A Yurt of One’s Own

“You know that just cause we were born here, doesn’t mean that we end up here.”

Where do I start with this one? I guess I’ll just break it down by characters out of story continuity.

Lip is first because his is the simplest this week. So much for “awesome” Lip being back. He’s an embarrassing mess.

V and Kev’s new plot line kicks off by rubbing a patron at the bar the wrong way. How to save Svetlana from deportation? The solution: V and Svetlana get married. It could work if Kevin can get over his temper tantrums.

Frank, Queenie, Debbie and Chuckie take off for Queenie’s hippie commune. Frank sees this as a great way out as he’s being hunted from last weeks bad decisions. When they get there, it looks like Debbie will be the first one to tap out and head back to civilization, but she has a turn of heart by the end. Her “eeew” looks at the start were great and given the close attention and advice from Queenie (having your own swank yurt helps too) makes her decision seem like a good one for now. Frank sticks it out among many un-Frank-like trials and tribulations but leave it to a drug source to keep him happy. Poor Chuckie, not sure what’s going to be left of him.

Carl and Dominique hook up! How does it happen? Toss all his poser behavior away and what do you get? Someone Dominque wants to be with! Loved the quick scene he when he runs down to the kitchen where he asks his brothers if they have any condoms.

Fiona’s a mess for a good part of this episode. Trying to patch things up with Sean, she makes no headway. More to the point, it gets ugly and a break up looks all but said on screen. Gus swings by the diner and calmly says they should get divorced. “Here’s my lawyer’s card, meet me there tomorrow at 2,” makes Fiona talk to a divorce lawyer for advice. That spirals out of control real fast and makes for a hilarious meeting. In swings Sean to lift up Fiona in a rather beautiful way.

Mandy Milkovich returns! I was so happy to see her despite the horrible circumstances. I loved seeing Ian come through for an old friend, reminds me of the good old days. She’s working as an escort now, something Ian can relate to, so he kept it judgment free. The look on Lip’s face when he sees her leaving the house was something else.

The further into the episode, the better it got. Liked this one a lot and I hope we see Mandy some more.

Rackham gets a lot of mileage this week. He starts off by giving some rather prudent advice to his rat cellmate before he’s taken away in the coach with Rogers to meet the Spanish.

Bobbing around right on the outskirts of Nassau’s vision, Silver has to deal with a small mutiny aboard his ship throwing the tenuous treaty with the other half of the rebellion. He decides to go with the truth and brings Madi in on it right away so they can work it out together. It proves to be the right move, but Madi flexes her authority, putting Silver in his place (one of my favorite scenes).

Good old Max can smell a trap from a mile away when Eleanor tells her how the meeting with Anna went. It helps to really know the people you are up against. In fact, Max has her eyes wide open this episode while Eleanor is showing her rust. With her ears all around, Max also realizes that if she can figure out what the caravan route is, anyone paying attention can. Max also puts her new mistress on notice that she’s an amateur and recognizes that the three-way trust triangle between her, Eleanor and Rogers has been compromised by a spy. Eleanor and Max try to raise the alarms with the English about the pirate plot but are dismissed.  Good old Captain Hornigold can put two and two together.

This brings us to the fantastic coach scene.  Rackham’s great origin story, telling Rogers of his personal disgust with England and thus, Rogers himself. It gives way to why Rackham feels so strongly about the importance of his last name, of leaving a legacy. Rogers pulls the “You think you know me, but you have no idea,” speech just before the attack pops off. Awesome attack scene flying down that dirt road in one long, up close and personal sequence. Second only to the typhoon set piece a few weeks ago.

Bringing the events to a close, the pirates plan almost went perfectly. Treasure and Rackham in hand, they lost Vane to the clutches of England thanks to Captain Hornigold and have to figure out how to get him back. Embarrassed by what happened on the boat, Silver figures out a way to silently punish the man who attacked Madi’s man. Max is in full business mode, shoring up her plans with Eleanore. They have to stick together to make it through another day. There’s a lot of trust issues going around.

Be a Good Boy. Come for Grandma.

