<Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This section's plot summaries may be too long or excessively detailed . Please help improve them by removing unnecessary details and making them more concise . (September 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This section's plot summaries may be too long or excessively detailed . Please help improve them by removing unnecessary details and making them more concise . (September 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <Table> <Tr> <Th> No . overall </Th> <Th> No. in season </Th> <Th> Title </Th> <Th> Directed by </Th> <Th> Written by </Th> <Th> Original air date </Th> <Th> US viewers (millions) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 37 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> "Simple Pleasures" </Td> <Td> John Wells </Td> <Td> John Wells </Td> <Td> January 12, 2014 (2014 - 01 - 12) </Td> <Td> 1.69 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="7"> Liam can walk and talk minimally, but this is irrelevant to the family . Debbie is starting to blossom, physically and emotionally . Fiona is three months into a corporate job and is semi-dating her boss, Mike, but they are flirting with an affair . Sheila does maintenance and cleaning at the Gallagher's house in goodwill . Lip starts classes at Chicago Polytechnic, living on campus and working at the college's cafeteria . Carol is charging Kev with many pregnancy - related bills . Frank is found by police nearly unconscious in a drug house and is left at home with Sheila and Carl . They bathe him and put him in bed to recover . Fiona reprimands Carl for obsessing over Frank's deteriorating liver and Carl goes out of his way to find him a new liver . Frank teaches Carl that he is physically addicted to alcohol, but coughs blood when he drinks it, so he convinces Carl to improvise administering the wine through a douche tube . Mickey has become a wannabe pimp and mafia Don . Ian is missing and Mickey pretends to not care about him . Stan, the owner of the bar managed by Kev, dies at the nursing home . Carl starts to have nocturnal emissions and Frank teaches him about masturbation before sleep to avoid this . Veronica discovers she is pregnant with triplets and askes her mom to abort . She informs Kev about the pregnancy, and he enjoys the news of four upcoming babies . Debbie befriends a 20 - year - old pizza - delivering bachelor . Fiona finally has sex with Mike, but doesn't seem very satisfied by it . Mickey tries to masturbate while looking at a photo of Ian, but his frustration has him punch the bathroom's mirror, bloodying his hand . Lip gets a D on his English paper and confronts the teacher's assistant who gave him the bad grade, and is told that he needs to work harder . Frank reveals he has an older daughter named Samantha, also known as Sammi . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 38 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> "My Oldest Daughter" </Td> <Td> Mimi Leder </Td> <Td> Nancy M. Pimental </Td> <Td> January 19, 2014 (2014 - 01 - 19) </Td> <Td> 1.60 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="7"> Fiona begins to enjoy the perks of living life just above the poverty line . She uses her newly activated health benefits to take the kids for checkups . However, when a road rage incident damages the company car, Fiona lies to Mike about how it happened . Frank stakes out Sammi's trailer with Carl . Meanwhile, Lip seems to have lost his mojo as he struggles in school and with the ladies . It turns out Stan left Kev the Alibi Room in his will, fulfilling Kev's dream, but the books show the place is deep in debt . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 39 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> "Like Father, Like Daughter" </Td> <Td> Sanaa Hamri </Td> <Td> Sheila Callaghan </Td> <Td> January 26, 2014 (2014 - 01 - 26) </Td> <Td> 1.83 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="7"> Fiona has dinner with Mike's family and meets his self - proclaimed' life addict' brother Robbie . Sheila looks for love through an online Christian dating service . In an attempt to make some money, Carl steals various dogs around the neighborhood and holds them ransom . Lip continues to struggle in college and finds himself cracking under the pressure . A disheartened Mickey tries to mask his pain with alcohol and sex, while Veronica and Kev desperately try to make more money in preparation for their four children . Frank meets eldest daughter Sammi (Emily Bergl) who does not know of Frank's parental relationship to her . He makes a good impression on her, leading to her pursuing him romantically . Even though Frank rebuffs these attempts, she still offers her liver to him . Debbie is also turned down when she tries to have sex with her much older boyfriend . After another dinner, Fiona has sex with Robbie while Mike is passed out . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 40 </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> "Strangers on a Train" </Td> <Td> Peter Segal </Td> <Td> Etan Frankel </Td> <Td> February 2, 2014 (2014 - 02 - 02) </Td> <Td> 1.22 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="7"> Frank discovers that the transplant he needs will cost him $150,000 and sets out to injure himself for a large insurance payout . After a failed attempt, he enlists the help of Carl, who successfully breaks Frank's leg . Mickey, who is angered by how little his wife is being paid, tells her and all the other prostitutes not to work until they are paid more by their employer . His efforts prove unsuccessful when the women are replaced within a matter of hours . When he is denied the opportunity to take one of his midterms, Lip goes on a destructive rampage and flees the campus . On a visit home Lip and Mandy reignite their former flame, which ends in a fight after Lip insults her . Fiona once again succumbs to Robbie's seductive nature and the pair are almost caught by Mike . She admits to Veronica that she doesn't know how to have a functional relationship . Debbie's sexual advances are once again rebuffed by her boyfriend, and after trying to have sex with another boy closer to her own age, she realizes that she isn't ready to lose her virginity . Samantha tells Frank that she isn't a viable donor and he accidentally reveals that he's her father . Understandably, Samantha is furious but eventually warms up to the idea of having a father . Lip returns to college and is granted a retest . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 41 </Th> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> "There's the Rub" </Td> <Td> David Nutter </Td> <Td> Davey Holmes </Td> <Td> February 9, 2014 (2014 - 02 - 09) </Td> <Td> 1.58 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="7"> Fiona and Robbie meet at a motel and she ends things with him . At college, Lip is surprised by two military officers who claim that his identity has been stolen . Despite them showing him a photograph of Ian, he claims not to know who did it . During an argument, Robbie reveals his tryst with Fiona to Mike, resulting in a fight between the two brothers in front of their parents and an end to Fiona and Mike's relationship . With construction in front of the Alibi Room decreasing the amount of patrons entering, Kev and Mickey open a brothel in the apartment above the bar . Frank is told that the claim for his broken leg will take up to a year to process . Desperate for a cure to his liver disease, he enlists Samantha, Sheila, and her Native American boyfriend to build a sweat lodge to rid his body of toxins . Meanwhile, Lip returns from college to search for Ian . With the help of Debbie, the pair track him down to a gay bar, although he isn't behaving normally and dodges all of their questions . Robbie surprises Fiona by turning up at her house with cocaine, but she chases him out . At a party celebrating her birthday, Fiona and Kev snort the cocaine Robbie left behind . Disaster strikes when Liam is found unconscious in the kitchen; he consumed the remainder of the cocaine . Fiona is arrested in the hospital waiting room . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 42 </Th> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> "Iron City" </Td> <Td> James Ponsoldt </Td> <Td> John Wells </Td> <Td> February 16, 2014 (2014 - 02 - 16) </Td> <Td> 1.90 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="7"> Liam's accidental cocaine ingestion lands Fiona in county jail, where she experiences the wrongs of her actions and gets a rude awakening . After getting the prognosis on Liam's condition, Lip blames Fiona for her lack of responsibility and disregards Fiona's attempts to be a guardian again . Debbie runs off to Matt's apartment to find solace but doesn't realize that his feelings for her have changed . Frank gets some sobering news from the doctor, who tells him he doesn't have much time left to live . Though Samantha is expecting the worst - case - scenario, Frank believes his time is not up yet and is too stubborn to die . Sheila says goodbye to her new boyfriend's family and experiences an empty nest once again . Samantha tries to admit Frank to a hospice but he refuses to go . Lip tells Mandy of their current situation and asks for her help in locating Ian . Fiona gets bailed out of jail unexpectedly by Mike, who doesn't ever want to see her again after he takes her home . While the rest of the family comes to see Liam recover at the hospital, Fiona walks into the empty Gallagher home and realizes she's alone once again . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 43 </Th> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> "A Jailbird, Invalid, Martyr, Cutter, Retard and Parasitic Twin" </Td> <Td> Gary B. Goldman </Td> <Td> Nancy M. Pimental </Td> <Td> February 23, 2014 (2014 - 02 - 23) </Td> <Td> 1.89 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="7"> Guardianship duties fall upon Lip, who bans Frank from smoking weed inside to make the house presentable to the social worker who will drop by at any moment . After planning on taking Liam with him to his classes, Lip gets some unexpected assistance from Amanda in the form of babysitting, plus snacks from her family in Florida . Carl defends his family when two students at his school make fun of Liam's accident while on the bus . Mickey searches for Ian and discovers where he is . After trying to talk him into coming home, Mickey waits for Ian to finish work, finds him passed out due to drugs and brings him to the Milkovich home . When Debbie makes Matt a nice dinner as a part of their anniversary, Matt