When does 'Scandal' season 6 premiere? What you need to know about the 2017 return date

After a wacky fifth season — where we were introduced to a new, power-hungry Olivia Pope — Scandal is returning for season six, which will premiere at 9 p.m. Eastern on Jan. 26 on ABC.

Although initially slated to air a week earlier, the season six premiere was delayed due to coverage of Donald Trump's inauguration. So while we know who our next president will be, fans of Scandal will have to wait just a little bit longer to find out who won the race between Frankie and Mellie. 

Season five ended with Olivia being duped by Cyrus, who wanted her to get Jake to be Mellie's running mate as a distraction; he wanted to be Frankie's vice president. Olivia, meanwhile, proved that at this point in her life she has no interest in either Jake or Fitz, or romance in general. Like her father, she wants to pull the strings. 

Here's a synopsis of the episode, courtesy of TV Guide:

In the sixth-season opener, the election results come in for the presidential race between Mellie and Francisco, and the outcome proves to be surprising.