S04.E11: Emily

[Tara Ariano]

Fiona is taken to a correctional facility; Frank suffers post-operative delirium; Ian crashes Mickey's son's christening; Amanda's parents use bribery to keep Lip away from her; Debbie meets an older student.

[tvwritergirl]

Shameless has a history of all hell breaking loose in their penultimate episodes and I'm hearing this one is no different. I'm not ready.

[Chas411]

I cannot wait. I can't believe we're almost at the end of the season.

[Mindymoo]

Worst episode of the season. Any good will I had for the show was partially erased by the last episode, and fully obliterated by this one. There is not enough suspension of disbelief possible for me to be able to accept all of the nonsensical garbage. The social worker up and left? Frank in a room with a little girl when there are pediatric wards? Sheila has the kids already? They try to give you emotion, but rely on cheap tricks to get there and it's ridiculous.

[faceupandsing]

I enjoyed it. I really thought it was going to be a heartbreaking episode, so the fact that it ended on relatively positive notes for all non-Fiona and Frank characters was a pleasant surprise.

I think I've finally gotten to the point where I can just ignore all of the impossibilities of Frank's story line since they're obviously not going to back down at this point. The fact that he should have died several times over this season by now, that he's sharing a hospital room with a little girl, that he was able to wander around the hospital unsupervised mere hours after waking up from a coma, it's all eye roll levels of unbelievable, but I'm along for the ride because at least this week it was amusing. 

Mickey continues to be a standout character, I'd been waiting all season for a Mickey/Terry confrontation and this certainly delivered. Their screaming match outside, paired with Mickey humping a cop car, was the highlight of the episode for me. His character has some so far since season one, I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens in the finale and beyond- both in relation to Ian and all the other storylines he's managed to get entangled with lately. 

[AlliMo]

This show has gone from dark comedy to just... dark. Not saying I'm not liking it, though; I think this has been the best season yet. I love Carl's message to Fiona.

Yes, the hospital stuff was ridiculous, but hardly the most over the top thing that's happened on this show.

[Tara Ariano]

Here's my post on the episode!

[stagmania]

The Frank stuff was as implausible as ever, but at least he was tolerable for once. I like that most of his kids don't really care what's going on with him; they all have way too much on their plates to be bothered.

I definitely agree that the Mickey story was the highlight of this episode. That moment was four years in the making, and it didn't disappoint. Also found it interesting that Kev seemed to know before the big announcement, though I imagine it was pretty easy to put it together between Mickey's recent behavior and the return of "Carrot Boy". 

[Fisher King]

I was cheering as Mickey blurted his coming out announcement. Kevin grimacing at the brawl was pretty funny. There's always so much outrageous, over-the-top improbability with this show, especially re: Frank, so it was good to see him toned down somewhat, even if only for awhile. I almost teared up at his apology to the little girl he mistook for Fiona. I just found it sad that he won't remember feeling that remorse and that he will likely never repeat it to the real Fiona.

Wonder how long it'll take before he's back at The Alibi.

[whiporee]

I'm starting to really like Amanda. Not because she lies to her parents or cheats on her boyfriend, but because she seems to be exactly what Lip needs -- someone to encourage and push him toward his potential. Since he's been with her -- since she's been organizing the parts of his life that can be organized -- he seems to have grown up exponentially. So I think that's a great development for the show -- she's keeping him from diving into the chaos that feels so natural to him. 

It was contrived, but I thought Frank/Emily was sweet. Glad he had the chance to feel remorse and affection for Fiona, and glad she had the chance to call someone someone daddy. 

I don't care about Ian and Mickey. I know I should, I just don't. 

[iMonrey]

I'm starting to like Amanda for Lip too. She kept him organized and on top of his studying and he got that B average he needed to keep his scholarship. When she showed him his grades and he kissed her, it felt very genuine. I definitely think she's better for him than Mandy.

[maraleia]

Lip's situation is really interesting and the show is doing a great job showing his growth this past season. As iMonrey said above Amanda is better for Lip than Mandy because Amanda isn't judgmental about Lip's situation and is encouraging him in all the right places while Mandy (who pushed Lip to go to college) has turned on him and now is jealous of his situation.

I feel bad for Mandy because Terry is worse than Frank as we saw in the episode last night when Terry tried to kill Mickey when Mickey came out.

