Shameless Review: Two at a Biker Bar, One in the Lake (Season 11 Episode 7)

To sell or not to sell, that is the question on Shameless Season 11 Episode 7, “Two at a Biker Bar, One in the Lake.” It may be the one decision that finally tears this family apart.

It’s clear that Lip really wants to sell the home so that he and Tami can have more money in their hands so they can get a place of their own. However, the way he is going about it is a bit harsh and selfish.

While Debbie’s statement that he’s being selfish is true I don’t appreciate it coming from her — the queen of selfish behavior. To be honest, it’s clear that pretty much none of the Gallaghers really want to keep the house they are just iffy on how the decision comes about. 

And since when have the Gallaghers become a family that completely forgets about Liam and rarely knows where he is except when it benefits them? It’s a trend that’s been going on for a few seasons now and it’s not a good look or even good writing. 

It’s a show of how self-absorbed the family can be at times, but for the first so many seasons Lip and Ian were always thinking of Liam especially when Fiona would not. Forgetting all about Liam now just seems a bit out of character for Ian and Lip.

Then again, Lip is very much wrapped up in his own little world of problems and that never makes him a fun person to be around. Shameless may be inconsistent with writing from time to time, but Lip has always been an impulsive hothead.

The argument with Tami about living with her family and working for Amazon is centered on his pride being hurt. If Tami loves Lip as much as she says she does she would be able to pick up on that. 

Instead, it’s a battle of wits between two people who are too wrapped up in their own plans for the future they can’t bring themselves to reach a compromise together. As much as Tami is becoming an easier person to handle this season she is still standing strong in her stance of not liking the Gallagher siblings. 

While she may act as though she cares for them and will even help them “Two at the Biker Bar, One in the Lake” determines once and for all that she will always throw them away if it means getting what she wants. Tami is never going to be southside nor will she ever really be part of the Gallagher family — because she doesn’t want it.

It’s also frustrating to watch Lip forgo his love and deep friendship with Ian to get what he wants. There is no way a calm, logical Lip would question why Mickey is family over Tami. 

Lip isn’t thinking straight because everything in his life is gone into chaos. Normally, this is when he would pick up the bottle and start drinking.

Thankfully, he is now taking his frustration out in different ways. I won’t say healthier because taking a sledgehammer to a wall in your family home isn’t exactly stable behavior. 

With Fiona gone, the matriarchial BS that she used to have going for her falls onto Debbie’s shoulder and frankly, the move is unnecessary. Debbie needs to get down off her high horse and stop acting like she’s the only stable one in the family when she doesn’t have a pot to piss in.

Sandy calling her out for her meddling and intrusive ways is very satisfying and we are just glad that someone finally called her out completely. Unfortunately, Shameless tries to use Monica as a way of explaining Debbie’s motives and it’s not working.

The move feels more like the show is trying to give us a reason to care about Debbie when there is no longer anything redeeming about her character. She abandons Franny all the time — not just physically but emotionally as well — and inserts herself into everyone else’s life decisions expecting them to do things her way. 

Monica is not to blame for Debbie being a selfish mother while preaching to Sandy about walking away from a situation Sandy thought was toxic. If Sandy’s young son can understand Sandy’s moves and not be angry with her then why can’t Debbie?

Debbie has this need to be in control and be the purveyor of all things Gallagher, but nobody wants that from her. Instead of trying to hold onto the past, which is what holding onto the Gallagher home is, Debbie should move forward and make decisions for just her and Franny. 

The one part of this episode that keeps us from losing our collective minds is Ian and Mickey. If anything, their story is a nice, hilarious reprieve from everything else. 

It’s nice that after years of them struggling to find happiness in each other and outside of themselves they are finally exploring their lives as a couple. Finding out that they aren’t the type of people who want to hang out in a large group of friends is growth for them.

They are making healthy relationship decisions together instead of separately and hoping the other half will fall into line. Their relationship has come a long way since the days of Ian forcing Mickey into his mold of what he thinks a relationship should be.

Now they are talking things out and deciding what their limits are together as a couple. Previously, Ian would have probably pushed this group of people onto Mickey without talking to him and then made Mickey upset or uncomfortable by bringing sex into it. 

Thankfully, they are now the kind of couple who talks things out about how they feel about any situation. Mickey is hesitant at first, but when Ian decides to bring him into the friend search on his level the situation turns from uncomfortable to freeing. 

Mickey smiles freely because even if he’s nothing like these guys, he is exploring the experience with his husband. They are each other’s favorite person and these scenes with their foray into friendship groups really show that. 

They are finally at a point where they can explore themselves sexually in healthy ways. Their relationship is no longer about rough sex with no discussion. 

Sex has always meant different things to Ian and Mickey, but now they are coming together and seeing where their views overlap.  

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Shameless airs Sundays at 9/8c on Showtime.

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