Tag: Showtime

“Shameless” Ranking the top 5 moments from Season 8 episode 5: 50/50

Happy Monday TV fans!  As you pour that second cup of coffee, get ready for another dose of the Gallagher family antics. After watching Showtime’s Shameless season 8 episode 5 last night, I feel the need to provide Debbie with some serious parenting tips.  Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.  In last night’s episode, Fiona learns the valuable lesson of saying please and apologizing in an unconventional way, Carl tries to think of ways to earn money so he can go back to military school, and Ian is ready to make a huge investment.  Meanwhile, Lip is contemplating what matters most in life while Kev embraces his southern identity.  Svetlana teaches us basic math skills while Frank helps others see the problems with standardized testing.   My top 5 moments from Shameless season 8 episode 5 are:

5

Kev embraces his southern roots.  “Shift change!” Kev yells, as he enters the bar dressed liked a cowboy, informing the Russian population that they must leave and make room for his fellow Americans .  This of course leaves the bar practically empty while he is informed that there is a difference between being southern and western.  V had it right when she said that her husband is transforming into a “Kentucky fried red-neck.”  Kev even insists on practicing his common southern phrases and using them in everyday conversation to V’s dismay.  Kev may be back in Chicago, but he is not leaving his new found identity behind just yet.

4

Carl’s detox program for junkies is a success.  In the beginning of the episode, Carl has the junky he caught in last week’s episode tied up in his basement as he leaves him no choice but to get clean reluctantly so that he can be free and a more productive member of society.  As if this isn’t funny enough, at the end of the episode the former junky bursts into the Gallagher home and brings in his friend or girlfriend who also needs help from Carl.  He explains that no other rehab was able to help except for Carl’s method and he has brought lots and lots of cash for the results.  Maybe Carl has another calling besides the military.  Either way he has now successfully made enough money to return to school while making a difference in the lives of others…one junky at a time.

3

Frank convinces the parents to look further into the cultural interpretation of multiple choice and the dangers of standardized testing.  When he learns that Liam has failed his exam, Frank doesn’t take this at face value.  Rather, he goes through the questions and shares some concerns of his own.  For example, “how would Liam know what a foyer is?”  There is a fill in the blank question about glue and Liam crosses out the choices to write in “sniffing” which Frank explains is not necessarily wrong in that context.  While it may seem that Frank is just making excuses, he really inspires the other parents to get involved and to take measures against the testing to ensure that each child’s success is measured fairly.

2

Lip contemplates what life is really all about.  It’s been really great to see Lip stay sober and it is clear his sponsor has had a part in this and has truly helped him.  While Lip is continuing his affair with his co-worker, he is later seen gazing over at Sierra and wanting to hold his sponsor’s baby demonstrating his own desire to truly connect with someone and start a family.  While this may be a big epiphany for Lip or perhaps something that was there all along, it gets put on pause when his sponsor cannot handle the stress of being a new dad and winds up at the corner bar.  Lip tries with every effort to help him, but he doesn’t want it and speeds off drunk to Lip’s disappointment.  Will this set Lip back or motivate him to continue to stay strong?

1

Svetlana is back and is ready to teach us basic math.  It is great to see Svetlana back in the bar, but she is immediately ready for business and explains to V that profit should be 50/50 even though there are three parties involved.  V is not about to give up so easy, but Svetlana explains that she does the majority of the work and even shows her numbers that prove she makes the majority of the money during her shift.  When V is still not ready to budge, Svetlana decides to get her to sign the contract with her terms another way…with sex of course.  V is no match for Svetlana at this point and ultimately signs the contract.  Kev’s shock about what happened combined with detailed questions is hilarious as Svetlana proudly walks out of the house holding the contract.  50/50 wins after all.  It’s great to have you back Svetlana!

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and comments on Shameless below.  Happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

“Shameless” Season 8 episode 4 ranking the top 5 moments: Fiona is not a step in anyone’s rehab

Happy Monday TV fans!  After watching Showtime’s Shameless season 8 episode 4 last night, I am left with even more respect and appreciation for our lovely Fiona.  Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.  In last night’s episode, Fiona is confronted by her ex, Sean on top of her everyday responsibilities at work.  You know like prying a junky’s head out from between the bars of a fence.  Meanwhile, Lip is losing to his own battle of self-control while Franny takes her first steps, and Kev and V discover a whole new world in Kentucky.  My top 5 moments from Shameless season 8 episode 4 are:

5) Frank joins the PTA.  Frank, or I should say Francis, is looking to continue with his newly found identity and embrace it to the fullest.  He seeks involvement at Liam’s school and joining the PTA is a step in the right direction of teaching others the valuable lesson of hard labor.  Frank wins the respect of the moms on the committee and puts the other dads to shame who have not lifted their heads from their cell phones.  Is this Frank’s new calling?  Perhaps, but the mothers sure seem to like having him around at the car wash.

4) Carl joins the neighborhood watch.  After Ian and Carl are confronted by the neighborhood watch and find out about a burglar terrifying the neighborhood, Carl takes it upon himself to find out what happened when he learns that a Veteran was robbed.  Carl salutes the neighbor and embarks on his very important mission which ends with him setting up “junky bait.”  When he catches the thief, he lets him know that he is his “worst effin nightmare.”  Carl has been on the sidelines these past few episodes, so it’s great to see him reminding us why we are always rooting for him.

