"Pilot" is the very first episode of the US version of Shameless. It originally aired on January 9, 2011.
Synopsis[]
In the season one premiere, drunken father Frank Gallagher is of no use to his dysfunctional family; Fiona meets a handsome stranger when her purse is stolen; Lip is shocked to discover his brother Ian is gay and tries to hook him up with a willing neighbor.
Plot[]
The episode opens with a voice over by Frank Gallagher describing the neighborhood, his children, and the family dynamic. He introduces his six kids: eldest daughter Fiona, he explains, resembles the best qualities of her mother but isn't a "raging psycho bitch." Eldest son Lip has straight A's is extremely intelligent. Frank thinks very highly of Ian, especially his work ethic. Frank admits he doesn't know that much about Carl, who is seen to be a troublemaking delinquent. Debbie is an angel and "sent by God" according to Frank. Lastly, Frank introduces baby Liam, whom Frank doubts is his biological son, because Liam is black and resembles his first sponsor. Frank also introduces their neighbors, Kevin and Veronica, who have a lively and experimental sex life.
At breakfast, Fiona passes around a box to collect money for the electric bill. Ian needs a permission slip signed by Frank, so Debbie forges his signature. After breakfast, Fiona has to work at a hot dog joint, so she sends Liam with Debbie to school, saying Debbie can show her class Liam's birthmark for show and tell. Later, Lip visits the house of Karen Jackson, a classmate whom he is scheduled to tutor. Karen's mother, Sheila, answers the door microscopically; Karen later reveals that Sheila is agoraphobic and has mysophobia. While studying at the dining room table, Karen sneaks under the table and gives Lip a blow job. When Lip questions her, Karen reveals that "Science just turns me on."
That evening, Fiona and Veronica prep to go out at the club. In his shared bedroom, Lip discovers a folder hidden behind a dresser on Ian's side of the room. Though there are clippings of naked women glued to the outside of the folder, Lip instead finds gay porn inside. He hides the folder under his mattress and does not mention his findings to Ian. Later, Lip and Ian lie awake in their beds. Lip tells Ian that Karen gave him a blow job, and asks Ian if he has ever received one; Ian responds, "once or twice." Lip comments on the fact that Ian didn't tell him about it, even though they tell each other everything; Lip then grabs the folder from under the mattress and confronts Ian about it.
At the club, Fiona's purse is stolen. A handsome stranger makes a heroic, but unsuccessful, attempt to stop the thief. The effort impresses Fiona and Veronica, who praise him for it. The man, who introduces himself as Steve, punches an infamous bouncer who insulted them and denied them reentry into the club. Meanwhile, while Lip and Ian lie awake in their beds, Lip tells Ian that Karen gave him a blow job. Lip asks Ian if he has ever received a blow job, to which Ian responds, "once or twice." Lip comments on the fact that Ian didn't tell him about it, even though they tell each other everything, and informs Ian that he found the gay porn.
Fiona invites Steve back to the Gallagher house, where Steve meets the rest of her siblings. After Fiona sends her siblings away to bed, she and Steve have sex on the kitchen floor; however, they are quickly interrupted by the police, who have arrived to drop off a drunk and unconscious Frank. This prompts Steve to leave. The next day, Steve returns to the house the next day to ask Fiona out, but she resists his offers, dismissing him as desperate; she exclaims, "You can get laid anywhere." Steve notices that the family's washing machine is unstable, and he buys her a new one with the hopes of winning Fiona's heart.
Lip is unconvinced that Ian is definitively gay, so he brings him over to Karen's house. Karen performs oral sex on Ian while Sheila and her father, Eddie, are in the kitchen. When an apple drops on the ground, Eddie bends over to pick it up and notices Karen underneath the table. Realizing what was going on, Eddie chases the two Gallagher brothers out of the house; Lip jumps out the second floor window, severely injuring his foot. Lip and Ian lie to Fiona about how Lip injured his foot, but Fiona knows they got into some sort of trouble. While Veronica tends to Lip's foot, Fiona receives the washing machine that Steve gifted her; she is visibly impressed by the gift.
