A sure fix for fans of politics, drama
The Fixer and How to Get Away with Murder return to SA screens for new seasons. And Shonda Rhimes maintains her prowess as ambitions reach ruthless levels,
IHAVE a love-hate relationship with TV doyenne Shonda Rhimes. Let me qualify that statement before I start a hate war on social media.
I’m a huge fan of her exploits. She has defied Hollywood’s sexist landscape by introducing solid, empowered female lead characters. And she’s been saluted for it. That’s why I love her.
As for why I hate her? Well, her shows are so darn good, I just can’t get enough. I’m always left wanting more at the end of every episode, cursing the channel for not delivering enough episodes for me to binge watch.
I won’t get bogged down on the awards – from Emmys and Golden Globes to BET honours – her shows have collected since airing. We know that whatever Rhimes lends that legendary Midas touch to turns into a success story in Hollywood’s TV annals.
Right now I want to talk about The Fixer 6 and How to Get Away with Murder 3.
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. This is what I kept telling myself when I caught up with the first episode of both shows. Yes, I get that emotionally immersed in the storyline.
Given the unstable political climate in the US, The Fixer is probably going to hit a little too close to home.
It opened on such a nerve-racking note as everyone waited on tenterhooks to find out which presidential candidate – Mellie Grant or Francisco Vargas – was going to win the electoral race.
With Olivia Pope on Mellie’s campaign, it seemed like a slam-dunk contest. But it wasn’t.
Olivia was as shocked as Mellie, who wanted a recount, but she bounced back quicker. Just as Mellie conceded defeat in an emotional congratulatory telephone conversation with her rival, hope returned. The new president was killed while on the podium about to deliver his victory speech, and the position remained vacant.
Meanwhile, Olivia’s suspicions about Cyrus Beene, who has been running Vargas’s campaign, having a hidden agenda, heighten.
Of course, this also means that outgoing President Thomas Grant is conflicted over the call he has to make: back his former wife or Beene.
Although the ugliness of politics is magnified in the morally bankrupt actions of her characters who have hidden agendas, Rhimes offsets the dejected tone with a bit of happy news: Quinn gets her happily-ever-after ending when Charlie pops the question.
Moving on to the third instalment of How to Get Away with Murder, Viola Davis retains her tour de force sway as Annalise Keating.
Still a protective mother bear to her students, Keating tries to pick up the pieces of her life while still reeling from Frank’s betrayal and him being responsible for her losing her baby.
With her house burning down, she gets to start over while dealing with her alcoholism. But drowning herself in work isn’t the therapeutic outlet it used to be. And she is being harassed by someone who has started a campaign to punish her for being a “killer”.
Meanwhile, her precious students continue to straddle that delicate line between lawful and unlawful. And their fractured personal lives prove to be quite disruptive.
What’s going to be interesting this season is the cat-and-mouse chase between Annalise and Frank, who has gone from her greatest ally to her greatest threat.
In addition, we also get to find out more about the killing-off one of the show’s biggest characters.
As I pointed out earlier, Rhimes loves to dangle clues and red herrings to keep fans on the edge of their seats. Brace yourselves, it’s going to be an emotional roller coaster.
The Fixer and How to Get Away with Murder air on Mondays on Vuzu Amp (DStv channel 103) at 8.30pm and 9.30pm, respectively.