Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

Review: 'Shameless' - 'I'll Light A Candle For You Every Day': Finders keepers

Did Frank and Fiona both go too far last night?

By Alan Sepinwall Monday, Jan 23, 2012 10:31 AM

William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher on "Shameless."

Credit: Showtime

A quick review of last night's "Shameless" coming up just as soon as I misspell my name on a loan application...

This was very much a like father, like daughter kind of episode, with Fiona breaking one of the few rules she has in sleeping with a married guy, and with Frank doing the worst thing he's ever done on the show in preventing Butterface from getting the organ transplant that would save her life, just on the off-chance that he might inherit her money.

Even by Frank Gallagher standards, that's pretty rough. And given that I don't have any real built-up affection for Frank, it was definitely the tougher of the two sins to get past. I asked John Wells about it at press tour, and he noted both that his own family has benefited from organ donation and that he got a lot of dramatic mileage out of the process on "ER," but, "We thought ultimately it was funny." Though I think the writing for Frank has on the whole been much better this season — his speech to Butterface about preserving her memory was the kind of moment that helps explain why the guy hasn't been lynched by now — I still don't find him especially funny and therefore was mostly appalled by his actions. (Whereas in the premiere, I thought they did generate the right level of both comedy and pathos in the actions Frank took to get Liam back from the man who won the taser bet.) I don't know that it was the wrong choice, story-wise, as it would be hard for me to have a lower opinion of Frank, but I'm curious how other people reacted to it.

Fiona's the more well-rounded, sympathetic character, so her descent into borderline behavior — sleeping with Craig in his cluttered, kid-friendly backseat, or stealing that woman's rent money — played out more interestingly. Though I don't exactly miss Steve from the narrative (outside of his memorable cameo at the end), it's clear Fiona misses him, and that having him in her life — even if he's a lying car thief — was enough of a stabilizing influence to keep her from turning into a young, female version of her father.

What did everybody think of the sins committed by both Frank and Fiona last night? And how are you feeling about the show as a whole a few weeks into season 2?

Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching

Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

Related Searches: Shameless, Emmy Rossum, William H. Macy, Jeremy Allen White, Cameron Monaghan, Justin Chatwin, Emma Kenney, Joan Cusack, Laura Slade Wiggins, John Wells, Alan Sepinwall

Dan

After last night's soft necrophilia I was thinking, "At least Frank Gallagher isn't a pedophile." Then I remembered his fling with the agoraphobe's high-school daughter.
January 23, 2012 at 11:52AM EST Reply to Comment
- Dan And now that I collect all that into a couple of sentences, I find I don't really want to watch Shameless anymore.
  January 23, 2012 at 11:54AM EST
- Nina To be fair, Karen kind of raped Frank in that situation. He was saying no and he was too drunk to escape. After this episode though, i'm done with Frank.
  January 23, 2012 at 12:37PM EST
- Brandon A pedophile is someone in to prepubescent children. Not 17 - 18 year olds. Lighten up.
  January 23, 2012 at 3:38PM EST
- Gunde That has NOTHING to do with pedophilia. You can't redefine words just because you're offended.
  January 23, 2012 at 3:42PM EST
Greg

I think I'm pretty much done with Shameless. The show is just so damm formulaic, every episode is just the characters getting into trouble and then trying to get out of it. It's kind of a trouble procedural. I got tired of it in season 1 (though I loved the episodes featuring the mother), but I decided to watch season 2 to see if the writers were going to stick with that formula. And they will.
January 23, 2012 at 12:28PM EST Reply to Comment
- madmike Welcome to Showtime.
  January 23, 2012 at 12:30PM EST
- Greg Indeed. I just hope that doesn't happen to Homeland.
  January 23, 2012 at 1:36PM EST
Mia Monroe

I thought it was hilarious how the Craig guy turned out to be a huge disappointment. Fantasies aren't to be lived in reality. I liked the phonecall to Steve (though awful green screen effects lol) and how she tried to do the right thing and made a point of it to the kids.