Queenie continues to be the mother bear of the house as the others flit about her. In typical Gallagher fashion, the kids all try to make a break for it at breakfast when they don’t want to deal with her nonsense. She locks them down like only a mother can, which was impressive. She’s really a ray of sunlight in that house, it seems like nothing can bring her down (we”re all waiting for the Frank bomb to go off). She’s given more (positive) support to Debbie than anyone and this week she got Lip sorted with a rather shocking method.

Speaking of Lip, this has got to be the end of Mrs. Robinson. We’re through denial, anger, pathetic bargaining, depression and with the end credits scene a rousing bit of acceptance. Mrs. Robinson has kept him away from the family and I’m ready for awesome Lip to come back.

Debbie had the freak of the week b-side story. Saw that creeper coming from a mile away. Glad she hit the ground running and we can move on to the next step (7 months pregnant!).

Ian’s still on a good path. The kid needs purpose and I’m glad he’s found it. A bump in the road exposing their skeletons in the closet, but I think it’s a great sign of maturity and respect. Don’t see that much on Shameless.

Who didn’t see Frank’s part in taking over Carl’s job in the gang? That whole segment wrote itself. There’s no way we don’t see him next week in traction. Or hiding in a dumpster. It’d be pretty lazy if they let Carl get away with bringing in Frank, but they probably will.

Sean to the rescue! Not sure how many people on Earth would stick their neck out like that to get Carl out of the business. Carl’s going to be working that diner sink for years to pay him back. Far and away the best part of this episode was the scene with Fiona and Carl in his bedroom. That was a long time coming and another highlight for Emmy Rossum’s reel. This episode probably had Ethan Cutkosky’s best work too. Carl being distraught about Nick and the world he got himself into really came through

And then the Gallagher F train comes rolling through. Will finds one of Carl’s guns and Sean (rightfully freaks out). It’s interesting to see Fiona try to “sorry” her way out of it and make an attempt to minimize what happened. Crazy stuff like that is more or less part of her life, so she’s kinda used to it. That isn’t normal and she didn’t consider what would happen if/when Sean’s ex-wife finds out. While she really could do nothing but apologize, she’s got to learn to take responsibility. She said similar stuff (I’ll just explain what happened, they’ll understand, I didn’t mean it, it was an accident) when Liam got into the drugs. Because it was an accident she felt it wasn’t her fault. That doesn’t fly when it comes to the law.

Fiona pulling out Carl’s corn rows closes another chapter for the season. With four episodes left, here’s what I’m thinking. Lip should be more prominent in the family again. Debbie’s pregnancy will most likely be the focal point, I don’t think they’ll do any more solo “adventures” with her. If Frank is actually walking around, there’s no way he can’t be hiding. I’ll be really disappointed if the writers just let him off, he screwed with people who know where he lives who don’t let that stuff fly. Sean and Carl might have gotten off OK, but Frank cost them more than money. There’s gotta be some fall out from Will finding that gun and it will most likely end his relationship with Fiona. There are no happy endings in Shameless, but I’m not too sure how hard they’re going to bring this one down. Sean would still in the show but it’s another relationship Fiona tanked.

“We’re all villains in Nassau…”

Light on action this week but there was more than enough killer dialog to make up for it. The themes of this episode: history and sympathy.

Rackham is locked up and has to wait for the world to move around him.

The Flint/Vane project goes into motion with a sneaky trip to the island. This is Madi’s first mission with a ton at stake and she succeeds but Silver had a harder time on his end. He did manage to make his point when pushed, though. Too bad Rogers managed to curb that maneuver with Max. Great scene with Flint and Rogers, I love conversations between two sides of the same coin. Another great scene is The Maroon Queen laying it down on Flint when they’re making plans to go to Nassau after Flint comes back with only Vane. She recognizes flints recklessness and slows him down.The guy needs to be put in place from time to time. It’s a good thing Vane is involved because he pretty much saved this mission by finding Anne first. Great ending setting up the all or nothing snatch and grab mission.

By far the most interesting piece of this episode is the Max, Rogers, and Eleanor triangle. Max and Eleanor have that touchy past (to put it mildly) and Rogers is like the third wheel, but he’s the one steering. Eleanor is a traitor to everyone on Nassau, having burned every single bridge. More than enough was said to make sure everyone knew it, all the way up to England hearing it. Rogers reluctantly had to take her along for the ride because she is valuable. Stabbing everyone in the back wasn’t in her character. She had to and it eats her up every day since it happened. Rogers and her fall for each other (I believe she really has) but he can’t ignore her past and tells her so. That scene is fantastically written and performed. I haven’t felt any sympathy for Eleanor in awhile and that bit hit me (brilliant idea from the writers using the grippe illness as a parallel).

