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The fourth season of Shameless, an American comedy-drama television series based on the British series of the same name by Paul Abbott, premiered on January 12, 2014, at Sunday 9:00 p.m. EST on the Showtime television network. Executive producers are John Wells, Abbott and Andrew Stearn, with producer Michael Hissrich. The season concluded after 12 episodes on April 6, 2014. The show's season premiere brought in 1.69 million viewers, while the episode airing February 2, "Strangers on a Train", received 1.22 million total viewers, its lowest-rated episode of the season. The season finale scored 1.93 million viewers, becoming the show's highest-rated episode for the season.
| Shameless | |
|---|---|
| Season 4 | |
 DVD Cover | |
| Showrunners | Paul Abbott John Wells |
| Starring | |
| No. of episodes | 12 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Showtime |
| Original release | January 12 – April 6, 2014 |
| Season chronology | |
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Unlike previous seasons, the fourth season of Shameless begins shifting into a darker tone, with the season's core stories mainly revolving around Fiona's sudden trouble with the law and Frank's possible death. At the beginning of the season, Fiona is getting past the disappearance of Jimmy and adjusting to her new job at Worldwide Cup. Keeping the family afloat, she has begun dating her boss, Mike Pratt (Jake McDorman).
Other characters' lives have shifted: Lip no longer lives at the house, struggling to adjust to new life at Chicago Polytechnic. Sheila finds solace in online dating, and she meets a Native American cowboy that takes care of his junkie sister's five children. Kevin gets full ownership of the Alibi. Veronica is pregnant with triplets, though her surrogate mother Carol is also pregnant. After Carol gives birth, Carol decides she wants to raise the baby on her own. Debbie begins pining after an older boy, Matt (James Allen McCune). Mickey is depressed over the disappearance of Ian, and he has a strained relationship with his pregnant wife, Svetlana. Mickey eventually tracks down Ian, who has gone AWOL from the Army and now works at a sketchy gay bar with a new, odd behavior. Knowing that her husband is spending time with Ian, Svetlana begins to extort money from Mickey. During an after-party for his son's christening at the Alibi, Mickey publicly comes out. Terry tries to attack Mickey over the revelation, resulting in his arrest; the other Alibi regulars seem accepting of Mickey's sexuality.
Frank, in declining health, is returned home by the police, to most of the family's dismay. Forced to stay on the wagon, Frank is desperate for a new liver and reveals the existence of his oldest child, Sammi (Emily Bergl). To his surprise, Frank tracks Sammi down and discovers that he has a grandson, Chuckie. Frank makes a good impression on Sammi, who does not know that Frank is her father. Sammi is initially furious when she finds out the truth, but she eventually reconciles with Frank, wanting to begin a father/daughter relationship with him. Though she isn't a viable liver donor, Sammi cares for Frank as his health begins to deteriorate. Sheila, wanting to adopt her online boyfriend's kids, marries Frank to increase her chances of winning custody, though she ultimately fails to do so. Frank is eventually given a last-minute liver transplant after being moved up the hospital's waiting list.
Fiona's life is drastically turned upside down on her birthday. Against her better judgment, Fiona pursues a secret affair with Mike's brother, Robbie. Mike is devastated when he learns the truth, punching Robbie in the face and breaking up with Fiona. On the day of her birthday, Fiona is gifted a baggie of cocaine from Robbie. That night, Fiona throws a party and snorts the cocaine; Liam gets into the stash of cocaine and is found unconscious in the kitchen. As the family rushes Liam to the hospital, Fiona is arrested and lands in county jail; she refuses to give up Robbie's name. Originally put on house arrest, Fiona goes on a bender with Robbie's friends and breaks her curfew. She is sent to a correctional facility for a 90-day sentence, wreaking havoc for the rest of the family.
Fiona's arrest leaves parental duties on Lip. Some unexpected assistance comes from an intelligent college student, Amanda (Nichole Bloom), whom Lip eventually begins dating. Lip begins to put his previous relationship with Mandy behind him; Mandy is stuck in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend, Kenyatta. Ian finally turns up and reunites with his family, but his new behavior concerns Mickey and the family, who compare Ian's odd behavior to Monica's bipolar disorder.
Fiona gets an early release from the correctional facility due to overcrowding. Thanks to her parole officer, Fiona gets a job as a waitress at the Golden House Restaurant, a diner managed by Charlie Peters (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Frank is back to drinking with his new liver and has simultaneously brought Sammi and Chuckie into the Gallaghers' lives. Mickey and Svetlana come to an understanding of how to raise their child. During the final episode, a post-credits scene reveals Jimmy, who has been absent the whole season, watching the Gallagher home from his car with an unnamed woman.