Frank is despicable but I like the Gallagher siblings too much to give up on the show. Ugh when Debbie innocently comforted her father, he's such a scumbag, I honestly hope to see himn SUFFER bad this season! However I don't want Frank to continue to have as much screentime as in these past two episodes, more Lip and Ian please, they were barely there this episode. I missed Sheila too.
January 23, 2012 at 12:43PM EST Reply to Comment
- jan I agree with you about Frank--he's despicable. I don't think he's funny at all--especially the whole Butterface thing and how they were all laughing in the bar. It was just plain cruel--and I'm not sure why the writers do. But I really like the kids--especially Debbie, Fiona, Lip, and Ian--and want to know what is going to happen. Yes, I, too, loved the sex scene with Craig in the car--not exactly the way she had envisioned it, to say the least.
  January 23, 2012 at 12:55PM EST
- zzk yeah! what was up with the terribly fake Costa rica?
  January 24, 2012 at 3:09AM EST
LAW

The show went too far last night. This season has been a over the edge. May discontinue watching.
January 23, 2012 at 12:54PM EST Reply to Comment
Teklanika

This season has been pretty good so far, but not as good as season 1 IMO.

I love Frank's character and never see him as funny. Just an interesting character study on the lines he will and won't cross.

I'm looking forward to Steve's return. I like the dynamic he brings to the group. Plus, I like Fiona less as someone who sleeps around so much. I found her more interesting with Steve and the issues with their relationship. Plus, since she still doesn't know where Steve really comes from, there is still plenty of material to explore in their relationship.
January 23, 2012 at 12:58PM EST Reply to Comment
carey_adams

I've seen 8 Seasons of the UK version, and the original Frank never would have went that far. It's strange how the two Frank's differ.

Chatwin is no McAvoy either. There's a lot to like in the US version, but the real joy in the UK version is watching how the family always seems to come together and prevail over whatever life (usually Frank) throws at them. I think the US version is getting away from that. It's also great when they focus on relationships and how difficult it is to have a successful one when the family is so dependent on one another. I hope they get back to that.
January 23, 2012 at 1:18PM EST Reply to Comment
Buthisface

I really enjoyed this episode. This is the type of material I like seeing this show do. Frank is a despicable human being and seeing just how low he'll go is fascinating. I especially liked him stealing the donation box at the end. He's such scum.

The scene with Steve was horrible though. I thought maybe it was supposed to be a dream sequence of the bad effects behind him, but then realized it was supposed to be real.

I'm not interested in seeing him return. He was pretty boring, even if his effects on Fiona are interesting.

Show needs a lot more Ian and Lip though. Hopefully they'll get some episodes soon with as much screen time as Frank has been getting. I think some viewers could use a break from Frank.
January 23, 2012 at 1:22PM EST Reply to Comment
- DougMac That was some really bad green screen stuff
  January 24, 2012 at 12:58AM EST
Hannah

UGh finally some Steve! Fiona is clearly a better person with him around. He really does ground her and makes her stronger. I was getting sick of seeing her fawning over all these guys with no obvious feelings for them other than the intention to have sex with them. Yes I know she's on the rebound, but 3 episodes of that was enough.
January 23, 2012 at 1:29PM EST Reply to Comment
liddy

I agree with you about Frank's "speech to Butterface about preserving her memory" and I think the reason it worked is because it was a rare instance when Frank 'had to sell it,' in order to get what wanted and WmHM had to lie, with the power of telling the truth, in order to be convincing. Butterface knew his history and so he had to bring it, without relying on the (increasingly boring) "Who me? I'm innocent!" approach. That's why his scenes with Joan Cusack can be so compelling (and funny)... Sheila doesn't know his full bio & m.o. and Macy can take off the clown mask. Macy would be more likable in the role, if he would stop caring about being sympathetic. Whenever he and the writers insist on teasing out the possibility that he's redeemable (and then, of course, he flops), they sabotage the character's likability. Frank's a lost cause period. Let me be appalled by him, let me LIKE him for raising the bar of despicability, not hate him for failing to reach the bar of sympathy.
January 23, 2012 at 1:30PM EST Reply to Comment
Ravenna

