Shameless Season 8 Episode 8 Review: Frank’s Northern Southern Express

| January 1, 2018 |

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This Shameless review contains spoilers.

Shameless Season eight Episode 8

Fiona doesn't like being chosen complicated. She says as much tonight to her bemused and unsympathetic family unit members after Ford gave her the cruel shutdown in a difficult-to-swallow scene. Withal, he has a betoken, equally every sibling points out when they notation the various times she has kicked them out of the house or went to jail, or almost married a heroin aficionado. She certainly has her issues… as does anybody on this wacky and ofttimes wonderful show.

This is likewise might be why Emmy Rossum was able to make the episode her second ane behind the camera as manager. Focusing more on the characters in some admitted downtime—as well as digging a scrap deeper into Fi's "complications"—this evening'south final Shameless episode of 2017 decided to have things piece of cake and exit the immoderacy for viewers presumably after the hour concludes. As such information technology was a pretty lighthearted episode filled with nice moments if not much narrative momentum, or even too much depraved humor beyond Frank'due south latest and greatest get-rich quick scheme. Hence why that is too a proficient identify to brainstorm.

Frank has gone from aspiring middle form dad to Canadian drug runner/illegal immigrant guide. This storyline is the antonym of complicated; it'due south just merely weird enough to enquire u.s.a. to laugh along equally Muslim immigrants fearing deportation from the Orange Fuhrer also are nonetheless naïve enough to believe that they'll each become their own Maple tree and a selfie with Justin Bieber upon crossing the border. Interestingly, the adequately subversive superhero moving-picture show Logan also had Mexican immigrants crossing the border into Canada to escape corporatized tyranny in the U.Southward. earlier this year. While Shameless doesn't quite search for the aforementioned cynical critique—as it really makes no effort to sympathize with its immigrants who are all played for laughs—the episode still calls out its main target: This is an human activity of capitalization and disobedience of the "Tweeter-in-Primary."

Information technology is thus again Shameless benefitting from the perverse times we are living in. But other than trying to accept its block and eat it as well by making gentle critiques of all parties involved in these perilous days (Frank cuts off a clearly restrictive Burka on a put-upon woman), the show just treats these scenes as a running gag. Admittedly, it'due south a pretty funny one too, only hardly a storyline I run across the show beingness able to proceed to mine for William H. Macy'south talents for more than than another week or so.

The other narratives that saw the characters going through amiable motions included a highlight of Ian and Trevor staring down a gay conversion therapy minister/sanctimonious douchebag. After discovering that ane of their runaways virtually committed suicide after existence prayed for and preyed upon past this monster, Ian and Trevor sit in on one of the therapies long enough to determine to read upwardly on a lot of Bible passages. It'southward totally in-keeping with the character of Ian Gallagher to memorize scripture just to instigate a fight with a pit preacher, however the sequence still rings somewhat false as it's obvious wish fulfillment that the self-righteous scumbag would commit to having a Bible verse-off with a clearly not-believing, gay skeptic. Members of hateful dominance have decades of built up systems meant to deflect or distract, all while avoiding someone pointing out the obvious: The Bible is full of contradictions for almost whatsoever statement, especially if you pit the New Attestation confronting the Old.

So Ian existence able to win this statement and and then threaten an abusive father does non so much cause 1 to cheer as to smile at the sheer fantasy of the situation. Still, mayhap doing that can save some of these kids from being stuck in this self-deprival Hell, in which instance Ian going full-bore Gallagher on those proceedings was not but an authentic moment for the grapheme, but a graceful i that really is helping the next generation.

Speaking of needing to aid the next generation, Debbie and Carl are both in differing conundrums of good humor. If Fi were not so aroused at the newest coolest stoic guy who neg'd her, she could take some pocket-sized satisfaction in Debs finally seeing things from her perspective. While Debbie can never view Frannie as a error—she volition and should always love her girl—the younger Gallagher sister has also rarely been the nearly responsible or selfless of the siblings, and she'due south now freaking out at the thought of having a 2nd child. Despite four pregnancy tests confirming she is in fact the contrary of preggers, poor Debbie has lost her even-footing and provides the beginning of the episode with its all-time non-Frank gag. Her fear and cocky-loathing at condign a mother again will manifestly be a running thread that the serial tin definitely play with.

Meanwhile Carl is besides headed into his own kind of abyss as his new girlfriend is everything her father warned him about. Afterward last week's episode, I had hoped he was cocky-aware enough to know that he was playing with fire when he muttered "fuck." Instead he appears to have completely gone into such an f'ed up management, considering he is falling into the archetype television tropes of being oblivious as to why his girlfriend wants him to run afterward her every time she causes a scene. The drama she instigated, even so, was perfectly Shameless , as she first gave Carl a handjob while driving one Uber customer and so completely freaked out on another. In reality she wouldn't take just cost him his fare; she might've cost him his Uber job equally yous can bet there will be a one-star rating and a fiery phone call that would've concluded his quick influx of cash. Nevertheless, immature Carl falling into the subplot of having a high maintenance girlfriend destroying his life feels a piffling too pat and sitcom-y for this show.

That also goes for Fiona existence caught by Ford dancing past herself. In a sequence that has played out in a million rom-coms, Shameless ' ane wrinkle to the moment is to have Fiona be spotted doing the full Hugh Grant while in her underwear. Inappreciably an original idea, the sequence mostly works because Rossum is so skilful at playing Fiona at this point that she directs herself effortlessly as a 28-yr-old woman who for the starting time time in several seasons is allowed to enjoy her privacy. Non since Shawn was effectually did she accept a moment alone that wasn't work related, and even then, Fi never really but spent a happy, peaceful fourth dimension with herself… no boyfriends required.

Information technology's such a pleasant sequence that Ford showing up at the most inopportune fourth dimension is predictably featherbrained. However, his inviting her for an architect's trip around town, a la Hannah and Her Sisters , is non. Their date is a great excuse to allow the series to showcase some of the hidden architectural gems in Chicago'south South Side, every bit well as to gloat actually filming in Chi-Town during summertime. It's such a practiced scene that information technology's a shame it is all in service for "twist" where Ford is shocked (shocked, he says!) that a woman he invites on a date after seeing her in her underwear, and and so persuades to lie on his bed, would think he had anything approaching romance on his heed.

Having a male character reject Fiona considering of her messy life is really a smart narrative twist that could put Fi in some ever needed soul-searching. Yet, this stoic man's man, who in one scene feigns ignorance to the very concept of seduction so in the next reveals he has about a half dozen children and had no issue with fathering the babes of a lesbian couple upstairs, is every bit believable a persona as Frank trying on the hat of "St. Francis" for a week.

If this is going to exist Fi's love involvement for the foreseeable time to come, the writing effectually him and this subplot volition take to pick up in a big style.

In many respects, this might apply to this episode of Shameless as a whole. Ms. Rossum did a fine job directing it, and all the cast was very game, simply even though this was scripted over half a yr ago, information technology very much feels like the writers' room was already off for the holidays. Here'southward to hoping their efforts are more than refreshed in the New Year.