Shameless season 9, episode 2 recap: ‘Mo White’

The Gallagher’s have been nasty, selfish, and downright criminal in a manner that is, well, Shameless.

However, one realm of life had escaped ridicule and has such a toxicity that even the Gallagher’s were above delving into the muck, until now. Yes, politics and Mo White will now be graced with the shenanigans of Frank Gallagher. He should fit right in.

Frank’s role in the greater southern Chicago venereal infection outbreak of 2018 amongst the taxpaying citizens of one lucky private school has run its course. As with life, the cycle continues, with Liam now feeling the wrath of consequences resulting from Frank’s endeavors.

Another disappointed kid, another tossed away beer can and Frank is on to the next project he believes will save the world. The trope for ill-gotten gains is as recycled as Frank’s excuses for having no compassion while his children’s exude it, for the most part. Frank’s recycled goods are no longer worth even a small bar tab. Even if he did bring in recycle-able cans.

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Debbie’s patience and compassion have waned in recent years. Having a child has dulled her exuberance for always doing what pleases everyone all the time. Learning she was being paid less than the men doing the same work has brought out her wrath more than anything. It’s been teased that meeting a new lady welder friend may bring her out of the closet.

While some of her stats are just wrong, echoes from a confirmation bias chamber, there are some merits to the arguments she’s making. Kevin is learning these all too quickly, in a trial by fire. He must do something though, the girls are behaving like actual animals.

Preschool cost a lot for a whole lot of nothing but fancy babysitting and basic social skills. Some are high priced fairy tales, meant for those with money to keep their little princesses in a money bubble. Some are run down mills for easy paychecks and borderline negligent child treatment.

Others are even worse, they come with superstitions, guilt and mandatory mindless actions in the name of ‘church’ and a good, moral upbringing. But if they’ve got a spot and a scholarship, Kevin and Vee are all for…wait…A spot? This will take some twin creativity.

Xan is beyond the basics in creative hustles, but just barely. She is Lips true call to action this season, and his best bet is to find her a better place to live until she turns eighteen. After that, it looks grim. Lips sobriety will be tested either way. Will he slowly sip the weeks away, making the pain last longer, or just rip the band-aid off and move on?

Shameless sort of killed another character with the twins now sharing a name. Xan is next on the chopping block. With Cassie gone and Fiona’s pending exit, this could be a morbid season.

Even Ian is feeling morbid, which should be a Gallagher family crime immediately after release from county lock-up. His sermons and ceremonies for doomed, unsanctioned weddings were needing inside the jail. Bailing him out was unwanted aggression and he did not give mutual consent!

Ford is not giving Fiona consent to act on her whims but instead has angered her by giving sage advice. Always with the stoic, sage advice this Ford fella, what’s with the guy?!

However, the economic, domestic but not marital arrangement works out at least Fiona has her apartment building property. She did not have to bail Ian out but is being bailed out of her old room. Liam is taking over and evicting her heels and skirts one box at a time.

Carl is trying to community service hustle his way into West Point one box at a time as well, though these boxes are filled with the dead soldiers of the four-legged legion of hustlers. Cutting and moving dead dogs from a slapdash retired veterinarian’s office building is not work for just any soldier. It takes a certain stomach, and respect for the dead.

Carl, Fiona and Lip are both taking larger roles of responsibility in their own lives, and it is gaining them respect. Respect from others and a newfound respect for themselves. Even Ian, in his own way, is finding his own life, and all of the paths are leading away from each other.

Carl at West Point. Ian likely in an institutional arrangement, pending charges and evaluations. Fiona in a downtown high rise, with Liam in a ‘proper’ school. Lip soberly bettering his lot in life, so as not to be left behind, a drunk burnout of wasted potential, just like Frank.

And Frank cannot get any respect. So, angle shooter and opportunist he may be, he eyes a fresh hustle. Politics. The last bastion of scoundrels and the only hustle open to everyone every four years. Gallaghers work in the fringes, and Frank is making waves in an off-year election cycle.

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Frank is also making the best kind of cash on the South Side. Under the table, tax-free, extortion based cash. It involves the least amount of work if you do not include the yard sign details.

The devil is in the details, however. Frank irons them out, casually as a politician kissing a baby, while making his grand speech to create a movement.

Frank has emboldened a crowd of five, including himself. So many it’s more of a small gathering, but none the less, this Honda Civic worth of constituents marched down to let their candidate know he was actually in the race.

If he is still alive. Rumor going around he was dead, or just retired. To a career politician, it’s the same difference.

Yes, Mo White is returning to the political arena to face off against a black woman and a Latino man. Frank Gallagher will act as campaign-, operational-, and any other manager necessary to see a cut of the action. He does uphold his campaign promises, as the yard signs were returned.

Mo White, leader of the forgotten white segment of America. The segment of complainer who believes their definition of hard work should count and that being lower middle class poor and white is hard work. Frank’s version of economic history and the hardships of working white America is not quite Howard Zinn’s People’s History.

This season version of Shameless is shaping up to have monumental changes, rather than gradual character arcs. Things are moving quickly, with more on the line than ever. Lip’s life, Carl’s West Point dream, and Fiona’s new career-driven life require quick, sharp thinking.

So quickly, set your timers for Shameless Sunday’s at 9 p.m. EST on Showtime. Will it be three for three on characters dead per episode? (*No dogs were harmed…)