Actually, I find it kind of interesting to see such a despicable being portrayed on TV. What appalls me though is that the writers seem to think it's funny.
January 23, 2012 at 1:58PM EST Reply to Comment
louie

I've been linking this season. Last week's episode there wasn't much happening, but this episode was very fun and returned to the go, go, go pace of the first season. Great entertainment, Emmy Rossum continues to hit all the right notes splendidly, Macy's Frank continues to raise the SHAMELESS bar and the kids are reliable to carry some interesting storylines as well. The neighbors are likable too. I'd like to see a storyline involving the whole family now, them working together.

There are some weak spots this season - too much Frank, the Jody guy, the lack of development for Karen (huh? she wants to mary the old sex anonymous guy?) and her mother (how's she still so clueless?).

Yeah, the green screen in the phonecall was almost Ringer pilot bad, but I still liked the scene because of the performances.

Love the amount of sex! All in all, fun fun show. Hope you guys talk on the podcast when you can!
January 23, 2012 at 2:55PM EST Reply to Comment
bb

Ugh I was incredibly glad to stumble across Fargo on demand after viewing tonight's shameless episode. William Macy pulls off hilariously scummy to its maximum effect (as does buscemi but he's still doing great work on boardwalk empire so I didn't need a reminder). Here, though, I was mostly just confused as to how the writers came up with this whole subplot in the first place. At least with Sheila, she actually was able to twistedly benefit from her relationship with frank both in the bedroom and now facing her agoraphobia. And those absurd interactions fiona had with Craig...very lazy dialogue. The bizarre and distracting subplot with Karen makes very little sense, and lipp turning from a troubled albeit gifted teenager to an amoral mcgyver-type with an equally amoral, power-drunk sat super agent dude. The show is losing me...last season felt more like a somewhat nihilistic modern satire of sorts (like something I'd read in a novel and would find semi-interesting like dexter season one). Now it's just pop-pulp nonsense.
January 23, 2012 at 3:36PM EST Reply to Comment
Maya

Loving the season, it's fresh, fast paced and fun. Love Emmy Rossum, Cameron Monagham and Jeremy White. Little Debbie was great too this episode, loved her reciting the death puns and singing that dark song. Frank was disgusting though, I can't believe John Wells said it was supposed to be funny, that wasn't the tone presented in the episode at all, how could anyone laugh at that? The character jumped the shark.

Emmy Rossum is the hottest, most beautiful woman on television. She's stunning. Taylor Kinney wasa gorgeous on The Vampire Diaries and even more gorgeous here.
January 23, 2012 at 4:31PM EST Reply to Comment
- Mahmoud Fayed >The character jumped the shark.
  
  That word, I'm afraid you don't quite understand what it means.
  March 19, 2012 at 2:50PM EST
John

My problem with this show is that it wants to have it both ways. There are too many scenes of the Gallaghers enjoying the "art of the steal" to justify this show's claim that we are watching people who have to bend the rules in order to get by.

And I understand the reasoning - no one wants to watch a joyless slog and yet at the same time the show wants to fall back on "they need to do this" when the Gallaghers behave badly. But it strikes me as disingenuous.
January 23, 2012 at 4:47PM EST Reply to Comment
Ashley

I find it strange that it's a problem to most people that Frank is unsympathetic. I always saw him as more of an antivillain to oppose the Gallagher children who are the true heart of the show and where our sympathies are meant to lie. I don't think the people behind the show are pushing for anyone to get behind Frank or root for him at all.
January 23, 2012 at 5:20PM EST Reply to Comment
- INM But they want us to laugh ourselves silly at the despicable things he does. In their minds, even if we don't like the character, we're supposed to still be amused and entertained by what he does. Also, they spend too much time on him. And since they hired Bill Macy to play him, he'll always be front and center, which kinda sucks.
  January 23, 2012 at 8:43PM EST
evolution1085

