Scandal is about to get trippy (or, trippier than usual, at least), y'all.
The Shonda Rhimes drama will celebrate its 100th episode on April 13, and according to an appearance by the cast at the PaleyFest conference, they've got something special planned.
The Hollywood Reporter confirms that the milestone episode, titled "The Decision," will feature a 'What If?"-style plot in which viewers find out what would have happened had (spoiler!) Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) not rigged the election with Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry) and Mellie (Bellamy Young). Their illegal antics in Defiance County, Ohio resulted in Fitz (Tony Goldwyn) being elected president, and thus set off much of the show's biggest storylines.
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Similar to Grey's Anatomy's season 8 episode "If/Then," "The Decision" will explore an alternate reality. If the voting machines in Ohio hadn't been tampered with, would Fitz have still won the presidency? Would he have lost, divorced Mellie, then hightailed it to a romantic B&B with Olivia? Would the Gladiators still exist? Would Evil Cyrus still be in power? And would the country, which is currently reeling from the assassination of President-elect Frankie Vargas (Ricardo Chavira) be better off?
It's all very Sliding Doors, and bound to be complicated.
Photos obtained by THR offer a few teasers. Fitz isn't wearing his go-to American flag pin, but Mellie is still rocking a wedding band. That doesn't necessarily mean she's still married to Fitz, however.
According to the cast, the flashback episode will have a "season 1 vibe."
"It also informs your understanding of all of us now when we get back to our 'normal' Scandal episodes," Tony Goldwyn teased.
"It's oxygen to this fire and you laugh because you need to," added Darby Stanfield, who plays Abby Whelan.
Consider us intrigued. We've got our red wine and popcorn on standby.