A Man. And His Blog.

This is why I said in the last review that it might be better to not end a season with a cliffhanger, and instead push the limits with the episode before the season finale. This episode was a good closer, the most minor cliffhanger I have ever seen in … since the end of TERRIERS, and I actually liked that the whole experience didn’t end on a sour note, though some parts were missing.

Like Tony (Tyler Jacob Moore) for example: Is he in love with Fiona (Emmy Rossum)? Or did he just do “his job”, when he previously got to Steve (Justin Chatwin) and told him to leave the city? I don’t get him, and I don’t know if it was a good choice to let him have only a minor role in the episode. It comes over as “We don’t really know what to do with Tony in the second season, so let him be the good Samaritan”. And if he should return in the second season, I either hope he is getting a story or some interesting character development, or the writers do something with the Fiona/Tony/Steve triangle (if Steve should return). Other than that, nothing against more emotional scenes for Fiona, but it is getting old, when it doesn’t bring me anything. That she would fall in love with Steve was already noticeable for a couple of episodes.

While I’ve had my difficulties with Fiona’s dilemma, I LOVED (with an exclamation point) Lip’s (Jeremy Allen White) dilemma. Though it was ridiculous how Eddie (Joel Murray) reacted (and I really hope he succeeded killing himself, because I could barely stand the character anyway), Lip showing off his feelings to Karen (Laura Wiggins) and Frank (William H. Macy) was totally believable. And boy was I glad when Frank was beat up and pissed at by his son – maybe there is something in stock for the relationship of the two in the second season. And I really hope Lip and Karen will share more of the relationship they seemed to take back at the end, and not just because Karen was a really awkward character over the past couple of episodes I won’t like it to see her this way in the second season.

And the rest of the episode? I was happy to see Ethel (Madison Davenport) again (hoping to see her again in season 2), but it didn’t really look good for me that the episode was all about Fiona and Lip in the focus of the two storylines. Somehow something was missing here, but it was still an acceptable finale. 7.5/10

Thinking process in jail: Lip and Ian connect

Thinking process at the airport: Fiona won't come

It seems like TV writers are not planning big cliffhangers on season finales anymore. Instead the second-to-last episode is filled with cliffhangers, so that everything can be resolved in an openly fashion in the season finale. Hopefully this will be the standard in ten years time.

The episode was alright. Not everything could entertain me, and Tony’s (Tyler Jacob Moore) hatred to Steve (Justin Chatwin) is just stupid. There he said that it’s not all about Fiona (Emmy Rossum) , but without her, he wouldn’t have stalked Steve to begin with – I just don’t like his character, and I don’t like that he’s going crazy on Fiona’s friends, just because he has a crush on her (and probably thinks he can keep her life flat and straight, because he helped out her family and is a cop). I would like for him to get the beating from Fiona in the next episode, and I don’t really expect him to see in the second season. Though Steve is missing vital character points (his deal with the family was missing again), Tony is even more a shitty character.

Frank (William H. Macy) looking for work with the youngest kids… It could have been funny, but it wasn’t. Frank hitting the nail in his hand to get back on disability… It could have been funny, but it was just awkward. This guy should be watched, who knows if Frank is secretly suicidal, just to get money. But at least the story showed that Frank is not much of an asshole at all. He looks for a job to get money, and figures out at work that he can get back to disability faster than he thought – kinda nice. And the little moments with his new work friend were nice (if there would be a way for the writers to let him have a friend he can interact with for a couple of episodes).

The rest of the episode was nearly uninteresting. Good for Lip (Jeremy Allen White) and Ian (Cameron Monaghan) to look for Ian’s father, but it was uninteresting. Good for Karen (Laura Wiggins) to go down a path of whatever path she is on, but unfortunately her sex scene with Frank wasn’t as shocking as I thought it would be (maybe because that little twist was already teased earlier on in the season, and was therefore not a surprise anymore).

I just hope the season finale doesn’t disappoint. I seriously don’t know why, but with every episode I’m building up expectations for the show. And though the series always delivers in some way, I’m not really excited. 6.5/10

This job loos very shitty

Daddyz girl is a whore

What a shame, Monica (Chloe Webb) is gone again. And what the fuck, Ian (Cameron Monaghan) is not Frank’s son. And how sad I was that Ethel (Madison Davenport) seemed to be forgotten already, besides the fact that Kevin (Steve Howey) and Veronica (Shanola Hampton) didn’t have much screentime in this episode. It was a wonderful one, and wouldn’t it be for the score at the end, I would have even shed a tear.

