Shameless - Season 2 Episode 12 - Fiona Interrupted - Recap

After last week’s shocker of an episode, Shameless finally gives us closure to some of the season’s greatest plotlines. Lip makes a life-changing decision, Frank and Debs set out to bail Monica from rehab, and much more. This year ends with a kooky bang as only the writers could envision, and a very interesting path is paved towards season 3.

In the wake of Monica’s suicide attempt, the Gallagher family is clearly distraught. Frank starts the episode wandering about in a wasted stupor, but for once it feels like he has an actual reason to be upset. This season’s Frank was an entirely different creature than the one we saw last year, and rightly so. Bringing Monica back into the mix shows us a side of Frank not seen enough, one where he’s actually driven for his love for someone.

Monica’s ordeal seems to initially take the biggest toll on Fiona, who collapses upon seeing the blood all over her kitchen floor and turns to Steve for comfort. I can’t help wanting to give her a big hug, especially when Debs and Carl come to her room crying. Lip goes back to the hospital to watch Karen sleeping. Really? She is probably the most vile and selfish character on this show, and after the way she acted about the baby I wanted Lip to drop her for good and never look back. After she said “I don’t want that thing anywhere near me”, I sincerely wanted Lip to slap her across the face.

Frank visits Monica at the hospital and she tells him she has extended her stay to 60 days, voluntarily. I say keep her in the hospital! She clearly has problems, and the best thing would be to just keep her there until she gets better. Still, Frank recruits Debs to help him. These poor children! First exposed to their own mother gushing blood from her wrists and now being recruited to bust her out of treatment. For shame!

Meanwhile, Jody and Sheila are trying to figure things out with Karen’s child they stole from the hospital. Sheila obviously cares about the baby: “You’re a blessing… My little kung pow blessing.” Seeing Jody attach a device for breast-feeding to his nipples and watching that adorable Asian baby suck away is definitely the most hilarious moment of the episode. Naturally, Karen the uber bitch storms in and says she’ll call the cops if Sheila doesn’t return her baby. Oh no she didn’t!

Fiona goes to find Lip and urges him to come back home. She passed her G.E.D., yay! Frank talks to a colleage at the bar whose son works at the hospital, and just like that, a plan is hatched. I don’t like Frank’s plans lately, especially since one of them involved screwing that poor woman with the heart condition until it burst. He sneaks in Debs and Frank to the hospital, where they find Monica… with a lesbian in between her legs! I didn’t think she was ever going back to the other side, but apparently she’s “just lonely.” Riiiight.

When the cops come to take away the Asian baby, they end up siding with Sheila, since Karen is busy calling it names and talking about how she wants to just dump it somewhere. I swear every word that comes out of this girl’s mouth makes her seem more and more terrible. I have to admit that I kind of like Sheila and Jody together. An odd coupling to be sure, but for some reason it just works. Maybe it’s their willingness to each raise an innocent child or their awkward humor but for some reason they are perfect for each other.

Fiona insists that she wants to meet Steve/Jimmy’s family, even though he tells her they pretty much suck. Steve invites the whole family, and urges Carl to order something outrageous because his dad is paying. Steve’s brother, Chip, is a complete ass at the dinner table, but it’s Ian who brings the biggest shocker of the entire night. That older guy who showed him some love and affection last episode is back… and he is Steve’s dad! I can barely comprehend the scandal unfolding before me, even as they have a secret bathroom meeting in which he declares: “I’m not gay. Honestly, anything that walks, that’s me.” Denial! Ian tries to tell Fiona about Steve’s dad several times, but always gets interrupted. I spy a season 3 plot point!

Just as it looks like Steve and Fiona are finally about to get cozy, Estefania barges in, bruised and battered by Marco. Frank and Debs bail out Monica and the lesbian, but instead of coming home to he grieving and scarred children, Monica literally bails once again. Will this woman even take the consequences of her actions, or the feelings of her children into consideration?

Then comes the most fulfilling moment of the episode: bags in hand, Karen makes Sheila pick either her or the baby. “I pick the baby.” Simple as that, Karen walks out the door (hopefully forever) leaving Lip to go back home where he belongs. Good riddance, beeyotch! Lip also takes a final and it appears as if he's decided to go back to school. The best thing about this storyline is that we finally get to have a happy Gallagher family reunion, minus Monica and Frank. Ian stands up to Frank when he tries to take something of his from the fridge, and Estefania knocks him out with a frying pan. Maybe this will be the start of a beautiful relationship?

In its closing moments, Shameless gives us two things we have been waiting all season for: Fiona and Steve finally together, and Estefania having a late-night rendezvous with Lip. I was so ecstatic to see Steve and Fiona finally together after all this time. So cute! Personally, I think season 2 definitely topped season 1 with more outrageous moments. I can’t wait to see where they go next!