"
  • TV - Promos - "Fresh Off the Boat"
  • TV - Promos - "Imaginary Mary"
  • TV - Promos - "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
  • TV - Promos - "Match Game"
  • TV - Promos - "Scandal" upcoming episode
  • TV - Promos - "The Catch"
  • TV - Promos - "The Middle"
  • TV - Promos - "The Toy Box"

CREDITS

• Betsy Beers … Executive Producer
• Mark Fish … Executive Producer
• Tom Verica … Executive Producer
• Shonda Rhimes … Executive Producer, Created by
• Merri D. Howard … Co-Executive Producer
• Judy Smith … Co-Executive Producer
• Zahir McGhee … Co-Executive Producer
• Matt Byrne … Co-Executive Producer
• Scott Collins … Supervising Producer
• Chris Van Dusen … Supervising Producer
• Paul William Davies … Producer
• Raamla Mohamed … Producer
• Alison Schapker … Consulting Producer
• Brad Yacobian … Co-Producer
• Sarah Rissmiller … Co-Producer
• Holden Chang … Co-Producer
• Akua Murphy … Associate Producer
• Abby Chambers … Associate Producer
• Oliver Bokelberg … Director
• Severiano Canales … Writer
• Chad Fischer … Music by
• Kerry Washington … Cast, Olivia Pope
• Scott Foley … Cast, Jake Ballard
• Darby Stanchfield … Cast, Abby Whelan
• Katie Lowes … Cast, Quinn Perkins
• Guillermo Diaz … Cast, Diego "Huck" Muñoz
• Jeff Perry … Cast, Cyrus Beene
• Joshua Malina … Cast, David Rosen
• Bellamy Young … Cast, Mellie Grant
• Portia de Rossi … Cast, Elizabeth North
• Joe Morton … Cast, Rowan Pope
• Cornelius Smith Jr. … Cast, Marcus Walker
• Tony Goldwyn … Cast, President Fitzgerald Grant III
• Paul Adelstein … Cast, Leo Bergen
• Ricardo Chavira … Cast, Frankie Vargas
• Saycon Sengbloh … Cast, Angela Webster
• David Warshofsky … Cast, Theodore Peus
• Tina Lifford … Cast, CIA Director Lowry
• Zoe Perry … Cast, Samantha Ruland
• Phoebe Neidhardt … Cast, Meg Mitchell
• Hector Luis Bustamante … Cast, Major Morales
• Ramona DuBarry … Cast