As for the age issue with Liam. It still makes me mad that they are portraying him as almost four years old when he should be at least 6.

[tvsoothesthespirit]

I liked this episode mostly for Mickey's coming out.  I believe the fear he experienced around his family would eventually have crushed him.  He could have been killed but now his wife and other enemies can't use that secret against him anymore; I think this might be the most free Mickey has been in his life.  Speaking of the fight, doesn't Illinois have hate crime laws because if I've ever seen anything qualify, it was that.

Now, Ian in spite of or because of his current mania has pushed both of them into gay culture.  They can have friends, they can have a support system.  I hope they both grab and hold onto it for dear life, regardless of the class clash they're going to experience again and again.

Fiona has 89 days to get her shit together.  Alanon in prison?

The texting bugged me.  People in jail don't have access to cell phones.  Were they e-mailing her?  Do prisoners have ready access to e-mail?  All I know of is access to phones for collect calls.

Lip got the family $10,000.  I wonder what the father will do when he finds out they're still seeing each other.  Wasn't there some implication earlier this season that he was involved in something shady?

What's going on with the insurance payout for Frank's broken leg?  Is that off the table?

[stagmania]

 

The texting bugged me.  People in jail don't have access to cell phones.  Were they e-mailing her?  Do prisoners have ready access to e-mail?  All I know of is access to phones for collect calls.

 

That was driving me nuts, too. How would she get those messages?

 

I wonder if they'll end the season with Fiona still in jail, or do a time jump in the next episode. Most of the major story threads got some form of closure this week (except for Ian's illness, which they may be saving the bulk of for next season), so I think they could pull off a jump.

[MillyVanilly]

I really enjoyed the episode, I am glad Frank is not dying anymore and I did not particularly care if he'd die or live, as long as we didn't have to see him in the process of dying. There really was no need for it to keep going on and on and on for 11 episodes! At least now it is over and he can go back to being Frank. And yes the implausibility is a bit annoying, of course a man in his situation would not have got a liver and of course he wouldn't lie next to a cute as a button little heart patient and of course he wouldn't just get up and walk to get chocolate cake but I am willing to look past all of that if I don't have to see him vomit, poo himself or give his dying breath anymore.

I really kinda loved all the Gallagher kids (except for Fiona, but she was barely in this episode), all the storylines were compelling. I love how Bonnie, while being a little criminal, brings out this very sweet side of Carl, that kid (the one portraying him) has really impressed me with his acting in this series. Debbie's story while sad was also wonderfully well acted and a story that could be true. When I was in school some poor girl got shamed just like that with naked pics flying about after a guy tricked her into it. Lip was fantastic, and I agree, I really like Amanda. I hate Mandy though, so any alternative probably would have done for me, but Amanda is a great character and the actress again is fabulous.

My favourite story was definitely Mickey and Ian and I know a lot of people were a bit miffed on Ian "forcing" Mickey out of the closet, but I liked how it was done as an "act of love", I loved the police man who just wanted to go home to his husband, and Mickey just looked... better after coming out. Despite the blood and the missing teeth and whatnot. I only came out to my family a few months ago (I am in my late twenties, female and been out around friends for many years, it was just the parents I felt apprehensive about) and while my family is pretty understanding and I knew they would not be violent or reject me, my mother in particular never really liked "them gays" very much. That scene when Mickey comes out and then after a moment of silence everything resumes (just before his dad goes beserk) really spoke to me. It is such a big deal in your head and you think everything will change and then... everything kind of just doesn't. The world still spins the same way, some people may not like it, but overall nobody really gives much of a shit. I don't know if that is what they wanted to show, but it is what it looked like to me and I really liked it.

[ladydayN]

I thought that about the "texting" at first too, but they later said they were emailing her. I'm assuming the inmates have some sort of access to (limited) computer usage in a library where they can do things like check email, etc.

I loved pretty much everything about last night's show, even tolerated the insane implausibility of Frank's miracle recovery for the sake of little Emily having her "Daddy's" hand to hold in her final moments. Fucking LOVED Carl. Loved everything he said and did from punching Frank in the nuts, and his "maybe she's your real mother" quip to his sweetness with Bonnie at the end (yikes on her "not liking sex" at her age).

