The biggest news involving Scandal during the off-season was in fact a real life scandal. Columbus Short who played Harrison was arrested for domestic violence and subsequently fired from the show. But if you ask him, he will say that he walked away from the series and was not fired. Regardless of him quitting or not, he was not coming back. So, it was a guessing game as to how they would write this into the Season Premiere when addressing this. I for one thought it would be something small, something in passing, much like how they got rid of Henry Ian Cusick's character from Season 1. I couldn't have been further off the mark. Killing off Harrison was a major plot point and his funeral was actually used as the catalyst of bring back the gang, who had been scattered in the wind in the events at the end of Season 3. So, I will give them props in the writing department for that and for not going the easy route.