Watch Shameless (UK)
Shameless is not realistic, and it is not supposed to be. Despite its surreal tone and unlikely courses of events, the show depicts the distinct culture of lower-class Manchester. Frank frequently rants at length about political and social issues, even though it is clear that he would never actually vote or make other positive contributions to society. His drunken speeches are hilarious and prove how out of touch he is with reality and his children.
The surreal nature of the show allows it to make observations that would be considered offensive through a more reality-driven filter. Mental illnesses are played for laughs, as is dire poverty. The Gallaghers have implied integrity because they are poor, which allows the audience to root for them even while they do morally wrong things for money or drugs.
The focus of Shameless has shifted somewhat as the six Gallagher children have grown up. Now a great deal of the plot lines center around the Maguire family. The Maguires were initially positioned as rivals to the Gallaghers. This shift was necessitated when the actors playing the older Gallagher children left the show to pursue more prestigious work. These forced shifts in the show's focus pulled the series away from its true origins. Shameless is based on the real life of Paul Abbott. Frank Gallagher, the Paul Abbott stand-in, no longer has young children whose lives are directly affected by his alcoholism. Shameless went from being a show that depicted one family's specific story to a more general statement about widespread poverty.
Shameless is notable for its raw production values and for being an early vehicle for the talents of film star James McAvoy, who played Fiona's boyfriend Steve for the first two seasons. Anne-Marie Duff, who played Fiona for those two years, is an accomplished stage actress.
- Tuesday 10:00 PM et/pt on Channel 4
- 11 Seasons, 164 Episodes
- January 13, 2004
- Comedy, Drama
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/10 - Cast: David Threlfall, Rebecca Atkinson, Alice Barry, Nicky Evans
Watch Full Episodes of Shameless (UK)
Shameless (UK) Full Episode Guide
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Frank returns from jail to Chatsworth hoping for a welcome home party. However, he finds a new addition to the Gallagher brood - a new son called Ben, who survived a abortion attempt on twins. Will Frank finally do right by his family or free himself?
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Things are looking up for Frank: Derilee has left her husband and joined him at the Gallaghers, becoming a surrogate mum for Stella and his job is going well. However, things are set to change forever when a gunman runs riot on the estate...
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It seems Chatsworth may never be the same again when Mimi announces her plans to retire and move to Wilmslow to dedicate her life to charity. Is this the end of the Maguire's? And will a reluctant Billy be joining her?
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Patreesha thinks she is the latest British music export to the States when her new musician boyfriend Louis promises her a lucrative singing career across the pond. But when Louis dies, she & Avril go to war over a large amount of money in his posessions.
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Tired of being the "village idiot", Billy decides to get a job as a security salesman to earn Mimi and the locals respect. Meanwhile, Esther is shocked when she discovers Thalia is a bully. Lillian takes a lonely Stella under her wing as Frank neglets her
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Shane's music festival plans are coming along nicely but when Mimi and Jamie find out about his relationship with copper Randall, the event is thrown into jeopardy. Meanwhile, Letitia and Aidan come up with a plan to bring Chesney & Mary Mae together.
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Aiden is once again in trouble with the law. Sentenced to community service, Aiden is forced to care for an OAP called Stanton but something sad happens. Meanwhile Thalia, is becoming increasingly irriated by her mother's friendship with Frank.
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Jamie finds that he and Kassi are more alike than he realized when his new brother's house is raided by the police. Kassi refuses to explain but does request Jamie a place in Chatsworth for his family to live.
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Lillian asks Kelly to retrieve her savings (stashed in a railway station locker) to keep it from the police. Lillian thinks there is only £3000, as she never counts it, but when Kelly finds more than double that amount she must choose between the two...
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Mimi enlists her friends & family to help stop the school from failing an inspection. Frank discovers a perk of his job as caretaker. Jamie has a change of heart & attempts to contact his half-brother Kassi. Dom and Gloria continue their incestuous affair
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The Chatsworth residents celebrate being awarded an Olympic ring from London 2012. The Maguires celebrate the expansion of their business with Mimi taking control of the schools PTA and Frank's new job as janitor at "St. Mimi's School" is going well.
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Frank is delegated to tell Patty she is terminally ill but she already knows and asks that he help her see Ireland before she dies. With no funds for the ferry trip he takes her to the beach at Waterloo,where she swears she can see the old country.
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Jamie is receiving death threats by letter and text and,after his lock-up is torched and Karen's blouse nailed to the door,suspects that one of the pub regulars is in league with his tormenters.
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Following the suicide of his old flame Alice, Dominic loses both his faith and the will to live and asks Frank to help him to kill himself. Frank,however,does his best to sabotage every attempt until eventually Dominic has an epiphany...
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Jackson and Shane are flourishing as wheeler dealers with stolen solar panels and food past its sell-by date. However when Shane,to Jackson's annoyance,starts to give away some left-overs to the homeless he has a queue of unemployed in the yard...
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After seeing a fatal road accident Marty decides that life is fleeting and eventually proposes to Kelly,who accepts. However when he receives a letter from his supposedly dead children in Spain,he is anxious to fly out to see what has happened.
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Calling himself Danny McKenzie Shane continues to befriend Ruthie,agreeing to help her choose a headstone for her dead husband Eddie...
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Short of cash Gloria gets a loan with a huge interest rate and gets drunk,waking up at Mimi's. Next day Billy finds a positive pregnancy test kit and,assuming Mimi is pregnant,gets advice from Jamie...
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Whilst working as a handyman Marty meets Brazilian Aparecita,whom he believes is a domestic slave and spends three grand belonging to Lilian to 'free' her. As a solution Lilian employs her at the brothel,where she is very happy...
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Frank is having a terrible nightmare - he has been sentenced to life imprisonment and subject to the taunts of a sarcastic warder. But the reality,from Frank's viewpoint,is just as horrendous....