Okay, honestly the conflict between Monica and Fiona (Emmy Rossum) was just a repeat of the last episode, but I liked that the writers included a nice twist near the end. I wouldn’t have expected for Frank (William H. Macy) not being Ian’s father (on the other hand, the story would have been a joke, when nothing came out of it). I had the feeling though the writers didn’t really know which aspect of the story to take, when it came to the family dinner, where the adults were fighting against each other. First almost the complete episode was about taking Liam, then it was about Ian not being Frank’s son, then I couldn’t see if Frank kinda wanted to have Monica back (what was the kiss for then? Just to shut her up?), or if it was just a moment not important for the episode at all (maybe just to have a 2-second-long WTF).

Karen’s (Laura Wiggins) story with Eddie (Joel Murray) was a bit awkward though. Was the whole theater just about a new car, or why was Karen so interested in getting back with her father, just to spoil all the girls at the ball with her sexual activities? Somehow it felt really awkward the whole episode, but it was good that it finally brought Sheila out of the house, when she beat Eddie into her car and out of her life. And now I’m hoping that this little revelation for Sheila Joan Cusack) is bringing her character somewhere into a different direction. As well as Karen, who couldn’t have been more awkward in this episode (and the writers love to give her nude scenes – why? Not that I’m complaining, but…).

The Mickey (Noel Fisher)/Ian relationship seems to go somewhere else too. I loved their moment, when Ian visited him, and I noticed that there might be a crazy little thing called love in the game. And though I don’t have anything against gay storylines in premium TV shows, I hope this is not the only storyline keeping Ian busy in SHAMELESS.

It was a good episode. Despite my expectations rising, as I close to the season finale. 7.5/10

A little bit of love-talk makes the heart grow fonder

Giving up a son is hard to do

What was I saying a couple of times while watching the first eight episodes? “I wanted to have more drama?” Well, I finally got it. And boy was I a bit disappointed at the end, when the writers didn’t use everything the story was giving. But boy was I surprised that SHAMELESS can be all about emotional conflicts as well.

That Monica (Chloe Webb) was the infamous mother we’ve never heard of was not really surprising, but it was a bit lame of the writers and their way of bringing her into the game. But I liked the final conflict between Monica and Fiona (Emmy Rossum). And similar to Ethel (Madison Davenport), who unfortunately got only a small part in this episode, I hope she will return in the next episode. Just to have another outburst of Fiona’s in front of the whole family, when everybody has to see that Frank really is the good guy and that Fiona is literally th mother of the family. I really hope there will be more to this story, if Monica should be the focus of the next (couple of) episode(s).

So, Steve (Justin Chatwin) aka Jimmy has secrets – no surprises there. But I liked how he was forced to bond with Debbie (Emma Kenney), and how he really bonded with her. Steve is somewhat connected to the family, with giving Lip (Jeremy Allen White) a job and trying to keep Debbie’s mouth shut. Only one thing: There is not much character development in Steve left. I don’t care about him anymore, and how he almost always says “I love Fiona” is getting annoying with every episode.

Only the humorous moments of the episode, especially the chicken game in the parking lot, were seriously lame this time. I couldn’t laugh, and it showed me again and again that I still can’t take the humor of the series very seriously. Maybe because I’m still into the drama part of the show, or maybe the whole shameless thing is too far away for me.

It was a good episode. The emotional breakout at the end saved it, and I really, really want to see more of this part. 7/10

Lucky for both they don't remember what happened

One of those non-rare Fiona-breaks moments

An interesting episode on many levels. I never would have believed to see Frank (William H. Macy) sober, though he did it for money; I never expected for Lip (Jeremy Allen White) to hate the guts of his father so much that he chose to make him a drunk again; and I haven’t expected that Steve (Justin Chatwin) has some secrets he is hiding. It could be very interesting four episodes, which will close the season, and I’m intrigued right now.

The idea of having Frank sober for almost all the episode was great. I liked how he suddenly became a father to the family he abandoned, and I loved that Lip got a lot of character development with it, hating Frank even more than before. Now I have the feeling he is going to kill his father one day, though her is too clever for that – eventually going to college later, fucking Karen (Laura Wiggins), maybe even thinking about a longer relationship with her (it nicely included a character-developing moment for her), but I seriously don’t think we are going to need Karen topless that often throughout the show. Especially since she plays a teenager.

Fiona’s (Emmy Rossum) little money problems were an alright-story – not much exciting, not much developing, there were only some opportunities to let us see that she is actually a well-developed character. But I like which way her relationship with Steve is going and that it could be Debbie (Emma Kenney) who finds out all the truth. I already find it kick-ass from the little one to check Steve’s phone at the end.

