‘Shameless’: Ian Pleads Not Guilty — Season 9 Episode 5 Recap – Hollywood Life

‘Shameless’ Recap: Ian Heads To Court & Lip Nearly Gives Into Temptation

Ian made a decision that will impact his entire future on the Oct. 7 episode of 'Shameless,' while Lip's day off led to serious temptation. Plus, Frank ended up back in the hospital and met a woman who caught his eye.

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Cameron Monaghan
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There’s a lot at stake for Ian Gallagher on Shameless. He could end up in prison for 10 years or more over blowing up the van. Fiona tags along with Ian to meet with his lawyer, and Geneva joins them. Fiona and Geneva fight over Ian. Fiona wants Ian to plead not guilty by reason of insanity, while Geneva wants him to plead guilty. Ian gets sick of Fiona’s hovering and asks her to stay out of it. Fiona goes to Debbie for help. Debbie immediately asks whether or not Fiona went “all Fiona” on him. Fiona doesn’t think that’s a thing, but it’s definitely a thing. Debbie tells Fiona that it may be time to let Ian go. He’s a grown man.

Frank passes out in the bathroom at The Alibi. Kev and V take him to the hospital where the doctor tells him that his body is rejecting his liver. He has to go on new medication. Since he has no insurance, Frank is given the generic version, which has serious side effects. One of those side effects include erectile dysfunction, which devastates Frank more than anything.

A businessman brings in a wrecked bike to the shop after street racing. When the power goes out, the guy asks Lip to join him sometime. Lip has the whole day to himself to do whatever he likes. When he gets home, he helps Carl with his clip-on tie. Lip goes for a long run to take up time, and he finds himself tempted to really start drinking again. He doesn’t give in, though. He just grabs too many cartons of cigarettes instead. He goes to an AA meeting and meets up with the street racer.

Carl heads to a West Point mixer and meets Kelly, the daughter of the major. They start hooking up, but she falls asleep on him after getting drunk. He takes a video as proof that he didn’t sleep with her, but she flips out and thinks he’s like all the rest of the boys who’ve taken advantage of her. He gets thrown out of the mixer. Later, the girl shows up at Carl’s house to give him back his phone. She now knows he didn’t take advantage of her. “You’re an officer and a gentleman, Carl Gallagher,” she says after kissing him.

Debbie tries to work things out with Alex at Patsy’s. Alex goes on and on and on and on for hours about her relationship woes. Finally, Debbie gets fed up. “You make me want cock again,” she says, before storming off.

Ian goes to see Mickey’s dad to talk about prison. Mickey’s dad tells Ian that he should run. Later, Fiona goes to the house and finds Ian’s clothes are missing, as well as black hair dye. She’s ready to form a rescue team to find Ian. Lip holds back on her. This is Ian’s decision, not Fiona’s. Ian is not her responsibility anymore. While searching for Ian, Fiona forgets Ford’s Art Institute event, and he’s not happy about it.

Frank begins to have erectile dysfunction and is willing to do anything to get his junk working again. He has Liam help with the Gallagher version of “electro shock therapy.” He ends hospitalized — again. V gives him a stern talking to about taking care of himself. A woman, played by the legendary Katey Sagal, who has had a psychotic break comes into the hospital as Frank is on his way out. Frank tries to get drugs from her, but she’s 50 shades of crazy. She nearly kills/has sex with Frank, but runs off. On the bright side, the crazy situation shows Frank that his penis can indeed work again.

Liam gets pulled into the janitor’s closet with one of his classmates, Sissy. He comes home and tells Lip, “I think I had sex with a trashy girl.” Later that same day, Sissy shows up and says she’s pregnant. Carl and Debbie stress to Liam that there’s no way he can be the father of the baby.

Before Ian heads to court, he starts thinking about all the things he’ll miss if he goes away. That gives him pause. Fiona tells him that she’ll support whatever decision he makes. Ian explains himself to the judge. He admits what he did wrong and says that he turned a “movement of love into a movement of anger.” He tells the judge that he is bi-polar and off his meds at the time, so he pleads guilty by reason of insanity. Fiona breathes a huge sigh of relief. See, they do need her!