Amanda and Lip were cute and funny and I knew they were scamming her dad, but still found it all very entertaining. Especially the "social worker with a heart of gold", which actually wasn't all that unbelievable. As a former SW myself I certainly would have melted when Lip said they were letting those kids stay there (when he's already short of food to feed his own family, etc.) because "It's cold in a van in the winter". Probably would have hooked him/them up with some services and/or vouchers for food, etc. If anyone's eligible for that sort of stuff, those kids are. But anyway, it was nice to see the family catch a break for once.

But the BEST part of the show was Ian and Mickey. OMG! Loved every little bit of their storyline last night. I was cheering Mickey when he told that bitch of a wife what time it was. And the fight!!! How cathartic was that?! Loved Mickey humping the cop car and telling Terry how he loves it when Ian gives it to him hard, lol! Can't wait for next week's finale and to rewatch this episode again.

[faceupandsing]

 

As a former SW myself I certainly would have melted when Lip said they were letting those kids stay there (when he's already short of food to feed his own family, etc.) because "It's cold in a van in the winter". Probably would have hooked him/them up with some services and/or vouchers for food, etc. If anyone's eligible for that sort of stuff, those kids are. But anyway, it was nice to see the family catch a break for once.

I'm glad someone with first hand experience found this (at least somewhat) believable, I wasn't really sure it was but found it sweet all the same. Did we ever find out where Bonnie's siblings slept that night? I know Bonnie spent the night with Carl in Fiona's room but that was a lot of kids to be splitting the couch/Carl's bunk, although anything's probably better than a van in the middle of Chicago winter. 

[Chas411]

 

I definitely think she's better for him than Mandy.

Agreed but watch them turn her into a one note psycho or something ridiculous by next episode so that Lip has an excuse to go back to Mandy. I don't hate Mandy as much as I have in the past but I really resent that they made her a regular. They don't give her any decent storylines except being Lip's love interest and it really drags down his storylines.

[atomationage]

I thought Amanda was a female version of Steve for Lip.  I hope they're not planning on a pregnancy.  I'm very worried about Fiona surviving in prison.  I hope Frank never returns home. 

 

Lip said they were letting those kids stay there (when he's already short of food to feed his own family, etc.) because "It's cold in a van in the winter".

To be fair, he got that from Carl.

Edited April 1, 2014 by atomationage

[Lisbeth]

Worst episode of the season. Any good will I had for the show was partially erased by the last episode, and fully obliterated by this one. There is not enough suspension of disbelief possible for me to be able to accept all of the nonsensical garbage. The social worker up and left? Frank in a room with a little girl when there are pediatric wards? Sheila has the kids already? They try to give you emotion, but rely on cheap tricks to get there and it's ridiculous.

Exactly!

The biggest, and most glaring nonsense was Frank sharing a hospital room with a (on her death-bed, no less!) little girl - as in not even a teenager, child!! I have never even heard the news that hospital rooms can now be co-ed, let alone co-mingling the different sexes between adults and children.

Does anyone here happen to know if there are any hospitals out there that actually do make a practice of this room-sharing situation? I'm actually really curious to know this. Just thinking of the liability a hospital would face if anything were to ever happen, where, say and adult male would be perverted enough to take advantage of such an arrangement, boggles my mind!

[Chas411]

Glad we didn't get too much Fiona in this episode. I'm over her downward spiral. The silent prison scenes were more then effective. It's sad to see where she's ended up.

 

I quite liked the Lip and Amanda plotline. I like how devious they are together. I can tell by the finale promo that he'll get back with Mandy so it's a shame we can't enjoy them for longer but oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

 

Loved the Ian/Mickey stuff.

[stagmania]

Now that I think of it, it's pretty weird that Mandy was absent for Mickey's big coming out. Wonder if we'll see some reaction from her next week?

[faceupandsing]

My head cannon is  that Mandy was still pretty beat up looking after the whole Kenyatta thing last week, and it's not like she has a stellar relationship with her father. Maybe she just wanted to avoid the entire welcome home/christening and lick her wounds in private. I'm hoping at least some of her screen time next week will be devoted to scenes with Mickey and or Ian and not just her horrible romance with Lip but I'm not counting on it. As much as I like Amanda, especially after this episode, I can't see the writers giving up on Lip/Mandy for good while both actors are on the show. 

