SHAMELESS “It’s Time to Kill the Turtle” Season 1 Episode 8 - Frank stumbles into an opportunity to earn some money if he does the unthinkable while Lip and Fiona ponder their futures in the “It’s time to Kill the Turtle” episode of SHAMELESS.
After a bender lands Frank in the hospital, he’s offered a spot in a paid medical study that requires him to stop drinking for two weeks. As amusing as it is watching him try, the kids’ reactions (and Sheila’s) are much more interesting and the arc is both bittersweet and revealing for all involved. In particular, there are a couple of stellar Deb-Lip scenes.
Now that Lip’s SAT fees have dried up, Fiona has to scramble harder than ever to keep the household afloat. She is presented with two very different opportunities and what she chooses speaks volumes about what she thinks of herself and her life. She also must also deal with Steve’s potentially suspicious actions as we get a tantalizing peek into Steve’s life away from the Gallaghers.
While Fiona makes my heart ache in this episode, Lip shatters it when we get a couple glimpses behind indifferent mask. Dennis Boutsikaris is back as the investigator who caught Lip taking SATs for half of Chicago and he gives Lip both a reality check and a look at a potential future. Both could affect his relationship with Karen.
Ian also has some complicated, if more lighthearted, romantic issues on his plate since Mickey has now captured his interest (Cameron Monaghan has never been more adorable than this episode, by the way) even as Kash’s interest in him has not waned. Speaking of Mickey, Noel Fisher talked a bit about playing him in a Daemon’s Movies interview.
Kev and Veronica clash over their views on parenthood when their foster daughter Ethel arrives and it’s an interesting exploration into both their characters and their relationship. Ethel is played both for sympathy and for laughs and it’s an uneasy combination, but I’m curious to see what happens as she is better integrated into the chaos.
A taste of the episode:
“Which do you like better: one…or two?”
“Well, you’re hot, but it’s been a while since I’ve been with a dude, let alone two.
“Well, you’re a clever kid. You’ll figure out a way to stiff Uncle Sam.”
“Do you see her picking cotton?”
“It looks like a Gummy Worm.”
“Oh, right. Because it’s 18th century England.”
“That fool doesn’t have enough game to cheat.”
“Just bracelet, no bone.”
While there are a few hilarious moments, this is a more poignant than laugh out loud episode of Shameless. As much as I enjoy watching the Gallaghers cut loose or con people, it’s important to remember that their lives are hard and their futures very uncertain, and “It’s Time to Kill the Turtle” beautifully illustrates both those things while adding some layers onto the characters. Just for fun, it also gets bonus points for bringing in ‘The Hunger Games.’ Gallaghers were made for ‘The Hunger Games.’
After you’ve watched Shameless on Showtime tonight at 10pm eastern/9pm central, I hope you’ll come back and post what you thought. Which Gallagher (or non-Gallagher) tugged hardest on your heartstrings?
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