Since Scandal’s return, things have definitely heated up between Olivia and Jake. But is that what fans want to see?

It’s hard to imagine Scandal without Olivia and Fitz together in some respect. Since the first season, the pair have been continuously drawn apart, and then pulled together, and then yanked back apart again. In the midst of this, of course, Jake Ballard appeared, and the fandom hasn’t recovered since. In the most recent winter finale, Liv made the choice to leave Fitz and the White House, blasting the doors to sexy time with Jake wide open.

It does seem like three years’ worth of this has tired viewers out. Because of the long history between Olivia and Fitz, it’s understandable that they believe the two are endgame. In addition to this, though, Jake has been behaving rather unsettling lately. He’s been accused of violent and abusive tendencies in the past, but this current bout with Liv has been described as hateful and even misogynistic.

Looking back, there was the time he choked her against the wall, and the time he taped the two of them having sex, and the time he turned into a rogue killing machine. Now, he’s teamed up with Rowan and is apparently seeing another mystery woman. There’s plenty to feed the fire, and fans have been vocal:

Clearly, there is a sizable chunk of the fan base frustrated with the relationship. I think it speaks to a larger problem of the series in general though, specifically Olivia’s character development. The move from the White House made complete sense; Liv never wanted to be First Lady. But to turn around and immediately pair her with Jake again? Olivia surely has other things to be handling.

Arguably, each character has been at their most interesting when they’ve been single (with the the exception of David, whose romantic messes are just too fun and disastrous to look away from). But couldn’t Liv try it out? Do we have to see her in the arms of another man barely out of Fitz’s reach? This could make the encounter so much more rewarding when she does, eventually, choose to return to either man. This is TV; it will happen. But let us and Olivia recover from and explore the consequences of one hard decision before launching her into a new (however different) entanglement.

Also, was anyone else as creeped out by Papa Pope calling Olivia and Jake his children after watching the sex scenes as I was? It could be interpreted as a son-in-law and daughter dynamic, but it feels like reaching to be honest. All it did was put knots in the stomach, which is a common characteristic for Rowan. Olivia thinks his intention is to keep them apart, which follows since he certainly succeeds at alienating any sensual atmosphere.

On top of all this, a few people have mentioned that it seems like less gladiating has happened as of late as well. The team is too busy personally to take many cases. The show was built on a case-of-the-week format with romance as a strong foundation, and it functions best with the two in balance. Maybe the writers need to measure it out, diagnose some problem spots, and reevaluate the current circumstances.

Do you think Jake and Olivia need to give it a rest?