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A Bald Eagle, A Birth and a Suicide Attempt. Review: Shameless – “Just Like the Pilgrims Intended” @SHO_Kareem

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  • March 26, 2012

  • 8 mins to read

Review, Shameless, S2 E11 – “Just Like the Pilgrims Intended”

Airdate: Sunday, March 25, 2012, 9:00 pm ET/PT on Showtime

Rating: ★★★★★

 

As the penultimate episode of the second season of Shameless, “Just Like the Pilgrims Intended” packs a punch. It’s filled with happiness, sadness, surprises and a lot of sex. As a matter of fact, the amount of screwing that goes on in this episode is amazing. If it’s not Frank (William H. Macy) with Monica (Chloe Webb), it’s Sheila (Joan Cusack) with Jody (Zach McGowan) and Lip (Jeremy Allen White) with Mandy (Emma Greenwell). Yes, you read that right. Lip sleeps with Mandy.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The closer it gets to the impending birth of Karen’s (Laura Slade Wiggins) baby, the more emotional Lip becomes. He even makes a video for the little boy to watch when he’s old enough. “Also, you never use toilet paper on your dick after you take a piss. You tap the end; let the drops fall off; flush.” This whole baby thing is playing with Lip’s head. He tries to act cool about Karen giving the baby away; yet we know he’s not. It’s just plain sad to watch him filming that video.

I guess that’s why I’m surprised when he falls into bed with Mandy. He’s headed down the wrong path with that one. They’ve only been together three times and already she wants to know where their ‘relationship’ is going. He’s going to be in deep doo-doo if he stays with her. Besides, when is he going to realize he should be at home with Fiona and the kids?

Another one headed down the wrong path is Carl (Ethan Cutosky). He’s a little psychopath in the making, if you ask me. If he and little Hank (Nicky Korba) aren’t shooting ducks for fun, he’s taking an axe to the pool when he and Debby (Emma Kenney) are supposed to take it down for the coming winter season. What scares me most about Carl is the gun he finds. Now, instead of shooting ducks in the pool, he kills a bald eagle that has a tracking device on its leg. You know this is going to come back and haunt him despite Kev (Steve Howey) whacking the bird’s leg off and having Carl dispose of it.

Lip goes with Steve (Justin Chatwin) to pick up Marco (Thierre Di Castro) who has finally made his way back to Chicago. I can’t believe Marco and Estefania (Stephanie Fantauzzi) go at it in the back seat while Steve is driving them home. She and Steve are married, after all. Things turn ugly, however, when Marco realizes Estefania and Steve have been sleeping together. (What the hell did he think they were doing all this time? He’s not the sharpest tack in the drawer, although he has one helluva body!) Steve narrowly escapes being killed by giving Marco his ID and passport. Steve has no choice now but to go back to being Jimmy. I guess he’s going to have to own up to being rich now. I wonder whether this will change his relationship with Fiona; she’s not exactly used to accepting help from people, let alone money.

Monica and Frank under the stairs

Monica is barely coherent these days and can’t even get out of bed no matter who (Debby, Lip) tries to get her to come downstairs. The disappointment in Debby’s eyes is painful to see. Even though Monica’s actions were always over the top, Debby craves the attention. Frank finally drags Monica out to see his brother to get his share of the money Peg sent him. Unfortunately, Monica collapses on the floor and it’s in that moment that we realize how much Frank seems to truly care for her. It’s sad and pitiful when back at the house, under the stairs where she’s crawls, she says, “I don’t wanna be me anymore,” and Frank sings “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” to her. Frank comes to the sad realization that it’s time for Monica to go back on her meds.

Ian and Fiona watching Jimmy's desperate attempt to save Monica

Contrary to what Lip thinks, Karen makes a decision about which couple should get the baby based on the amount of money they’re willing to pay. She gives in though and this is where we see an Emmy®-award winning performance from Wiggins when her character calls the couple she had promised the baby to, and crying, says: “Hi, Celeste? It’s Karen Jackson. I decided to keep the baby. I can’t give it away; I’m so sorry.” Karen is such a callous person; she doesn’t even care when Sheila confesses her affair with Jody to her.

Memorable lines:

Fiona: “Little Hank’s being raised by wolves.”

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Karen to Sheila about sleeping with Jody: “An accident. Where his penis slipped into your vagina.”

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Karen about the baby: “I want this thing out of me. I can’t wait two weeks.”

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Frank: “Nobody drinks beer because they’re thirsty.”

Frank is stunned by Monica's suicide attempt

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I wondered how the writers were going to bring Monica’s story to an end and they do it quite gruesomely—with Monica slitting her wrists at Thanksgiving dinner. As Jimmy frantically tries to help her, Frank just walks away doing what he does best—leaving when the going gets tough. Will this man ever do what’s right? I guess that’s asking a little too much of him.

Shameless has gone pretty far with its sometimes disgusting and raunchy scenes but it really takes the cake this week. Not only are the shots of blood spurting out of Monica’s wrists repugnant, but the shot of Karen’s vagina as the baby is crowning is taking it a bit too far for me. I guess I have to give kudos to the editing department for their skill in seamlessly moving from that shot to Karen’s face as she moans and groans.

Sheila and Jody steal Karen's baby from the hospital

Surprise of all surprises (or maybe not), the baby isn’t Lip’s. It’s Chinese and has Down’s Syndrome. Needless to say, the adoptive parents don’t want it. Now what? Karen certainly doesn’t want to keep the baby—God forbid, it might be too much for her to be a real mother—and you know Lip won’t keep it. Crazy Sheila to the rescue! And I do mean “crazy!” The last scene with Sheila, the baby and Jody racing away from the hospital on his motorcycle is priceless. Sheila is not the best person for the job.

“Just Like the Pilgrims” brings us full circle with Frank running away, Sheila acting crazier than ever, and Karen being more of a slut than we thought. This excellent episode leaves us with many questions going into next week’s season finale. Will the rich dude (Harry Hamlin) Ian sleeps with become his sugar daddy? Will Monica disappear from the Gallaghers’ lives now that she’s back on her meds? Will Fiona really end up with Jimmy? Will Lip return home where he should be? But most of all, what’s going to happen to the baby?

Tune in to Shameless, Sunday nights at 9:00 pm ET/PT, only on Showtime.

LIKE Shameless on Facebook  and follow the show on Twitter. Plus, check out all the fun things to do on the Shameless series site.

All photos © 2012 Showtime/CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

 

Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!

Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!