Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Shameless: Season 1, Episode 5: Re-Cap




Episode 5 picked right back up with marriage-gate, and apparently it was Fiona’s job to convince V things aren’t all that bad the way they currently were between her and Kev. After just a little nudging, V bought the idea pretty easy. Of course, there was just one problem – “Momma” was already in full mother-of-the-bride mode and she was not turning back. It wasn’t until Kev and V sat Momma down and told her the wedding was off that she pulled out of her back pocket (figuratively) that V’s late father had left her a check for her to open on her wedding day.

Once V heard about the check, she reversed course and decided free things plus a fat check, would be worth getting married to Kev, who in all honesty isn’t a half-bad guy. In fact, he may be the most stable male character we’ve been introduced to over the show’s five-week run. Of course, with the exception of that whole already being married secret. Kev finally comes clean to V, and she doesn’t take it all that bad really – she’s most disappointed she won’t be getting that check. And that’s where the Gallagher’s come in.

When you’re in a jam and need a scheme, there’s always one brewing in that household. This time around, the idea comes courtesy of Fiona who suggests V and Kev have a sham wedding. The thinking behind this is that Momma will get her wedding, while Kev and V will get their check.

While weddings tend to be pricey, they’re much less so if you know the Gallagher’s. Not only did Kev and V not have to pay for a marriage certificate – I highly doubt they paid for anything. Sheila channeled her inner Vera Wang to make V’s dress, the Gallagher boys caught themselves a priest in yet another Lip special, and the Alibi room not only held the bachelor party, but also the wedding, and reception – what a versatile facility! In the end, it was a good thing it wasn’t a very expensive sham wedding as V’s father left her a check for a whopping five-hundred dollars (It’s still more than Frank would have left Fiona!)

The only thing Kev and V were going to be paying for was a new toilet after theirs was ripped from the wall by V’s brother, Marty, an alcoholic with Tourette’s and Bipolar disorder, and who has a pension for setting things on fire. Marty didn’t add a whole lot to the episode – it could’ve been a storyline scratched and wouldn’t have made a huge difference in my opinion. It certainly didn’t hurt the episode though.

While the wedding arrangements took up much of the hour, there was still plenty of other shameless behavior to go around. Among the highlights were Fiona trading her urine to a government employee for a sheet of lasagna, what some would call a trade, others (Lip) call it “Piss food.” We also got a glimpse of Frank at the disability center showing his true colors in conversations with those who are actually receiving disability checks because of an injury, opposed to Frank who is faking migraines.


Of course, Frank had his own health scare, as he learned the normal number of testicles for a man to have was two and not three, like he’s apparently been carrying around his entire life. You would have thought the doctor told him he was dying next week the way he was going around sobbing, going as far as wearing a tie everyday, never knowing which moment would be his last. At least the Gallagher’s weren’t going to have to bury him next to the real Aunt Ginger in the backyard, as Sheila was ready to give up her second plot, once reserved for Eddie, to Frank. In the end, after one nasty needle Frank wasn’t going to die after all … well, at least not yet.

Other Observations and Leftovers:
  • Loved the chain-smoking doctor
  • Equally loved the bachelor party garb
  • Frank in the breast-cancer support group - priceless
  • Glad Ian came to his senses and didn’t go through with staying over Kash’s house
  • Curious if Ian is starting to second-guess the Kash thing now that the realization has hit him of what he’s doing and that he has a family
  • Loved the Gallagher’s taking down the creepy priest and then forcing him to preside over the sham marriage … go Carl!
  • Sheila does it all, those were quite the matching outfits she made for herself and Frank
  • Frank mouthing to Lip “no way” as Sheila went through her going outside routine, “anti-anxiety disco biscuits” and all
  • Didn’t take long for Steve to get back in the doghouse … I assume this is going to be a back-and-forth thing all season long
  • Also, how long until Steve gets caught? I’m putting my money on Tony right now by the way as the one to figure it out
  • Loved Sheila and Eddie ending the episode watching a tape of Charles and Diana’s wedding
  • Is the Alibi Room still going to be standing come episode 6?


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