3) Lip considers the idea of “no strings attached” relations.  The beginning of the episode opens with Lip’s dream surrounded by topless women, but they keep disappearing leaving him stuck in a whirlwind of dissatisfaction.  Lip approaches a girl at work only to be turned down because “Sierra is her girl” and then swipes right on Tinder but decides that rum-flavored kisses are not the best decision since he is in recovery.  After all of Lip’s constant complaints at work, his female co-worker finally stops working on the bike to take him upstairs so that he will stop whining about it and has her way with him.  The scene is absolutely hilarious leaving us with Lip asking her to please stop slapping him to no avail.

2) Kev discovers he is the successful one in the family.  Kev, or Bart, and V head down to Kentucky so that he can be reunited with his long-lost family.  It seems harmless enough to start until the racist comments keep coming left and right to V’s horror.  Kev is disappointed to find out that his family voluntarily left him, but when he is at a gathering and everyone starts swapping stories, he realizes that he is the most successful one out of the bunch.  What makes this trip so laugh out loud funny is V’s reaction to everything.  She calls Fiona in a frenzy fearing that they took Kev off out in the woods to eat him or something and grimaces every time a racist comment is dropped her way.  She handles it gracefully, however; supporting Kev through it all.  Even Kev realizes that perhaps it is a little too much when white hoods are draped over his daughters’ heads and they yell out that is only for Halloween.

1) Sean is back and Fiona is not about to let her heart stay shattered.  When Sean walks through the door, Fiona’s first reaction is to walk out and leave him standing there with his mouth open.  After she eventually goes to find out what he has to say, she learns that he is clean now, but also married and she realizes that she is a step in his recovery.  Fiona storms out of the restaurant but is not done just yet.  She writes down every lie and every promise in a fury and decides to let his wife know just how she is feeling.  Sounds like the perfect revenge, only Fiona tells all of this to the wrong woman and she starts screaming at her husband thinking he is using drugs again.  Sean then walks out of his motel room with his wife and Fiona just gets into her car laughing.  It’s great to see Fiona can still have a sense of humor even when she is dealing with the jerk who broke her heart and left her on her wedding day.  Fiona realizes that Sean is not worth it and heads home to be with her family.  You are much more than a step in a program Fiona, you are our hero!

 

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and comments on Shameless below.  Happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

Ranking the top 5 Binge-Watching worthy shows for the end of 2017: Filling the void of holiday reruns and specials

Happy Tuesday TV Fans!  As we approach the holidays, you may be preoccupied with your never-ending to do list, shopping, cooking, and spending some quality time at home with your family.  There is also that troublesome fear setting in that your favorite shows will be taking a break from new episodes and you will be left with a void of reruns and holiday specials.  So what’s a TV viewer to do?  Fear not, for there are plenty of binge-watching worthy shows to choose from when you may need a break from all of the holiday chaos surrounding you.  My top 5 binge-watching worthy shows to choose from for the end of 2017 are:

5) Fox’s The Mick.  I have been watching The Mick for two seasons now mostly because it stars the wonderfully funny Kaitlin Olson from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.  Since the show is on Fox, the humor is not as crude and extreme, but it is just as funny.  Olson pretty much plays a similar version of Dee from It’s Always Sunny, which is hilarious enough, but supporting characters like Alba and Jimmy steal the show.  They are laugh out loud funny.  There are a lot of sitcom-like shows that don’t make me laugh out loud and I find this is hard to come by now.  Here and there I’ll chuckle, but it’s not the same as with Friends and Seinfeld from years ago.  The Mick has the perfect balance of value, or maybe lack of family values is more accurate similar to Shameless, with over-the-top hilarious moments.  I absolutely recommend that you binge-watch this show and check out the Halloween episode from a few weeks ago which is one of my personal favorites.

4) Netflix’s Slasher.  So one of my favorite series of scary movies of all time is Scream and I was somewhat disappointed in MTV’s version of the show they produced.  Don’t get me wrong, I did watch and see it through, but there was something lacking for me.  The characters weren’t believable and there wasn’t that underlying fear gnawing at me.  Netflix got it right with two seasons of Slasher.  Each season is different, very similar to American Horror Story with familiar actors but a different premise, plot, and murderer.  There were moments I had to close my eyes because I was so scared in the first season and the main character is someone you desperately want to root for.  Having characters present that you actually want to see make it out alive does carry weight.  The second season has more of an Agatha Christie like vibe mixed with the movie, Heathers which I found to be very addicting once I got past the first few episodes filled with back story and flashbacks.  No one is safe and it provides some edge of your seat moments as a result.

