By Jacob
If this is the show finding its legs, that's very thrilling. What we saw here was more confident, funnier and frankly more sophisticated than the first two episodes. Which were fine, just sometimes hinky and fish/fowly and all over the place. This one felt like it's a lot closer to jelling, and maybe it's just the director or the writer for this one episode, but I don't think so: I think this episode is what this show is like. Which is great news.
So what happened? The Social Security people come to investigate Frank's Aunt Ginger, whose checks he's been cashing -- and in whose house they all live -- since she keeled over during a coke-fueled bender twelve years ago (and was subsequently buried in the backyard). He dresses up an insane, homeless ex-bus driver in drag, but that's too creepy even for the Gallaghers, so they kidnap an old lady from Veronica's old lady home. Debbie grows very attached to her over the two days they spend together, and it ends up awfully touching for being such a macabre sort of story.
Frank's still living at Sheila's, learning about all her weird OCD rituals and agoraphobic stuff, and it's fairly sad and pretty humanizing to see him deal with that. First, of course, by trying to take advantage of it, and then when he's being educated by Karen, who pretty obviously carries her mom, and then finally when it's just the two of them and Sheila cries because she can't even believe how fucked up and sick she is.
But the evening really belongs to Mandy Milkovich, this totally gross girl who, typically for this show, turn out to be kinda awesome. Due to some real gross stuff at school, she has developed a crush on wonderful Ian, and is not taking no for answer. So when she finally goes for it and he flips out, she runs off howling rape. Her three giant brothers come looking for Ian, and even though they're thuggy friends of Lip's, they eventually beat him as a sort of warning, about which he is pretty hilarious. Finally, Ian comes out to the girl, and she suggests they date each other anyway. To which he agrees, even though the night before he was pretty harsh with Kash about the exact same thing.
Meanwhile, Fiona has taken up Hot Cop Tony on his lifelong infatuation in order to get back at Steve for kidnapping her father last week. What she doesn't know is that he's a virgin -- or was, until she banged him in his cop car outside the Christian Youth sports banquet. And Steve won't leave her alone. Finally, even though Tony gives her the perfect out from her shame stuff with Steve, she cannot deny her feelings and ends up screwing over Tony again so she can run back to Steve. I foresee grave consequences, what with Steve being a car thief and Tony being a cop, but who knows.
week: Debbie steals a baby and dresses it in drag. Probably my favorite episode of the Brit version, personally, so hopes are high.
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