“Shameless” is an American television show based on the original British t.v. drama. The American version is set on the south side of Chicago. It is based on Frank Gallagher, played by William H. Macy. While following the far from normal life of this single-parent-drunk, you watch his six children raise themselves with a little help from the neighbors. The south side of chicago plays home to this struggling poverty stricken family.
The oldest daughter Fiona, played by Emmy Rossum, has taken on the mother role since official mom left Frank. She is in charge of her five younger siblings and attempting to keep her stumbling father in line (when he’s around). Fiona attempts to take care of Liam (Blake Johnson) the black baby of the family, the dangerously violent minded Carl (Ethan Cutkosky), youngest and at times most sane daughter Debbie (Emma Kenney), Ian the homosexual brother (Cameron Monaghan), and genius eldest son Lip (Jeremy Allen White). In order to really get a sense of this family’s dysfunction you have to see them operate in their environment (chicago slums) with their own set of problems based around the lack of cash flow and the main contributor to that (Frank).
The most recent episode aired this past Sunday, February 20th, is titled: “Frank Gallagher: Loving Husband, Devoted Father.” The title has all the irony in the world seeing as he is neither of the two. It begins with Frank being repeatedly dunked in a bar bathroom toilet by two thugs he owes six grand. This leads off Franks search for a way to cheat death by either coming up with the money or “dying” and leaving all his problems behind. Lip, Ian, and Ian’s fake girlfriend Mandy (Jane Levy) stumble upon a lost driver looking for help. They send him in the direction of a phone and manage to empty the entire truck full of meat with the eager help of some neighbors. Franks gets some sense knocked into him by a homeless woman and decides to go ahead and fake his own death and escape his unpaid debt.
This episode was packed full of twists between Ian’s boss’ wife catching Kash (Pej Vahdat) and Ian in a nice anal act with the newly installed cameras at the convenient store or the horse tranquilizers, stolen coffin, and the swap of Frank’s “dead” body for an equal weight in left over beef trimmings. Sheila, Frank’s woman at the moment, is played by Joan Cusack. She is a treat to watch play the agoraphobic divorced mother of one. She is so incredibly hindered by her mental state that even a look out the front door seems deadly. She had pure fear on her face as baby Liam wandered around outside while she is babysitting for the day. With a leash made of linens, she ties one end around her waste and the other to the stair post, and ventures out to the unknown, all to save sweet Liam. It’s the biggest and only real breakthrough we’ve seen from her this season. Usually young Ian finds himself trying to find a way out of conflicts with Mickey the neighborhood thief, but this week they end up making up. Or hooking up. The past episodes have all been dramatically different but this weeks stood out. Secrets came out, debts were payed, problems solved, and more problems introduced.
This series seems to get better and better every week. This week was no different. A nice pick me up episode after last weeks dramatic downer. Next week ends the first season and if the trend continues you can count on a second season and not soon enough.
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