Frank turning down the heart for Dottie was essentially murder, not sure how you can come back from that and still maintain a jovial character tone.
January 23, 2012 at 6:34PM EST Reply to Comment
bigperm33

The only place for Frank to go is to keep going down, because there is no redeeming him at any point. He might as well have shot her; Fiona on the other hand is an overwhelmed young kid. She can screw up, and ultimately, her story will be does she continue her life down a destructive path, or does she at some point wake up. But Frank, never likeable, they have to just keep burying. If they try to redeem him, it won't ring true and won't work. He is an awful person, plain and simple. There can still be some laughs or smiles in it, but he will remain an awful person.
January 23, 2012 at 9:00PM EST Reply to Comment
PY

** "I asked John Wells about it at press tour, and he noted both that his own family has benefited from organ donation and that he got a lot of dramatic mileage out of the process on "ER," but, "We thought ultimately it was funny." **

I thought this quote was the most disturbing thing about all of this. While almost no one in these comments found it funny (I, like almost everyone else, found it dispicable and unnecessary), "funny" was what the producers were going for here. Doesn't make me feel great about their sensibilities and the future direction of the show and its "humor."
January 23, 2012 at 9:18PM EST Reply to Comment
rhys1882

I thought Frank's move was a bit too much. It looks like they tried to mitigate against it after the fact by talking about how some boy received the heart instead and Butterface saying how she used to beat her daughter - so that you don't feel particularly bad that this woman as dying. But they probably should have laid that groundwork before Frank answered the pager, because it was still fairly jarring to see him act that despicable. I did like that he at least seemed to recognize how low he had gone and went so far as to give the engagement ring back to Jody. However, I agree that we aren't supposed to see Frank as "lovable" at all and that we are supposed to despise him.

I am still enjoying the second season pretty well though and like the main Gallagher kids a lot. I am also growing attached to Kevin. I am looking forward to seeing Steve comeback and how that plays out. I hope Lip gets over Karen already - he could easily do better.
January 23, 2012 at 9:22PM EST Reply to Comment
yahoodi

The show just finds a way to win me in the end.

I find Frank usually very foul and very unfunny. And then he'll do something at the end that just makes me giggle. This last episode is a perfect example. I found his act of denying Butterface the heart to be way over the top- even for Frank. And what made it worse was his pathetic, unfunny rant in the bar. ( Which of course was him trying to justify his actions to himself and failing.) Then he goes to Church, which I didn't believe for a second, though he was going to pss out and wind up donating the 2 grand against his will or something. And then he donates and winds up stealing his own donation along with the box. I couldn't help but laugh. It won me in the end.

I'm not trying to pick fights but just as some believe the show wants it both ways, so do the viewers. They want the show to be fresh and different yet frown when it crosses some line of believability. I think you have to accept some mistakes as the show crosses lines that other shows don't. Very similar to gunslinger QB's. If you love someone who's not afraid to make some tough throws ( I'll use Eli as a prime example. Congratulations Alan.......) then you have to accept and expect some INT's.

The green screen was absolutely horrible. I thought the reveal was going to be he was actually modelling in front of a green screen and was actually three blocks away. Naturally a naked, round, South American tush was a much better reveal.

Like I said the show wins me in the end...RIMSHOT! All week folks. I'll be here all week.

I too would like to see more Lip and Ian. Although I would like to see Lip kick the blonde girl to the curb. I know he won't.

Shameless has the best use of music of any show on TV. That helps a lot.

