I’m tired.

You could tell me Lip was being an asshole for not running over to the Milkovich house with Monica’s lithium after Fiona told him about Ian’s bipolar condition, I would say By Jove! The show did not get canceled! This isn’t the last episode, that wasn’t the end. I could understand that heated reaction if it were, because you didn’t get to see them literally help Ian get better and the fruits of that fair labor, but as it stands that the show will go on, I think you shouldn’t assume they’ve “let Ian down” (I really hate that expression; don’t you actually mean you think they’ve let *you* down as a viewer? Separate opinion from fact, please.), especially for having that moment in front of the house. You could tell me that you can’t trust what they did afterwards, that you didn’t see the proof on screen so it doesn’t count, and I’d say…

Do you observe and practice narrative continuity when you watch tv?

I mean, spanning all seasons and all scenes. Because even if this show got canceled right at that very moment I would still have good reason to believe, based on all the interactions the Gallaghers have had that were put on screen and implied off screen, they would be involved with Ian’s rehabilitation. My gut says of course they would. (My gut is also very hungry.)

Do you really think they don’t care about Ian? You really think they’ve washed their hands of this situation, because Mickey so gallantly stepped in? You’ve seen those spoiler pictures of Fiona and Ian jogging together, right? Were you surprised, because you really thought Fiona couldn’t be bothered to give a shit anymore? You may have wanted to jump to that conclusion because you’ve already interpreted both Lip and Fiona’s inaction at the start of the season as apparent lack of concern for Ian. That they didn’t care enough to at least file a missing person’s report. But I’m guessing Fiona and Lip are not fond of going to the cops for help, which even and perhaps especially Mickey would agree with. Fiona and Lip also have a history of trusting Ian to do the right thing, of feeling like they did not need to worry that much about Ian (like when Ian was staying out all night with Ned). If they got a sparing text from Ian saying he was having fun and he was doing alright, they’re still going to be worried but they’d worry a lot less. Perhaps that’s the tragedy of verisimilitude for a conscientious middle child. That’s not all neglect; there’s definitely an element of deep trust in that reaction too. Have a little faith in Fiona and Lip. Ian probably does.