I don't think anyone could have anticipated season seven of "Shameless" to be quite like this. Following a similar drop-off from season six, this season got back to the heart of the show which is the good old Gallaghers. It really focused on the improvements some of them were making in advancing their personal lives as well as careers.
And if they weren't making improvements, they were at least making big changes! Some ill-intended and others just pure nonsense, but we always love them regardless like any other family. It was an unprecedented season of humor, emotional breakthroughs, and some of the best acting we have seen on the show of all time. For me, it's up there with last season of being one of the better seasons. It gives me hope that this show could really go on for awhile longer. There are still plenty more stories to tell based on this season that didn't shy away from risks in terms of plot development and engaging storytelling from its typical model.
1. What a beautiful way to open up the season with Frank in the lake. This season’s going to be good.
2. OH MY GOSH. LIAM IS SO BIG.
3. I’m already annoyed by Debbie and it’s been one episode. Will we ever have redemption for what her character has become?
4. Honestly, I’m so glad that Sean left and Fiona is in charge of the diner so we don’t have to worry about him showing up again. Thank goodness.
5. Oh, Carl. No. Ugh. Man, this girl is so not worthy of him, a sentence I never thought I would say.
6. Is it weird or normal that I’ve actually adjusted to Kev, Vee and Svetlana as a family? It seems like a pretty nice life they’ve settled into.
7. Man, everyone of the Gallaghers has seriously worked for Fiona at this point.
8. Loving Ian’s EMT buddy, she slays with her comments!
9. Nooooooo, not Ian and Caleb!
10. Thank you Vee for bringing up how home girl Fiona has not addressed her feelings about the whole Sean fiasco at all. Can’t forget that happened, hon as much as we would all love to.
11. Welcome, Lip to what an internship is really like. Time to face reality, sweetheart.
12. Oh my gosh, Lip looking out for Liam and seeing himself in him when he was younger with Frank. That look he gives him destroys me.
13. Carl having to not get a boner after his surgery is pretty hilarious.
14. Ugh, really Ian I’m begging you please not to let others' sexual preferences influence your own lifestyle. Although, I love how this led to Ian and Lip discussing their sexualities. Amazing, and hilarious scene.
15. OH MY GOSH IAN NO. MY POOR CHILD. UGH. (This was not okay, you know what this refers to if you're there!)
16. Frank and the Gallaghers take two. Nice try, Frank.
17. I love how this whole topless maid service turned into making profit by just having concerned husbands/fathers pay Kev to move his truck. Amazing.
18. Can I just say as heartbreaking as it is I love how Ian’s storylines are allowing for more Lip and Ian moments? I really have missed their dynamic these past few seasons. They are one of the most honest and supportive relationships on this show.
19. Dominique’s dad continues to be fantastic. What a guy.
20. Can literally no one not inconvenience Fiona for one minute as she’s trying to get her life together?
21. Debbie continues into dumbness with shoplifting. My gosh, this girl needs to try to get her shit together.
22. Cannot wait for the shoe to drop when everyone finds out how horrible Frank actually is versus the hero of the homelessness they think he is now.
23. I cannot believe how Debbie is so surprised that she would have to pay actual rent and contribute to the house. Like honey, you should not have had this child if you didn’t consider the consequences. It’s so infuriating. I’m totally on Fiona’s side here.
24. I love Trevor. I’m so excited to see where this story line leads of Ian being introduced to other aspects and people of the queer/trans community. It’s so beautiful. It’s also super important to being showing a character like Trevor and queer homeless youth in Chicago which is such a pressing issue.
25. Lip trying to wrestle with if he wants to succeed or fail by ethical means is so real. He seems so destined to take a murky path to happiness and it really has me stressed.
26. I really want to see Fiona thrive as a manager and business woman. This speakeasy gives me hope. She’s so deserving and not putting up with anyone’s crap anymore. I love her.
27. Fiona is on a roll this season. Not only has she discovered Tinder which is perfect for her right now, but she is using it to figure out how to advance her professional career. She has such a great handle on her life right now and no weird ass love interests to mess it up.
28. Carl wanting to go to military school?! I’m not crying, you are. He has grown up so much. 29. I love that "Shameless" sticks to the reality of its world where something is always an issue especially with Kev, Vee, and Svetlana. With money, their kids, and now Svetlana’s father staying with no indication of his departure, it feels very real.
30. Debbie and Neil? Oh gosh, poor guy. At least it might make her less tolerable than she is right now.
31. I adore Etta. She’s so on point, even when misguided.
32. I think I like Sierra and Lip. I don’t know. I’m always concerned though when Lip is ready to take care of a love interest who has a child. He is always way too ready to be a dad. Have we not forgotten Karen?
