Well good news folks, after watching a second episode of
Shameless, I can confirm that this show is the real deal. Sure, any show on
television can have a lights out pilot episode, but TV insiders will tell you
the following week is a much better barometer of what to expect from any show
on a week-to-week basis. Much like episode one, it looks like we can expect a
whole lot more shameless behavior from the ensemble cast, plus juicy storylines
for all.
While episode one was applauded for dipping into all the
characters backgrounds, several of the week one storylines took a back seat
this week as episode two was mainly focused on the patriarch (for better, or
more likely worse) of the Gallagher family, Frank. Say what you want about
Frank, his kids do too, but in the end when he was missing early on in the
episode, his family sure seemed to care he was missing … if not they fooled me.
This week’s episode had many great scenes, but among my personal favorite was
the family’s celebration when police overturned the dead body to find that it
shockingly wasn’t Frank, but some hobo – not just a hobo look-alike.
Once again, we saw how no matter what, this family will
always come together for one another, even if it’s the outcast who spends
breakfast passed out on the floor and dinner at the Alibi Room, most likely
well on his way to passing out again. The Gallagher kids have learned and dealt
with the fact that you’re stuck with your family and you have to make the best
of it and that’s what they do. Of course, I said the Gallagher kids. Frank apparently
thinks he can pick his family, he just has a hard time doing so.
The main plot of episode two starts born-again,
clown-obsessed Eddie believe it or not (Knew he was bad news right away.) Eddie
blind-sided Frank with a cheap shot upon entrance to the Alibi Room, for some
sort of payback I suppose after catching Karen “Play pool with a rope.” Frank went home and quickly passed on the
pain to Ian, who we previously learned was always Frank’s least favorite
anyways, looking most like the family’s absent mother.
Long story short, Frank heads back to the Alibi Room after
cleaning up, which mainly consisted of turning Ian’s shirt, which he had on,
inside out. A few drinks later, Steve ends up driving a hammered Frank to
Toronto, which leads to probably the funniest scene of the night with Frank
taking Canada down…. Hard. How do you not enjoy that scene? The Winter
Olympics? No snow? Really? My thoughts exactly.
Fiona’s sharp. While Lip may be the most “book smart” of the
family, I’d give the edge on “Street smarts” to Fiona, who observes that a pack
of cigarettes in the garbage has Canadian labels. Immediately she knew Steve
dumped Frank in Canada … apparently being another person who thinks family members
are dispensable. Despite what Frank did (which I’m sure was just a drop in the
bucket compared to other things he’s done), Steve was ordered to get Frank
back, and in typical Steve fashion he borrowed a Winnebago used for smuggling
across the border. See, I told you this guy fits right in … he’s shameless and
there’s no denying that.
Upon Frank’s return, Frank heads to the Alibi Room where he
is serenaded with Oh Canada (have to admit, it’s a solid song – one of the best
things about Canada, no doubt). Eddie once again sitting at the bar buy Frank a
drink and apologizes by going into a rather humorous rant about how he and
Frank are victims and how they each raised their kids on the “straight and
narrow.” Uh yeah, Frank did that I’m sure… does he know all their names even?
Other Observations:
- It’s been made pretty clear the first two episodes that Debbie is definitely the Gallagher child most attached to Frank.
- Disappointed the Ian storyline was non-existent this week, I’m sure It’ll be back next week …
- What a well-oiled machine the Gallagher’s are from Ian and V tag-teaming on the milk to Debbie stealing papers for the coupons
- The Gallagher’s watch 60 Minutes? I was not expecting to see that on the TV
- We are two episodes in and we officially have our first love triangle (no, not Sheila, Eddie, and Frank – I don’t know what you call that), but Fiona, Steve, and this Tony the cop character who asked Fiona to be his date at the youth basketball coaching awards, a little lame? Don’t think I’d be asking a girl to that ceremony.
- It’ll be interesting though to see if Fiona goes, and what Fiona does from there, I get the sense there is something about Steve that she isn’t going to be able to resist, and she thinks of Tony more as just a nice guy from the neighborhood – I don’t know, that’s just me.
- How cool is Lip? Just saying… who wouldn’t want to have a beer with that kid?
- Finally, Karen didn’t look all that pleased when she saw Frank strolling down the stairs for breakfast – I wouldn’t have been either…
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