Looking forward to next week.
January 24, 2012 at 7:58AM EST Reply to Comment
Anoel

I love the show but Frank disgusts me. The remember your memory was touching-I should have known it was too good to last. I liked Fiona's storyline, understandable in this situation. Basically I wish they would just kill off Frank so I could love the show wholeheartedly.
January 24, 2012 at 11:34PM EST Reply to Comment
Kronicfatigue

So why did the purse woman turn on fiona? Just to move the plot along to the affair?
January 25, 2012 at 1:04AM EST Reply to Comment
John Doe

It is nice to see that I am not the only person that thought what Frank did was beyond terrible. ...and I used to look forward to watching each new episode. Now... I won't be watching Shameless anymore. I don't know what else to say.
January 25, 2012 at 12:19PM EST Reply to Comment
- Brooks Relax dude it's a fictional tv show
  January 25, 2012 at 11:42PM EST
- Frank You need to relax if you're taking a show this seriously... You aren't supposed to like some characters, good tv breeds emotion, not always :D IM SO HAPPY emotion unfortunately.
  January 31, 2012 at 3:36PM EST
Jackie

This did it for me. I somewhat liked the show, but wondered why I did? After Frank murdered Butterface and for the reasons he did it, are enough for me to say good bye Shameless.
January 26, 2012 at 11:38AM EST Reply to Comment
JedyKnight

After Frank declined the organ, I really thought that he will confess later to Dottie or that she would find out by other means.. and even then I was thinking Frank had definitely cross a line into an evil person.. and then he went ahead and allow her to commit suicide-by-sex for a couple of grands and a TV.. i would not categorize him by any other term except murderer.. I like Macy, but i liked the UK version of Frank better.. I still love the show, specially the kids, so I will still watch, clearly seeing a Frank as a true villain among the heroes or antiheroes of the show.. btw, i know there is a lot of anti-Steves there.. but i did like his character on S1, and wanted he to come back for S2 (unlike what happened in the S2 of the UK version)
January 26, 2012 at 6:44PM EST Reply to Comment
Vince

One thing that annoys me about this season is if Fiona is working at a club like that in Chicago, she is probably making 500 to 1000 in tips every night. I know some girls who work in clubs like the one they she works in and they are doing pretty good for themselves. I So I find it hard to believe they would be as strapped for cash.
January 26, 2012 at 10:15PM EST Reply to Comment
Chelby

Does anyone know the song that was playing in the coffee shop when Fiona met with her high school crush?
January 27, 2012 at 1:54AM EST Reply to Comment
- Steph I want to know the name of the song that was playing when Fiona called Steve!!!
  January 27, 2012 at 11:27PM EST
A. Sloane

I was horrifed by Frank telling the hospital that a heart wasn't needed. I feel that it was murder or manslaughter. I was shocked that he was capable of the action. It was the action of a psychopath---up to this point, we knew Frank was many things, but not this. Lying, cheating,committing fraud, neglecting children are Shameful. But that call was murder.
January 30, 2012 at 7:57PM EST Reply to Comment
- Wha? that's not what a psychopath is so...yeah
  January 30, 2012 at 9:20PM EST
- Jesse It's not real life...
  January 31, 2012 at 3:39PM EST
peloquin00

frank is almost making me want to drop this show this season... just too far every week and i normally like my comedy pitch black... will continue for now but not sure ill make it through the season
January 30, 2012 at 8:23PM EST Reply to Comment
Benjamin Kabak

Frank is supposed to be a jerk. If he wasn't the show would be selling out the character n the story
February 2, 2012 at 11:02AM EST Reply to Comment

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Dan After last night's soft necrophilia I was thinking, "At least Frank Gallagher isn't a pedophile." Then I remembered his fling with the agoraphobe's high-school daughter.

Dan And now that I collect all that into a couple of sentences, I find I don't really want to watch Shameless anymore.

Nina To be fair, Karen kind of raped Frank in that situation. He was saying no and he was too drunk to escape. After this episode though, i'm done with Frank.

