On everyone's favorite Thursday night drama, "Scandal," the romance surrounding Olivia and Fitz seems to take the spotlight. With this upcoming season (Season 5), the show has promoted that the "Scandal" fans are going to "at last" get what they have "always wanted" --- Olivia and Fitz together. However, maybe it's time that we stop ignoring the problems with this relationship being the highlight of the show.
First of all, Olitz is not a healthy relationship. It is toxic to both parties involved which is not surprising given the relationship was started as an adulterous one. While the show has addressed the adultery, it has yet to provide any outlook on this relationship that is not hopeful or positive. Instead, Fitz's wife, Mellie, is viewed as the villain of the Olitz love story, sending the message to viewers that adultery is okay as long as you are in love. Accept it because it was most likely your spouse who drove you to cheat anyway.
This problem is only growing on "Scandal" because those involved are openly trying to continue this relationship. It is not a statement against abuse and infidelity; rather it is condoning the activity by using the cliché of the bitchy wife and innocent lover. No one on this show is innocent, not in the slightest. But, Fitz seems to be one of the worst offenders. In addition to being a cheater, this President has actually taken a life--purposefully. Hypocrisy follows him everywhere he goes. He kicked his wife out because she led Rowan to killing innocent people, yet he shot down a plane, started a war, and murdered a dying cancer patient for his own selfish needs. Furthermore, he manipulates Olivia in just about every situation they are in. He physically grabs her on multiple occasions when she is trying to get away from him. He yells at her and uses his power over her to make her feel worthless. They are emotionally dependent on each other to the point where in their long and drawn out on-again-off-again relationship, the off periods often show them angry and/or depressed. Their work is seemingly always being affected by their "love" and neither of them can seem to form any other healthy and stable relationships.
All of the above being true, "Scandal" is still portraying the Olivia and Fitz relationship as a positive, admirable love story. The message they are sending to viewers goes far beyond being unfaithful. They are putting a stamp on this type of relationship and saying 'this isn't unhealthy, it's just a complicated love story that will eventually have a happy ending.'
I do love "Scandal," and it pains me that they would continue on this path because they don't have to. I would much rather see the endgame be both Olivia and Fitz confronting their own issues and not ending up together. For me, that would be the best and most realistic option. Who knows? Maybe it'll happen.