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Regular
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| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | US viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37 | 1 | "Simple Pleasures" | John Wells | John Wells | January 12, 2014 | 1.69[1] | |
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Fiona is three months into a corporate job, while semi-dating her boss, Mike. Debbie is starting to blossom, physically and emotionally, and she befriends an older pizza-delivering bachelor, Matt. Lip begins classes at Chicago Polytechnic, living on campus and working in the cafeteria. Feeling lonely, Sheila regularly visits the Gallagher house to babysit and clean. Frank is found by the police nearly unconscious in a drug house, and he is returned home to his family. Fiona refuses to let Frank stay, but relents when Carl insists. Frank shows Carl that he is physically addicted to alcohol, but coughs blood when he drinks it. Mickey is depressed over Ian's disappearance. Carl starts to have nocturnal emissions, and Frank teaches him about masturbation before sleep to avoid this. Veronica discovers she is pregnant and informs Kevin. Lip gets a D on his English paper and confronts the grader; Lip is told that he needs to work harder, or change his course at college. Fiona has sex with Mike for the first time, but she doesn't seem satisfied by it. | |||||||
| 38 | 2 | "My Oldest Daughter" | Mimi Leder | Nancy M. Pimental | January 19, 2014 | 1.60[2] | |
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Fiona begins to enjoy the perks of living life just above the poverty line, using her newly activated health benefits to take the kids for checkups. However, when a road rage incident damages the company car, Fiona lies to Mike about how it happened. Lip seems to have lost his mojo as he struggles in school and with the ladies. Upon learning that Matt is twenty years old, Debbie tells him that she's thirteen; Matt seems fine with Debbie's age and continues their friendship. After Stan, the owner of the Alibi, passes away, Kevin discovers that Stan had left the bar in his will, fulfilling his dream. However, Kevin finds out that the bar is in deep debt. Veronica turns out to be pregnant with triplets. Fiona refuses to be a donor for Frank, despite Carl's pleas. Frank tells Fiona that he will go to his older daughter, Samantha, for help. | |||||||
| 39 | 3 | "Like Father, Like Daughter" | Sanaa Hamri | Sheila Callaghan | January 26, 2014 | 1.83[3] | |
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Fiona has dinner with Mike's family and meets his self-proclaimed "life addict" brother, Robbie. Sheila begins experimenting with online dating. In an attempt to raise money for Frank, Carl steals various dogs around the neighborhood and holds them ransom. Lip continues to struggle in college and finds himself cracking under the pressure. A disheartened Mickey tries to mask his pain with alcohol and sex. Veronica and Kevin desperately try to make more money, in preparation for their four children. Frank meets his eldest daughter Sammi, who does not know of their relation; Frank discovers that he has a grandson, Chuckie. Frank makes a good impression on Sammi, but this leads to her wanting to pursue Frank romantically. Debbie is turned down when she tries to have sex with Matt. After another dinner, Fiona has sex with Robbie while Mike is passed out. | |||||||
| 40 | 4 | "Strangers on a Train" | Peter Segal | Etan Frankel | February 2, 2014 | 1.22[4] | |
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Frank continues to bond with Sammi and discovers that a transplant costs $150,000; Carl successfully breaks Frank's leg in order to give Frank a large insurance payout. Mickey, angered by how little Svetlana is being paid, tells her and all the other prostitutes not to work until they are paid more by their employer. Mickey's efforts prove unsuccessful when the women are replaced within a matter of hours. Lip goes on a destructive rampage when he is denied the opportunity to take one of his midterms. He and Mandy briefly reignite their former flame, but it quickly ends in a fight. Fiona succumbs to Robbie's seductive nature, and the pair are almost caught by Mike. Sammi tells Frank that she isn't a viable donor, and an angry Frank accidentally reveals that he is her father. Sammi furiously throws him out, but she eventually reconciles with Frank, warming up to the idea of having a father. Lip returns to college and is granted a retest. | |||||||
| 41 | 5 | "There's the Rub" | David Nutter | Davey Holmes | February 9, 2014 | 1.58[5] | |
