If you consider yourself a “Shameless” junkie, you’re one among many these days. This SHOWTIME hit has had buzzing reviews from the get-go — but ever since its release on Netflix, the show’s popularity skyrocketed. Who can blame anyone, right? The dysfunctionality of the Gallaghers fighting their way through their less-than-ideal circumstances with illegal, taboo, witty and downright hilarious methods is enough to keep anyone tuned into the show.
The flawed characters allure us more than anything. We adore them and sometimes hate them.
Debbie, you have got to be kidding me. Did you really think that was going to work? Lip, I just want everyone to give you a break, OK? I know you messed up, but you’re trying really hard to change your life around…
OK, you get it. We are rooting for the underdogs of “Shameless,” but some characters can drive us nuts with their irrational decisions.
They will make you laugh out loud, and they will leave you in your feelings — tears down your face as you’re watching it on your laptop. We love their flaws because we can see ourselves and the people we care about in these characters
I’m not crying — you’re crying.
If you’ve seen “Shameless,” there’s no doubt that this complex, raw, poignant, truly shameless television show is spectacularly unique. With a show as unusual as this one, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that not everything is how it appears on the TV screen.
1. U.S. “Shameless” wasn’t the first — it’s a remake of the U.K. hit.
Hopefully this fact doesn’t come as an Earth-shattering shocker to you. Yes, the show is closely adapted to the original “Shameless” — the same-named show that originated in the United Kingdom. Don’t be sad, though. This doesn’t make it any less fantastic — considering another distinguished comedy, “The Office,” is also a remake of an original U.K. version.
2. “Shameless” isn’t primarily filmed in Chicago.
Okay, admittedly, this fact hurts a bit. What do you mean the cast of “Shameless” hasn’t been running around on the south side for the entirety of its seven seasons?! If this makes you feel that the show is less authentic somehow, fear not. Although the show is primarily filmed at a soundstage and other filming locations in Los Angeles, it does shoot in Chicago a few weeks per year. Yes, the Gallagher house, Kev and V’s house, and their neighborhood are in an actual low-income Chicago neighborhood.
3. Although… The Gallagher house scenes aren’t filmed inside the “real” Gallagher house in Chicago — a family actually lives in that home!
So it’s true, the exterior scenes of the Gallaghers’ and their neighborhood are in a Chicago neighborhood. The train overpass is right by the Gallagher house, and the fenced-in yard is just how it appears. In fact, a woman named Vivian Bell has lived in the house we know as the Gallagher house for over 40 years.
4. Off-screen relationships on “Shameless” are nothing new.
Lip and Mandy (aka Jeremy Allen White and Emma Greenwell) had to act out some rather intense scenes — in terms of emotions and sexuality. Can we be surprised that both of these beautiful actors ended up becoming an item a few years back? Lip’s on-screen love interest during the seventh season, Sierra (aka Ruby Modine), is currently an item with Ian Gallagher (aka Cameron Monaghan). Now that couldn’t have been easily predicted just from watching the show.
5. After seven seasons, Emmy Rossum, or Fiona, had a salary dispute standoff when she requested that she received a equal pay to her co-star, William H. Macy, or Frank.
Emmy Rossum is the matriarch of “Shameless,” and without her phenomenal portrayal of the character the show would be far less successful. To most “Shameless” watchers, it’s a no-brainer that Rossum should be paid as much as Macy. It was rumored that the show had the option to agree to her negotiations and move on, to cancel the show or to move on without her. Fortunately, we don’t need to imagine a Shameless without Fiona. Rossum’s pay negotiation request was fulfilled, and the show is on track to film for season eight. Thankfully, there was no beef between the costars, as William H. Macy was especially on board with her request.
“She works as hard as I do,” Macy told TMZ. “She deserves everything.”
“They wrote the Equal Rights Amendment in 1927, it didn’t get passed by both Houses of Congress until 1972,” he said. “It still hasn’t been approved by all the states. It’s about f***ing time, don’t you think?”
Right on, Frank.