What I’m Watching: Shameless

Shameless: Season 1, Episode 6 “Killer Carl” (B+)

What a superb episode with some truly diverse focuses and spotlights on some of our less seen characters! One of them gets his name in the title, and that’s Carl, who goes from microwaving action figures to demonstrating himself to be the baddest school bully there is, hurting just about anything he can gets his hands on and almost getting expelled for it. Seeing Frank come and be there for the girl who wasn’t even his daughter when his actual children really needed him was rather heartbreaking, especially when expressed on the faces of Fiona and Lip. Steve once again wins the prize for being extraordinarily impressive, managing to talk the principal out of expelling Carl by setting him up with a teacher discount on drugs. Lip’s situation was especially precarious, but he did a good job of saving himself there too, even if it did result in the cancellation of a number of test scores and his near death by dangulation out of a window. This show manages to bring all of its storylines together marvelously though, and therefore Carl’s family-saving action was the perfect ending. I loved seeing the entire family celebrate their most violent member’s initiative and accomplishment. Other striking moments in the episode included Sheila’s simulated shopping meltdown and Ian’s scarily accurate target practice success. I was surprised to see Robert Knepper, best known as T-Bag on “Prison Break,” as one of the goons chasing Frank, always sporting a different accent in every role he plays.