History Headscratchers / ShamelessUS

* Why didn't Fiona claim that Robbie was a liar and say he forced himself on her? If she truly, truly wanted to be with Mike and ''hated'' Robbie as much as she said she did, why not ruin his life that way? Then she could've saved her relationship with Mike and her family. As Robbie's own family didn't seem to like him.

* [[spoiler:Was there ever an in-universe explanation as to why Kev never filed the divorce papers from his estranged wife, which were so important back in Season 3 (other than it just being a convenient way to introduce the throuple plot)? I legitimately can't remember an explanation other than an offhand "Oh, I never filed them" three seasons later. And even if it wasn't explained in-universe, why not? It might cost some money, but a long time passed between seasons 3 and 6, and Fiona herself procured a divorce attorney relatively easily.]]

** The family would be able to live relatively comfortably for South Side if Frank didn't constantly waste the various public assistance he gets. The kids probably extracted the phones out of him as some kind of bribe for helping him out of one of his normal problems. Given how according to Lip he spends about seven hundred dollars on liquor a month, it's not out of the question they extract phone bills out of that as needed. Especially because he doesn't keep very good track of his own money. Or conceivably Jimmy/Steve got them as birthday gifts and has been paying for the plans himself, given how it's basically his belief that he can spend his way into their hearts.

* In the American series, how can they afford for every kid to have an iPhone? Fiona received an iPhone from Jimmy/Steve in Season 1. Lip received an iPhone from Amanda in Season 4. With Ian off on his own and supporting himself, we can probably safely assume that he bought it himself and is on an independent plan. But Debbie and Carl make no sense. An iPhone with a plan, as Debbie and Carl each seem to have, assuming they bought the cheapest ones on the market and added it onto Fiona and Lip's plan, would probably cost $200 right off the bat and an extra $40-$100 a month on the cell phone bill. Unless they text and call a lot, disposable flip phones that can be bought at convenience stores and filled with minutes and data as needed would still be economical.

* In the American series, how can they afford for every kid to have an iPhone? Fiona was explained in Jimmy/Steve giving it to her. Lip received an iPhone from Amanda in Season 4 and he's the second oldest and right behind Fiona in taking care of everybody. With Ian off on his own and supporting himself, we can probably safely assume that he bought it himself and is on an independent plan. But Debbie and Carl make no sense. An iPhone with a plan, as Debbie and Carl each seem to have, assuming they bought the cheapest ones on the market and added it onto Fiona and Lip's plan, would probably cost $200 right off the bat and an extra $40-$100 a month on the cell phone bill. Unless they text and call A LOT, disposable flip phones that can be bought at connivence stores and filled with minutes and data as needed would still be economical.
** It's implied fairly often the family would be able to live relatively comfortably (for South Side) if Frank didn't constantly waste the various public assistance he gets. The kids probably extracted the phones out of him as some kind of bribe for helping him out of one of his normal problems. Given how according to Lip he spends about seven hundred dollars on liquor a month it's not out of the question they extract phone bills out of that as needed. Especially because he doesn't keep very good track of his own money. Or conceivably Jimmy/Steve got them as birthday gifts and has been paying for the plans himself given how it's basically his belief that he can spend his way into their hearts.

** Really the whole thing was unnecessary but at the same time it also makes sense that these characters wouldn't know that and would focus on these things. In the end what really mattered more was that Frank was basically okay with selling Liam to them in exchange for the settlement. The court stuff didn't even really end up mattering because it was more about convincing Monica to not try to take Liam. In court she'd probably end up getting him but it never came to that. Just because we never got the scene of Bob flabbergasted they were going to court still even though "he wasn't Frank's kid" doesn't mean it wouldn't have happened.
* In the American series, how can they afford for every kid to have an iPhone? Fiona was explained in Jimmy/Steve giving it to her. If they were able to afford to get another, Lip would likely be next in line, he's the second oldest and right behind Fiona in taking care of everybody. With Ian off on his own and supporting himself, we can probably safely assume that he bought it himself and is on an independent plan. But Debbie and Carl make no sense. An iPhone with a plan, as Debbie and Carl each seem to have, assuming they bought the cheapest ones on the market and added it onto Fiona and Lip's plan, would probably cost $200 right off the bat and an extra $40-$100 a month on the cell phone bill. Unless they text and call A LOT, disposable flip phones that can be bought at connivence stores and filled with minutes and data as needed would still be economical.

* Season 1, Episode 10 (the American series): [[spoiler: Bob's scheme to take Liam away by proving Liam's true ancestry was doomed to failure, no matter the results of the DNA test. Illinois is a "presumptive paternity" state (like 47 other states), meaning if a woman has a baby while she's married, her husband is the father, regardless of whether or not he actually sired the child. While this particular law is intended to serve a different purpose (ensuring a divorced father remains obligated to care for children he'd previously accepted), it would also preserve Frank's parental rights if it had turned out Liam truly was some other dude's biological son. That's not to say a family court wouldn't have sided with Bob and Monica anyway, but the DNA test would not have empowered them to bypass the court battle the way Bob was convinced it would.]]

* In the American series, how can they afford for every kid to have an iPhone? Fiona was explained in Steve/Jimmy giving it to her. If they were able to afford to get another, Lip would likely be next in line, he's the second oldest and right behind Fiona in taking care of everybody. With Ian off on his own and supporting himself, we can probably safely assume that he bought it himself and is on an independent plan. But Debbie and Carl make no sense. An iPhone with a plan, as Debbie and Carl each seem to have, assuming they bought the cheapest ones on the market and added it onto Fiona and Lip's plan, would probably cost $200 right off the bat and an extra $40-$100 a month on the cell phone bill. Unless they text and call A LOT, disposable flip phones that can be bought at connivence stores and filled with minutes and data as needed would still be economical.
** It's implied fairly often the family would be able to live relatively comfortably (for south side) if Frank didn't constantly waste the various public assistance he gets. The kids probably extracted the phones out of him as some kind of bribe for helping him out of one of his normal problems. Given how according to Lip he spends about seven hundred dollars on liquor a month it's not out of the question they extract phone bills out of that as needed. Especially because he doesn't keep very good track of his own money. Or conceivably Steve got them as birthday gifts and has been paying for the plans himself given how it's basically his belief that h can spend his way into their hearts.

* In the American series, how can they afford for every kid to have an iPhone? Fiona was explained in Steve/Jimmy giving it to her. If they were able to afford to get another, Lip would likely be next in line, he's the second oldest and right behind Fiona in taking care of everybody. With Ian off on his own and supporting himself, we can probably safely assume that he bought it himself and is on an independent plan. But Debbie and Carl make no sense. An iPhone with a plan, as Debbie and Carl each seem to have, assuming they bought the cheapest ones on the market and added it onto Fiona and Lip's plan, would probably cost $200 right off the bat and an extra $40-$100 a month on the cell phone bill. Unless they text and call A LOT, disposable flip phones that can be bought at connivence stores and filled with minutes and data as needed would still be economical.