Review Of Seasons 1-5 Of ‘Shameless’

I still remember when my roommate watched Shameless for the first time during my junior year of college. Even sitting in the same room as someone streaming this strange show, one can hear the outright commotion coming out of the screen. Every now and then, I would ask her what was happening, and she would tell me the most horrific recap of the current insane plotline. I never once thought of watching Shameless again until I was about to move into my apartment this past August. I want to say that it was a TikTok of “White Boy Carl” witnessing a crime that made him turn his life around for the better. I watched the clip like five or six times and read all the comments. What intrigued me so much about the clip was that Carl had been raised around chaos, had an unstable childhood, and had already been to juvie, but he was able to turn it around. 

Of course, Shameless is just a show. These are just characters that are already played by renowned actors, and a writer came up with every storyline. Yet, a lot of the topics that are discussed within the show do apply to real life and unfortunately, there are tons of people who grew up with a “Gallagher childhood.” I think Shameless is a great show because it acknowledges topics like poverty, drug addiction, alcoholism, classism, sexual assault, homophobia, mental illness, and so many other things in a realistic way. 

I never expected a show that I used to avoid like the plague would end up becoming a new favorite of mine, but Shameless grew on me. Yet, it is much more than a show about a rag-tag group of kids who grew up impoverished with addicts for parents. If you give the Shameless bunch a chance for at least an episode or two, the lovable Gallaghers will grow on you, too. 

For me to give a full summary of Shameless, I would have to write a research paper. Yet, to entice those who have never encountered the Gallaghers before to start a new Netflix show, I am going to share a brief overview of Seasons 1-5. 

Season 1 is an introduction to the chaotic Gallagher family. My favorite part about each child in the Gallagher family is that they all seemingly accept where they are in life, do what they can to scrape together cash for bills, and most importantly, they all love one another. Besides the patriarch, Frank Gallagher, who nobody loves besides maybe Monica (mother to the Gallaghers, who abandoned her kids when the oldest was six). A lot of the choices that this family makes reflect their rough-around-the-edges upbringing, but Season 1 features the Gallagher bunch cooperating as a family. 

Season 2 begins by featuring the Gallagher family during the summer time on the South Side of Chicago. A lot of the relationships that the older family members engage in are unstable and toxic in one way or another, but this reflects the Gallaghers’ unstable upbringing that never showed them what proper attachment should look like. This season also features the younger kids growing up and Fiona trying to move on from the role she was forced to take on: mother to her five siblings. This season has a very difficult-to-watch scene that features self-harm and speaks about mental health struggles, so please be aware if these topics are particularly difficult for you. 

Season 3 is a much more difficult watch than one and two. Fiona Gallagher (who took on the role of caring for her siblings after her mom abandoned them) has an undying love for her siblings, which is extremely evident in these episodes. It is also made clear that the only person the Gallagher family can rely on is Fiona because Frank does not care about his children. Witnessing Fiona go through hardship after hardship is especially difficult, partly due to the wonderful performance from actress Emmy Rossum. The other kids are still growing, and their storylines are all intertwined with their sister’s. The end of this season shows things looking up for the eldest Gallagher. 

Season 4 was another difficult season to watch. This is the season where we witness Fiona’s downfall. Essentially, we watch the consequences of an unstable, chaotic childhood unravel Fiona until she is making poor decisions like her parents did when she was young. This is also the season where Phillip (Lip) goes to college! I found this storyline to be extremely fascinating. Despite Shameless being a show, certain plot points really remind me of situations that happen each day in real life. This season did a great job of depicting how college can be a place of great inequity and frustration for those who grew up with low socioeconomic status. I believe that this season makes a genuine attempt to accurately portray this situation, which is something you won’t find elsewhere. 

Season 5 is much better. Still a tough watch, as Fiona has to face the consequences of her actions. Lip is still struggling through college, and Debby is dealing with the outcome of growing up without caring parents. This season also acknowledges the struggles of dealing with an intense mental illness. I have never watched a show before that so loudly depicts the ugly side of being mentally unwell. It is quite an intense watch, and I would not recommend viewing it if you personally have had difficulty controlling your mental health or if a family member has. 

As you can tell, none of the seasons are a walk in the park where lollipops grow on trees. Yet, every episode is raw and real. The real reason I like it is that despite the characters having countless personal issues, they are still capable of growth and always remember to care for one another. (If you intend to give Shameless a chance, I would like to include a personal trigger warning. Some of the scenes are intense and may be difficult to watch for certain viewers). 

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