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Can Someone Please Get the Baby Out of the Dryer?! My Review: Season Finale of Shameless – “Fiona Interrupted”

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  • April 2, 2012

  • 8 mins to read

Review, Shameless, S2, E12 – “Fiona Interrupted”

Air Date: Sunday, April 01, 2012, 9:00 pm ET/PT on Showtime

Rating: ★★★★★

“Everybody always leaves.” – Fiona.

What a fitting way to end the season. Not only does “Fiona Interrupted” deal with the fallout from last week’s episode—Monica’s (Chloe Webb) attempted suicide, and Sheila (Joan Cusack) and Jody (Zach McGowan) kidnapping Karen’s (Laura Slade Wiggins) newborn baby boy—it gives us a lot to look forward to for season three. However, as season finales go, this one doesn’t have the surprise or wow factor of last week’s “Just like the Pilgrims.” That’s not to say I don’t like “Fiona Interrupted,” because I certainly do.

Jimmy and Fiona at dinner with his family and he isn't happy with his brother's comments

Season two as a whole has been one wild ride—from watching Frank (William H. Macy) kill “Butterface” (Molly Price) with sex, to seeing how poorly his mother Peg (Louise Fletcher) treats him, all the while worming her way into the other Gallagher’s hearts; from Lip (Jeremy Allen White) and Karen’s relationship and her pregnancy, to Ian (Cameron Monaghan) coming out of the closet and into his own; and to watching Frank become a man with some redeeming qualities—not something I thought I’d ever see in a character as flawed and shameless as Frank is.

Jimmy (Justin Chatwin), Veronica (Shanola Hampton), Kev (Steve Howey) and the Gallagher clan return home from the hospital where reality hits them smack in the face—the gruesome scene of Monica’s blood all over the kitchen floor. The silence in the room as Fiona and Jimmy start to clean up speaks volumes about the situation. Not only does Fiona have to clean up the blood, she has to clean up the havoc Monica has wreaked on all their lives. Through a loving look of things to come, Jimmy makes it clear he can be counted on.

I know Shameless is billed as a comedy but there have been a lot of sad, repulsive, and disheartening things going on this season—not the least of which are Peg’s cancer/death, Monica’s steady mental decline, Lip not being Karen’s baby daddy. But one of the things the show does best is lightening the mood by inserting a bit of humor into an otherwise miserable and depressing situation. For instance, the flip comment Jimmy makes as Fiona throws the bloody towels in the trash. I was laughing through the tears, just as Fiona does. Tragedies do one of two things to families—they either draw them closer or split them apart. I’m glad “Fiona Interrupted” sees Jimmy back in Fiona’s life, exactly where I always thought he should be.

Frank sneaks into the mental facility to see Monica

Perhaps the most touching scene surrounding this storyline is when Debbie (Emma Kenney) and Carl (Ethan Cutosky)—he’s not a total psychopath in the making—are welcomed into Fiona’s bed after interrupting her and Jimmy, as Joshua Radin’s “Winter Lyrics” plays in the background. As Ian stands watching, Debbie, encircled by Fiona’s arms along with Carl, sobs repeatedly and Fiona, ever the mother, reassures them, “Shh, shh, it’s ok; it’s gonna be ok.” It’s what makes this family great—the ability to come together in times of happiness and sadness, always remembering that no matter what happens, family is who you can count on. I’d like to commend Kenney for her terrific performance—I don’t know what this young girl has experienced in her lifetime that enables her to cry so unabashedly and convincing but whatever it is, it has served her well.

Frank may be the worst, most selfish drunk I’ve ever seen, but he has one redeeming quality. I believe he cares for Monica. Why is it, then, that he doesn’t understand Monica is better off inside the mental facility? She needs to get her act together and stop coming in and out of the kids’ lives on a whim. But Frank is afraid if she stays on her meds, she won’t care about him or the kids anymore. He could be right.

Lip goes back to school and then returns home

My heart goes out to Lip. He truly has feelings for Karen but she’s such damaged goods, she can’t let him in. If you ask me, he’s way better off without her. She is such a callous bitch, referring to the baby as “it,” and calling him “retarded.” How disgusting! I am so pleased Sheila picks the baby when Karen forces her to choose between her and him. You know, plenty of women have awful childhoods and don’t use it as an excuse for such repulsive behavior.

Some observations:

I can’t wait to see what opportunities will come Fiona’s way now that she’s gotten her GED.

I’m glad Lip comes home and keeps his end of the bargain by going back to school. Hopefully, he’ll go to college next year and eventually make something of himself.

Fiona insists on meeting Jimmy’s family so his father, Lloyd (Harry Hamlin), takes them all out to dinner. I love that Carl orders “double cut, 48 ounce prime rib, medium rare, and, the two pound Maine lobster, please.” Even better is Lloyd being Ian’s lover from last week’s episode! What a douchebag Lloyd turns out to be!

Were you as freaked out by the “doohickey” Jody slips on so the baby can suckle at his breast? He is one strange dude, although I suppose he means well.

When Frank and Debbie go to the mental facility to break Monica out, they catch her in bed with a new lesbian lover, Jill (Jenna Elfman), one of the other patients. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Memorable lines:

Fiona, as she cleans up the blood: “Jesus, the kids.”

Jimmy: “Don’t worry; they’re already fucked up.”

***

Karen to Lip about the baby: “I don’t want that thing anything near me, ok?”

***

Frank to Monica: “You need anything? Cigarettes, shampoo, hacksaw?”

***

Karen: “Where is it, mom?”

Sheila: “Where’s what, honey?”

Karen: “It. The baby that shoved its ginormous head out of my cooter for six endless hours last night.”

***

Ian: “Do they know you’re gay?”

Lloyd: “I’m not gay…anything that walks, that’s me.”

***

Ian is angry when he sees who Jimmy's father is

“Fiona Interrupted” does a great job tying up the season’s storylines while, at the same time, giving us a good deal to look forward to: It appears Jimmy and Fiona are headed into a real relationship after he tells her he loves her. Estefania (Stephanie Fantauzzi) goes to the Gallaghers looking for Jimmy because Marco (Thierre Di Castro) beat her up; thank heavens it doesn’t affect Fiona and Jimmy’s budding relationship. And now that Ian is growing up, I’m sure we’ll be privy to a whole host of gay lovers, not just Lloyd. Monica may be gone for good, now that she’s taken off with Jill. Lip joins Estefania on the couch; is this the beginning of a new relationship for them? I sure hope Estefania learns how to speak English if that’s the case.

But it’s the final bit that tells the true story. After Estefania crowns Frank with a frying pan, she, Fiona, Ian, Lip, Debbie, Carl and Jimmy carry Frank’s drunk ass outside to the back yard where it’s beginning to snow.  Family is important to the Gallaghers, and no matter what problems they may face, they always stick together.

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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!