The most hilarious thing of the episode was Ethel (Madison Davenport) though. I was laughing, when she first appeared, and I was truly devastated, when the story seemed to be over for now. I was crying in laughter, when she was basically the slave of Veronica (Shanola Hampton) and Kevin (Steve Howey), and I was in absolute pain of laughing, when Ethel was lying on the bed, expecting to have sex and says “Usually Clyde had me on Tuesdays, but if you want me on Saturdays…” – fucking hilarious on a high note. If the writers would have included some emotional moments for Ethel, it would have been the perfect side plot.

Fine entertainment, and it seems like the final stage of the season is going to be better than the rest of the season was. 8/10

Now I’m thinking: Was the storyline with Rod (Robert Knepper) and his way too nice and nameless buddy just written into the series to have this little episode here? Letting Frank (William H. Macy) fake his own death? Not really a great storyline, especially since it didn’t even take more than half of the episode. Letting the family have a nice time together after the wake? Interesting to see, but it was a scene too short. This time, I kinda liked the B stories more than the main arc.

It was not really one of my favorite episodes. Again, the writers waste a lot of time for nothing; again, they just let storylines lying on the ground, instead of picking them up and telling a good series with it. The whole deal with Frank owing six grand to shady people was interesting, but the writers didn’t use this story in the last episode, and they surely didn’t use it in this episode. And the producers cast Robert Knepper for this? Furthermore, I was missing a whole lot of the funeral preparations. There was potential humor in it, but mostly I couldn’t laugh about the show. I was even wondering why nobody took action against Rod, when he was slapping the “dead” Frank to wake him up, and I was asking myself how a criminal like him was buying Frank’s death. It just looked like an easy way out of a story the writers probably wouldn’t even take to begin with. The only good thing about the plot was the after-wake party, where Frank’s kids were partying with him for a change.

I very much liked Ian’s (Cameron Monaghan) and Kash’s (Pej Vahdat) plot though. Finally Linda (Marguerite Moreau) learns the truth about the two fucking, and she first took it not good, just tor realize this might be the only chance for her to get another baby. It could be a promising storyline for the future, as long as Kash and Linda stay in the show, but I don’t think that this story will survive the season break. Because otherwise Ian wouldn’t get any character development, when he’s only in love with Kash. Which is why I was thankfully taking the little twist of Mickey (Noel Fisher) being gay and fucking with Ian. In addition to the fact that Ian is growing some balls now. The scene with Mickey’s father in his room was totally funny – the only real funny thing in the episode. Now I’m interested to learn where the writers are going with this.

Sheila’s (Joan Cusack) story was nice too. So, she learned to take care of a kid again, and now she has baby wishes as well? The former think is good character development; the latter… not so really. But it depends how long the producers want to keep Joan Cusack in the series, though I can’t really believe that she might be interested in a baby with Frank. And finally she went out of the house, but the how was to laugh at: Why would she go out of the house with bed sheets around her hip, keeping her not far from the house (did she think the wind was blowing her away?), but not without the bed sheets? I don’t see the psychic reason in this.

Now I would wish for SHAMELESS to be either more funny or more dramatic. Somehow it’s missing both at the moment. 6.5/10

Carl takes his time with the newfound meat

Just because the two are cute together

The episode started so well. It had a good middle part. It had a boring B storyline. it had a really shitty and questionable ending. I know it’s SHAMELESS and the writers are only doing what the title of the show says to them, but this must have been one of the most stupidest endings I have ever seen in a TV show. I don’t even know if I should think about laughing.

Even Debbie kidnapping a baby was sustainable, but I can’t understand how writers can have the idea of a whole family cheering a little boy, who just broke the leg of another guy, despite this act being somewhat of a revenge for the guy almost dropping Lip (Jeremy Allen White) off the window. I can’t understand how the writers can justify such a scene. Is it still part of the series’ nature, did they go too far with this, am I thinking too much into it, or is it just my nature to see those kind of scenes as questionable? It is not about the character Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) himself, who was already doing s lot of shitty things throughout the series so far, which I haven’t had a problem with so far, but is the reaction of the family after Carl’s action. What will they do, when he turns into the WEEDS Shane and kills somebody, just because that guy called Ian a gay cocksucker? I really don’t know, but I found the ending really … not good at all. And it started so fine with somebody saying that Carl had the situation under control, and he was staying there with the bat… Hmpf.

