Shameless Season 5 Episode 2 Review: I'm the Liver
Whitney Evans
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There were some unexpected things happening on Shameless Season 5 Episode 2. For once Fiona wasn't able to get the guy, while Frank was proving to be somewhat of a coherent provider of wisdom and Svetlana and Kev found some common ground.
It always seems like Shameless needs a few episodes each season to get going. They need to plant their storylines and get the characters in the right positions for the season. And while these first two episodes haven't exactly been the best, they've been solid.
I heard some rumblings that people were bored with Shameless Season 5 Episode 1 and I'd just tell those people to be patient. Let them plant their seeds and when things are ready to bloom on the south side, they never disappoint.
For Fiona, I was hopeful this would be the year at least some part of her story didn't involve a man. But so far, we've got two men in her orbit (not to mention the inevitable return of Jimmy/Steve looming).
Fiona seems to really like Sean and there's no doubt he's completely smitten with her, but Fiona's obliviousness, as always, is going to muck things up in her love life for the hundredth time. Sean is an addict and it's clear that he takes his sobriety very seriously and to watch Fiona use an NA meeting as a way to flirt with him was not cute.
I'm a bit surprised they had Fiona be so brazen with her feelings towards him so soon, but I'm glad she did, if only because we got that epic rant from Sean.
Sean: You took your monitor off yourself.
Fiona: So?
Sean: So, you should have waited for the P.O. and you know it.
Fiona: That's a technicality. You're gonna judge me for that?
Sean: No, I'm not gonna judge you for that. I find it charming as fuck that you took a screwdriver to your monitor. And I find it sexy as hell that you had a bloody lip before lunch today.
Fiona: Are you making fun of me?
Sean: No. It's just you're a chaos junkie, Fiona. And I'm a junkie, junkie. So I love chaos. And when I get into chaos, bad shit follows.
If I could sum up Fiona in one word, chaos would be that perfect word. She is a ball of chaos. The Gallagher's as a whole are chaos. And she can think she's not an addict and nothing like her parents, but trouble follows her everywhere.
That's not to say she's a bad person, but she she can be extremely self absorbed and unaware. And that is dangerous for someone like Sean who needs stability.
By her look at the end of the episode, after punching that weirdo in front of Debbie literally the day she got off parole, maybe she's finally seeing what Sean has picked up on so quickly.
After Frank's collapse, it was surprising to see him relatively normal this week. He was trading his beer for pot brownies, measuring out every last drop of his alcohol and doling out some sage wisdom to anyone that would listen.
Turns out the Gallagher neighborhood is a hot commodity and the latest up and coming Chicago neighborhood. And Frank doesn't like it one bit.
Laugh. Laugh. You won't be laughing in a year when you won't be able to afford to live here. They move in, they take over. They kick the homeless out of the park, as if they don't have a God given right to sleep there. We are dinosaurs, my friend. And a big, fat comet is headed for our sweet slice of Earth. And that comet is a Starbucks.
Frank
Frank seems to be pretty spot on with his assessments, as we later see that the new building Lip is helping construct is set to be a coffee shop. It looks like we're being set up to see an epic clash between the old school and the new comers. Will this effect The Alibi? And will Sheila actually sell her home so she can see the burning man? I guess we'll see.
The Frank/Sheila/Sami thing was a little tiresome this week. Frank is a crappy parent. Duh. And since Sami hasn't had the same experiences as say Fiona or Lip, I get why she still hangs onto Frank and wants him to see her. But don't have your child defecate on someone's coffee table to be noticed.
Sheila hit it right on the head when she told Sami exactly who she is.
So as a parent, it's my responsibility to tell you that the reason people don't like you and that you're father doesn't want to be around you, is because you're very, very needy. I just think you should know that. And then you can work on it. You're needy. And annoying. And slutty. And a bad mother.
Sheila [to Sami]
Kev and V continued their disconnect this week. But Kev found an unexpected ally in Svetlana, who I've never liked more than tonight. Although, the whole breastfeeding someone else's child thing was just not right.
She did have some good advice for Kev and she helped Debbie, who was still having girl problems and trying desperately to get anyone to notice her.
Svetlana: Why you done with public pool? Someone shit in it?
Debbie: No.
Svetlana: Someone shit on you?
Debbie: Sort of.
Both Debbie and Carl are transitioning away from the children we've come to know, but seeing Debbie looking so grown up threw me for a loop! It was nice to see Fiona not completely freak out about her new look, but did she need to take her to a bar?
Fiona = chaos.
There was a Mandy sighting, as she helped Mickey and Ian exact revenge on an anti-gay church pastor who disrupted the funeral of a serviceman. Ian needs help. And while it's nice that Mickey and Mandy are acknowledging his behavior and not just ignoring it, they need to understand they won't always be there when he's spiraling.
Something is brewing there and I'm so afraid for Ian and what's to come.
So, what did you guys think? Are you excited about where this gentrification storyline is going? Were you glad Sean told Fiona about herself? Will Kev and V get on the same page? Are you scared for Ian? What was up with that dinner for the organ recipients?
Leave me a comment and let's discuss everything!
Whitney Evans is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is a lover of all things TV. Follow her on X.
