Shameless – At a loss for words

Everyone — and I mean everyone -- is at a loss for words on this week’s Shameless:

• The woman coming out of the church award ceremony to find police officer Tony and Fiona fiddling with post-sex clothes adornment in Tony’s car …
• Lip and his stumbling words to his father Frank, who is now living at Shiela’s place …
• Lip, not knowing exactly what to say to Karen about his father living with her and her mother …
• Ian at a loss for words over the advances of skanky Mandy Malkovich …
• Fiona on her discovering Tony was a virgin when they “got jiggy with it” …
• “Aunt Ginger” in full Alzheimer’s mode in speaking with the Social Security officer during the interrogation …
• Frank stumbling over his words trying to explain the whereabouts of the real Aunt Ginger to the family …

This is good stuff right here. There were all sorts of classic moments going on within this episode of Shameless. (Including Lip’s confrontation with Mandy’s brothers and friends, best of all his proclamation she’d probably slept with everyone in the 10th grade at school.)

But, I have to tell you: The best scenes of the entire hour were those of Debbie (Emma Kenney) and “Aunt Ginger.” I continue to be amazed at the acting of this young lady. She grabs her part and immerses herself in it. To see her interact with her “new” aunt — cooking with her, taking pictures of her, listening to her stories, waking up in the morning and looking over to see her sleeping beside her in bed — is truly a thing to behold.

And the most hopeless, heart-wrenching part of their interaction was the cessation of it all: “Aunt Ginger” being returned to the old folk’s home, Debbie almost in tears, asking if she really had to go back (“Can’t she stay with us?!?”) and then her pain during the family’s parting; Debbie in full flood works, wailing at the separation. (Good thing she doesn’t know the truth, that the real Aunt Ginger is buried in the backyard, per Frank’s revelation to Fiona.)

Kenney’s character is a big part of why I am thoroughly enjoying Shameless. She’s just plain good in the role. And, come next week, Debbie’s story gets turned on its head.

So, tell me again: Why are you missing this show?

Clacked by Michael Noble
on Jan 24, 2011 @ 09:52 EST5EDT