Furious that Karen has disobeyed his religious teachings, Eddie packs his bags and moves out of the house. Later that night, Fiona finds Ian in the living room throwing small wads of toilet paper into a passed out Frank's mouth. They have a discussion about Frank and his alcoholism, and Ian states that Fiona doesn't deserve being forced to take care of the family. After Ian goes upstairs, Fiona nearly cries due to the stress she is under; she unsuccessfully yells at Frank to wake him up. The next day, Fiona calls Steve back and agrees to go on a real date with him. At the end of the date, Steve reveals to Fiona that he steals cars for a living by stealing a car from the restaurant's valet. Impressed by the gift, Fiona calls Steve back and agrees to go on a real date with him. At the end of the date, Steve dresses up as a car valet outside the restaurant and steals a couple's car. Steve confesses to Fiona that he actually steals cars for a living, increasing Fiona's appeal for him.
Lip returns to Karen's house and asks Karen if Ian had an erection while she gave him a blow job. In response, Karen asks, "Ever try to play pool with a rope?" Lip later goes to the Kash and Grab, a local convenience store that Ian works at. After finding the front door locked, Lip enters the store through the back entrance; Ian and his boss, Kash, then hurry out of the storage room. Lip notices that they are wearing odd sneakers and realizes that the two were having sex. He angrily exclaims "You're fucking him?!" and storms out. When Ian returns home, Lip confronts him; he is angry not because Ian is gay, but because he is having an affair with a married man. When Lip discovers that Kash is buying Ian expensive gifts, Ian responds that he gives Kash CDs and other gifts too, evidently trying to prove that their relationship is more than just sex. Ian tells Lip to promise that he will not tell anyone about the affair.
Fiona brings Steve back to the house after their date and their kiss is interrupted by Frank, who is once again drunk. The three drink together in the living room and Frank complains that his fraudulent disability benefits are not enough, even though he only worked for the company for a week. He claims that he would get more benefits if he was a single mother instead of a single father. Frank then begins to rant about the kids' mother walking out on the family, but becomes distracted by the song that is playing. Kevin and Veronica hear the music and join them. The five adults have an impromptu dance party. Steve is not put off by the family's eccentricities and spends the night.
The next morning, Lip returns the porn folder to Ian and attempts to joke around. Ian is hesitant to connect with Lip, but Lip tells him to name a single time that Lip has let him down. Ian reveals that he has had sex with two people: Kash, and a former classmate named Roger Spikey. The two brothers banter and laugh, seeming to be on good terms again.
Fiona heads downstairs and is delighted to discover Steve making pancakes for the whole family. As the family starts to eat breakfast, Steve stares at Frank, who is passed out on the kitchen floor next to the dining table. Steve moves Frank's leg to pull out a chair, then sits down to join the Gallagher family eating breakfast.
Cast[]
Regular Cast[]
- William H. Macy - Frank Gallagher
- Emmy Rossum - Fiona Gallagher
- Justin Chatwin - Steve Wilton
- Ethan Cutkosky - Carl Gallagher
- Shanola Hampton - Veronica Fisher
- Steve Howey - Kevin Ball
- Emma Kenney - Debbie Gallagher
- Cameron Monaghan - Ian Gallagher
- Jeremy Allen White - Phillip "Lip" Gallagher
- Laura Slade Wiggins - Karen Jackson
Special Guest Star[]
Guest Cast[]
- Tyler Jacob Moore - Tony Markovich
- Joel Murray - Eddie Jackson
- Pej Vahdat - Kash
- Marguerite Moreau - Linda
Gallery[]
Notes[]
- This episode is a direct adaptation of Episode 101 of the UK version.
- It is implied in the introduction Liam is the result of his mother's affair; however, it is revealed in Nana Gallagher Had an Affair that Frank is Liam's biological father.
- Episode Runtime - 00:57:43