The show stars Kerry Washington as the famous Olivia Pope, who leaves her position in the White House after a secret affair with the President. She starts her own crisis management firm, where Olivia and her associates work hard to protect the reputation of various public/influential figures. Olivia's love and passion for the President seems very real, and it's clear he's her kryptonite. Olivia Pope is most famous for her sharp instincts; she's almost always able to find the truth by following her gut reaction.
Each of her employees come from somewhat broken backgrounds: Abby Whelan (Darby Stanchfield), an investigator for Olivia Pope, was hired after Olivia worked her case for domestic violence. Abby's husband brutally beat her, and Olivia was able to get her the best divorce attorney in town. Another character, Huck, was found homeless on the streets by Olivia.
What I love most about the show is Olivia's independence. While she still does fall weak to her remaining strong feelings for the President, she does her best to overcome them (so far!). She's a bit harsh at times, yet all of her employees are willing to bend over backwards for her. This speaks volumes about Olivia, proving her a trustworthy, but strong character. However, at the same time, she's not completely solid. Her feelings for the President do sometimes cloud her judgment as she tries to do the best thing for both her and the President.
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That being said, while I am fascinated with the storyline, the acting isn't necessarily the high point of the show. Kerry Washington almost seems like she's trying too hard to seem confident and intimidating. In addition, some of the stories/cases seem stretched ... but that's why it's a fictional show, I suppose. The decent acting doesn't kill the show by any means, and the many twists and turns keep me tuned in.
