Shameless - Recap: Made of Bourbon and Blow

Episode 3 of Season 4 of Shameless, “Like Father, Like Daughter,” introduced us to Frank’s (William H. Macy) oldest child (that we know of), Samantha. It turns out, she’s pretty much the “skanky” female version of her dear old dad, though she didn’t come to learn the truth of Frank’s identity this week. Instead, it seems she’s head over heels in love. Shameless… always finding new ways to push it! Samantha wasn’t the only Gallagher girl finding a striking similarity to her father this episode. It seems Fiona (Emmy Rossum) might have her own form of addiction issues, as do we all. Meanwhile, Debbie (Emma Kenney) continued her totally inappropriate relationship, and Lip (Jeremy Allen White) continued to struggle with time management and flash mobs. Here is the Recap and Review of Season 4 Episode 3 of Shameless, “Like Father, Like Daughter”!

Much of the importance of Episode 3 focused on the meaning behind the shamelessness. The recap of the narrative is simple enough. Lip has yet to find his footing at the University of Chicago. There’s absolutely no heat to Fiona’s relationship with Mike, leading her straight to his rebellious, black sheep of a brother. Frank might have taken things to a place with his oldest daughter that even he might have come to regret. Debbie, meanwhile, threw on some “sexy” lingerie in order to woo her twenty-something boyfriend, Matty, into sleeping with her, though he thankfully neglected to do so.

Showtime "Shameless"

Bits and Pieces: Just some quick points to hit on this week. Under some poor advice from an uninformed Debbie, Sheila (Joan Cusack) took her account on ChristianMingle.com in the absolute wrong direction. It seems it doesn’t matter whether one is scouring the booty call apps or attempting to find something entirely wholesome. DTF means DTF, and a barrage of crotch shots inevitably came Sheila’s way. She did, however, close out her arc during Episode 3 with a wildly entertaining first date on the Gallagher family couch. Thanks to a little help from Fiona’s wardrobe, I’m sure her guitar strumming Jesus lover was very impressed.

Kev (Steve Howie) and Veronica (Shanola Hampton) have taken to selling prescription meds and charging for using the bathroom at the Alibi. Speaking of the bar bathroom , Mickey (Noel Fisher) had a truly heartbreaking moment this week when he forced himself into a sexual situation with a random female redhead. It’s actually painful to write, but he eventually had her “switch positions” in an effort to mimic his love making with Ian, who still remained absent this week. Shameless has a great way of taking moments like some raunchy sex with a random floozy and twisting them into truly moving and important scenes.

Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) took to stealing dogs and holding them for ransom in an effort to find drug money for Frank. In the end, though, he simply ended up with a house smelling like dog urine before “freeing” his stolen pets by releasing them into the wild.

Yep, I’m not afraid to knock a bitch up. You game?

-       Carl to the grocery store cashier

Showtime "Shameless"

Lip: I imagine I’m not the only one who finds it so difficult to watch the normally unflappable and unwavering Lip struggling so terribly at the University of Chicago. It just seems like Lip is always a few steps behind, while the rest of his peers continue to thrive around him. He can’t catch a break, either in class or in his work-study program. Even his roommate, who seems to like Lip enough, always has a look of pity in his eyes for Gallagher. Personally, I’m not sure time management skills are Lip’s issue, as his unhelpful employer chose to point out. At least, it doesn’t seem like Shameless has decided to show us any pure laziness or excessive partying. It simply seems like Lip doesn’t have enough hours in his day to keep up. I have a feeling, though, that his professor is going to be the one to step in and guide him through this process. Also, I loved that Lip’s arc during Episode 3 closed with yet another corny flash mob situation that he just refused to participate in. Lip marches to his own drum. It just seems like that beat it of tune here.

My favorite moment during Episode 3 had to be Lip's call home to Fiona, who completely misinterpreted his situation at school. That was great work of nuance from Jeremy Allen White.

