Well, that was a satisfying conclusion to Shameless Season 8!

On Shameless Season 8 Episode 12, the characters all reached interesting stages in their lives.

While the hour did not have the finality that Shameless Season 7 Episode 12 had a year ago, it fantastic just the same. 

We already know that Shameless has been renewed for Shameless Season 9, so we can rest assured that there will be a whole lot more twists and turns for the Gallaghers to come. 

Let's start with Fiona because her storyline was comical and complex. Those people taking up residence in her apartment were horrible. They wanted to pull the long con. 

Fiona was so close to giving up, and it seemed like all of the fabulous things that happened to her were going to be written off because of the vicious tenants. 

I can't be the only one who burst out laughing when they asked for the dog back as though it was their own. Like, what the hell? They spent a few days with the animal at most. 

It's not like they could to take the dog out because they couldn't leave the apartment. Margo is one of those characters who is used sparingly, and she always has a whole lot of advice. 

Without her input, Fiona would probably be waitressing and still be aspiring to become a woman with a career in which she could progress. 

The test Margo gave her to see if she could be rattled into selling up made sense. It proved Fiona was not one to roll over and accept defeat. 

It was cruel waving money in front of their faces, but it got the result Fiona wanted. She didn't had to sell and go back to the drawing board. Wouldn't it have been anticlimactic to have her lose everything?

This whole thing should be a learning experience for eldest Gallagher sibling. If anything, this should help her make better decisions as opposed to thinking about the money first. 

Fiona and Ford are at the point in their relationship in which they needed to define what they were to each other. Fiona's been hurt in the past, and that's why she struggles to get into relationships. 

What's different about Ford is that he's a genuine, caring, and interesting man. He's the polar opposite to everyone else she's dated. 

I was hard on the pairing initially, but with the layers being peeled back recently, it's helped me better understand the relationship. 

Together, they could go very far, but I'm not going to hold my breath. Fiona deserves to find love, and I hope she's found it with Ford. 

I have to commend Lip for the way he acted throughout "Sleepwalking." Gone is the man who is self-righteous, and in his place is the man who strives to make the best decisions. 

It's doubtful that his relationship with Sierra is really over, but he was not ready to commit to her, and being open and honest about it was the best way to be. 

If you watch Shameless online, you already know that Sierra has been rather hot and cold with Lip of late. Granted, she's struggled to trust him because of the whole drinking thing, but it seems unnatural the way she is telling him she loves him already. 

She was still in a relationship with Charlie just a few episodes before. There's also the possibility that Lip knows getting into a relationship is bad for his recovery. 

That could explain why he took in Xan. He's looking for purpose and taking in a kid who has been left by her mother and aunt is a good thing to do. 

It's unclear whether Xan will be sticking around, but given that social services is involved, there's a good chance she will be long gone by the time Shameless Season 9 begins. 

But where does all of this leave Lip? He loves helping people these days, so we could see him embarking on a completely different career path. 

Then there's Ian, who will very likely be in jail for a long time. There's definitely something off about him, and there's still no solid confirmation whether that means he's off his medication. 

He could be taking his medication, but it's just no longer working for him. It's not uncommon for your body to build up a resistance to the effects of a specific medication. 

His unpredictable behavior has likely dashed any of his hopes of getting back together with Trevor, but that may be a blessing in disguise. 

The pairing lacks the spark that Ian and Mickey had for such a long time. That's not me saying Ian should sit around waiting for Mickey to return to his life again. 

In fact, I'm saying Ian needs to assess what he really wants in life and how a relationship can fit into that. In his current state of mind, the pressure of a relationship may just be too much. 

Blowing up the van on Shameless Season 8 Episode 11 was a bold and excessive move, but it won him some more followers. My one true hope is that Ian finds a way to move past the plot from Shameless Season 8 Episode 10, "The Church of Gay Jesus." 

It was fresh and thought-provoking at first, but the way it jumped from one extreme to the other felt more exploitative than informative. 

Liam really came into his own. In the past, he's been impressionable, and that's why Frank loves to have him along for the ride during his crazy money-making scams. 

Liam has it good at the school, and helping his father rob off his friend would ruin all of that. Frank should have known better and allowed Liam the option. 

It was obvious Liam was ready to break free and make decisions for himself, and I loved how he was lounging on the boat after giving Frank the wrong alarm code. 

Well played, Liam. Hopefully, this will put Frank back on the straight and narrow because he was far more interesting when he was employed and taking accountability for his actions. 

I think the Saint Francis plot was cut way too soon. We watched the character be the worst father for years, and now he's back to being that. 

There's no telling what crazy things he will get up to when the show returns, and I hope William H. Macy is given some great material to work with. 

Svetlana, Kev, and V working together to get Svetlana married for money was outstanding. Svetlana has been having an identity crisis, and all it took was one of her former workers boasting about her life for her to fall apart.

Svetlana is the type of woman who will take what she wants, and won't give up until she gets it. That's why the whole wedding plot was one of the better ones she has had during her tenure on the show. 

I do not want to be Kev and V when Svetlana learns about the prenup. What was initially supposed to be a quick marriage will likely last longer as Svetlana tries to milk the man for every dime she can get because, well, it's not like she's getting anything left to her in the will. 

"Sleepwalking" was a solid hour of this Showtime drama series. These characters are at exciting stages, and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for them. 

Other tidbits from the episode:

• Kassidi handcuffing Carl to the bed was excessive. Debbie acting casually about it while relaying her thoughts about her own life was hilarious. 

• Derek may not have been part of Franny's life at first, but it's clear he's done a whole lot of growing up since he was sent to live with family members. Debbie should allow him to be a bigger part of Franny's life. He has a good job and actually wants to be part of the kid's life. 

• Sierra needs to learn to stop bickering outside her workplace. It's so unprofessional. 

• Did anyone else get the feeling Patsy's was going to blow up when Carl made the comment about the explosives? It would have resembled a plot from the UK version of the series. 

Over to you, Shameless Fanatics. What did you think of the episode?

What plot did you like/dislike? 

Chat with me in the comments!

Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.