Scandal Season 4 Spoilers: Will Joe Morton Take Reduced Role as Olivia Pope's Father?

One of the selling points of Season 3 of Scandal was Joe Morton's performance as Rowan Pope, Olivia's father and head of the super-spy agency B613. The man chewed up the scenery in every scene in which he was on screen, and the finale ended with a twist focused on the speech-delivering Papa Pope.

But Morton also has a new role on the TNT drama Proof, so fans of Scandal and of his character understandably got a bit nervous when they found out he'd be working on another show. Morton spoke to the "Matt's Inside Line" column at TVLine and put some of those fears to rest.

"If you fretted that Joe Morton's new role on the TNT drama Proof would translate into less Papa Pope, don't. At least not yet. Morton told me that production on the Jennifer Beals-led series doesn't begin until January, so Scandal has dibs on him at least through the first half of Season 4. (I also asked the estimable actor for his thoughts on Rowan offing POTUS' teen son: 'I was pleasantly surprised' that they went there, he offered. 'I thought it was a perfect way to end the season.'"

Rowan has become too important to the show for the writers to reduce his role now, so it's comforting to hear from the actor that his primary duties lie with the Shonda Rhimes series.

What do you think will happen in Season 4? How will Rowan manipulate the characters on the show this time? Let us know in the comments below.