Shameless: The Complete Fourth Season Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Shameless: The Complete Fourth Season Blu-ray Movie Review

“Is this family ever going to catch a break?”

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown January 4, 2015

The real question is, should they? The answer, as Season Four seems to make abundantly clear, is no. The Gallaghers shouldn't get a free pass, a get-out-of-jail card, or TV exoneration. Like 'em, love 'em or loathe 'em, the Gallaghers are only entertaining because we know they aren't real. If you knew anyone like Frank and his kids, you'd keep your distance and warn your children not to go near any one of them. But this isn't reality. This is Shameless, a four, soon-to-be five-season Showtime survivor that somehow continues to surprise and delight no matter how dark or deviant it becomes. And oh, how far Season Four descends into darkness and deviance. Farther than ever before, and with a more shocking disregard for decency, a more rebellious rejection of good taste, and -- brace for the twist -- a more moving, heart-wrenching sense of tragedy, comedy and drama than the series has ever delivered. Shameless's latest 12-episode stretch still offers plenty of big laughs. Fear not, apologists. But the show is finally beginning to take its premise as seriously as it should. The results are much more powerful and engrossing than I ever expected, and that's coming from someone who, midway through Season Three, was tempted to walk away and abandon the Gallaghers for good.

Season Four of 'Shameless' finds the Gallaghers braving another brutal Chicago winter and waiting on the medical fate of their flawed and permanently pickled patriarch, Frank (William H. Macy), who soon finds himself dying, desperate for a liver transplant. With oldest daughter Fiona (Emmy Rossum) in a stable job and relationship, and newly graduated Lip (Jeremy Allen White) enrolled in college, it seems like the Gallaghers might finally have a shot at happiness and realize the middle class American dream. But with Ian (Cameron Monaghan) still missing, Debbie (Emma Kenney) and Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) dealing with adolescent hormones (or lack thereof) and neighbors Kev (Steve Howey) and Veronica (Shanola Hampton) pregnant with multiple babies, moving up isn't so easy. At least not when you're down and out.

It's been a struggle to warm to the Gallaghers. Shameless has done its best to lure viewers in with hilarity and boundary-breaking hijinks, but at the end of the day, I can't stand Frank. I've spent three seasons wanting nothing more than to see him punished. For the universe to finally take a real swing at one of the worst TV patriarchs on record. That moment arrives in large part with Season Four, but with a catch: while Frank finds himself on the receiving end of moral comeuppance, the harshest consequences fall on the shoulders of his children. And as much as they try to stand strong against the onslaught, the weight of it all breaks them. One by one. Do they deserve it? Sure. But a deep sadness runs through Season Four; an unshakeable, unmistakable injustice, just as Frank faces a shred of justice. The Gallagher kids may be old enough to chart their own courses (well, most of them), but they're a product of Frank, and much of the blame sits squarely with him. The thrust of the season revolves around how much of Frank is in each of his children. How close will Fiona come to inheriting her father's mantle before realizing a change is necessary? Or will she? Will anything prevent the seemingly inevitable? Is Fiona bound to evolve into Frank 2.0?

As Fiona reels, the rest of the Gallagher clan lose the closest thing to a rock they had. Lip remains steadier than the others, but even he begins to get tossed about. In Ian, we see a glimpse of Frank's dead wife, and possibly the part of her most influenced by her husband. Debbie and Carl make hard transitions and fail, again and again, to make any headway or to learn anything of merit. While little Liam is throw to the wolves in an episode that serves as a catalyst to everything that follows. Hopping from Gallagher to Gallagher, seeing what trouble they find themselves in and how they worm their way out, is at long last more than a guilty pleasure. It's full of meaningful, gripping stuff that not only grants each son or daughter a worthwhile arc, but gives the actors meaty, scene-stealing dramatic material to work with. The fourth season isn't full of shock-n-awe gimmicks. Those elements remain, but they're granted more significance, and with that significance more substance.

Shameless: The Complete Fourth Season features twelve episodes spread across two BD-50 discs:

• Simple Pleasures: As we catch up with the Gallagher clan, Fiona is dividing her time between caring for the household and working at Worldwide Cup with her boss/boyfriend Mike Pratt. While her job and relationship are going smoothly, life at home is thrown into a state of upheaval with the reappearance of a drug-addled and deathly ill Frank. With Lip off at college and Ian still missing, Fiona attempts to connect with Debbie and Carl, who are dealing with the upheaval of their adolescent hormones (or lack thereof).
• My Oldest Daughter: Fiona begins to enjoy the perks of living life just above the poverty line. She uses her newly activated health benefits to take the kids for checkups. However, when a road rage incident damages the company car, Fiona tells a much bigger lie about how it happened. Meanwhile, Lip seems to have lost his mojo as he struggles in school and with the ladies.
• Like Father, Like Daughter: Frank stalks his previously unseen daughter, Sammi, and is surprised to find out she has a son, Chuck. Meanwhile, Fiona and Mike are getting serious. Also, Carl begins stealing dogs and holding them for ransom so that he can earn some drug money for Frank. Sheila has her first successful online date with Native American cowboy Roger Running Tree.
• Strangers on a Train: Against her better judgment, Fiona continues her secret affair with Robbie. But the situation nearly boils over when Mike shows up at Robbie's apartment while Fiona's inside. Frank, in increasingly dire health straits due to liver disease, attempts to contrive an "accident" that will provide an ample insurance payout to cover the cost of a potential transplant.
• There's the Rub: Fiona's series of bad decisions involving Robbie finally boil over. Frank and Sammi continue their pursuit of curing his liver trouble, while also catching up on the father-daughter time that Sammi has always craved. Lip gets a surprise visit at college from Army investigators.
• Iron City: The aftermath of Liam's accident lands Fiona in county jail, unsure of Liam's condition or her future. The family, minus Frank, waits nervously for any update on Liam's status at the hospital. Meanwhile, after almost being killed by the sweat lodge, Frank wakes up in the emergency room and gets some sobering news about his declining health.
• A Jailbird, Invalid, Martyr, Cutter, Retard, and Parasitic Twin: The Gallagher clan deals with some changing dynamics in the aftermath of Fiona's release from jail. With Fiona under court order to remain inside the house and Frank's illness keeping him out of commission, the weight of guardianship duties falls squarely on Lip's shoulders. Simultaneously struggling to keep up with responsibilities at school, he gets some unexpected assistance from Amanda, his roommate's girlfriend.
• Hope Springs Paternal: Fiona prepares for a visit from her probation officer and must rid the house of all suspicious items, a mission that puts her directly at odds with Debbie and Carl. Meanwhile, Ian gets kicked out of Mickey's house by a hammer-wielding Svetlana, and finally makes his long-awaited return to the Gallagher house.
• The Legend of Bonnie and Carl: In detention, Carl shares a connection with a troubled girl named Bonnie. Lip grows close to his roommate's now ex-girlfriend, while Debbie sets out to make life miserable for the new girl in Matty's life. Sheila returns from her trip to the reservation with big plans to adopt the Native American kids. Fiona experiences the struggles of job-hunting with a criminal record, while Mickey ignores the birth of his son to spend time with Ian, whose behavior is becoming increasingly erratic.
• Liver, I Hardly Know Her: Fiona goes off the rails, violating multiple terms of her probation by partying with Robbie's degenerate friends. When the family doesn't hear from her, it sends them into search-party mode - not too unlike their past experiences with Frank.
• Emily: Fiona is hauled away to a correctional facility as Frank wakes up from his operation suffering from post-operative delirium. Meanwhile, Ian decides to crash Mickey's son's christening with an ultimatum. And when Amanda's parents bribe Lip to stay away from their daughter, Lip makes a decision that he hopes will help the family. Plus, Debbie meets an older student - who has a dark ulterior motive. Oh, and DCFS makes an unexpected visit.
• Lazarus: Sheila fights for custody of the Native American kids and clashes with Sammi about where they will all live once Frank is released. Lip catches up on bills with the money he got from Amanda's parents. Fiona, meanwhile, passes a drug test, gets sprung from jail and lands a job at Patsy's Pies with the help of her parole officer. Also, a more cognizant Frank begins to feel like his old, troubled self.

Shameless: The Complete Fourth Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Blu-ray release of Shameless: The Complete Third Season suffered from poor contrast; a glaring authoring issue that hindered black depth, skewed color accuracy and presented a bleached, washed out image that was actually bested by its Digital HD counterpart. Fortunately, The Complete Fourth Season appears to be back on track, with no such problems to report. Black levels are quite satisfying, contrast is strong and consistent (barring select stylistic choices by the showrunners), and colors are faithful to the series cinematographers' intentions. Skintones remain pale but are nicely saturated, and primaries, while not exactly punchy, are able-bodied. Detail is impressive too, even if the show doesn't revel in crisp close-ups or razor-sharp photography. Edges are well-defined and free of ringing, fine textures are carefully resolved, and delineation is decidedly decent. There also aren't any serious instances of macroblocking, banding or aliasing, making the Blu-ray release of Season Four one of the series' best.

Shameless: The Complete Fourth Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Comparable to previous seasons, The Complete Fourth Season boasts by a raw but refined DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track that latches onto every drunken wail, disgusted sigh, exhale of ecstasy and throaty bark of triumph that escapes the Gallagher clan's lips. Low-end output is hearty and healthy, investing the full weight of the LFE channel into whatever trouble Frank lands. The rear speakers follow suit, embracing the sonic subtleties of Canaryville's snow-dusted streets, South Side's crowded bars, and every unsavory locale, cramped apartment and streetside hotspot. Interiors boast terrific acoustics as well, exteriors are packed with ambient flourishes, and the soundfield is wonderfully immersive. Dialogue doesn't disappoint either. Voices are crisp and clear, lines are never lost in the pandemonium, and quieter scenes are as carefully prioritized as louder sequences. There are only a few mishaps here and there, each of which traces back to the show's rough-n-ready sound design.

Shameless: The Complete Fourth Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Three half-baked bonuses are available -- two featurettes, "Being Gallagher" and "Shameless Neighbors," and a collection of Deleted Scenes -- all of which is presented in HD. Also included is a 3-disc DVD copy of the fourth season, as well as a Digital HD digital copy code.

Shameless: The Complete Fourth Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Season Four marks the series' best since its first, as well as an evolution in the Gallagher's story. Shock no longer trumps substance, gimmicks no longer rule the show, and the actors deliver their finest performances to date. If Season Five stays on target, Shameless might obtain something I didn't think possible: a legacy. Warner's Blu-ray release is excellent too -- with a strong, almost remarkable AV presentation -- minus the season's small supplemental package, which, without commentaries, disappoints. No matter. If you have any love for Shameless, be sure to pick up The Complete Fourth Season. You won't regret it.