Scandal, Season 1

Harrison:
(To Quinn) I'm not a baby lawyer. I'm a Gladiator in a suit, because that's what you are when you work for Olivia Pope. You're a Gladiator in a suit. Do you wanna be a Gladiator?

Quinn:
Yes.

Harrison:
You have to say it.

Quinn:
I wanna be a Gladiator in a suit.

Olivia:
(About Amanda Tanner) I'm sorry, I have to ask.

Fitz:
No. I never…I would never…no. You've known me for a long time. Longer than most. You know I didn't fall for some young girl. You know there's only one person I love.

Cyrus:
Mellie and Fitz are happy together, Liv. He'd have no reason to cheat.

Olivia:
I'll handle it. Consider it handled.

Fitz:
You should come back to the White House. We need you on our side.

Olivia:
I like working for myself. But I've never left your side.

Olivia:
(talking about Fitz) I think... he knows. I think he knows what we did. I'm pretty sure.

Cyrus:
Liv, there is no way--

Olivia:
I haven't slept in ten months. I have our last conversation on a loop in my head all night, every night. I think he knows what we did, Cyrus.

Billy:
(to Olivia and Cyrus) Maybe this won't come out.

Olivia:
It's a dirty little secret, and dirty little secrets always come out. Don't they, Cyrus?

Fitz:
(to Cyrus) I know I don't get to do what other men do. Above reproach, my whole life. I'm not John Edwards. I get it. Wear the crown. That's fine. There is a price. But Liv... is the love of my life.

Olivia:
I was wrong before about it not being your fault. It IS your fault... You love him, you do. But you can't fix everything for him. You can't. He's playing you, because you let him. You give him everything he asks for, and you clean up his messes, and you believe him even when he lies to you and that is NOT LOVE. Love is making him face who he is. The best thing you can do for him is to do the best thing FOR him It's not your fault what he did, but letting him get away with it, THAT IS your fault.

Cyrus:
(After Fitz listens to the tape) That's what it is right? You getting caught with your pants down? You having sex with Amanda Tanner?

Fitz:
Cyrus, I -

Cyrus:
You don't talk. YOU don't talk anymore! Someone sent this to me. You get that? Amanda Tanner is blackmailing you. Which means, Olivia Pope is blackmailing you.

Travis:
(To his girlfriend) You know who this is? This is The Olivia Pope! She is amazing! (To Olivia) Who are you working for now? The White House? CIA? FBI?

Olivia:
Right now, your mother.

Travis:
Oh…

Fitz:
The way I see it, all roads lead back to Amanda Tanner. She's saying we had an affair, she's says she's carrying our child. Without her, there's nothing but that tape. Without her, that tape has a guy that sounds vaguely like me. There's no proof. No one takes it seriously without being vouched for. Which means, our problem is Amanda Tanner. And she's not a problem; she's a kid. Our real problem…is Olivia Pope.

Cyrus:
You realize -

Fitz:
I got into this job to help people; to change this country for the better. I am the President of the United States of America. It's time I start acting like it.

Olivia:
I made a tough call.

Huck:
(While torturing Charlie) They put me in a hole nobody wants to be in. And I don't mean a metaphorical hole. An actual hole. They took stuff from me, Charlie. So much stuff that I was homeless on the subway, begging for change when Liv found me. Which is why I'm breaking my sobriety 'cause she asked. Ok? I'm telling you this because I want you to understand that I owe her. So I'm not gonna stop until you tell me where Amanda is.

Fitz:
Amanda Tanner is dead.

Cyrus:
How sad.

Fitz:
Aren't you gonna ask how it happened?

Cyrus:
No. Should I?

Fitz:
A young woman died. A member of this administration.

Cyrus:
I said how sad I was. You didn't hear me? I'll say it again. How sad. Let's lower the flags.

Fitz:
(In a flashback to the presidential campaign) It's not our stances on the issues. We are not getting our message out there. People don't know where I stand. The problem is-

Olivia:
Your marriage. It looks like you don't screw your wife. Which would be fine, except that family values matter to Republicans. It's why they vote for who they vote for. And since Sally's got Jesus firmly on her side, that just leaves family. Marriage. Yours, whatever the truth may be, from the outside in, looks cold. Distant. Dead. Where is your wife, by the way? (Fitz doesn't answer) People want to like who they're voting for. People thought Al Gore was a big stiff until he stuck his tongue down Tipper's throat. They put George W. in office because he and Laura seemed like a fun couple to have a beer with. People have to want to invite you in for dinner. Right now, you and your wife are standing in their doorway, three feet apart, not looking at each other, letting in the cold air. That's why you lost Iowa. It's why you'll lose New Hampshire.

Fitz:
And you are?

Olivia:
Olivia. Pope.

Fitz:
(on a flashback to the presidential campaign) God. Please don't. Don't be nice to me. I'm sitting here complaining to you about my wife, which is sleazy and low and not fair to you and the oldest trick in the book. Suddenly I'm looking down at myself and I'm... How did I get here? Why didn't I meet you sooner? What kind of a coward was I to marry her and not wait for you to show up?

Olivia:
Governor Grant--

Fitz:
Oh, for God's sake. We are so far beyond the "Governor Grant" crap. Just say my name.

Olivia:
That's crossing the line. It would be inappropriate.

Fitz:
Then let's be inappropriate. Say my name.

Olivia:
(after a 30 seconds silence) Fitz.

Fitz:
You really want me to detail for you how and where and in what positions Amanda Tanner and I had sex? Would that help make you feel better? Because I'll do it.

Olivia:
No!

Fitz:
You left me, I was unhappy, she was there. One time. I made a mistake.

Olivia:
I don't want to talk about it! You cheated on your mistress with your girlfriend. Let's just leave it at that.

Olivia:
He's talking about resigning.

Mellie':
You must love that.

Olivia:
This isn't about me.

Mellie:
Really? Seems like my whole marriage is about you.

Olivia:
Mellie, he can't resign. I'm sure we can make some kind of deal.

Mellie:
I try to be pleasant. I try to be... I'm the First Lady. There are sacrifices. There's a price. And for a time, that was fine. You and I wanted the same thing. Fitz in the Oval. We were on the same team, you and I, and everything was fine. I just don't understand what happened.

Olivia:
What happened?

Mellie:
You let that girl get into his pants! You left the team, Liv! You fell down on the job! You broke his heart, and you left him open and vulnerable and helpless. And that is how that snake Billy Chambers got that shiny red Amanda apple right into Fitz's hand. I do my job. I smile, and I push him, and I make sure he has what he needs. I do my job. Why couldn't you do yours?

Cyrus:
(to Olivia about Fitz) I don't doubt that he could do it. Live the normal life he's always wanted. Walk the dog, mow the lawn... a simple life, a happy life. For most people, that's fine. It's all they need. For him, it's a waste. Of talent. Of potential. That man was born to be a leader. He was born to do this. Anything else would diminish him and deprive this country. He can talk all he wants about a regular life. Some men aren't meant to be happy. They're meant to be great.