Last season, when SCANDAL premiered, I was on the fence.  I don’t know what it was that put me on the fence, but there I sat.  Somewhere about midway through the 7 episode run last year, I fell firmly off the fence into the “love this show backyard.”  It was around the time when it went from being a procedural story to one that included murder after murder, blackmail, adultery, and crazy drama involving the White House staff and Olivia Pope and her team.  Her team, I should add, that includes “Quinn Perkins” (Katie Lowes) – someone we know nothing about, and whose story throws us head on into the second season, premiering tonight on ABC, at 10/9c (after the Season 8 premiere of GREY’S ANATOMY).

We know almost right away when tonight’s premiere starts just who exactly “Quinn” is, and while that’s a really great reveal, there are so many other twists and turns in the first episode, which includes a guest spot from DROP DEAD DIVA actor Jackson Hurst as a young Congressman with a problem, that who “Quinn” is almost doesn’t seem important!  The team is working smoothly together, and though I miss Henry Ian Cusick, I can’t say there is anything lacking in the show by his being gone.  What’s happening now with the President, the First Lady, Cyrus, Olivia – it’s all so juicy and so well done!  Josh Malina’s a welcome series-regular addition (we saw him off and on last season), as his adversary role to Olivia Pope is handled really well.  Most importantly?  A scene involving the POTUS and Olivia, in two separate locations, crackled with so much chemistry, I thought my computer would melt.  Long story short, join me this season in the “love this show backyard” – the twist at the end of the episode will make you so happy you did!