In episode 9, Svetlana agrees to do “throuples counseling” with Kev and V, who still don’t trust what happened with her disappeared husband, even though she thinks it’s a waste of time. But she is consistently reliable and proactive in making sure that her family comes out ok.

Has she made some questionable decisions? Absolutely. In her relationship, in her work, and in her overall life, Svetlana has managed to pick up the pieces and build. Thus far this season, Svetlana has been my personal saving grace. Frank also tries to resist Monica, but she makes it nearly impossible by hunting him down and demanding his attention. They resent their mother for her neglect and don’t do a good job of hiding it. But the oldest Gallaghers, Fiona and Lip, know better than to get too comfortable with Monica being around. Trying to make up for lost time, Monica helps Debbie get her daughter back and meets Ian’s new lover. The highlight of episode 9 was the return of Monica, the mostly absent mother of the Gallagher children and the love of Frank’s life. I guess I never knew I would miss Carl so much. Perhaps the season is moving too slowly for me, but I don’t think I need another 3 episodes to know that Lip is still struggling with alcoholism and his compulsive chivalry, that Ian is the king of misunderstandings in romantic relationships, that Frank is a parasitic bum, that Fiona wants more out of life, or that all the promise we saw in Debbie as a little girl is gone. I never thought I’d say this but Shameless is starting to feel a little stale.

When does season 7 of shameless come on