After a six month wait, Scandal season 4 premieres tonight with episode 1 titled “Randy, Red, Superfreak and Julia”.
UPDATE: Read our recap of tonight’s big episode here!
The Scandal season 3 finale left fans on a huge cliffhanger, so the season 4 premiere will hopefully answer a lot of questions. Where did Olivia and Jake fly off to? How will Fitz react to losing track of his scandalous beloved? What are Papa and Mama Pope up to? And most importantly: Why is Olivia drinking wine on a beach in promos?
The synopsis for Scandal season 4, episode 1 suggests that Olivia Pope & Associates will be suffering from their leader’s absence, while Mellie is reeling from Jerry’s death two months after it happened.
“Nearly two months after Olivia and Jake boarded a private jet to stand in the sun together, everything has changed,” the synopsis reads. “With another four years in the White House, Fitz and Cyrus are doing everything they can to make a positive impact on the nation. Meanwhile, Mellie struggles to cope with the loss of her son and the gladiators feel the impact of Olivia’s absence.”
Photos from the Scandal season 4 premiere confirm that Portia De Rossi (Arrested Development) will start her mystery role on tonight’s episode. While the photo doesn’t reveal much other than the fact that she looks like a young Hillary Clinton, she is standing next to a high-level White House worker (note the “A” clearance badge he’s wearing):
Two other photos depict Fitz and Cyrus in the Oval Office, possibly feeling concerned about Olivia’s whereabouts:
Scandal season 4, episode 1 airs Thursday, September 25 at 9 p.m. eastern/pacific on ABC (note the new, earlier time!). Following tonight’s episode, check back for our recap of everything that went down.
Until then, grab your wine and popcorn, and get ready for a wild night of Shondaland!
If you need something to watch as you wait for 9 p.m., check out this great interview Ellen DeGeneres did with Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn, and Scott Foley. Ellen tries to get Kerry to reveal which of the two men is the better kisser:
What do you think will go down on the ‘Scandal’ season 4 premiere?
To watch Scandal online, visit ABC.com on Friday morning to stream the full episode. You can also use WatchABC’s iOS/Android app.