The Ian And Frank Deleted Scene That Shameless Fans Wanted In The Show
It's hard to find a family as messed up as the Gallaghers from Shameless. They're a blown-out-of-proportion version of what extreme poverty does to the people who can't escape it. But, hey, they're pretty funny at times. The writing on the show is witty, the characters are intense and unique, and the storyline weaves in and out of dramatic situations that a lot of us can relate to. Take this one deleted scene between Ian and Frank from season 3 episode 10 that fans wish was in the show.
William H. Macy brings Frank Gallagher to life in ways that make us love to hate him. Frank is an alcoholic swindler and the fallen patriarch of the Gallagher family. He'll screw anyone over to make a buck as long as he doesn't have to work for it, and that includes his own friends and family. He loves his drugs and couldn't care less about his own children, of which he has at least six. Frank wasn't exactly an absentee father. He lived with the family after his wife, Monica (Chloe Webb), took off, but he didn't raise them. That was left up to the eldest sibling, Fiona (Emmy Rossum). His children developed such a hate for him that they once threw him into Lake Michigan hoping to get rid of him for good. The times he shows any genuine love or concern for his kids are few and far between — or, apparently, deleted.
A wholesome scene you can only find on DVD
Ian is one of the middle-ish Gallagher children. Though he finds out toward the end of season 1 that he's actually Frank's brother's kid, he considers Frank to be his father. He's also the first openly gay character in the main cast of Shameless. His preferences are clear from the beginning, but he doesn't officially come out until the season one finale.
The lost clip shows Ian running into Frank at a gay bar. Ian is shocked, and Frank is drunk, obviously. Frank seems genuinely excited for the first time in, well, the entirety of the show to see his son. The audience is wondering what Frank's ulterior motive is. He pulls Ian up to the bar and tries to order him a drink and a man. Ian tries to leave, also suspecting Frank of having an ulterior motive, but Frank stops him and solemnly says, "No bull****. I get it. I get it. The gay thing." Ian takes his seat next to Frank while he explains, wrongly, how he gets it. Ian is basically rolling his eyes about the whole situation. It might not seem like much, but it's one of the few times Frank tries to connect with one of his children, and fans wish it was in the show.
"What a shame this wasn't in the show," says Reddit user garnet_is_square. u/Fntyhub echoes a similar sentiment by saying, "I really hate how they cut all the good scenes!"
Unfortunately, this rare moment of Frank's humanity can't be found on Netflix, though Reddit users claim it can be found on the DVD, because it was cut from the show, removing with it any lingering trace of Frank's ability to be a father.