Now the Eleanor and Max relationship. This whole ordeal has twisted in on Max in ways she never imagined. First it forces her to have to work with Eleanor and it ends up putting Max in a very similar position that Eleanor was in. Max now knows what Eleanor went through, the hard decisions she had to make and why she had to make them. Max again feels sympathy for a person she was sure she would hate for the rest of her life.

I like Rogers a lot, they gave him a  lot of layers and this Nassau boondoggle is digging into him more every day. He’s a good guy trying to do honest work in a pirates world. He believes in what his country wants to do, restore order and make a contributing society. He does everything he can to keep people from getting hurt, no matter what side they are on and obstacles keep getting thrown in his way. As he said to Flint, if it comes down to it, if you choose to try and steal this all away again, he will do what he has to do. No more offers or talks, it’s war. Rogers is being forced down a path he doesn’t want to take, just like Eleanor was.

Some neat stuff went down this week.

Silver is basically sidelined this week, I admire his tenacity despite it being so bullheadedly stupid. Good thing he managed to get Madi on his good side so quickly. Mr. Scott is fading fast but a smart man always passes down his wisdom. Even though Madi’s been groomed predominantly by her mother, it looks like her father is going to fill in some missing pieces she’s going to need for when she takes over.

I was right about Rackham’s idea being really stupid but I didn’t see him taking that stupidity and making a stand with it. If he’s going to get rolled over, he’s not going out without making a name for himself. He did want a clear name, after all, telling Anne that that’s about all he had and cared for. The people of Nassau will speak his name one way or another.

Vane throws Blackbeard under the boat again. A man’s home is hard to throw away I guess. Coupled with that knowledge he got on the boat last episode, I’m sure Vane feels like he’s got a workable plan he can do with Flint and I’m inclined to agree with him.

It’s fantastic to see the independent arms of the pirates come together to put the squeeze on England (without them even knowing it). They’ve been apart for so long, but Nassau brings them together. Woodes Rogers is getting squeezed from every single side, Eleanore is basically seen as floating garbage by everyone and Max is doing everything she can do to hang on (interesting seeing her share the same boat as Rackham, but being on the opposite side of it). I really like where this is going, ingenious way to take the Spanish treasure everyone has been after for so long, remix it, and turn it into another treasure hunt with huge stakes. Sucks to be Anne right now, practically all of known civilization is after her.

Pimp’s Paradise

The title refers to Frank and Carl, but by the end of the episode Frank has a lot to celebrate and Carl can’t keep fronting to everyone who walks by him. Losing Nick has devastated him.

Carl tries to keep his spirits (and his image) up by throwing a house party. Fiona puts an end to that the second she comes home and Carl leaves, pouting like a child. Sean manages to actually talk to him which is some kind of win considering how shut down Carl’s been since he watched Nick lose it to his madness. The one scene with Dominique was a great touch.

Frank on the other hand, won over Queenie to stay. He wined, dined, smothered her in attention, stood up for Chuckie (full effect Shameless!) and laid it on thick when Debbie came back. Gotta give it to Frank, the only other creature on Earth that knows how to burrow as well as he does is a tick.

This maneuvering by Frank ended up turning around the power structure of the house. Fiona’s absence from the house completely eroded her standing. No one over the age of 4 listens to her. She’s at odds with Debbie over the pregnancy, Lip is circling his own stupid drain of being thrown under the love bus and Ian is off making what could actually be his first positive relationship. Fiona’s name is on the paper work for the house, but it’s Carl’s money paying for it and Queenie moving in means there is a mother figure taking over her place. Fiona is literally getting pushed out with Debbie getting the attention she wants (just in time too as she was seconds away from hitting Erica’s landing strip) and Frank is finally getting one over on her. She has zero backup from any family member (how Liam wanted to stick around with kale on his plate is beyond me). Without Sean I’m sure she would have put up a fight, but with his place to fall back on, she relents quickly.

