Ep 1. Episode 1

In Shameless season 2 episode 1, viewers are thrust back into the raucous world of the Gallagher family. The episode begins with Frank Gallagher (William H. Macy) lying in a hospital bed, delirious and suffering from a mysterious illness. Meanwhile, his estranged wife Monica (Chloe Webb) returns to the family home after a long absence, throwing the already chaotic Gallagher household into even more disarray.

As the Gallagher siblings struggle to care for Frank and deal with Monica's erratic behavior, they each face their own struggles. Lip (Jeremy Allen White) must decide whether to stay in school or drop out to support his family, while Ian (Cameron Monaghan) grapples with his sexuality and his forbidden relationship with a married man. Debbie (Emma Kenney) takes on more responsibility in the household, while Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) becomes increasingly troublesome and rebellious.

Meanwhile, Fiona (Emmy Rossum) is dealing with her own romantic troubles. After breaking up with Steve (Justin Chatwin) at the end of season 1, she finds herself drawn to his bad boy brother Tony (Tyler Jacob Moore), who offers her a job at his club. But as she struggles to balance her new job with caring for her family, Fiona realizes that Tony may not be the kind of guy she wants to get involved with.

The episode also introduces several new characters, including Sheila (Joan Cusack), a lonely agoraphobe who becomes infatuated with Frank, and Jimmy's (Steve Kazee) parents, who are wealthy and disapproving of Steve's relationship with Fiona.

Throughout the episode, the themes of family, loyalty, and survival are explored in both comic and dramatic moments. Despite the chaos and dysfunction of the Gallagher household, there is a deep sense of love and loyalty that ties the family together. As the episode comes to a close, viewers are left with a sense of anticipation for the events to come in the rest of the season.