Pilot (Shameless)

"Pilot"
Shameless episode
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 1
Directed by	Mark Mylod
Written by	Paul Abbott John Wells
Produced by	Barbara A. Hall
Cinematography by	J. Michael Muro
Editing by	David Moritz
Production code	296769
Original release date	January 9, 2011 (2011-01-09)
Running time	58 minutes
Guest appearances
Joan Cusack as Sheila Jackson (special guest star) Marguerite Moreau as Linda Joel Murray as Eddie Jackson Pej Vahdat as Kash Laura Slade Wiggins as Karen Jackson

"Pilot" is the series premiere of the American television comedy drama Shameless, an adaptation of the British series of the same name. The episode was written by executive producer Paul Abbott and series developer John Wells, and directed by Mark Mylod. It originally aired on Showtime on January 9, 2011.

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.

According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.98 million household viewers and gained a 0.4/1 ratings share among adults aged 18–49, making it Showtime's biggest turnout for a series premiere since Dead Like Me in 2003. The series premiere received very positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances, tone and characters.

Plot

The pilot of the U.S. adaption of Shameless focuses on the family of alcoholic patriarch Frank Gallagher (William H. Macy), who introduces his six kids: his eldest daughter Fiona (Emmy Rossum), the extraordinarily intelligent Lip (Jeremy Allen White), the strong-hearted Ian (Cameron Monaghan), the sweet-hearted Debbie (Emma Kenney), the troublemaking and unruly Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) and baby Liam.

Fiona and her best friend Veronica Fisher (Shanola Hampton) go to a nightclub, but a man steals Fiona's purse. As they chase him, a man named Steve Wilton (Justin Chatwin) tries to catch him but fails. Despite that, he earns admiration from Fiona and Veronica after punching the security guard for not letting back into the nightclub. Steve accompanies Fiona to her house, meeting the family and Veronica's boyfriend, Kevin (Steve Howey). After everyone goes to sleep, Fiona and Steve have sex in the kitchen, but are interrupted when the police arrive to return a drunk and unconscious Frank. Noticing the family's broken washing machine, Steve attempts to impress Fiona by buying her a Samsung washing machine.

Meanwhile, Lip gets money by tutoring his promiscuous classmate Karen Jackson (Laura Slade Wiggins), and she surprises him by giving him oral sex under the kitchen table. Returning home, Lip discovers a hidden gay pornographic magazine and suspects it belongs to Ian. Lip confronts Ian over the magazine and challenges him to visit Karen and get oral sex to prove otherwise. While Karen's agoraphobic mother, Sheila (Joan Cusack), is oblivious to the event, they are discovered by Karen's father Eddie (Joel Murray). Angry, Eddie flips the table and chases Lip and Ian through the house. Lip is forced to jump off the second floor to escape, injuring himself. While visiting the local market that Ian works at, Lip is shocked to discover that Ian is having sex with his married boss, Kash (Pej Vahdat), and he chastises Ian over the affair.

Fiona and Steve go on a date, where Fiona discovers that he is actually a car thief. While surprised, she accepts his profession and they go joyriding on a stolen car. As they return home, they are confronted by Frank over the washing machine. Steve decides to stay to hang out with Frank, Fiona, Kevin and Veronica, learning more about Fiona's upbringing in the process; it is revealed that Frank's estranged wife, Monica, had run away from the family, leaving only Fiona to fend for her siblings and deal with her alcoholic father. The following morning, Lip and Ian make up, with Lip showing acceptance over Ian's sexuality. The family, joined by Steve, proceed to have breakfast, while an asleep Frank lies on the floor.

Production

Development

The episode was written by executive producer Paul Abbott and series developer John Wells, and directed by Mark Mylod. It was Abbott's first writing credit, Wells' first writing credit, and Mylod's first directing credit.

Reception

Viewers

In its original American broadcast, "Pilot" was seen by an estimated 0.98 million household viewers with a 0.4/1 in the 18–49 demographics. This means that 0.4 percent of all households with televisions watched the episode, while 1 percent of all of those watching television at the time of the broadcast watched it.

Critical reviews

"Pilot" received very positive reviews from critics. Eric Goldman of IGN gave the episode a "great" 8.5 out of 10 and wrote, "I've seen the first three episodes of Shameless and can say that the pilot is a good representation of what's to come – Abbot's history with the original means he comes into the series with a lot of confidence and knowledge on how to set the stage and introduce the characters in interesting and involving ways. Showtime has another compelling show worth checking out here."

Emily St. James of The A.V. Club gave the episode a "B" grade and wrote, "the bluster and energy here IS a lot of fun. The actors are all very good. The writing definitely apes the original, but it doesn't do too bad of a job of updating the references and colloquialisms to make the show feel as if it's taking place in Chicago. Most of all, the series has a firm sense of place and class, a sense of people who are fighting just to keep from slipping down the drain. After watching three episodes, I'm still not entirely sure what the show is supposed to be about, on a more far-reaching basis, but the almost improvisational nature of how the family at the show's center survives day to day remains compelling throughout."

Alan Sepinwall of HitFix wrote, "That's Shameless in 30 seconds or less: messy, overcrowded, unapologetically frank and, at times, darkly funny." Alexandra Peers of Vulture wrote, "At other moments, Shameless aims for a shabby grandeur, but this is no Angela's Ashes. One reason to keep watching is Cusack, as an episode guide notes she soon goes looking for her missing Ballerina Barbie."

Tim Basham of Paste wrote, "it's Rossum above everyone else who sparkles in one of those watch-out-for-her performances. From resentment to despair, to joy and anger, her range of genuine emotion is inspiring. Macy, passed out in half of his few scenes, is naturally great. And though I tuned in mainly to see him, I'll keep watching to see Rossum." Kris King of Slant Magazine wrote, "while Frank's high jinks are good for a chuckle, and his love/hate relationship with his kids speaks a lot about the complicated nature of having a down-and-out family, Shameless tries too hard to milk weighty drama from generally dull characters." Jacob Clifton of Television Without Pity gave the episode an "A+" grade.

External links

• "Pilot" at IMDb