Queenie seems like a positive influence so she could be good in the end, but there’s little chance Frank is not going to maul that relationship again and Debbie is going to spiral into Fiona’s arms when the baby comes. Debbie has started to show so I’m sure the last bit of the season will be mostly about Debbie’s pregnancy. Time will probably move fast to do the birth in birth in the season finale or maybe in episode 11.

Half way through the season!

The gears of the wheelers and dealers did a lot of spinning this week. With Vane and Blackbeard through the English barricade, then run into a Spanish ship and decided to pirate it up. Upon taking it over, they find that the big thing the ship was carrying is sensitive information about Nassau. Vane may have a way back and unbeknownst to him…

Flint pulls off another miracle oration to the Queen of his captures. With Silver’s attempts finding no purchase they needed a hail mary. Mr. Scott’s injury in the beaches of Nassau turns out to be that hail mary. With the king brought home, that gives Flint the in he needs and Mr. Scott gives him the go ahead to talk to his wife about their insured future. With Nassau lost, the island of refugees with a fallen king, their survival is at stake. Flint, Silver and the remaining pirates could keep them afloat for awhile by going out for supplies. But the ever clever Flint finds a much better thread to pull on, a much more promising, long-term plan. Revolution by pirate and slaves holding steadfast together against the English. Take back Nassau and use it as a base to draw others toward the cause and long-term prosperity. Flint and Vane are headed back together and they don’t even know it.

While Flint has taken the lion’s share of motivational speaking, Max proves herself to be no slouch again (her business acumen is really impressive). With Eleanore bringing Rogers around, Max’s status on Nassau turned precarious. Not one to be pushed to the side, she comes up with a plan and a pitch that Rogers had to take notice of. She wants to buy her way into this new society and be a full partner with a seat at the table. Moving that share of the Spanish treasure turned out to be a smart idea…until her spot gets blown up by the info that the Spanish know part of the gold stash was washed and she doesn’t have all of it.

Enter Rackham and Anne, on foot with their share, when Rackham has a mid-name crisis. He’s not down with having to change his name in order to use the money, much to Anne’s chagrin and normal common sense. A man must have his standards, though, so Rackham decides to turn back to try and sneak in a pardon in order to shake some heat and come back. There is no way that’s going to work out for him.

4 and 3 and 2 and 1, 1! I’ve said it before and I’ll set it again, Broad City is the best comedy show airing right now.

Season 3 starts off with Two Chainz and it had me screaming in delight. The real life friendship of Abbi and Ilana make this show effortlessly funny. They aren’t acting, it’s 100% legit chemistry that lights them up through every hilarious moment.

From the cold open of the split screen bathroom shot montage to the final gag of Abbi helping Ilana out of her chain belt the laughter never let up. The premise of this episode is bizarrely simple but weird, clever and makes for a complex series of events. Abbi and Ilana meet for brunch where Ilana drops her bike lock key into a storm drain. Abbi’s shirt gets ruined when she tries to fish it out (“What was that? A train?!”) and needs to get a new shirt before going to a friends gallery show. That’s the start of both of their problems and it’s all downhill from there.

This episode has it all. The moment to moment side jokes (just about every conversational bit of dialog from Ilana. She’s far and away my favorite comedic character and actor right now). The elaborate set ups and amazing payoffs (the bits with Ilana’s chain belt and pretty much the entire art gallery scene). The banter from bit characters (“Oh, don’t judge me! You’re the one who’s wearing he stolen shirt!” …. “Nice ass!” “I KNOW!”), I think there is a joke at least every 30 seconds.

They’re off to a killer start, I can’t wait for more.

The theme of this episode was breaking out. Both sides of our story are feeling the pinch. Flint, Silver, and that crew are captured on the island with seemingly no way out. Silver tries to work on the daughter of the leader, but Mom is as hard as they come. The crew is thinning out and they don’t have much time left.

Back on Nassau, control has basically been lost. The deal that went down at the end of the last episode proved to be too much and everyone is against Vane and he’s got to get off the island as England’s grip starts to strengthen. This band is breaking up (for now at least).

This show pulls off another major set piece with dazzling special effects. The plot to break through England’s barricade is cool enough, but watching it unfold is something else. Some really great CG work and practical effects involving crazy amounts of fire. Kudos to compositing all of that together believably. These are some ambitious scripts and they somehow manage to keep knocking it out of the park.