Brandon A pedophile is someone in to prepubescent children. Not 17 - 18 year olds. Lighten up.

Gunde That has NOTHING to do with pedophilia. You can't redefine words just because you're offended.

madmike Welcome to Showtime.

Greg Indeed. I just hope that doesn't happen to Homeland.

zzk yeah! what was up with the terribly fake Costa rica?

LAW The show went too far last night. This season has been a over the edge. May discontinue watching.

DougMac That was some really bad green screen stuff

Ravenna Actually, I find it kind of interesting to see such a despicable being portrayed on TV. What appalls me though is that the writers seem to think it's funny.

Mahmoud Fayed >The character jumped the shark.That word, I'm afraid you don't quite understand what it means.

evolution1085 Frank turning down the heart for Dottie was essentially murder, not sure how you can come back from that and still maintain a jovial character tone.

Anoel I love the show but Frank disgusts me. The remember your memory was touching-I should have known it was too good to last. I liked Fiona's storyline, understandable in this situation. Basically I wish they would just kill off Frank so I could love the show wholeheartedly.

Kronicfatigue So why did the purse woman turn on fiona? Just to move the plot along to the affair?

John Doe It is nice to see that I am not the only person that thought what Frank did was beyond terrible. ...and I used to look forward to watching each new episode. Now... I won't be watching Shameless anymore. I don't know what else to say.

Brooks Relax dude it's a fictional tv show

Frank You need to relax if you're taking a show this seriously... You aren't supposed to like some characters, good tv breeds emotion, not always :D IM SO HAPPY emotion unfortunately.

Jackie This did it for me. I somewhat liked the show, but wondered why I did? After Frank murdered Butterface and for the reasons he did it, are enough for me to say good bye Shameless.

Chelby Does anyone know the song that was playing in the coffee shop when Fiona met with her high school crush?

Steph I want to know the name of the song that was playing when Fiona called Steve!!!

Wha? that's not what a psychopath is so...yeah

Jesse It's not real life...

peloquin00 frank is almost making me want to drop this show this season... just too far every week and i normally like my comedy pitch black... will continue for now but not sure ill make it through the season

Benjamin Kabak Frank is supposed to be a jerk. If he wasn't the show would be selling out the character n the story

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Dan

After last night's soft necrophilia I was thinking, "At least Frank Gallagher isn't a pedophile." Then I remembered his fling with the agoraphobe's high-school daughter.

LAW

The show went too far last night. This season has been a over the edge. May discontinue watching.

Ravenna

Actually, I find it kind of interesting to see such a despicable being portrayed on TV. What appalls me though is that the writers seem to think it's funny.

Mahmoud Fayed >The character jumped the shark.

That word, I'm afraid you don't quite understand what it means.

evolution1085

Frank turning down the heart for Dottie was essentially murder, not sure how you can come back from that and still maintain a jovial character tone.

Anoel

I love the show but Frank disgusts me. The remember your memory was touching-I should have known it was too good to last. I liked Fiona's storyline, understandable in this situation. Basically I wish they would just kill off Frank so I could love the show wholeheartedly.

Kronicfatigue

So why did the purse woman turn on fiona? Just to move the plot along to the affair?

John Doe

It is nice to see that I am not the only person that thought what Frank did was beyond terrible. ...and I used to look forward to watching each new episode. Now... I won't be watching Shameless anymore. I don't know what else to say.

Jackie

This did it for me. I somewhat liked the show, but wondered why I did? After Frank murdered Butterface and for the reasons he did it, are enough for me to say good bye Shameless.

Chelby

Does anyone know the song that was playing in the coffee shop when Fiona met with her high school crush?

peloquin00

frank is almost making me want to drop this show this season... just too far every week and i normally like my comedy pitch black... will continue for now but not sure ill make it through the season

Benjamin Kabak

Frank is supposed to be a jerk. If he wasn't the show would be selling out the character n the story

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