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A Bud Bonfire, A Taser-Proof Thug and New “Jobs” for Everyone. Review: Shameless – “Summertime”

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  • January 9, 2012

  • 7 mins to read

Shameless – “Summertime” – Season 2, Episode 1

Air Date: Sunday, January 08, 2012, 10:00 pm ET/PT on Showtime

Rating: ★★★★★★

 

What can I say about the second season premiere of Shameless other than I absolutely loved it! The Gallaghers are back and at the top of their game – conning everyone around them. Their bad behavior is as essential as their love for one another. Frank (William H. Macy) reaches a new all-time low; darling Fiona (Emily Rossum) deals with Steve’s (Justin Chatwin) departure; Debby (Emma Kenney) is running an illegal daycare center; Lip (Jeremy Allen White) is in a fight club and selling weed out of an old ice cream truck; and Ian (Cameron Monaghan), who’s still in the closet for the most part, is serious about going to West Point.

Thoughts and observations:

Debby running an illegal day care center is a pretty heavy thing for a 10-year-old, but then again, she has always been more mature than others her age. With Fiona working nights and sleeping during the day, she makes herself available when the parents drop the kids off and then again when they pick them up. It’s a big responsibility, but Debby handles it with a breeze. She’s just so adorable. I think this kid can do anything she puts her mind to. I have a problem with the dog crate she puts one little boy in for time out though, but I love the sleep mask Fiona uses. With “Fuck Off” imprinted on it, it’s a perfect way to express how not only Fiona feels, but the entire Gallagher clan for that matter.

Frank can’t possibly be any more disgusting a father than he is in “Summertime,” although he does show some real feelings at the end of the episode. He makes a stupid bet with a taser-proof hunky thug (James Moses Black) at The Alibi and when he loses, tries every scam in the book to earn the $10,000 he has to pay, including using baby Liam (Blake Alexander/Brennan Kane Johnson) while panhandling. I hated seeing Liam in that makeshift cage the thug puts him in, but at least we get to see the guy playing with Liam so it’s not all that bad. I will say the thug is very enjoyable to look at—what pecs *wink wink*!

I know everyone has agreed to give any money they earn to Fiona so she can pay the bills and keep a roof over their heads, but Lip organizing a fight club is just stupid. You know there’s no way he will ever win so it’s just a matter of how badly he’s willing to be beaten to earn a buck. Now running an ice cream truck with Kevin (Steve Howey) – one that also serves beer, joints and takes sports bets – is a much better way of earning money, don’t you agree? And I love, love, love the “radar” Lip makes out of an old GPS unit to track nearby cops. Wouldn’t you like to have one of those contraptions when you’re speeding down the highway?

Karen rolls a joint while talking to Lip and Kev inside the ice cream truck

At the snazzy club where Fiona and Veronica (Shanola Hampton) are working, Fiona meets up with Adam (James Wolk, Lone Star), who seems to have a good effect on her. I like that he has her thinking about getting back into running track (she was a star in high school), and their sexual encounters are pretty damn hot. Just saying. I hope she’s not using Adam as a rebound…much. He deserves more than that. I wonder what will happen when Steve comes back into the picture. Because you know he will, right?

I wonder if Sheila (Joan Cusack) is going to overcome her agoraphobia. She seems to be making good progress in that area. Frank, of course, is going to sabotage her any way he can – he can’t afford to have Sheila achieve her goal of walking to The Alibi where she will most likely discover how much of a scumbag he really is. Cusack is great in this role. She perfectly pulls off being childlike when necessary, but sure knows how to wield a bat too.

There are two things in this episode I find strange – first, there is practically no mention of Eddie’s horrific suicide from last season and second, there is no explanation for when or why Karen sheds her goth personality. I can’t imagine that Eddie’s body isn’t going to be found at some point, which should affect Karen greatly. I can’t wait to see where that takes her. I’m surprised to see her without the black hair and goth makeup, and even more astonished that she’s joined Sex Addicts Anonymous. Of course, that doesn’t mean she’s going to stop having sex with Lip – only that she’s not going to have random sexual encounters. Do you believe that? Nope, me neither.

I have to take a minute and talk about Kash (Pej Vahdat) leaving Linda (Marguerite Mureau). I understand it’s not easy living in the closet – especially not for a Muslim – or putting up with a shrew like Linda, but to just up and leave the way he does isn’t acceptable. The man has no balls.

Veronica can't believe her eyes when she sees how much weed Kev has grown.

My favorite scene is the bud burning campfire. All the kids standing around trying to catch a whiff of the weed is pretty funny. Too bad Kev and Veronica couldn’t find a more profitable way to dispose of it. Then again, if they did that, they wouldn’t be poor anymore and that just wouldn’t work for the series.

Favorite lines:

Veronica to Fiona as Fiona eyes the DJ at the club: “Haven’t given up on that one yet?”

Fiona: “Every summer needs a challenge.”

Veronica: “Man’s in love with his own fabulous self, probably masturbates while he licks his reflection in the mirror.”

***

Adam approaches Fiona from behind, putting his hand on her ass.

Fiona: “Aww, this better be somebody who’s about to give me a gigantic tip.”

Adam: “God, I’m so sorry. I thought your ass was my drink.”

***

“Summertime” is a fun episode as it opens up a whole slew of new antics and hustles now that the warm weather is here. There’s a ton of camaraderie among the Gallagher kids and let’s face it – they’re just good old fun to watch. Witty dialogue, sex, fantastic acting by all, and a wonderful bond among the characters make for one extremely pleasurable hour of TV.

All photos © 2012 Showtime/CBS Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

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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!