Shameless stars Oscar nominee William H. Macy as the dysfunctional patriarch of the Gallagher clan, a struggling working-class family on Chicago’s south side, and is based on a UK series of the same name. Shameless, while at times gut-bustingly funny, also travels to much darker areas than many TV shows have ever gone, unflinchingly dealing with addiction, family dysfunction, social and economic class fights, mental health, LGBTQ concerns, and other taboo topics. Obviously, the drama that goes into making Shameless isn’t as insane as what happens on the show, but that doesn’t mean it’s uninteresting.
Tanner Fox updated this page on March 21st, 2022: Shameless may have ended in 2021, but that doesn’t mean the debauchery has to. Fans may have their hands full re-watching the series and recalling their favourite moments, with eleven seasons and well over one hundred episodes. Shameless was an emotional rollercoaster that had viewers laughing, sobbing, and everything in between, and it took a lot of behind-the-scenes labour to make the show as emotionally fascinating as it was.
According to The New York Times, John Wells, the creator of the American version, was adamantly opposed to the notion, claiming that such a scenario had already been done to death and frequently results in cheap, hackneyed gags and situations. “They’re the people who live four streets down from you and two blocks over,” Wells said, adding that the show would be more effective if the majority of viewers felt like the Gallaghers could be their neighbours.
For the first three seasons of Shameless, the tangled relationship between Fiona and Justin Chatwin’s Steve—as Jimmy, alternatively Jack—was a key focus. According to TV Guide, he was never scheduled to return at the end of season three, despite his major part being demoted to regular guest star in the fourth and fifth seasons. At least, that was the goal, but the show’s creators and some of the cast were dissatisfied with the way his plot ended, particularly in relation to Fiona. It was decided to “resurrect” him so that he may make a few more appearances throughout the next few seasons and have a more satisfying ending to his stint on the programme.
The friendship between Ian Gallagher and Mickey Milkovich, played by actor Noel Fisher, has been one of Shameless’ most heartbreaking subplots. The couple’s journey has been such an important part of both characters’ development on the show, particularly Ian’s, that it’s difficult to believe Mickey wasn’t always planned to be a longtime cast member.According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fisher only agreed to play Mickey for a few episodes at first, as the character’s participation on Shameless would be limited to that. Noel Fisher’s relationship with actor Cameron Monaghan was instantly noticed by the writers, and Fisher’s role on Shameless was enlarged.