Shameless Season 5 Premiere – “Milk of the Gods” Retrospective. The Gang Is Back!

Jeremy Allen White as Lip Gallagher, Emma Kenney as Debbie Gallagher, Ethan Cutkosky as Carl Gallagher, William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher, Emmy Rossum as Fiona Gallagher, Brandon/Brenden Sims as Liam Gallagher, Shanola Hampton as Veronica Fisher, Steve Howey as Kevin Ball and Cameron Monaghan as Ian Gallagher in Shameless (Season 5) – Photo: Brian Bowen Smith

Season 5, Episode 1

Air Date: Sunday, January 11, 2015 at 9:00 pm ET/PT on Showtime

Rating: ★★★★★

“With its woody, bacony flavor, Frank’s milk of the gods will redefine the way people enjoy their grand fermented beverages.” – Frank Gallagher

Catching Up

I had no idea how much I missed Showtime’s hit series Shameless until I watched the season five premiere, “Milk of the Gods.” Before I start my review, though, let’s do a quick summary of last season’s Shameless in case you missed anything. Fiona (Emmy Rossum) went to jail for almost killing baby Liam (Brenden Sims) with cocaine. Frank (William H. Macy) spent the entire season in liver failure from his excessive drinking while Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) tried to find a replacement liver for him, and Frank’s daughter Sammi (Emily Bergl) did her best to get him through the ordeal. Fortunately, a liver became available and upon leaving the hospital, Frank shouted for all the world to hear, “I’m alive, motherfuckers!” Before the surgery, Sheila (Joan Cusack) decided to marry Frank—while he was unconscious and then decided to keep Sammi away from him. Much to Sheila’s chagrin, Sammi and her son Chuckie (Kellen Michael), parked their trailer right next to Sheila’s house. After Vee’s (Shanola Hampton) mother Carol (Vanessa Bell Calloway) gave birth to Kev’s (Steve Howey) son, Vee gave birth to twin daughters. Debbie (Emma Kenney) tried valiantly to lose her virginity, and Ian (Cameron Monaghan) returned from the army, a changed man. Ian’s friend/lover Mickey Milkovich (Noah Fisher) declared “I’m gay,” despite his father’s feelings, and those of his wife Svetlana (Isidora Goreshter) who needs Mickey’s help caring for the baby she birthed while she runs the prostitute ring.

Lip (Jeremy Allen White) went off to college where he had trouble adjusting, and eventually began a relationship with his roommate Ron’s (Adam Cagley) rich girlfriend, Amanda (Nichole Bloom). Fiona violated parole and ended up back in jail. She was subsequently released, put under house arrest—complete with ankle monitor—and got a job at Patsy’s Pies. After Fiona spent a majority of season four being angry with Lip, and vice versa, the two siblings made up. And last, but certainly not least, Jimmy/Steve (Justin Chatwin) returned from the ‘dead.’

The Gallagher Siblings

Fiona and Steve having fun in the sun.

Not much has changed with the Gallaghers in “Milk of the Gods.” It’s summertime in Chicago and the siblings are as crazy as ever. For instance, Fiona hooks up with her new boss Sean Pierce (guest star Dermot Mulroney). You’d think she would have learned her lesson from the last time she got involved with her boss. Mulroney is a good addition to Shameless, giving us a character to both love and hate, depending on whether he’s Fiona boss or her lover. I think her waitressing job at Patsy’s Pies is going to provide a wealth of humorous story lines with her new friends and co-workers, Melinda (Rebecca Metz) and RJ (Mallory Moye). I enjoyed the banter among them, especially the double entendrés. And then there’s Angela (Dichen Lachman), who leaves Fiona a huge tip for pie and coffee. What’s her story? There’s obviously more going on here than meets the eye. Could Jimmy/Steve have something to do with this? He’s the only one I know who has that kind of cash to spread around.

Lip returns home from college while Carl pulls up with his stolen wheelchair and Debbie builds a ramp.

Carl, on crutches due to a broken ankle, hasn’t changed a bit. He is as shameless as ever, stealing an electric wheelchair right off the sidewalk while its disabled owner is getting into his car. He is also as devoted to Frank as ever.