breaks things off with her, again telling her she's too young for him . Fiona sees her public defender, who says she may serve some time if she pleads guilty, though Fiona believes she's not guilty because it was an accident . Later that night, Lip and Fiona fight and come to a realization about the incident with Liam . The Alibi Room gets robbed of what little cash Kev had saved, prompting him to get a gun for protection . Meanwhile, Frank is trying to adjust to his conditions and decides to write a blog or book about his escapades with alcohol and drugs; Samantha interprets this as Frank's memoirs, which angers him . To calm him down, Samantha gives Frank hard drugs, which cause him to pass out in the bathroom and soil himself, prompting Lip and the rest of the Gallaghers to kick her, Frank and Chuckie out . Fiona comes to her hearing where the judge states she will serve house arrest instead of jail time and be charged as a felon . When asked for her plea, Fiona replies "I'm guilty ." </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 44 </Th> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> "Hope Springs Paternal" </Td> <Td> Mimi Leder </Td> <Td> Sheila Callaghan </Td> <Td> March 9, 2014 (2014 - 03 - 09) </Td> <Td> 1.77 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="7"> To prepare for a visit from her probation officer, Fiona must remove all contraband from the house, including Carl's hidden weapons such as a Taser and nunchakus, and she destroys Debbie's "Countdown to Virginity" poster . Ian is kicked out of Mickey's house by Mickey's wife, who feels threatened by Ian's presence, and Carl gets suspended from school for bullying the students who made fun of Liam's accident . Ian returns to the Gallagher house to Fiona's surprise . While trying to pry out where he's been the entire time, Ian reveals little of his time in the Army and continually has "ideas" for future endeavors . Mickey gets torn between his relationships with Ian and his Russian wife until he succumbs to Ian's demands . Debbie spurns Fiona as a sister and finds solace with Samantha, who guides her through her first period along with "the birds and the bees ." Kev, feeling he further needs to protect his upcoming family and the Alibi Room, decides to purchase more guns, but gets a message that Carol is in labor . After the baby is born, Carol reconsiders and wants to keep the baby . To Kev's disappointment, Veronica makes him agree, and he creates a new motto to follow after realizing how dangerous life is with a family on the way . Lip finds that caring for Liam has its benefits . In an effort to raise money for Frank's surgery, Samantha decides to scam money by selling Sheila's house for cash with the aid of Carl . In return, Frank decides to go to Carl's school to apologize for his son's recent violent actions, which has an unexpected result . Robbie comes by the house to apologize for what's happened, but Fiona slams the door in his face . Lip comes home to a drunken Fiona who burns dinner, resulting in him taking Carl and Liam to his dorm so she can figure things out . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 45 </Th> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> "The Legend of Bonnie and Carl" </Td> <Td> Mark Mylod </Td> <Td> Etan Frankel </Td> <Td> March 16, 2014 (2014 - 03 - 16) </Td> <Td> 1.70 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="7"> Carl connects with a girl named Bonnie; they appear to have the same interests for recklessness and violence, causing Carl to fall head over heels . Debbie tries to connect with Matt, but he's found someone else, making her jealous, and she takes action to monopolize him . Amanda tries to seduce Lip, which he tries to resist since she's dating his roommate; a compromising situation arises, but doesn't have the result Lip had expected . Amanda brings structure to Lip's life which he's not accustomed to, but it comes at a cost . Sheila returns with big plans for her and Frank before he dies . Refusing to accept his situation and in denial of his condition, Samantha and Sheila bring Frank's wish of visiting the Alibi to him . Fiona searches for a job as part of her probation . Things start off well until her prior actions continue to haunt her, forcing her to confront Robbie . Mickey spends time with Ian instead of his wife and newborn son . Though she wants him to come home and to pay for and take care of their child, Mickey is reluctant to do so . But seeing it as a way out, Ian and Mickey come up with a plan, until Mickey's wife disrupts their goals . Mandy attempts to reconnect with Lip, but her boyfriend thinks there's more going on between them, which comes to a head at the college . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 46 </Th> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> "Liver, I Hardly Know Her" </Td> <Td> Christopher Chulack </Td> <Td> Davey Holmes </Td> <Td> March 23, 2014 (2014 - 03 - 23) </Td> <Td> 1.63 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="7"> Immediately following her confrontation with Robbie, Fiona spirals out of control and goes on a binge, partaking heavily in narcotics and alcohol . Waking up periodically, Fiona regains coherence in a gas station in Sheboygan, WI, as the people she was riding with strand her there . The remaining Gallaghers and the newly arrived Ball family go into search mode to find her and end up applying the methods they use to find Frank when he disappears . Lip eventually finds Fiona and, seeing how broken she is, forgives her, and apologizes for his harsh attitude towards her . Carl and Bonnie steal a car, some food, and delve into their family lives . Mickey starts to feud with Kev over the money they're making with on their joint venture . Kev robs Mickey of his cut so he can buy new baby items, angering Mickey . At home, Kev starts stockpiling weapons in case Mickey tries to retaliate, but promises Veronica he'll get rid of them after one of them goes off . After going to the Milkovich home, Ian and Mickey discover Mandy is back with her abusive boyfriend Kenyatta, with her believing it was her fault he hit her . Ian wants to take her to a safe place, but the ensuing argument reveals Ian has some issues he's still dealing with, especially when he holds a knife to Kenyatta's throat . Sam and Sheila devise a cheaper alternative for Frank's liver problem, but things do not go as planned . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 47 </Th> <Td> 11 </Td> <Td> "Emily" </Td> <Td> Anthony Hemingway </Td> <Td> Nancy M. Pimental </Td> <Td> March 30, 2014 (2014 - 03 - 30) </Td> <Td> 1.76 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="7"> Fiona is taken to a correctional facility and experiences the beginning of a 90 - day sentence . Frank suffers post-operative delirium where he can't distinguish clearly who people are or why he's in the hospital . While there, Frank bonds with Emily, a young girl who's waiting for a new heart; he becomes genuinely sad when she dies before her pending transplant . Though Sheila means well, Samantha wants to stop her Native American methods of cures for more modern ones, and sparks a rift between the two . Carl invites Bonnie's family to live at the Gallagher house, confusing Lip momentarily but gaining approval so Lip can further irritate and scare Amanda's parents . A social worker stops by and inspects the house that is now under Lip's guardianship . Documenting but ignoring flagrant violations of the Illinois DCFS, the social worker is impressed with Lip's responsibility and aids him . Ian crashes Mickey's son's christening . Later, at a post-party, where Mickey's dad Terry is present, Mickey announces his homosexuality to everyone, causing a bar brawl with the Milkoviches; Terry gets arrested once more . After witnessing their daughter's new boyfriend's lifestyle, Amanda's parents use bribery in an attempt to keep Lip away; it goes over not so smoothly . Debbie meets a classmate who initially seems to like her, but who suddenly twists Debbie's innocence into an ugly and humiliating internet prank . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> 48 </Th> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> "Lazarus" </Td> <Td> Mark Mylod </Td> <Td> John Wells </Td> <Td> April 6, 2014 (2014 - 04 - 06) </Td> <Td> 1.93 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="7"> Frank has recovered from his post-operative delirium and discovers, much to his surprise, his marriage to Sheila . At the hospital, Frank discovers that his transplant medication will produce a number of unwanted side effects, and he still can't drink alcohol . Fiona is tempted by a fellow inmate in prison . Ian and Mickey wake up in each other's arms, but Mickey finds Ian in a depressed state . Svetlana and Mickey come to an understanding about their child and how to raise him . Following a random drug test, Fiona is released from jail due to overcrowding and has a renewed probation . Fiona's probation officer secures her a job waiting tables but Fiona is required to attend regular Narcotics Anonymous meetings . After a kind gesture by Carl, Bonnie worries that he may be falling in love with her . Sheila's petition to adopt the Native American children is denied and they are sent to live with their great - grandfather . Mickey's worries about Ian cause him to seek out the help of Debbie and Carl who recognize his symptoms . Following an initiation at Amanda's sorority, Lip and Mandy run into each other at a restaurant but she isn't pleased to see him, though Lip is clearly still concerned about her . With Fiona back in the house, Debbie and Carl are thrilled, but soon break the news about Ian . Fiona concludes that Ian is bipolar and suggests hospitalizing him, which Mickey disagrees with, saying that he will care for Ian . Sheila and Sammi come to blows at the hospital, and everyone is distracted long enough for Carl to escape with Frank . The two eventually reconcile with Sammi's trailer occupying the vacant lot next to Sheila's house . Frank and Carl stop at the edge of lake Michigan and look off into the distance, with the two of them sharing a bottle of alcohol together . Later that night, a woman driving a Maserati and her male companion pull up outside the Gallagher household . The passenger is revealed to be Jimmy--using the alias' Jack'--who is very much alive . </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> No . overall </Th> <Th> No. in season </Th> <Th> Title </Th> <Th> Directed by </Th> <Th> Written by </Th> <Th> Original air date </Th> <Th> US viewers (millions) </Th> </Tr>

When does ian come back in shameless season 4