The rest of the episode was good. I actually liked how Carl finally got some screentime and how the whole story revolved around him. Again, there was some drama in the story, which the writers, again, didn’t use to make the scenery more realistic. That principal Monroe (Brent Jennings) wouldn’t do anything against it, just because Steve (Justin Chatwin) convinced him (and later he was stoned as fuck), was illogical to me; and furthermore, the scene with Fiona (Emmy Rossum) and the kids, when they were crossing Frank (William H. Macy) and Karen (Laura Wiggins) in the hallway was filled with lots of opportunities, but, AGAIN, the writers weren’t doing anything with it. Somehow the second half missed a lot of storyline.

And in the meantime, I’m already forgetting all about Frank owing money to Rod (Robert Knepper), as well as Ian and Kash (Pej Vahdat) training in the arts of shooting a guy’s brains and balls out. I know these are two storylines prepared for the later stage of the series, but I couldn’t do anything with it. Maybe I like Ian’s part at the moment, because he is separated from the main storyline, giving him a standalone story.  And I kinda like the kick-ass attitude of Linda (Marguerite Moreau). Hopefully I’m gonna like the Frank/Rod fight in the next episodes, but I don’t really think so. Frank is not really one of my favorite characters in television, and giving him a standalone storyline could only serve to annoy me even more.

I don’t wanna dish about the ending, but I had the urge to say something about it. Maybe I’m still not over the fact that SHAMELESS is really shameless, when it comes to things like this. 6.5/10

Fiona is ready to bat the men

T-Bag wants to make violent love to Frank, without dildos

The SHAMELESS episodes work better, when every character has something to do. This episode worked better than the last, because of this, but it still wasn’t good enough to wow me. Some interesting stories were mentioned and/or continued, but other than that I was expecting a bit more, and I don’t even know why.

That Kevin (Steve Howey) and Veronica (Shanola Hampton) would marry in this episode was a surprise – I was rather expecting for the whole “Kevin is already married”-thing to unfold in the season, instead the story was concluded in one scene, and in the next the wedding was prepared. Some great potential was wasted for the comedy-part of the series again, and it seems I have to start to live with the missing drama part. But honestly, I still don’t see why SHAMELESS would be mostly a comedy series. Especially since only a couple of scenes are really hilarious in the series.

So, the whole wedding thing was nice, but didn’t entertain me. At the end it was a nice happy-end storyline with no problems for the Gallaghers at all. Okay, Fiona (Emmy Rossum) and Veronica had to deal with Marty (Anthony Anderson), but that’s it. And unfortunately, the writers didn’t do much with the promising storylines. Frank’s (William H. Macy) problem with his three guys down there wasn’t used for anything but some comedy, and though I liked Anthony Anderson in his role, his character was way too over the top for the episode. Which is why I was surprised about the “cliffhanger” at the end – but I don’t believe he will burn the house down, the writers aren’t that bold.

Steve (Justin Chatwin) came a bit short as well. I was already forgetting all about the scene with Tony (Tyler Jacob Moore) and the love couple in the car, and I don’t know if I should like the tease of the Steve/Fiona relationship in trouble again, just because he is too unpredictable for Fiona. I just how SHAMELESS doesn’t become a love romance between the two – the story needs to improve, because it is getting boring at the moment.

Ian’s (Cameron Monaghan) story was alright. It was nice to be reminded that he is in a relationship with Kash, and it is nice that Ian has a bit of a problem with Kash’s (Pej Vahdat) ethnic background. It could be a good story, when the writers are working on it. But I don’t really expect that to happen. First I believe Kash’s wife will learn about her husband being a gay fucker, and then even the background storylines are forgotten.

I wanted to like the episode, but it was just solid entertainment. Maybe I should stop expecting too much from SHAMELESS. 7/10

This relationship is getting more awkward with every day

A happy moment for the whole family

And finally here is the episode, where I thought the writers would rather have an incredibly stupid storyline, instead of decoying the great character drama. Even though it was nice to have Debbie (Emma Kenney) in the focus of the story, after she lost aunt Ginger in the last episode (which was great character development), I didn’t like her story in this episode. She steals a baby -  okay. She is probably crazy – WTF? And I was thinking she was one of the normal kids in the house, and suddenly after four episodes she might be the perfect candidate for the next best straitjacket? Sorry, but I couldn’t buy it – there was no preparation for a story like this.

