A good part of “Frank The Plank” depends on how much you care about Frank. He’s missing, and his sons and daughters frantically look for him. That may be understandable if Frank were useful in some way, but in the first two episodes, he hasn’t done anything. Instead of taking care of his kids–or even trying–he gets drunk and is passed out most of the time. He’s the biological father, but he’s far from the acting father. If Shameless is supposed to be about familial bonds, shouldn’t there be an implicit understanding that family goes beyond simple bloodlines? Why is he important?
The other characters try their hardest to survive, whether it’s stealing, doing a nude show on webcam, or cutting coupons, but all Frank does is call his disability check and hit the bar, contributing little to the family. Until Frank stops being a useless drunk, there’s hardly any value in his character.
Score: 8.3/10