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At college, Lip is surprised by two military officers who claim that his identity has been stolen; they show him a photograph of Ian. Fiona ends things with Robbie. When Fiona visits Mike's family, Mike and Robbie get into an argument; Robbie reveals his tryst with Fiona, resulting in Mike punching Robbie in the face and breaking up with Fiona. Kevin and Mickey open a brothel in the apartment above the bar. Frank is told that the claim for his broken leg will take a year to process. Desperate for a cure to his liver disease, Frank gets Sheila's new boyfriend, Roger, to build a sweat lodge to rid his body of toxins. During the sweat lodge, Frank passes out. Lip and Debbie go searching for Ian. They track him down to a gay bar, but he isn't behaving normally and dodges all of their questions. Robbie surprises Fiona by turning up at her house with cocaine, but she chases him out. Fiona later throws a birthday party and snorts the cocaine; Liam consumes the remainder of the cocaine and is found unconscious in the kitchen. | |||||||
| 42 | 6 | "Iron City" | James Ponsoldt | John Wells | February 16, 2014 | 1.90[6] | |
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Liam's accidental cocaine ingestion lands Fiona in county jail, where she experiences the wrongs of her actions. After getting the prognosis on Liam's condition, Lip blames Fiona for her lack of responsibility and disregards Fiona's attempts to be a guardian again. Debbie runs off to Matt's apartment to find solace. Lip asks Mandy to find Ian and inform him of Liam's condition. After fainting in the sweat lodge, Frank gets sobering news from his doctor, who tells him he doesn't have much time left to live. Though Sammi expects the worst-case-scenario, Frank believes his time is not up yet and is too stubborn to die. Sheila says goodbye to Roger's family, who are leaving town for their reservation. Experiencing an empty nest, Sheila packs her bags and leaves to join their reservation. Fiona gets bailed out of jail by Mike, who doesn't ever want to see her again. Sammi meets her half-siblings as they visit a recovered Liam in the hospital. | |||||||
| 43 | 7 | "A Jailbird, Invalid, Martyr, Cutter, Retard and Parasitic Twin" | Gary B. Goldman | Nancy M. Pimental | February 23, 2014 | 1.89[7] | |
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Guardianship duties fall upon Lip, who attempts to make the house more presentable for the social worker's visit. He gets some unexpected assistance from his roommate's girlfriend, Amanda, who offers to babysit Liam during his classes. After being pressured by Mandy, Mickey searches for Ian and finds him at a gay bar, passed out from drugs. Mickey brings Ian back to the Milkovich home, to Svetlana's dismay. Debbie is once again rebuffed by Matt, who states that she's too young for him. Fiona sees her public defender, who reveals that she may serve some time if she pleads guilty. Fiona expresses interest in taking the case to trial, prompting a nasty argument with Lip over the incident with Liam. After the bar is robbed, Kevin gets a gun for protection. Veronica loses one of her triplets through fetal resorption. At the Gallagher home, Sammi gives Frank hard drugs for his pain, prompting Lip to kick her and Frank out. At her hearing, Fiona pleads guilty; she is given house arrest and is charged as a felon. | |||||||
| 44 | 8 | "Hope Springs Paternal" | Mimi Leder | Sheila Callaghan | March 9, 2014 | 1.77[8] | |
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In preparation for a visit from her probation officer, Fiona must remove all contraband from the house, putting her at odds with Debbie and Carl. Ian is kicked out of Mickey's house by Svetlana, who feels threatened by his presence. Ian returns to the Gallagher house, to Fiona's surprise; he reveals little of his time in the Army, but continually has "ideas" for future endeavors. Mickey and Ian rekindle their relationship. Svetlana gives birth. Sammi, Frank and Chuckie have moved into Sheila's house. Debbie finds solace in Sammi, who helps guide Debbie through her first period. Carol gives birth, but she wants to keep the baby. Though Kevin is disappointed, Veronica convinces him to agree. Lip finds that caring for Liam has its benefits. Robbie visits Fiona to apologize, but Fiona slams the door in his face. Lip comes home to find a drunken Fiona, resulting in him taking Liam to his dorm so she can figure things out. | |||||||
| 45 | 9 | "The Legend of Bonnie and Carl" | Mark Mylod | Etan Frankel | March 16, 2014 | 1.70[9] | |
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Carl connects with a girl named Bonnie; they appear to have the same interests for recklessness and violence. After discovering that Matt is dating someone else, Debbie stalks his new girlfriend. Amanda tries to seduce Lip, which he tries to resist, as she is dating his roommate. Lip finds that Amanda brings structure to his life, but it comes at a cost. Sheila returns from the reservation, and she discovers Frank in dire health. Sheila reveals that Roger was abusive, and expresses interest in adopting his kids. Sammi brings Frank's wish of visiting the Alibi to him. Fiona searches for a job as part of her probation, but her prior actions continue to haunt her. Fiona angrily confronts Robbie. Mickey spends more time with Ian. Svetlana wants Mickey to help take care of their child, but Mickey refuses to do so. As a result, Svetlana extorts money from Mickey, threatening to tell Terry about Ian if Mickey does not comply. Mandy's boyfriend, Kenyatta, hunts down Lip after discovering he and Mandy had sex. Mickey later discovers Mandy having been beaten by Kenyatta. | |||||||