Maybe the writers should have let Carl (Ethan Cutkosky, nice that he got something to say here) kidnap Casey, and it would have been a bit more believable. Or maybe the writers should have relied less on the situational comedy of the story, instead took more time in the drama part of it. I totally missed the story of Fiona (Emmy Rossum) being worried about Debbie’s well-being (instead she just asked herself what’s wrong with her), I totally missed how the other family members were thinking about Debbie’s action. I don’t know if it was on purpose that Steve (Justin Chatwin) was the only one believing that Debbie might be sick in a psychotic way. But since the episode has established now that Debbie might be as crazy as Carl, the writers can prepare some more stories now. At the end I really thought that Debbie wasn’t the most interesting character in the series anymore, though I was thinking exactly that after the last episode.

The rest of the episode was okay. Frank (William H. Macy) annoyed me a bit with his talk to the police and whoever listened to him, and Kevin (Steve Howey) popping the question was a lame story. At least it ended in a nice “cliffhanger”, though I’m already believing that Kevin being married already won’t be a biggie in the next couple of episodes. But the writers did a nice job of creating a story with him. They just have to get deeper into his opinion about the Gallaghers. He already kinda hates them, though Fiona ensured him that at least she loves her neighbors.

Partly interesting was Frank’s story with Karen (Laura Wiggins). First I was a bit surprised that she did the Lolita on him, then I was surprised to see her topless in the bathtub. I just don’t know if I’m gonna like this story. Is Karen doing this, because she is crazy, or because she wants Frank out of the house? It would be nice to have an answer here. Other than that,there were some really hilariously awkward moments with Eddie (Joel Murray) back in the house. But it seems like he is on Frank’s side, giving him advice to take the pills now, before he gets the dildo in his ass.

It really was an average episode. Not really funny as I wanted it to have, not really dramatic like the last episode. I hope it is getting back to interesting in the next episode. 6/10

Ready to run to third base: Steve

Karen makes a pedobear out of Frank

I might be really surprised about the quality of SHAMELESS now, because it is still damn entertaining. The mix of drama and comedy still works, though I definitely like the drama elements more. I was about to tear, when aunt Ginger (Gloria LeRoy) returned to the nursing home and saw Debbie (Emma Kenney) crying because of it. I already knew she easily shows her emotions, when it comes to her family, but that little sequence together with “November Was White, December Was Grey” by Say Hi (really a great song) grabbed my by surprise on an emotional level.

The episode could fully blow me away, when it comes to acting. Besides Emma Kenney, who really shines up in her scenes, Jeremy Allen White could wow me again. Emmy please. When Lip took the beating for Ian (Cameron Monaghan), I completely believed his decision-making, as well as how the situation folded in the rest of the episode: Ian is actually bonding with Mandy (Jane Levy) (wow, what a character development in only 50 minutes). First I couldn’t believe how the story turned out to be at the end, but thinking about it for a few minutes, the scene with Ian and Mandy on his bet was totally sweet. The lives of the kids is kinda fucked up thanks to their father, but they still manage to get the best out of themselves. The characters are likable, despite their situation, which makes SHAMELESS great writing.

Other than that, the rest of the episode was solid again. I didn’t get the Ginger story much, though the Gallaghers shopping for an aunt in the nursery home was hilarious as fuck. It was a shame that the episode didn’t go very deep into Debbie’s relationship with her fake aunt. The little scenes were showing that Debbie is in need of such a person in her life, but maybe the goodbye-scene could have completely sucked me in, when the episode had focused more on the Debbie/Ginger relationship. And fortunately the whole check/federal agent thing with Abby (Jillian Armenante) was concluded near the end. I didn’t like it much, so I hope I won’t see similar storylines in the rest of the season.

Fiona’s (Emmy Rossum) change of heart was a bit unbelievable for me though. First I couldn’t really buy that she fucked Tony (Tyler Jacob Moore) in his police car (I was reminded of an early THIRD WATCH episode, where Bosco had sex in his driving office – he got problems, Tony didn’t. Hmmm…), then I couldn’t buy that she hadn’t had any interest in Tony and instead went back to Steve (Justin Chatwin). Okay, it is good enough for some drama in the show, but I wouldn’t have mind to let the Fiona/Tony coupling drive for a while. Only one thing was really not my thing: Tony being a virgin, because his former girlfriends were all to fucked up to have sex with him. That was ridiculous.

And what I forgot to mention: Please show more of Sheila (Joan Cusack) and Karen (Laura Wiggins). Their moment at the beginning with Sheila’s panic attack was criminally underused in the episode, and soon to be forgotten. I hope there is something more coming. 7.5/10

Lip and Karen have an unconventional relationship

Debbie's December is grey now