[Blue Castle]

Yeah, the whole depressing debacle of Mickey and Svetlana's marriage--combined with Terry's sick crap--makes me think that it would be very easy for Mandy to say "fuck that" and not attend the christening.  And god only knows what's happening with her and Kenyatta.  I sort of have a feeling that she might kill him or do something drastic a la Janice Soprano.

[MillyVanilly]

 As much as I like Amanda, especially after this episode, I can't see the writers giving up on Lip/Mandy for good while both actors are on the show. 

Yeah, I agree and I just don't get it. Those two may be real life lovers but they have 0 chemistry on screen (thing is poor old Mandy doesn't have the acting chops to have chemistry with anyone or anything). But she is fully contracted isn't she? So we will have to keep standing her? I still miss old season 1 Mandy... so far I find Mandy the only real casting faux pas. Everyone else is pretty amazing... hell even eternal Baby Liam is getting better, getting lines and becoming more of an active part of the story (it took poor old Owen from Party of Five years and years to make it out of that basement where they kept him and get a line or two!).

I loved how Amanda (could they not have gone for a name that wasn't a longer version of Mandy?) was like "these are my parents, they are white!" and then Carl quipping "maybe [the social worker] is your real mom!". He was in top form!

Over on TWoP someone said that Fiona's age had been quipped as 30, when was that? I didn't hear that! And while the ages are kind of random, she was definitely only a few years older than Lip when this all started. And Monica I am sure is very fertile but 27 (ish) years between kids is a big gap! But then again the Party of Five mum (I didn;t even like that show, why do I keep mentioning it??) also managed to stay fertile for 30 odd years so maybe it is just an American TV mum thing. Uteri of steel and neverfading ovaries!

Edited April 2, 2014 by MillyVanilly

[tvsoothesthespirit]

The ages on this show are really hard to track but I think Fiona is about 23-24.  I wish they would mark the passage of time more clearly.

Hopefully Fiona's downward spiral ends with prison.

[DrAbbott]

Over on TWoP someone said that Fiona's age had been quipped as 30, when was that? I didn't hear that! And while the ages are kind of random, she was definitely only a few years older than Lip when this all started. And Monica I am sure is very fertile but 27 (ish) years between kids is a big gap! But then again the Party of Five mum (I didn;t even like that show, why do I keep mentioning it??) also managed to stay fertile for 30 odd years so maybe it is just an American TV mum thing. Uteri of steel and neverfading ovaries!

In her birthday episode Mike made a joke about the big 3-0, but it definitely wasn't meant to be taken seriously. Fiona should be 23 at the most I think. Of course this is the same show that had Lip be 17 and put into foster care during the summer and 19 now in March, so who really knows. Not to mention Veronica's magical three month pregnancy.

[tvwritergirl]

I was pretty impressed that the younger characters took the lead in this episode and knocked it out of the park. Carl has shown time and time again that underneath it all he has a really big heart and will do anything for his family or those he cares about. I also really liked how they once again showed how much he looks up to Ian and follows his direction. Debbie's storyline rang true as I've known some girls who made other girls miserable. I like how this show isn't afraid to show the downside to being a young girl growing up and how it can be riddled with insecurity and the need to feel wanted.

I always knew Frank was going to live so I really didn't give much thought to the liver storyline, plus it was worth it if it meant that we got to experience Frank in a moment of pure regret and heart break over what a crappy father he had been. I seriously doubt that will change anything, but it was nice to see that somewhere deep inside he really does love his kids. It's just too bad his mother screwed him up so much he is incapable of loving his kids.

I didn't know what to think about Amanda at first, but I'm starting to come around to her side. I have to admit that when Lip kissed her it seemed as though it meant something, like maybe he is really starting to fall for her. I know there are a lot of Lip and Mandy fans, but I never had the impression that he liked her as much as she liked him. I always had the impression that he liked having her around doing stuff for him, but that was it.

The MVPs of the episode have got to be Ian & Mickey. Can someone please give Noel Fisher an Emmy, because the performance he's given this season has been one of the best I've seen all year. I was also pretty impressed with Cameron Monaghan. There have been times when Noel overshadows Cameron, but I felt, and not for the first time this season, that he was the perfect match for Noel in their scenes. Mickey's coming out was a thing of beauty and I loved that the show wasn't afraid to go violent with it either. Not that I'm a fan of violence, because I'm not, it just felt right for those characters.