Ep 3. Inside the Bubble

Olivia Pope and her team are back again to provide the best service as crisis managers in the White House. The third episode of Scandal season 4, titled "Inside the Bubble," highlights the team's struggles after Olivia's return to Washington, D.C.

The episode begins with Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) sharing a heart-to-heart with her father, Eli Pope (Joe Morton). The conversation reveals why Olivia left Washington, and why she came back. The audience gets a glimpse of Olivia's past and why she wants to make a change. Meanwhile, her father's presence in Washington causes an uneasy feeling for the Pope & Associates team as they all know Eli Pope's past and reputation.

Cyrus Beene (Jeff Perry), the Chief of Staff for the President, is frantically trying to get a bill passed through Congress. His husband, James Novak (Dan Bucatinsky), is writing a newspaper article that goes against Cyrus's wishes. This leads to tension between the couple since Cyrus needs the bill passed at any cost.

Olivia, still settling into her old job, is asked to fix a private matter for a senator. The senator accidentally took a racy photo of himself, which he thought was sent to his wife but instead was sent to his daughter. The senator wants Olivia to bury the photo and make sure it doesn't go public. However, Olivia senses something is amiss and delves deeper into the matter, discovering a bigger scandal that could potentially ruin the senator's career.

Meanwhile, Huck (Guillermo Díaz) is tasked with trying to find out who put a hit on him. A group of guys showed up and began to attack him one night and ever since then, Huck has been dealing with the trauma. He's desperate to find out who put out the hit and why. He turns to Quinn (Katie Lowes) for help, but she's preoccupied with her own problems.

Quinn's love interest, Charlie (George Newbern), has disappeared. Quinn is convinced that something bad has happened to him, but no one believes her. She becomes obsessed with finding Charlie, even putting herself in harm's way to do so. Eventually, she tracks him down and learns the truth about his disappearance.

As the episode progresses, the relationships between the characters become more complex. Olivia's connection with her father strengthens, but it becomes apparent that he has ulterior motives. Cyrus and James continue to argue about the article James is writing, putting their marriage in jeopardy. Huck discovers who put the hit on him, but it only leads to more questions. And Quinn faces a harsh truth about her relationship with Charlie.

"Inside the Bubble" is a dramatic episode that highlights the dynamics between the characters, both within their personal relationships and their professional ones. With each passing minute, the stakes get higher and the tension grows, leaving the audience on the edge of their seats. The episode leaves several questions unanswered, ensuring that viewers will tune in to the next episode to find out what happens next.