Is Shameless worth watching? 5 things to know before starting the Netflix series

American comedy-drama Shameless premiered over a decade ago and aired for eleven long seasons before concluding in 2021. The show revolves around an irresponsible single father, Frank Gallagher, and his poor and dysfunctional family.

In the series, Frank, played by William H. Macy (Jurassic Park, Fargo), is an alcoholic and an ignorant father-of-six. The roles of his children are played by a stellar cast - Emmy Russum as Fiona, Jeremy Allen White as Phillip, Cameron Monaghan as Ian, Emma Kenney as Debbie, Ethan Cutkosky as Carl, and Christian Isaiah as Liam.

Shameless is set on the South Side of Chicago and was developed by Showtime, which aired the pilot episode in December 2010. The series chronicles the misadventures of the Gallagher family, especially highlighting Frank's substance abuse and its effect on his family, which makes the show an important watch.

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Five quick facts to know about William H. Macy-starrer Shameless before steaming it on Netflix

1) It is based on a critically-acclaimed British series of the same name

Shameless first premiered on Showtime in December 2010 and is adapted from Paul Abbott's British award-winning series of the same name. It revolves around Frank Gallagher's poor and dysfunctional family and is set on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. In 2019, when the comedy drama's ninth season aired, it became the longest-running original scripted series in the television network's history.

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2) The show has a notable cast

Alongside actor William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher, who is best known for his roles in Jurassic Park and 1996's critically acclaimed Fargo, Shameless also stars Emmy Rossum (The Phantom of the Opera) as his eldest daughter Fiona. She is gutsy and street-smart and raises her five younger siblings all by herself because her parents are ignorant and neglectful. Fiona ultimately takes on the role of their legal guardian. She also faces issues with substance abuse and self-destructive tendencies.

Frank's remaining five children are played by Jeremy Allen White (The Bear) as Phillip, Cameron Monaghan (Gotham) as Ian, Emma Kenney (Murder at Yellowstone City) as Debbie, Ethan Cutkosky (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) as Carl, and Christian Isaiah (21 Bridges) as Liam. Other cast members include Shanola Hampton as Veronica Fisher, Steve Howey as Kevin Ball, and Jessica Szohr as Nessa Chabon, among others.

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3) Shameless is about family, a dysfunctional one

It doesn't matter if the Gallaghers are flawed and far from a perfect family, they always show up for each other in times of need. It starts with Fiona taking on more responsibility as the eldest sibling and looking after the younger ones in the absence of their parents. The siblings struggle with poverty and substance abuse throughout but always deliver tough love.

For the first nine seasons, Emmy Rossum's Fiona is depicted as a strong, independent woman who is simultaneously as vulgar and unapologetic as she can get. During the third season, she goes through an emotional phase fighting for the custody of her siblings, who were separated by Child Protective Services.

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4) The show tackles real-life issues but delivers a happy and cheerful feeling

Shameless addresses real-life concerns that many children face growing up, including the absence of parents in their lives, substance abuse, and relationships. The Gallaghers also struggle with poverty. While there are scenes that can make one cry, other sequences are equally cheery and share the vibe of an incredible feel-good moment.

The show first started out with kid actors who grew as the seasons and years progressed. As part of this, the audience gets to witness their characters' development and growth.

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5) Shameless also addresses homophobia

The show focuses on both familial and romantic love and relationships. It shows how the cherished couple Ian and Mickey, who are high-school sweethearts, face homophobia in the Southside community where they live. Their relationship started in a particularly chaotic manner, with Mickey attempting to kill Ian because he believed the latter assaulted his sister when no such thing had happened.

The two started out as secret lovers, but Mickey's homophobic father eventually found out and forced them to separate. The two men get involved in an on-again, off-again relationship for 10 long seasons before finally getting married in the season 10 finale.

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Shameless is now available to stream on Netflix in the US.