When Scandal returns in January, it will no longer match up with the current presidential race as the next president will have already been elected. Season 6 will pick up on election night in Gladiator world, where either Mellie Grant or Francisco Vargas will be elected president, reports Entertainment Weekly.
The publication learned Season 6 won’t dwell very much on the 2016 election, but like many arcs in Scandal, aspects of real life will inspire the season. “We are basically going to start our season on election night. Yes, it is going to play into our season, but we’re not going to spend our time playing an election,” Scandal creator Shonda Rhimes told EW .
Season 5 ended with Jake Ballard being named as Mellie’s Vice President, even though it’s not what he really wanted. He wanted to run away with Olivia and live a quiet life, but Olivia insisted it wasn’t something she could do and that he shouldn’t either. Meanwhile, Cyrus Beane became Francisco Vargas’ running mate, ultimately fulfilling his lifelong dream of having a presidential role.
The premiere of Season 6 was postponed due to star Kerry Washington’s pregnancy. Instead of premiering in the fall, Scandal will return mid-season. Stars of the show began sharing photos of script readings in late July, indicating that production for Season 6 is currently underway.
Scandal Season 6 is expected to return Feb. 11 at 9 p.m. on ABC.
