I really like your points about the "talk to them" motif of the episode. I hadn't thought about it before now, but it works really well. I esp think it fits in with the way the show seems to be interested in sparking this conversation on a national level. I think there could be a running theme throughout these first 4…

I thought the same thing about Taylor being forced to be there.

I hadn't thought about the coach being gay too, but I think you make really good points. I would say that if they went that way, it could feel like there were just too many closeted gay people in this one story, but that doesn't detract from the validity of these points at all.

This is accurate, and I've been feeling the same way about the male aspect of the storyline, but I would also point out that women have just as many problems being believed when they report rape too. It's something I wish the show would nod to, however subtly, because it's just as important.

I was curious about this meeting as well. I thought at first that the guy who came over was a regular or something, but then Eric's reaction to not wanting to do anything other than kiss made me think he was maybe someone he'd found on grindr or something, invited over, and it was just a one time thing? And that would…

Yes, this is exactly what I'm thinking!

Agreed. That was my thought exactly during that scene.

You and I are 100% in the same boat. I couldn't get past the pilot last year either. It just didn't feel anywhere near as organic, or important, as this season does. But by God, this season is blowing my expectations out of the water. It's the only show I can't help but to watch live.

I said during the first episode that I thought it might have initially been consensual between the boys and Taylor was saying rape mostly to get his mother off his back. I'm not backing down on that here, but I'm also not willing to say that what happened wasn't rape either. The show is mentioning the issue of…

Oh ok, so presumably someone could have gone to Patrick and offered to buy the house he owns in this up and coming neighborhood, and that would result in them getting evicted? That makes more sense. Though I can't foresee any way for them to get out of it if that's the case. I'm far more curious about this storyline…

Saying that the eviction makes sense on a story level is something I'm not so sure about. Is it that we're supposed to believe that Fiona et al are behind on rent again and therefore are about to be kicked out? Because we haven't seen the struggling to pay bills storyline in long enough that I don't think it's an…

The thing is, I actually agree with you. Growing up gay and black and in the church, I certainly saw a lot of homophobia first hand, but I don't think it was disproportionate to the homophobia just everywhere else in the world. My statement was more about the media's reaction and response to such things.

I certainly agree with you that the distinction between Michael and Terri is at play here. I think the show has done a fairly good job of showing the two of them as being well matched but still different people, and I think this scene helps to ram that point home.

I find Regina King's character to be fascinating! I'm on board with what the show is doing with her, but I keep wondering just how much sympathy we're supposed to have for her in the end. Whatever the answer, I will say that book-ending the episode with her turning down one black woman's plea for help and then making…

I've watched it all, so Spoilers Abound; read at your own risk.

The ending was the absolute worst! I'm with you 100% on this one. I felt bad because I wanted to love it so much.

I think we can all agree that when Kevin and V have the most grounded and thematically resonant storyline of an episode, Shameless has a serious problem.

Sense8?!?!! Really nothing about Sense8? C'mon, Netflix! I can only re-watch the first season so many times!

I'm not a fan of either team, so I don't have skin in this game. But from my perspective, the problem with the analysis is how one-sided it's been in favor of the Steelers. Or, as you point out, in favor of the Bengals when it's coming from their own sources. Neither of these teams are innocent in this. Burfict's hit…

Nah, I must've missed it. Though, to be fair, I haven't been looking at any Cincy-centric analysis of the game. Mostly just reports on nfl or espn.com. And those guys are acting like nothing happened before the two 15 yard penalties against the Bengals.