Debbie is having a hard time dealing with the way her friends are treating her and takes it out on a doll. If I didn’t know better, I’d say Debbie is the psychopath in the family. Her problems don’t stop her from helping Frank with his “secret project,” though, as she goes around picking up things like wood chips and bacon. Ian is as sex crazy as he ever was, if not more, prompting Fiona and Lip to reach out to Mickey for help in convincing Ian to seek out therapy for what they think is bi-polar disorder. After all, “it runs in the family.” Ian doesn’t care who sees him or where he has sex as long as he has it. He even hooks up with a stranger at the supermarket and they have a circle jerk in the alley while the kids in their charge sit and wait in their strollers. That’s carrying it a bit too far, don’t you think?

Lip, be careful what you get yourself into.

Speaking of Lip, while he tries to be nonchalant when saying goodbye to Amanda at college, his actions later at home belie that notion. I wouldn’t be surprised if Amanda pays him a visit. In the meantime, Lip approaches Tommy (Michael Patrick McGill) at The Alibi for a job. I don’t think this is going to end well.

Relatives and Friends

Aren’t these babies adorable?!

Vee is having a hard time with breastfeeding the twins (can you say, “Ow!”) but Kev is opposed to giving the babies bottled formula. She even tries to seduce him but he’s too busy in the Mommy and Me chatroom to give her the time of day. Poor Vee; I feel so sorry for her when she yells, “I want my boobs back; I want my life back; I want my husband back!” I can totally relate. Probably the funniest line of “Milk of the Gods” belongs to Kev after one of the babies finally moves her bowels. In a rip off of Tag Team’s 1993 hit song “Whoomp! There It Is,” Kev sings his heart out – “Poop! There it is! Poop! There it is!” In the meantime, Vee is enjoying herself working at The Alibi, so much so she downs a beer after returning home and finding Kev fast asleep, a baby in each arm. Looks like we’re in for a role reversal here, folks, which I’m sure will produce some hilarious moments as Kev finds out just how much goes into being a mother.

Nurse Sheila in action.

Frank seems to have accepted his marriage to Sheila as when “Milk of the Gods” opens, he’s sleeping peacefully next to her – and his grandson Chuckie. As usual, Frank has a “plan,” which he’s keeping secret from Sheila because if she knew, she’d blow her stack. It’s bad enough she’s acting like his nurse instead of the loving wife she should be. Frank keeps his plan under wraps until the end of the episode, and while it should come as a surprise, it’s not. It is quintessential Frank, and reminds me of the commercials for Lays® Potato Chips.

Sammi has really changed from last season. While previously she was the loving daughter willing to do just about anything to care for Frank, this season finds her acting totally inappropriately. Not only does she kick Chuckie out of their trailer so she can have sex with Rinaldo (guest star David Storrs), she gets it on with him on Sheila’s couch the next day! Eww! I feel sorry for Chuckie. The poor kid is looking for the love and affection he’s not getting from his mother, which is probably why he acts like such a brat. It is much like Sammi, who is looking for the same things from Frank. Inappropriate behavior is not the way to go about it, although it certainly fits in with the usual story lines in Shameless. Let’s hand it to Sheila who finally grows a voice and changes the locks on her doors so Sammi and Chuckie can’t get in whenever they feel like it. I thought Sheila was going to have a heart attack when she saw what happened to her “sex toys.”

Overall

Partying Gallagher style!

“Milk of the Gods” is another great season premiere of Shameless. Filled with the terrific acting we’ve come to expect from the cast, as well as sharp and witty dialogue, “Milk of the Gods” doesn’t disappoint. It gives us all the raunchy and shameless things we love about this wild and dysfunctional family, and sets up the new season perfectly. I have just one question. Since we saw Jimmy/Steve in the season four finale, where is he now?

What did you think of “Milk of the Gods?” Hit me up on Twitter @SeasideTV, or leave me a comment below.

Tune in to Shameless Sundays at 9:00 pm ET/PT, only on Showtime.

LIKE Shameless on Facebook and follow the show on Twitter. Plus, stay current with all things Shameless on the series website.

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Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!