What I’m Watching: Shameless

Shameless: Season 1, Episode 5 “Three Boys” (B+)

I’m not sure I’ve taken the time to properly recognize just how good of a performance William H. Macy gives on this show. When you’re playing a crazy guy, it’s often hard to judge the quality of the portrayal, yet Macy is so careful and purposeful about all of his enunciation and the way that he keeps Frank so loosely and thinly, yet reliably, connected to reality. His stark realization of his impending (possible) doom here triggers quite a bit of emotion in him, ranging from panic to anger to simply not caring anymore and just enjoying his neighbor’s wedding. I liked his new resolution to wear a tie every day that pretty much lasted less than a day. It’s amusing how everything, even something rather standard like a wedding, ends up being all mixed up with shenanigans and capers such as the boys’ manipulation of the priest to ensure that they don’t actually have to procure a marriage license. It was fun to see Linda and Mandy again, two young women in relationships with gay guys, in one case unaware of the truth and in the other seemingly oblivious to it, determined to plant sweet kisses on him anyway. The wedding was amusing, and while Anthony Anderson’s character was a bit wacky and over-the-top (which is saying something for this show), it was all worth it to see the expression on Fiona’s face while she was sitting next to him. Steve gets major points for having a plan in place to create a diversion, ditch his stolen car, and get a ride.