Entertainment

Shonda Rhimes Just Confirmed The 'HTGAWM' & 'Scandal' Crossover, So Prepare To Freak Out

by Ashley Rey
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images; Shonda Rhimes/Twitter

The moment TGIT fans have been waiting for has finally arrived. On Jan. 3, master creator Shonda Rhimes confirmed the How To Get Away With Murder and Scandal crossover episode is happening, and Twitter can't contain its excitement. With the hashtags "TGIT Crossover" and "How to Get Away with Scandal," Rhimes shared a clip of the script, presumably crafted by the one and only Pete Nowalk, and Shondaland enthusiasts promptly lost their marbles. Sure, there have been hints that the long-awaited crossover was on Rhime's radar before, but seeing dialogue between Scandal's Olivia Pope and HTGAWM's Annalise Keating take place added a whole other level of anticipation.

Pope and Keating's first meeting is just as intense as it sounds. While seemingly leading a lecture of some sorts, or what could totally be the best scholastic career day ever, Pope shares with her spectators a bit about what she does for a living. And upon opening up the floor for questions, she discovers an all too familiar criminal defense attorney, turned law school professor, in the audience — "Keating. Annalise Keating."

The drama, the suspense, and everything else that both TGIT shows are known for are present on the script's page. And no... fans were so not ready for all of this epicness.

If seeing photos of the shows' leading ladies in each other's popular places — Keating in the president's Oval Office, and Pope lounging on a courthouse bench — weren't enough to send fans over the edge on Jan. 3, this script preview certainly did. And the social media reactions were oh so relatable.

Dreams Do Come True

Kicking off the emotional train were feelings of outright surprise. Because, hey... having two of your favorite shows are colliding with one another is pretty rare in TV land. But, when you have Shonda Rhimes as your fairy godmother, you know that anything is possible.

Finding Fans In Unfamiliar Places

Those tuning into Scandal and HTGAWM each and every week weren't the only ones bitten by the celebratory bug, however. There were quite a few folks who've never watched an episode of either show who were taken aback by the news, too.

Think Of The Possibilities

It could be the anticipation of how exactly Shondaland will pull this off, or the mere fact that Pope exists in Keating's world and vice versa, potentially lead to some of the greatest television moments in history. But even skeptics of the Shondaland productions seem to be heavily intrigued.

High, But Fitting, Hopes

Obsessing over the many turns that this mashup could take has lead to some interesting predictions — foreshadowing just how Scandal will come to its inevitable end, and dubbing 2018 as the "best year ever" included. With Shondaland known for bringing light to, and sometimes foreshadowing, some pretty major political situations (like foreshadowing 2016's presidential election's most talked about moments), it's only fair that the production company pull out the big guns for what could be, arguably one of ABC's greatest night's of television... right? Many enthusiasts seem to think so.

The Icing On Top

Yes, great things are bound to happen in the year 2018, and here's to hoping that this Shondaland mashup is only the precursor. The episode could totally set the tone for how Scandal will end, and, in turn, remind fans that their fave TGIT affair will be no more after this season. However, there's still a lot to be celebrated. Not only is Rhimes making it known that she plans on sending Pope and the Gladiators out with a bang, but the mashup of two women-led phenomenons will hopefully inspire other creatives to do the same.

Basically, thanks to the Shondaland crew, television will never be the same again.