Frank: We were introduced to Samantha, Frank’s oldest daughter. Things started off in pure Frank fashion, with the Gallagher patriarch paying another kid on the schoolyard to sock his grandson in the nose. Frank swooped in to play the boy’s rescuing hero, eventually charming Samantha into a free lunch (more like three) at a local pub. From the start, it was clear on our end that the woman was growing sexually attracted to Frank, mistaking her common interests for chemistry rather than as traits passed down through genetics. How could she have known? Yet, to be honest, I’m sure Frank was double-guessing his decision to fight for a chunk of her liver when she jumped his bones in her trailer. That’s right! By the close of Episode 3, Frank did indeed manage to work his manipulative magic on Samantha, convincing her to offer up a piece of her vital organ. In fact, she came to the decision all on her own. The crazy things we do after love at first sight. Of course, it’s going to be hard for Frank to keep this up, all things considered. He already had to fight his way out of a totally cringe-worthy kissing situation.

Debbie: I’m not sure which plot is more entertainingly uncomfortable to watch at this point; Frank’s incestuous fight for his daughter’s liver, or Debbie’s relationship with Matty, a twenty-something man. To give Matty credit, he wants no part of a sexual relationship with Debbie. When Debbie showed up sporting lingerie, he did all he could to thwart her advances, making up desperate excuses before tossing his heavy coat over her. Still, what the hell does this guy think he’s doing? The two still cuddle and snuggle up to each other. Debbie even spent the night spooning in bed with this man she claims to be in love with. I’m baffled as to what this boyfriend wants from this relationship.

Showtime "Shameless"

Fiona: Perhaps the most important storyline for Episode 3 focused on the aftermath of Fiona’s dinner with Mike’s (Jake McDorman) family. Mike’s brother Robbie is a recovering alcoholic and coke addict. Sort of sober for three years, we were initially led to feel for him amidst harsh criticism from his family, especially some nasty sentiments from Mike. There’s nothing less attractive in a character on a show like Shameless than pretentiousness. Still, by the close of Episode 3, I’m not sure which brother we were meant to back. In fact, I’m pretty sure Fiona just needs to get the hell out of dodge with regard to this whole family. Needless to say, that will be difficult considering the fact that she works for their family business.

In order to make amends, Mike took Robbie out to dinner with Fiona, and the trio seemed to have a great time. There was, however, this strange underlying tension between Fiona and Robbie. He could sense the wild child in her, a side that Mike fails to play into well at all. I totally enjoyed the conversation Fiona and Mike’s brother had on the car ride home, a drive Mike spent in a state of scotch-induced incapacitation in the backseat. Is everyone addicted to something? Mike, who claims to be made of “bourbon and blow,” opened up to Fiona regarding his addiction to the adventurous side of life. To him, there’s something about bucking the norm and flying by the seat of his pants that makes living in a drug-induced stupor worth the tremendous amounts of pain. Even the damage he deals to others is worth that rush.

Mike’s brother had this dark allure that played straight into Fiona’s own dark side. With Mike puking his brains out in the bathroom, the two started a casual conversation regarding Fiona’s happiness. Fiona has convinced herself that she’s happy joining this corporate world, clocking in a 9 to 5, earning health insurance, etc. but any of the craziness, good and bad, has been all but sucked from her life. She even has little time to connect with Carl and Debbie anymore. It’s been made perfectly clear that the limp sexual chemistry between Fiona and Mike is a direct reflection of her status in life right now.

Thus, Fiona ended her arc this week with a quick romp with Robbie on Mike’s countertop. Yes, the morning after was filled with regret laced with satisfaction. It seems, judging by the preview for next week’s episode, that things are only going to continue to heat up. Here’s the thing; this guy is not Jimmy. He might have that similar sort of charm and sexual energy, but he’s clearly addicted to this sensation of stealing his brother’s happiness and dragging Fiona into the mix by playing into her weaknesses. Mike doesn’t deserve this. I think this was best exhibited when Robbie later picked up Fiona’s call to Mike and answered as his brother. He has no remorse whatsoever. Fiona might give in to lust often, but she’s not purely driven by intoxicating dark choices. Still, she just might be an “addict” when it comes to passion and pleasure. We have to remember that she grew up mothering her siblings, so it can be assumed that any sort of acting out stems from the fact that she was forced into that lifestyle.

It seems Fiona might not be so different from her dad than she’d originally thought.

What did you think of Shameless Season 4 Episode 3, “Like Father, Like Daughter”? Does Fiona have an addiction? How will this all be resolved? What will Lip do to stay afloat? What’s up with Debbie’s relationship? How can this end well for Frank?

Thanks for reading my Recap and Review of Shameless Season 4 Episode 3, “Like Father, Like Daughter”!