On the one hand, Sonia really fantastically outlines a lot of the things that make Shameless so superb while pointing out some weak spots (why is Sheila still on this show?).

Yes to the crying! The subtlety with which the show treats Pete's trauma is what makes it so effective, I think—you're not beat over the head with it, but you know what he's been through, so that last line of the episode is like a punch in the gut.

I completely agree with Caroline—Megan Follows ups Alan Van Sprang's game by 1000%. I usually have no patience for Henry, but the Great Cover-Up of 2014/1558 was easily my favorite thing this show has ever done. It was just so much FUN, which the love triangle has never been and never will be. More of that, less of…

Yes yes yes that kiss in the club was so fantastic. The look on Mickey's face when he understands there's nothing to be afraid of here was pure perfection. Noel Fisher is really hitting it out of the park this season.

I agree 100% with Caroline that Mary and Bash don't work as a couple, but MY GOD Francis is a tool. Pausing in the process of boning Mary (though, frankly, I feel like the actual ceremony would have involved little-to-no foreplay, like, get this show on the road, guys) to actually smirk at Bash was an action almost…

Agreed. Lola has made some questionable decisions, but she has been useful in the past, and Anna Popplewell is a solid performer. Kenna isn't just the worst—she's boring, which is the greatest sin you can commit in a soap opera.

This episode was ROUGH. The thing that gets me is that Torrance Coombs has been good on this show in the past, but my God he was about as lively as a cardboard cutout in this episode. It may have just been the writing though—even Catherine was sort of boring, and I didn't know that was possible.

God damn it. That's all I've got. This sucks, and the idea that I (and the rest of the world) won't have PSH performances to look forward to for decades to come just feels so wrong.

I never thought The Middle would make me cry, but as a girl who always worshiped her older brother (who I have grown apart from now that we live on different continents), the Sue/Axl material just hit too close to home. It was just wonderful.

Oh, I absolutely recognized Savant. Or should I say Henry, who once justified cheating on his girlfriend (or maybe just dumping her, I forget which) by explaining that it's really stressful being Filipino.

From the ages of nine to sixteen, I had an enormous crush on Perrin. He was such a nice boy! But after the ten trillionth time he had a hissy fit at Berelain during the never-ending search for Faile (which was understandable emotionally but just such a drag to read), I switched my favorite-male-character allegiances…

The entire time I was watching Secret Garden, all I could think was how ridiculous it was, independent of the body-switching (his sequined track suits! and the time he does sexy sit-ups! everything that Oska does and wears!), but I also could not stop watching. It is infectiously enjoyable—and Ha Ji-won is just…

I definitely second the recommendation of Nodame Cantabile, though I would possibly advocate the anime over than the live-action drama. Though the musical aspects are much better-done in the drama (they clearly cared about making it look like the actors really were playing/conducting, which is nice, while the anime…

Personally, I think you won't have any trouble understanding or enjoying anything that's going on. There are maybe a couple of in-jokes tying back to aSoUE, but they're so miniscule that you won't really be missing anything.

Personally, I think you won't have any trouble understanding or enjoying anything that's going on. There are maybe a couple of in-jokes tying back to aSoUE, but they're so miniscule that you won't really be missing anything.