33. Yikes. Svetlana’s father is actually her husband? Making her and Vee’s marriage void? This is the beginning of a shit show, my friends.
34. Lip is being so arrogant towards Fiona like only one of them can succeed? Go on, Fiona buy your laundromat and prove them all wrong! Suck it, Lip.
35. One of the saddest things on this show was when Liam went to school and everyone took the nice school supplies that Fiona got for his first day while Frank looked on realizing his son’s fate. Thank goodness he finally decided to do him some good and get him in a great school.
36. Oh my gosh, Lip is such a dick to Trevor. Ugh. He continues to stumble every season and it makes me sad.
37. Okay, Lip and Sierra had a pretty adorable date. And he was there for Sierra whose child’s father is even more ridiculous than Lip is being. Poor Sierra.
38. Neil is so pure and honest. I love him so much.
39. Okay, Debbie is getting worse. Going to kick out Sierra out of her own apartment? Good lord.
40. Oh my gosh, Ian’s story about Lip at his hearing. He’s so right. Lip does deserve a second chance.
41. Oh gosh, Derek’s family coming back in the midst is never a good sign.
42. Poor Fiona. Girl is really doing this all on her own. I could not have been more moved when Kevin got all of the guys from the Alibi to come down and help renovate the laundromat That was so precious.
43. Lip, Lip, Lip, Lip, you’re sinking so low. You’re gonna lose everything. He so deserved to be taken back to school. Gosh, what is he going to do?
44. As much as I love Svetlana, I kind of am with Fiona here in never having trusted her. She really did snake her way into the family and this series for that matter.
45. Here we go, Monica’s back in town. This can only lead to trouble.
46. Monica coming to Debbie’s rescue to get Franny back from Derek’s family really isn’t helping her case much. But was kind of sweet in a twisted way, for Monica at least.
47. Lip really needs to figure out his issues and keep Sierra out of it for god’s sake. She could not have been more glorious when she told him she couldn’t deal with his issues. She really needs to keep track of her own. You go girl!
48. OH MY GOSH MICKEY IS COMING BACK. NOOOOOOOO. HE’S GOING TO RUIN EVERYTHING. IT’S A DOUBLE M HURRICANE OVER HERE THAT STANDS FOR MONICA AND MICKEY.
49. Yikes, Mickey is back and not looking great.
50. Love, love, love that they addressed how Mickey is pulling a trick right out of the Jimmy-Steve playbook with him asking Ian to come with him to Mexico. I also loved that scene between Ian and Fiona. You have been so much better without him Ian! Continue to grow my ginger flower.
51. So glad Vee and Fiona are talking again. They have both been dealing with so much crap. Fiona especially could have saved Vee and Kev the trouble of Svetlana stealing the freaking bar from them!
52. I adore Lip’s new AA buddy. He’s going to be so great for Lip to stay sober. Their dessert smorgasbord at Patsy’s was so sweet!
53. KEVIN WORKING AT THE BAR IAN WORKED AT IS AMAZING. SO HILARIOUS!!!
54. Monica and Frank’s gazillionth wedding was surprisingly touching, awkward, heartbreaking, and brutal all at once. I wouldn’t expect anything less.
55. Also, I cannot believe she is wearing Fiona’s wedding dress. So cruel, yet hilarious.
56. Honestly, such a touching moment when Frank and Monica drug everyone and they have the sweet, weird wedding reception. So beautiful.
57. Etta teaching Lip to knit. My gosh, she’s such a gem.
58. So proud of Ian! He got to say his goodbye and live out an adventure with Mickey, but it was time for him to go. And THANK GOODNESS MICKEY CUT HIS HAIR AM I RIGHT?
59. Monica’s death is so bittersweet. No one could deny she was a character though. She never failed to entertain us.
60. Carl’s looking sharp in his military garb!
61. Emmy Rossum has done some of her best acting in this season with her dealing with these Monica scenes. She plays them with such spite yet you can tell the hurt that she has bottled up all the years towards her.
62. It’s so heartbreaking that the only gift Monica could leave all the kids was each a pound of crack. Frank was right in that what else could she give? So sad.
63. Seeing Fiona sort through all those cards for her and the kids over the years. I also loved how she read from Monica’s book and the part she underlined, and not knowing why she underlined it at her funeral. So moving, and sad and wonderful all at once.
64. This honestly might be the best episode of this entire series. And thank goodness it ended on a somber note. So relieved it wasn’t a cliffhanger, or ended with something tragic. Despite the loss of Monica, it brought about a beautiful episode and wrap up to this season.
Season seven of "Shameless" is streaming on Netflix now!
