A Scandal Guide To Trump’s Presidency: All The Moments That Foreshadowed The 2016 Election

Most of the time, we turn to a Shonda Rhimes drama for nail-biting suspense and a cathartic cry. Her worlds are fraught with evil, disaster, and people who like to make their lives extra complicated. Scandal's version of Washington, D.C., for instance, makes the real version seem sane by comparison. Well, it used to, anyway.

Donald Trump supporters and haters alike can't deny that his administration is going to be one unpredictable ride. But those of us who have been watching Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) for years may have a leg up on the rest. No, we're not suggesting that President Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn), a Republican in name only, is anything like Trump. At least not in the most obvious ways. We're also not just talking about Hollis Doyle (Gregg Henry), the oil tycoon who became a thinly veiled stand-in for Trump last season.

But if you look back at the show's first five seasons, you can find parallels to the things we already know about the 45th president, as well as allusions to what could potentially happen in the years to come. It's probably coincidence that Scandal is returning for season 6 just days before the inauguration. But we're going to take it as a sign that our future will be best handled with a giant glass of wine and a bowl of popcorn.