Liver, I Hardly Know Her
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Episode 10
| "Liver, I Hardly Know Her" | |
|---|---|
| Shameless episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 10 |
| Directed by | Christopher Chulack |
| Written by | Davey Holmes |
| Cinematography by | Kevin McKnight |
| Editing by | John M. Valerio |
| Original release date | March 23, 2014 |
| Running time | 51 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Liver, I Hardly Know Her" is the tenth episode of the fourth season of the American television comedy drama Shameless, an adaptation of the British series of the same name. It is the 46th overall episode of the series and was written by co-executive producer Davey Holmes and directed by Christopher Chulack. It originally aired on Showtime on March 23, 2014.
The series is set on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, and depicts the poor, dysfunctional family of Frank Gallagher, a neglectful single father of six: Fiona, Phillip, Ian, Debbie, Carl, and Liam. He spends his days drunk, high, or in search of money, while his children need to learn to take care of themselves. In the episode, Fiona goes on a self-destructive binge, while Frank's condition worsens.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 1.63 million household viewers and gained a 0.8 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received highly positive reviews from critics, who praised the dark humor and twist ending.
Violating her probation, Fiona (Emmy Rossum) hangs out with Robbie (Nick Gehlfuss) and his friends, using drugs and drinking alcohol. Meanwhile, Sammi (Emily Bergl) gets Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) to visit Frank (William H. Macy), whose health has dropped and might die soon, but Carl cannot bring himself to do it, and decides to spend more time with Bonnie (Morgan Lily). After discovering that Mandy (Emma Greenwell) is being abused by Kenyatta (Shel Bailey), Ian (Cameron Monaghan) lets her temporarily stay at the Gallagher house.
Veronica (Shanola Hampton) gives birth to her twins, Amy and Gemma. As Kevin (Steve Howey) returns to the Alibi Room to get money for the children, he finds the cash register empty. He confronts Mickey (Noel Fisher), who states he took it as part of his commission. Kevin then pulls the gun that Mickey gave him and forces him to return the money, but Mickey swears retribution. Fiona finds herself going with some partygoers on a van, although she loses consciousness due to the alcohol. Stopping at a gas station in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, she goes to the bathroom, only to discover that the van abandoned her. A clerk gets her a phone, which she uses to call Lip (Jeremy Allen White) to pick her up. Lip arrives and, seeing how broken she is, forgives her, apologizing for his harsh attitude towards her.
Desperate to marry Frank, Sheila (Joan Cusack) contacts a sketchy doctor (Maz Jobrani) to get an undercover operation for Frank. The doctor agrees to get him a transplant for $26,000, which Sheila and Sammi provide. The procedure takes six hours, but the doctor claims it was a success. He and his crew leave, after which Sheila and Sammi call an ambulance. At the hospital, however, they are given bad news; the operation was a scam and Frank did not receive a liver transplant, but actually had his kidney stolen. The doctor gives Frank very few days to live, if not hours. While trying to convince Mickey not to seek action against Kevin, Ian discovers that Mandy is back with Kenyatta. In the chaos, Ian almost stabs Kenyatta with a knife until Mickey stops him; Mickey expresses concerns over Ian's erratic behavior.
At his home, Kevin is alarmed by the sound of shots and retrieves a rifle, preparing to face Mickey. However, the sound is revealed to be kids playing with firecrackers. As Kevin returns, he accidentally slips and a bullet hits a glass. Veronica and the children are fine, but Veronica is shaken from the experience, prompting Kevin to get rid of his guns. Ian, Carl and Debbie (Emma Kenney) visit an unconscious Frank on his deathbed, just as a priest officiates Sheila and Frank as a marriage. Suddenly, doctors retrieve Frank and take him to another room; due to his critical condition, he has been moved up the waiting list and will be given a liver transplant. Lip takes Fiona to the station, where Gail (Regina King) awaits her response over her probation violation.
Production
The episode was written by co-executive producer Davey Holmes and directed by Christopher Chulack. It was Holmes' third writing credit, and Chulack's first directing credit.[1]