Episode Title: ‘Just Like the Pilgrims Intended’
Writers: LaToya Morgan & Nancy M. Pimental
Director: Mark Mylod
Story:
Fiona (Emmy Rossum) tells the kids they need to pawn Grammy’s gifts to make money. Meanwhile, Monica (Chloe Webb) refuses to get up after sleeping for days. Frank (William H. Macy) manages to rouse her with a plan to get his brother, Clayton to hand over some of the money Grammy left him.
Estefania (Stephanie Fantauzzi) gets a call from Marco and she, Steve (Justin Chatwin) and Lip (Jeremy Allen White) go pick him up. The reunited lovers immediately start having sex in the car on the way home.
Monica flirts with Clayton, per Frank’s suggestion but he refuses to give the two any money. Feeling rejected, Monica slips back into her depression. Over at Sheila’s, Karen (Laura Slade Wiggins) tells her mother she knows about her sleeping with Jody and doesn’t care.
Marco becomes enraged when he learns that Steve had sex with Estefania. On the verge of taking a beating, Steve gives Marco his fake ID and passport, allowing him to avoid the wrath of Estefania’s father. Marco then throws Steve and Lip out.
Back at home, Monica hides under the stairs as she sinks deeper into her depression. Frank comforts her by singing. Steve shows up a little later and tells Fiona he threw Lip out. She gives him a “thank you” kiss and agrees to let him crash on the couch.
On Thanksgiving day, the Gallagher’s prepare to cook the bald eagle Carl shot with the Uzi he found when Steve brings in a turkey. Frank goes over to Sheila’s, where she tells him about Jody. Pretending to be heartbroken, Frank asks for anti-depression meds just as Karen’s water breaks. He grabs a bunch of bottles as Sheila (Joan Cusack) and Jody (Zach McGowan) race Karen to the hospital.
At the Gallagher’s, Thanksgiving dinner is interrupted when Monica tries to commit suicide by slitting her wrists. Steve cares for her as Fiona calls for help. When Fiona asks Frank if he gave Monica her meds, he’s silent. He then leaves and goes to the bar before passing out on the sidewalk.
To everyone’s shock, Karen gives birth to an Asian baby with Down’s Syndrome. Karen admits to sleeping with an Asian guy and thus isn’t surprised at all. Devastated, Lip tells the couple waiting to adopt the baby and they leave after handing over the video tape Lip made for his son. Outside, Lip destroys the tape and throws it away.
Later that night, Sheila sneaks into the maternity ward and steals the baby. She rides off with her grandson on the back of Jody’s motorcycle.
Breakdown:
Gee, that was a bummer. “Just Like the Pilgrims Intended” was a killjoy, from sitting ducks in a pool to a Thanksgiving suicide attempt to the Asian baby with Down’s Syndrome that nobody wanted. Well, almost nobody.
Long after Lip, Karen and the parents-to-be left the hospital, Sheila swooped in to baby-nap her own grandson. Gotta love that Sheila. As for rest of the gang, everyone exhibited varying degrees of depravity in this somewhat disturbing penultimate episode.
Budding psycho, Carl’s shooting of a bald eagle with an uzi is the kind of thing I love about “Shameless.” Nothing against the once endangered national bird. And the pornographic reunion, culminating in a corkscrew to the ass, between Estefania and Marco was everything I expected after last week’s ordeal in a shipping container.
All funny stuff. But it wouldn’t be “Shameless” if there weren’t those especially depressing moments that remind us just how messed up things really are around here.
With everyone gathered around the Thanksgiving table, about to dine on an actual turkey, as opposed to Spam or bald eagle, we got a brief feel good moment for the whole Gallagher clan. Even Conrad the homeless guy in the backyard was on hand. And though not present, Lip was in the midst of another happy occasion, the birth of his son.
Of course, it all went to hell not a moment later. Despite the miracle of Liam, Lip learned that he’s not the father of Karen’s Asian Down’s Syndrome baby. And what’s worse, Karen knew it might not be his, the whole time. As obnoxious as Lip can be, he redeems himself from time to time, by doing things like making a video for his son to watch when he’s older.
Karen on the other hand, is pretty despicable. Even knowing what we do about her past, it’s hard not to hate her at times. Then again, she probably hates herself more than we ever could. There’s always an undercurrent of sadness with Karen that rises to the surface, no matter how funny her scenes are.
And while we’re on Karen, the shot of her bloody vagina? So unnecessary.
Back at the Gallagher’s, Monica made a mess of things, once again. Though this time, one could argue that it wasn’t her fault. Either way, the kids are put through the ringer once again. Meanwhile, Frank, who had a bit of a redeeming moment himself, with his tender words to Monica, fled the scene.
As depressing as it was, “Just Like the Pilgrims Intended” gave closure to a number of storylines. Steve is rid of Estefania (and Marco). Karen is rid of her baby, though it’ll be interesting to see what happens when she finds out who the new parents are. And Monica’s finally hit rockbottom.
So where do things go from here? Knowing “Shameless,” probably anywhere but up.
