'Shameless' Episode 12 - Lip and Tami have a serious problem that's only been delayed and they need to TALK
Spoiler alert for 'Gallavich' - Season 10, Episode 12 of 'Shameless'
The relationship troubles between Lip (Jeremy Allen White) and Tami (Kate Miner) came to a head this episode, with Tami taking Freddie out of the RV to move to Milwaukee with or without Lip coming along. Lip is at the end of the rope because leaving the South Side is apparently not something he's going to budge on.
It makes sense that Lip is so reluctant to leave. Putting aside the concerns about his support system and his alcoholism, Lip has always been at a loss when he's tried to live a life outside the South Side. This season finale highlights that best - he's been lost trying to find a way to make things work between him and Tami, but the very second his family needs him, he leads the charge for an elaborate heist of a wedding venue with barely a thought. The challenges of his home are like second nature to him. He's not like Fiona (Emmy Rossum), who has been working towards a better life for herself right from day 1. The only time Lip has ever even been tempted to leave is when the way out was all but paved for him - first with his college scholarship, and now with the free Milwaukee house. He's fully aware of the terrible conditions of his life, but for Lip, there's no other.
Lip was born into that life, however, and he's had his entire life to grow into it. It is not what Tami signed on for, however. Expecting her to embrace that life is by no means a fair request, especially not when she has such a workable option in Milwaukee. Lip and Tami love each other but they are mired in very different lives, and parts of very different families. As much love as Tami has for the rest of the Gallaghers, the kind of life they lead is not something anyone should have to live with unless they really, really want to.
Relationships are about compromise, but there's a limit to that - especially when there's no clear middle ground. After the stress of their argument led Lip to fall off the wagon, a concerned Tami seems to be staying, for now. It's unclear whether she's staying for good, or if she can't bring herself to leave Lip until she knows he'll be okay. It's not a conversation they have. It's not the kind of conversation they appear to be very good at having. It's not until he's absolutely forced to that Lip puts his foot down about not leaving the South Side, and the conversations they're NOT having are going to rip the two apart.
Unless Tami has given up on the idea of a better life, there's a major unresolved issue between the two that's always been at the heart of 'Shameless' as a theme - can life ever get any better than this? It's hopefully a question that gets looked at in the show's upcoming final season.
Season 11 of 'Shameless' is expected to air in June, 2020.