Shameless Review: Black-Haired Ginger (Season 9 Episode 5)
The more things change, the more they stay this same, and this is particularly evident on Shameless Season 9 Episode 5, “Black-Haired Ginger.”
William H. Macy may be the star of Shameless, but Frank Gallagher has been bringing the show down for quite some time. I’d hoped we were done with watching him defy the odds of medicine time and time again, but apparently not.
Am I supposed to care that Frank can’t get hard? Am I supposed to be amused that he decides to electrocute himself in order to solve his erectile dysfunction problem? Am I supposed to feel warm and fuzzy because V convinces him that his liver is more important than his penis?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then Shameless fails in its mission.
Watching Frank fail to understand the significance of his medical ailments once again is neither distressing nor amusing. Rather, it is a waste of minutes in a show that has so many other more worthy characters to be spending time on.
To that end, this episode does have some bright spots. Cameron Monaghan (Ian Gallagher) turns in one of his strongest performances to date as Ian fights for his freedom in court. Putting aside the fact that when a judge asks how a defendant pleads it’s not typically the time for a soliloquy, Ian’s words were poignant and mark a turning point in his journey.
Emmy Rossum (Fiona) also shines as she continues to cling to her role of Gallagher guardian. Though Fiona hasn’t been as consistently involved in her siblings lives over the last few years, she still feels responsible for their well-being and the is still struggling to find the balance between her needs and their needs that Jimmy-Steve was encouraging her to find all the way back in season 1.
With Ian’s plea entered into the court, one important question remains: When did Ian begin taking his medication again? Ian’s decision to take responsibility for his actions is admirable, but where did this newfound clarity come from?
Ian’s discomfort with the movement since his release from prison and his decision to take an insanity plea suggest a lucidity that he didn’t seem to have when he was lighting vans on fire and communicating with God in prison.
Shameless uses Ian’s mental illness to contribute to the storytelling when it’s convenient but then, at other times, seems to ignore it completely. If Ian has been off his meds all this time, what made him decide to return home for court? Are we to believe that Ian just snaps himself out of a manic episode and decides it is time to face the music?
Fiona has a habit of blaming any of Ian’s actions that she doesn’t agree with on his medical noncompliance. But it’s never clear whether that is truly the case or whether Fiona just can’t deal with Ian making choices she wishes he wouldn’t make.
Without that distinction, Debbie and Lip calling her out for “going all Fiona” packs less of a punch. If Ian is in control of his faculties, then Fiona trying to force her opinions on him is out of line. But if he’s spiraling out of control and needs help finding his way back? That’s a different situation.
Somehow, Shameless never answers that question for us. Fiona blows off Ford and tries to control Ian and we are left with the message that she needs to learn to let go.
This is certainly an important lesson for Fiona to learn, but it only works here because Ian shows up and takes responsibility. He didn’t need Fiona to find him. But what if that hadn’t been the case?
It’s a jarring feeling not knowing whether Ian is in the middle of an episode or not. Perhaps it is meant to be that way because his siblings never know either. But it’s unfair to Ian — and to all people suffering from bipolar disorder — to diminish everything he does with the assumption that he’s not taking his medication.
Other things to note:
This is a very unfortunate week for this particular Carl story to air. The last thing we need to be watching is some white boy wrongly accused of sexual misconduct. Also, is he going to get involved with this girl now? Please, no.
Did anyone else feel extremely uncomfortable when Carl mentioned Cassidy? It’s a terrible reminder of the fact that he had real feelings for her at one point and then didn’t care at all when she was casually murdered.
Kev continues to be the brightest spot in this show. His understanding of the plight of women and his anger on their behalf is genuinely beautiful to behold.
What did you think of this episode of Shameless? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Shameless airs Sundays at 9/8c on Showtime.
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Tamar Barbash
Tamar Barbash is a TV-loving mother of three. She hosts the Shipping Room podcast where she has the opportunity to take advantage of her social work degree and dive deep into relationships portrayed on television. Tamar loves nothing more than to overanalyze the lives and experiences of fictional characters and she's so excited to be able to do that as part of the Tell-Tale TV community.