3) Netflix’s The Punisher.  I am a big fan of Marvel in general and The Punisher is one of my favorite heroes or maybe anti-heroes of all time.  Usually when I say this, fans question this and say why not Wolverine or Captain America?  The Punisher is so powerful to me because he has no super powers and his quest for revenge is sympathetic and tragic.  When Netflix’s Daredevil season 2 came out, the best part of it was the introduction of The Punisher.  I was ecstatic when I heard that the character would be getting his own series.  I am happy to say that I successfully binge-watched this show over the weekend and it is everything I could have hoped for.  Jon Bernthal is so believable as Frank Castle that you would think the comic series was based off of him.  He is someone to root for and although the violence may be extreme, the enemies get what is coming to them.  I also found myself investing time and energy into the supporting cast as well which is rare for me.  The villains are also so intense and heart-breaking, as Frank Castle finds himself being betrayed left and right while he is trying to make amends and bring those who deserve it to justice.

2) Showtime’s SMILF.  There are only a few episodes that have come out so far so you have plenty of time to catch up and binge-watch this hilarious new show starring and created by the brilliant and lovable Frankie Shaw.  The show has you laughing, crying, and cheering for single mother, Bridgette who is trying to find her way and pursue her dreams while maintaining a strong bond with her son.  Bridgette is far from the perfect mother for sure, but she truly loves her son and is doing the best she can.  You find yourself truly invested in Bridgette and root for her through every moment no matter how ridiculous some of them are.

1) Netflix’s Stranger Things season 2.  This show and season is absolutely worth a binge-watch and perhaps a second or third time through.  That’s how good it is.  The music alone sparked new life into this season, the characters and friendships were bonded further, and the quest to find out where one comes from and what “home” truly means is touching and beautiful.  Once again, this season blended the perfect amount of comedy with sci-fi mystery.  New friends and characters are introduced and the adventures don’t stop.  I don’t want to give away too much in case you haven’t gotten a chance to watch yet, but remember “friends don’t lie.”  So please watch and enjoy!

 

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your thoughts and comments below.  Happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

“Shameless” Season 8 episode 3 ranking the top 5 moments: Fiona was right

Happy Monday TV fans!  After watching Showtime’s Shameless season 8 episode 3 last night, I am left with the familiar saying “the family who prays together stays together,” although in this case it’s more like the family who pays together stays together.  Please note spoilers are ahead if you have not gotten a chance to watch yet.  In last night’s episode, Fiona proves she is right once again to her family and lets the new neighbor know that she is not one to step on.  Kev embraces his new commitment in life to ask every woman he sees about how often she does a self-exam while V sets everything right with Svetlana and makes a deal.  It’s good to see Svetlana back in her heels again ready to stomp over anyone who gets in her way of living the American dream.  Sure her dream may be to open up a Quiznos in the mid-west, but who are we to judge.  Meanwhile, Lip pays it forward and tries to help his former professor while Frank embraces a new identity.  My top 5 moments from Shameless season 8 episode 3 are:

5) Kev shows Fiona how to do a self breast exam and expands his vocabulary in the process.  Kev is proving that he is ready to spread the news to anyone who will listen on the importance of checking your breasts.  You would think that just talking about the importance would be enough, but he is not done until he actually demonstrates this on you.  Kev also shows off his sharp new vocab utilizing words like “malignant” and he is very proud of this.  It is something really important so as long as Kev is helping others become more aware, more power to him.

4) Frank proves his worth as “Francis.”  It may seem like Frank is making another sad attempt to turn over a new leaf and embrace the origins of his name.  He even brings over a dead squirrel in the process.  While he may not be Saint Francis, Frank tells the meth dealer after his family that he is not going to threaten them anymore and that they paid him what they owed.  There is a glimmer of real father here protecting his family which even makes Fiona happy, finally saying “thanks Francis.”  Is Frank changing for good?  Probably not, but it’s nice to see him stepping up to help his family.

3) Fiona tells Mel she can “be ghetto.”  Fiona is really taking pride in the apartment building she owns and is dedicated to turning it into a suitable place to live.  After she meets with a candidate to rent the apartment, neighbor Mel lies to him and says that it is infested with bed bugs just so she can have her friends move in for a cheaper rate.  Fiona confronts Mel and tells her that she does not have time for her petty games.  She gets inches away from her face and doesn’t break in the slightest, showing her neighbor that she is not one to mess with.  She even goes as far to tell Mel that if she thinks she knows what bed bugs are, she will pour them all over her bed just so she has an excuse to burn every last possession of hers.

2) Fiona was right.  When the kids come to Fiona about what to do about the angry meth dealer, Fiona is more than willing to help set it right.  But not before she has each and every member of the family say “I was wrong, you were right Fiona.”  Fiona has been telling them the entire time that this was a bad idea, but the kids continued on anyway and she wants them to learn a valuable lesson.

1) The Gallagher family digs up Monica.  So it happens that Fiona buried the rest of the Meth with their dead mother, Monica which leads to an interesting bonding moment between the siblings.  They are covered in dirt, digging for an eternity, and you would think this would be bad enough.  Carl then uses a forklift to speed up the process, only to drop the coffin, which opens suddenly as their dead Mother falls out.  Their screams of horror are hilarious, but they work together as a team while they continue to tell Fiona that she was right all along.

 

I hope you enjoyed the list and feel free to post your own thoughts and comments on Shameless below.  Happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic

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