Iron City Recap: Shameless

We fiercely debated the various ways Fiona could get sprung from jail in Iron City (Shameless, S4, E6, 2/16/14). Turns out our first guess, one of the Brothers Pratt, was a bulls-eye but Mike is certainly sending out mixed signals. If Fiona wants to stay out, she’s going to have to rat on Robbie, Pratt Boy No. 2.

While Fiona is being booked and sent to county jail, she piteously asks for her phone call to check on Liam’s condition, but is ignored while undergoing the dehumanizing process of the strip search. Everyone else, including Kev and Veronica, is at the hospital, awaiting word. (Frank is in the hospital but they don’t know it.) Kev talks about getting Fiona an attorney but Lip turns a cold shoulder to that plan. Liam is Lip’s primary concern. A doctor appears asking for a parent or legal guardian. Lip says he is the closest thing she is going to get. Liam had acute cocaine toxicity with seizures, hallucinations and a dangerously fast heart rate, but is finally settling down. Lip is the only family member over 18 who can see him. Liam had to be strapped down to make sure he didn’t hurt himself. Brain damage is a possibility, including learning and emotional disabilities but the doctor says if she was a betting woman, she’d bet on 100% recovery.

Sammi has stayed with Frank in the E.R. after he almost croaked in Roger Running Tree’s sweat lodge. While admiring Frank’s near record for most admissions for an alcoholic (only 2 less than Sterno Stan), Dr. Zabel informs Frank that, all jokes aside, it’s the end of the line. He tells Sammi there is nothing she can do but make Frank comfortable, perhaps in a charitable hospice. Frank may think he has 10 years left, but it’s “Order the flowers and decide between an urn and a casket soon.”

When Fiona finally gets her call, she is crying convulsively. Lip is unresponsive, other than to let her know what the results of her negligence are. Lip hangs up to go deal with more bad news: Liam has to be released to a legal guardian or parent or he will be placed in foster care.

Fiona meets with public defender, Maria Vidal, who schools her on the arraignment process. At arraignment, her attorney asks for release on recognizance but the prosecutor reminds the judge a 3-year old is in the hospital because of Fiona. Bail is set at $100K. The Gallaghers are shocked but Vidal explains they “only” need $10K in cash or collateral to get her out. Debbie gives Lip the finger over his unenthusiastic response to raising the $10K and storms out. She hops on a bus and shows up at Matty’s apartment where she collapses in his arms in tears. He’s got some kind of notice on his door. Hope it’s not eviction!

Kev and Lip don’t have much luck finding Frank. Sammi has gotten him to check out a hospice by almost walking off and leaving him in the street in his wheelchair, but Frank just can’t see spending his last days listening to Amazing Grace or getting therapeutic foot rubs. He hauls ass and Sammi takes him to Fiona’s home.

Carl goes home from the hospital after he’s told that Liam is resting comfortably and finds his nephew, Chuck, watching porn on the couch. Frank is upstairs finally sleeping after Sammi has administered a large enough dose of oxy and valium for Carl to tell her to check if he’s still breathing. Lip comes home and they share Sammi’s Big Mac and a beer. Lip says they have no choice but to leave Fiona in jail. He learns that Debbie never came home and tells Carl not to let Frank out of his sight so they can get Liam released.

We’re sure the irony of Lip sharing a beer with Carl while he has this hard ass attitude toward Fiona was not lost on you, not to mention Sammi’s kid watching porn in the other room and Debbie out all night. But no matter how you slice this one, Fiona, as Liam’s legal guardian, is guilty of the charges brought against her: child endangerment and cocaine possession. No, it’s not her normal behavior, as she tries to explain to Maria Vidal, who thinks Fiona is a drug addict. Vidal tells Fiona if she reveals where she got the cocaine, she could get probation but Fiona refuses. Vidal asks her if she’s sure and Fiona says yes. OK we know the no snitching code, too, but we’d still give up Robbie Pratt in a New York minute.

The next morning, Fiona gets her first look at prison food but is informed she made bail so she throws it out. Carl called Mike Pratt, the only rich person he knows, and Mike put his condo up for collateral. He offers her a ride home and asks if she will show up at the trial. She assures him she will and will also pay him whatever it cost to get her out. Mike tells her to send a check. He doesn’t want to see her anymore. Why don’t we believe him?

The Gallaghers take Frank to the hospital with Sammi and her son. Debbie arrives with Matt, “the” Matt. Sammi introduces herself to Debbie, then tries to keep Frank semi-alert as Liam is brought out. After eye-balling Frank, the social worker tells the doctor a home visit has to be scheduled very soon.

Other Notable Moments in Iron City

Veronica worried that an accident like that could happen to their kids, but Kev assured her they will be happy and protected. He assures Fiona one of them will grow up to be the President of the United States. “Hell, yeah. Why not? We already elected a skinny half-black Muslim dude named after a towel-head dictator.”

Sheila was in her element caring for Roger Running Tree’s nieces and nephews (and she took care of Roger, too). At a nokake pancake with molasses syrup breakfast, Sheila practiced saying “Posoh mawanew weyak” (hello everyone in Menominee — really). Running Tree put his foot down pretty heavy when One Eyed Snake wanted Mrs. Butterworth or Log Cabin syrup. After the tribe leaves, Sheila felt so depressed that she packed, called a cab and headed off to the reservation. She left a message with Matt for Debbie to water her plants.

Terry Milkovich violated his parole with a dirty drug test and was hauled off to jail in his shorts, spouting an impressive array of profanities. Lip came by just then to ask Mandy if she would look for Ian to tell him what happened to Liam. Kenyatta came out to call Mandy back in the house, giving Lip a “get lost” look.

After Sammi informed him how they almost lost their father, Carl burned down the sweat lodge in Sheila’s front yard. It’s a miracle her house didn’t go down with it!

Lip’s college roommate, Ron, dropped by the hospital to bring him some schoolwork, Ramen and the result of his Kant paper. Lip was happy to see a B+. Doesn’t look like he will quit college after all.