‘Shameless’ S4Ep2 "My Oldest Daughter"
There is something rotten in the state of Denmark and no, I’m not just talking about Frank’s liver. I think I had gotten so used to the way past seasons went in the beginning that I foolishly took it for granted that this season would go the same way. Yes, this season, like the others, is starting at a slow burn, but what it has done that the others did not is start at the bottom. Now if this were any other show I would instinctively know that grey skies were going to clear up, but come on, it’s Shameless where there are nothing but grey skies. So this can only mean one thing, stormy weather ahead. Oh hell, who am I kidding? I’m preparing for the mother of all hurricanes to bear down on the Gallaghers this season.
And when it comes I hope it takes Mike with it. Mike is adorable, but I don’t see them together for the long haul. I see Mike as more of the transition guy or what is probably better known as the rebound guy. He is the guy who will take Fiona from her last great love to her next great love. In the meantime, he’s fun to look at. As an added bonus he genuinely is a good guy and she needs that right now.
As ridiculous as it sounds I completely understand why Fiona’s first instinct was to lie, it was like she said, “I’m a Gallagher.” The Gallaghers have always been about two things: family and surviving, that’s it. (Now when I refer to the Gallaghers I am referring to the kids and not to Frank.) After all the hell that Fi has gone through just to get on stable ground it is no wonder her first reaction was to go on the defense and lie. Any other time something like happened she would have been fired first and asked questions later. And come on now, is it really Fi’s fault the guy had a tiny penis? I don’t think so. If Mike wants to stay in the game longer he is going to have to learn to chill the fuck out.
The one who doesn’t need any excitement in her life would be Debbie. I’ve known girls like her friends, Holly and the pregnant chick (sorry, don’t recall her name and I don’t care enough to look it up), and they are the classic example of seen too much, too soon. I’ve also known girls like Debbie, who are so intent on growing up that they rush into things without thinking. Like not run screaming from the apartment of a 20-year-old guy. Seriously, what in the hell is that girl thinking?!?! On the other hand I think there is something off about Matty, but I’m still not getting the creeper guy from him. Frankly, I don’t know what the hell to think about this storyline, other than Debbie is going to regret the day she ever wished she would get her period. The whole Debbie-Is-Dating-A-Creeper plotline seems…well, it seems too easy to be honest. That is a storyline I expect to see on Degrassi, which leads me to believe they have something different planned here.
However, I am loving what they are doing with Lip this season. For anyone who may have thought that once Lip went off to college all his troubles would magically disappear are probably experiencing the same shock to the system that Lip is. I don’t care how smart someone is, if the only time they have read the material is 15 minutes before class they are going to fail that test. It would be insane to think otherwise. Also, after he spent most of the 2nd and 3rd seasons treating Mandy with indifference, I am doubly glad that he is having to work in the opposite sex department. There had to be at least one girl in the Southside that didn’t fall at his feet when he asked them to “bang one out.” Have you ever heard a more romantic offer? I know I sure haven’t.
Of course, out of all of them, Carl seems to have the most game – I can’t believe I just wrote that. I know one thing that kid seems to have inherited Lip’s confidence when it comes to girls or rather the confidence Lip had. Out of all of the Gallagher kids I’m glad that Carl is the one that is sharing Frank’s storyline. Frank, for all intent and purposes, is Carl’s hero. Frank does whatever he wants, goes wherever he wants, and says whatever he wants. To Carl, Frank is just a taller version of himself and there is something bittersweet about his dogged determination to save Frank.
Speaking of Frank, It floors me that he was surprised in any way that Fiona wouldn’t be willing to help him out. I mean, come on. That man has spent Fi’s entire life beating her down that it amazes me she has anything to do with him period. He should be freaking grateful she allows him to breathe the same air as her and the rest of the Gallaghers. Ed. Note – by beating down, I do not mean physically, rather emotionally, mentally, and financially. Ugh, right now I have no respect for Frank whatsoever. I know I should feel something for him because he is dying, but I don’t. At this point the only reason I want him to stick around is because Carl cares about him so much and William H. Macy is the man.
And apparently so is Kev and his magic dick. Holy Hell, 4 fucking kids. That’s insane. Magic Dick, more like magic sperm. Poor V. What in the hell are they going to do with 4 kids, and babies at that? I don’t see V’s mom keeping the spawn from the act-that-shall-not-be-named. Nor do I blame her. She agreed to being the incubator to help her daughter out, not to have another kid. And then to top it off they get saddled with a bar that is losing more money than it makes. Kev better get to planting or figure out another way to make some money. Maybe he will rent out the rooms above the Alibi Room to Mickey so that he can run his own brothel. Just a thought.
Shameless Moment of the Week: Veronica telling her mom that she is going to have to get an abortion after they find out she is pregnant with triplets. At one point she even offered to punch her in the stomach to get the ball rolling. I know she’s freaked out, but damn that’s harsh.
Shameless Character of the Week: Carl Gallagher – Carl has spent most of the past 3 seasons as a secondary character. Someone who was there, but was used more as a Dennis the Menace character than a fully functioning member of the family. I’m glad that his character is being showcased more. Ethan Cutkosky is really growing as an actor and I’m looking forward to seeing where they take his character this season.