Episode Title: “My Oldest Daughter”
Writer: Nancy M. Pimental
Director: Mimi Leder
Previously on “Shameless:”
Episode 4.01 “Simple Pleasures”
Doing “what Gallaghers do” may pass in “the Yards,” but it doesn’t fly when they’re trying to get an education, a promotion or a liver. Last week’s premiere caught us up with the exciting developments in Fiona (Emmy Rossum), Lip (Jeremy Allen White) and Debbie’s (Emma Kenney) lives. In this week’s follow-up hour, Fiona and Lip learn that not everyone finds the patented Gallagher charm endearing.
Away at school, Lip hopes to convince his macroeconomics tutor to give him free extra credit, but his plan falls apart when he realizes the co-ed he’s telling his plan to is actually the tutor. Later at a sorority party, Lip flirts with the tutor, but she’s only interested in the handsome grad student at the other end of the room. Lip then runs into a girl from his neighborhood and suggests they ditch the party, smoke pot and have sex. But what’s considered courtship back home is exactly what the girl is trying to get away from. She tells Lip guys like him are the reason she left home and walks away.
Back in Chicago, Fiona gets a shot at a promotion when Mike (Jake McDorman) sends her on some sales calls. Though she may be impressing her boss on the job, Mike isn’t happy with Fiona’s carefree approach to their relationship. So far, the couple have managed to keep their personal and work relationship separate. But after Fiona lies about a road rage incident while driving a company car, Mike gives her an ultimatum; be honest or break up. It’s not a Gallagher’s style to be backed into a corner, but Fiona decides to “try not lying” to her boyfriend. It may not sound promising, but coming from a Gallagher, it’s practically a marriage proposal.
It’s not so much that she’s a liar but rather that Fiona and her siblings aren’t really used to being cared about, at least not in the way Mike is doing it. Of course, it’s the least deserving Gallagher who gets the most help in this episode, as Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) goes to great lengths to get a new liver for Frank (William H. Macy), including digging his sister’s used tampon out of the garbage and presenting it to a horrified hospital attendant.
At least there’s some good news in this hour; Kevin (Steve Howey) has a “magic penis.” Or at least that’s what he thinks after he learns that Vee (Shanola Hampton) is pregnant with triplets. With four kids on the way now, it’s a good thing Stan left the Alibi Room to Kev in his will. Oh wait, Stan didn’t pay his taxes and the place makes no money. And with that, the era of free peanuts comes to an end.
As Kev and Vee’s family rapidly expands, it looks like the Gallagher family may be growing, as well. After Fiona refuses to donate part of her liver to Frank, he tells her he’ll just ask his “other daughter,” Deb is too young and Frank isn’t talking about his youngest daughter but rather his oldest, Samantha. Fiona is shocked, but of all the stunts Frank has pulled, hiding a child is probably the least offensive.
Though Deb may be too young to help her father, if she even wanted to, she’s apparently not too young for Matt, who she learns is twenty-years old while visiting his apartment. Still, it doesn’t look like he’s interested in a romantic relationship with Deb, which is probably a good thing for both parties.
Still absent from this season is Ian (Cameron Monaghan), who we’re to assume is in the Army. Sheila (Joan Cusack) made an appearance in the premiere, but aside from taking on the unenviable task of cleaning the Gallagher home, she doesn’t seem to be up to much. It’s a good thing we’ve got another Gallagher arriving on the scene to ensure Frank has another “liver to drink though” while making the rest of the family miserable.
