"Carl's First Sentencing" is the ninth episode of the fifth season of the American television comedy drama Shameless, an adaptation of the British series of the same name.
The series is set on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, and depicts the poor, dysfunctional family of Frank Gallagher, a neglectful single father of six: Fiona, Phillip, Ian, Debbie, Carl, and Liam.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 1.62 million household viewers and gained a 0.8 ratings share among adults aged 18–49.
Frank (William H. Macy) visits the hospital to check his gunshot wound, but his doctor, Bianca (Bojana Novakovic), is unable to properly work and leaves.
Frank takes her to the Alibi Room to console her; Bianca expresses that she wasted her life in just education and never having fun, and wants to try new things before dying.
Lip (Jeremy Allen White) attends a new critical theory class, where he gets into a conflict with his new professor, Helene (Sasha Alexander).
During this, Kevin (Steve Howey) gets the "Rape Walker" nickname after he helps female students in reaching their dorm rooms safely, and he seizes the opportunity to have sex with the sober women who seduce him.
Given that season five has been characterized by false starts and meandering detours, "Carl's First Sentencing" feels like a refreshing return to form in some spots, and like a retread in others.
"[4] Marc Snetiker of Entertainment Weekly wrote "Ian has come around to taking medication, but his heart sinks when the nurse tells him that he'll need to aggressively treat his condition for the next 30 to 40 years.
The low key nature of the direction, how every setting from near the lake where Frank shouts at God, to the holding cell where Fiona talks to Carl are all bathed in gray, certainly doesn't help with the lifeless feeling of the episode.
[...] It was hard not to feel for this young woman whose entire world was just upended and honestly if she was hoping to experience a day of unexpected firsts, Frank Gallagher truly is the best tour guide to have.