Shameless Season Finale - "Love Songs (in the Key of Gallagher)" Retrospective. Love Gallagher Style

Season 5, Episode 12

Air Date: Sunday, April 5, 2015 at 9:00 pm ET/PT on Showtime

Rating: ★★★★★

“People like us, we can be happy.” – Monica

Sex can mean so many different things to the people who love doing the nasty, as we see in the opening scenes of “Love Songs (in the Key of Gallagher) (“Love Songs”).” It can be fun, as in the case of Fiona (Emmy Rossum) and Gus (guest star Steve Kazee); steamy hot and kinky for Lip (Jeremy Allen White) and Helene (guest star Sasha Alexander); and frustrating for Mickey (Noel Fisher) and Shana (Kate Morgan Chadwick), his female substitute for Ian (Cameron Monaghan). And then, there’s Debbie (Emma Kenney) and Derek (guest star Luca Oriel), who are in the throes of young love for the first time. Speaking of first love, that’s exactly how Frank (William H. Macy) acts around Bianca (guest Bojana Novakovic) as they seek the good life in Costa Rica. Let’s examine the season five finale further, shall we?

In last week’s episode, “Drugs Actually,” Ian took off with Monica (guest star Chloe Webb), Fiona and Sean (guest star Dermot Mulroney) took their relationship to the next level, and Gus returned home from his tour. Now, in “Love Songs,” after the hot and heavy sex Fiona and Gus have, she tells Debbie her relationship with Sean is just as friends. Fiona is fooling herself if that’s what she truly believes, especially after Sean admits to having feelings for her. But Sean has no intention of being the ‘other guy.’ Fiona needs to man up (pun intended) and make her decision. Gus is too nice of a guy to be left hanging like this.

Vee doesn’t like what she hears at the clinic she makes Kev go to.

Even though things aren’t perfect, I am so happy Vee (Shanola Hampton) and Kev (Steve Howey) are back together. But whoa—TMI, Vee! We know Kev is well-endowed but we don’t really need to know just how big he is. That, plus the background Vee provides about her first sexual encounters, is a little much. Although, it is perfect Shameless fare. I got a real kick out of Kev and Vee’s visit to the clinic for Kev to be checked for STDs. With everything Vee learns about Kev’s time in the dorms, she shouldn’t be surprised when he needs more than two hands to guestimate how many partners he’s had.

I particularly enjoyed the conversation writer John Wells gives Vee and her mom Carol (guest star Vanessa Bell Calloway) regarding Kev’s sexual conquests. Carol has a way of providing motherly advice while insulting Vee at the same time; or, as Vee puts it, “That was like 15 different insulting metaphors all mashed up into one incredibly nasty sentence!” Even so, Vee takes Carol’s advice but man, is Kev dense! All is forgiven, though, with the way Kev acts when the babies start crying.

Debbie refuses to listen to reason from Fiona.

Here, I thought Debbie was the more normal one in the family but she disproves that in “Love Songs” with her less than adult attitude. Not only does Debbie not care about getting pregnant, she actually wants to, much to Fiona’s consternation. “She wants to be a contestant on ‘Teenage Mom’.” It’s funny; Debbie has wanted to be treated like an adult all season long but she sure as hell doesn’t act like one when she hurls all of Fiona’s past mistakes in her face. What Debbie wants is the typical lifestyle most young girls dream of—you know, a husband, two children, a house with a white picket fence. But this is Shameless after all, and I just don’t picture that happening anytime soon. Debbie should know better, plus she doesn’t even both to ask Derek what he wants! Something tells me she’s in for a rude awakening.

It’s easy to see how much Frank loves Bianca.

Frank is doing everything he can to keep Bianca healthy for as long as possible. Too bad she doesn’t share Frank’s outlook on life. All Bianca wants is to “get drunk and buy a gun.” Doing that isn’t a good idea because Bianca wants to play Russian roulette with it. I almost jumped out of my seat at the first gunshot. I never thought I’d feel sorry for Frank but I do. As vile and disgusting as he has been over the years, traits that have earned Macy a Golden Globe award, is as loving and comforting as Frank is now with Bianca, trying to delay the inevitable. For an actor who stretches his acting chops as far as Macy does this season, he deserves another award for his outstanding portrayal of Frank.

Monica is not the type of mother Ian needs. Yes, she does what she can to make sure Ian has enough food to eat but the way she does it is questionable at best. It’s funny how Monica remembers the past—sneaking out a diner bathroom to avoid paying as “good times.” Also humorous is the way she introduces Walter (guest star Ryan Dorsey), her current main squeeze—as the “fantastic, fabulous, incredible Walter.” In actuality, Walter is a real dick, which Ian finds out when he learns how Monica is making all that money. What Monica tells Ian she wants for him is something—or should I say, someone—he already has at home.

Other Observations

The opening shot of Lip in bed with Helene is unbelievably sexy and quite the turn on. That’s all I’m going to say about it.

All throughout season five, Amanda (guest star Nichole Bloom) has played the aloof friend who only wants sex from Lip on her terms. And it worked. Until “Love Songs,” that is. It’s obvious Amanda is jealous of Helene when she asks Lip, “Is she better than me?…Is there anything you want to teach me?” I sure wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that punch. Amanda packs quite a wallop!

I must give major kudos to guest star Barak Hardley, who plays Jony, the store clerk where Debbie goes to purchase EPTs, condoms, and the morning after pill. The way Jony stares at Debbie’s chest and the lewd comments he makes totally creep me out.

Overall

Run, Mickey, run! Sammi means business!

As season finales go, “Love Songs (in the Key of Gallagher) does a good job of wrapping up certain story lines and opening new ones for season six. Sammi (guest star Emily Bergl) makes a brief appearance at the end of the episode—no, she’s not dead as some people might have thought last week. But she’s ready to enact her revenge on Mickey…if she can catch him!

I can’t wait to find out the results of the pregnancy test Debbie takes, and what Fiona does about Gus and Sean. While I am sad the Frank/Bianca story line is over, he seems pretty nonchalant about the whole thing. Somehow, the sirens blaring as Lip and Ian sit in the car smoking a joint as Frank appears, saying, “She’s gone, boys; she’s gone” is oddly comforting. It seems so Shameless to me.

What did you think of “Love Songs (in the Key of Gallagher)?” Hit me up on Twitter @SeasideTV, or leave me a comment below.

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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!