| 46 | 10 | "Liver, I Hardly Know Her" | Christopher Chulack | Davey Holmes | March 23, 2014 | 1.63[10] | |
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Immediately following her confrontation with Robbie, Fiona spirals out of control and goes on a binge, partaking heavily in narcotics and alcohol. Waking up periodically, Fiona regains coherence in a gas station in Sheboygan, where the people she was riding with strand her there. The Gallaghers go into search mode to find her, applying the methods they use to find Frank when he disappears. Lip eventually finds Fiona and, seeing how broken she is, forgives her, apologizing for his harsh attitude towards her. Carl and Bonnie bond through theft. In order to increase her chances of adopting, Sheila marries Frank, who is in deteriorating health. Sammi and Sheila consult a sketchy doctor who agrees to perform Frank's liver transplant. During the illegal surgery, the doctor steals Frank's kidney instead. Mickey argues with Kevin over the money they're making on their joint venture. Veronica gives birth to twins. Ian and Mickey discover that Mandy is back with Kenyatta. Ian wants to take Mandy to a safe place, and the ensuing argument culminates in Ian holding a knife to Kenyatta's throat. At the hospital, Frank moves up the waiting list and is given a liver transplant. | |||||||
| 47 | 11 | "Emily" | Anthony Hemingway | Nancy M. Pimental | March 30, 2014 | 1.76[11] | |
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Fiona is taken to a correctional facility for a 90-day sentence. Frank wakes up from his transplant, suffering from post-operative delirium. He bonds with Emily, a young girl waiting for a new heart. Believing that Emily is a young Fiona, Frank is upset when Emily dies before her pending transplant. Sammi and Sheila clash while visiting Frank. A social worker visits the house, which is now under Lip's guardianship. The social worker is impressed with Lip's responsibility and aids him. As Lip and Amanda begin dating, Amanda insists that Lip have dinner with her parents, who she is trying to rebel against. After witnessing the Gallaghers' lifestyle, Amanda's parents bribe Lip to break up with her. Lip takes the money, but he and Amanda continue dating nonetheless. Debbie is the victim of a humiliating internet prank. Ian crashes Mickey's son's christening. At a post-party, Terry Milkovich shows up. Mickey announces his homosexuality to everyone. This causes a bar brawl between the Milkoviches, and Terry is arrested once more. | |||||||
| 48 | 12 | "Lazarus" | Mark Mylod | John Wells | April 6, 2014 | 1.93[12] | |
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Frank, recovered from his post-operative delirium, discovers that his transplant medication will produce a number of side effects, and that he still can't drink alcohol. Following a random drug test, Fiona is released from jail due to overcrowding and has a renewed probation. Fiona's probation officer secures her a job waiting tables at a diner. Carl finds out that Bonnie's family has disappeared. Sheila's petition to adopt the Native American children is denied. Svetlana and Mickey come to an understanding about their child and how to raise him. Mickey is worried when he finds Ian in a depressed state. Following an initiation at Amanda's sorority, Lip and Mandy run into each other at a restaurant. Fiona meets with Mickey and concludes that Ian may be bipolar. She suggests hospitalizing Ian, but Mickey disagrees, stating that he will care for Ian. Frank escapes the hospital with the help of Carl. The two stop at the edge of Lake Michigan and share a bottle of alcohol together. In a post-credits scene, a woman and her male companion pull up outside the Gallagher house. The passenger is revealed to be Jimmy – using the alias 'Jack' – who is very much alive. | |||||||
On January 29, 2013, Showtime announced the series would be renewed for a fourth season.[13] The show's fourth season began production on September 20, 2013, and began filming the following week,[14] and premiered on Sunday, January 12, 2014.
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the fourth season 100%, based on 15 reviews. The critics consensus reads, "Shameless shows no signs of fatigue as it barrels into its fourth season, with the Gallaghers stirring up new and novel forms of mischief."[15]
| The Complete Fourth Season | |||||
| Set details[16] | Special features[17][18] | ||||
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| Release dates | |||||
 United States |
 Australia | ||||
| December 30, 2014[19] | December 17, 2014[20] | ||||
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