You remember that feeling. The white hat was getting a little dusty. Olivia Pope was basically running the free world from a dark corner of the West Wing, and Shonda Rhimes was ready to hang up the Prada coats for good. If you’re diving back into the madness of B613 and Mellie Grant’s presidency, you're likely wondering about the finality of it all. Specifically, how many episodes are in Scandal Season 7?
It’s 18.
That’s the number. It’s shorter than the usual 21 or 22-episode marathons we got used to during the peak "TGIT" era on ABC. But those 18 episodes had to carry a massive amount of weight. They had to wrap up a decade of political "fixing," solve the internal rot of the Gladiators, and decide if Olivia and Fitz would ever actually get that house in Vermont with the jam.
Why the Final Count Matters for the Pacing
When Shonda Rhimes announced that the seventh season would be the last, there was a lot of chatter about whether 18 episodes would be enough. Honestly, most fans were split. Some felt the show had already jumped the shark with the whole "Olivia becomes Command" arc. Others weren't ready to say goodbye to the OPA (then QPA) office.
The 18-episode order wasn't some random slash by the network. It was a creative choice. Rhimes has been quoted saying she knew exactly how she wanted the story to end, and stretching it to 22 would have just been filler. Think about it. Scandal was never a show that did well with filler. When the plot slowed down, the audience got restless. We wanted the fast-talking, the "over-the-cliff" speeches, and the high-stakes blackmail.
By keeping the count at 18, the final season moved at a breakneck speed. You had the Quinn Perkins mystery, the rise of Cyrus Beene’s ultimate villainy, and the legal showdown that threatened to put everyone in orange jumpsuits. If they had more time, we might have gotten more "case of the week" episodes. Instead, we got a laser-focused descent into the consequences of power.
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The Breakdown of the Final Run
The season kicked off on October 5, 2017. It took a mid-season break—classic network TV move—and finished its run on April 19, 2018.
If you're binge-watching now, you'll notice the structure is basically split into two halves. The first half deals with Olivia’s intoxicating and frankly terrifying grip on power as the Chief of Staff and the head of B613. The second half is the fallout. It’s the "redemption" arc, though whether Olivia Pope actually found redemption is a debate that still rages on Reddit threads to this day.
- The Premiere: "Watch Me." It set the tone. Olivia was at the height of her powers, and it was uncomfortable to watch.
- The Crossover: Episode 12, "Allow Me to Introduce Myself." This was the big one. The How to Get Away with Murder crossover. Annalise Keating and Olivia Pope in one room. It was a ratings goldmine and honestly, the peak of the season for many.
- The Finale: "Over a Cliff." Episode 18. It was the end of the road.
People often forget that the final season had to navigate a lot of real-world political fatigue. By 2017 and 2018, the actual news cycle was so chaotic that Scandal almost felt tame by comparison. This might be why the episode count felt just right. It didn't overstay its welcome in a world that was already feeling politically exhausted.
Comparing Season 7 to the Rest of the Series
If you look at the show's history, the episode counts were all over the place. Season 1 was a tiny 7-episode pilot run. Season 2 jumped to 22. Season 3 was cut short to 18 episodes because Kerry Washington was pregnant in real life. Seasons 4 and 5 stayed at the 21-22 mark. Then Season 6 dropped to 16.
So, finding out how many episodes are in Scandal Season 7 reveals that it was actually one of the longer "short" seasons. It was longer than the debut and longer than the penultimate season. It gave the writers enough room to breathe but not enough to get lazy.
The Impact of Episode 18
The series finale remains polarizing. Some people hated the ambiguity. Others loved that it didn't tie everything up in a neat little bow. When you only have 18 episodes to dismantle a shadow government and close out seven years of character development, you have to make choices.
One of those choices was the focus on the "trial" of the century. The final stretch of episodes shifted from a political thriller to a legal drama. It forced the characters to look in the mirror. For 124 episodes total (across all seasons), these people did terrible things for "the greater good." The final 18 episodes were essentially a long-form meditation on whether the ends ever actually justify the means.
How to Watch Season 7 Today
If you’re planning a rewatch, or if you’re a first-timer finally catching up, you can find all 18 episodes on streaming platforms like Hulu or Disney+ (depending on your region).
The best way to consume this specific season is in chunks. The first four episodes are a slow burn of Olivia's ego. Episodes 5 through 10 are the "missing Quinn" saga, which is high-octane. Then you have the home stretch where everything falls apart.
Don't rush the crossover episode. Even if you haven't seen How to Get Away with Murder, the chemistry between Viola Davis and Kerry Washington is worth the price of admission alone. It’s a masterclass in acting, even if the plot feels a bit like a "greatest hits" gimmick.
Final Verdict on the Episode Count
Eighteen episodes was the sweet spot. Any more and the Cyrus Beene maneuvering would have become repetitive. Any less and the resolution for characters like Abby, Huck, and David Rosen would have felt even more rushed than it already did.
If you’re looking for a deep dive into the show’s legacy, pay attention to the cinematography in these final episodes. The way they use shadows and light in the final 18 is a direct callback to the noir roots of the first season. It’s a full circle.
Actionable Insights for Scandal Fans:
- Watch for the Wardrobe: Notice how Olivia’s clothes get darker as she gains power in the first half of Season 7, then lighten up as she seeks "the light" toward the finale.
- The Crossover Context: If you want the full story of the crossover, you have to watch the How to Get Away with Murder episode "Lahey v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" immediately after Scandal’s "Allow Me to Introduce Myself."
- The Soundtrack: The final season leans heavily on soul and funk classics. It’s worth having Shazaam ready because the music supervision in the final 18 episodes is some of the best in the series.
- Prepare for Episode 18: The very last scene of the series is a shot of two young girls in a gallery looking at a portrait. There are a dozen theories about what that means—decide for yourself if it represents the future or a legacy of power.
The journey of Olivia Pope was never going to end quietly. Those 18 episodes ensured that the "Gladiators" went out with a bang, a few tears, and a lot of red wine.