TV Review – Shameless: The Complete Fourth Season
2 min read
This ain’t no tea party. It’s a fitting tagline for this confronting show whose characters live up to its title. Centred around the Gallagher family; a dysfunctional bunch of siblings trying to hold things together after being abandoned by their alcoholic father and disinterested mother, Season Four sees Fiona (Emmy Rossum) continuing her relationship with her boss and excelling at her job. Lip (Jeremy Allen White) struggles in his first semester at college soon realising if he wants to succeed he will have to put more effort in, Ian (Cameron Monaghan) has gone AWOL from the Army, Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) is discovering the subtle art of masturbation, while thirteen-year-old Debbie (Emma Kenney) sets her sights on a much older boy and little Liam (Brendan Sims) is a typical toddler whom everyone loves but struggle to make enough time for.
Along with a slew of other issues, this show primarily focuses on addiction in all its different forms. The show itself is addictive. There’s no way you will just use once and move on. The conflicted characters are almost hypnotic to watch and the twisted plot will have you coming back for more time and time again.
Alcoholic Frank (William H. Macy) has hit bottom again and the police return him to the Gallagher household where his children are divided over whether to care for him or toss him out on the street. It seems young Carl is the only family member celebrating his return and is keen on helping his father. But while Frank manipulates him into helping him in his time of need we question if Carl is doing more harm than good.
Everything seems to finally be running smoothly for the Gallagher clan so of course that changes and quickly. When it seems they are finally approaching the peak of Everest, a series of avalanches occur causing a downslide of epic proportions. Things just go from bad to worse for the Gallagher family while Fiona struggles to keep all of their heads above water, including her own.
Joan Cusack is awkwardly sweet and heartbreakingly bittersweet as the lonely local Samaritan; Sheila Jackson, while Shanola Hampton (Veronica) and Steve Howey (Kevin) provide excellent comic relief as an infertile couple struggling to have a baby and run a local bar. However, it is Emmy Rossum that really shines in this show with her fearless, warts-and-all portrayal of Fiona.
This show is intense, dirty and raw and will have you questioning everything you value, including your own opinions on what you consider to be right and wrong. It will probably also have you feeling thankful that you don’t live in the Gallagher’s neighbourhood. Difficult to watch at times and often dark, the black humour weaved into the script is a constant breath of fresh air in the dark and stale pit of filth the writers have created with Shameless.
Press play and attempt to view in moderation.
