Shameless: Season 1

I am one who is late to the game when it comes to this show. I have, of course, heard of it for years, but did not get around to running it until very late in its run. For those who have not seen it, it is an American version of a British show, and much like was the case with The Office, in the first few episodes it mirrored the British version almost as a carbon copy, then started to find its own legs. It was created for US TV by the co-creator of ER, John Wells, as well as the creators of the original British show.The series is centered around the Gallaghers, a poor, trashy, and borderline to all-out criminal family. It is "headed" by Frank Gallagher, played by ER alum William H. Macy, in a role that is 180 degrees from his role on ER. Frank is a blackout drunk with 6 kids who manages to still be (somewhat) functional, running scam after scam to keep the drinking money flowing in. The family is led by the eldest of the children, Fiona, played wonderfully by Emmy Rossum, who had to drop out of high school during her junior year to take care of the family when their mother took off and Frank became totally unable to care for any of them. She is torn between wanting to be a young, carefree young adult in her early 20s, with being a parent to kids ranging from 2 to 17.I will not go into too much of the storylines for the few that, like me, are coming into the series cold. I will say that it is a very raw show, with all of its themes, drinking, drug use, sex, etc. It will hit home with anyone that has a dysfunctional family, or like me, is a generation removed from a dysfunctional family, and still has even some tangential contact with the older members of the family. While the Gallaghers are a very over-the-top case of a poor, almost "trailer trash" dysfunctional family (although there are families that certainly act the way the family members do, to greater or lesser degrees), it also shows that dysfunction can occur not only in poor families but rich ones as well.For those who get the blu-ray set, the show looks and sounds great. There are great exterior shots of Chicago that looks great in the high definition format, The extras include commentary tracks on a couple of episodes, deleted scenes, and about 45 minutes of behind the scenes and making-of material.Overall, the series is well-written and very well acted. The show is perfectly cast with everyone including the supporting cast knocking their roles out of the park. Joan Cusak steals nearly every scene she is in, as a clueless housewife with agoraphobia. It does not sugar coat any of its themes, and has a lot of drinking, drug use, sex and nudity, etc., by both the adults and teens on the show. The humor is very dark and manages to find humor in a lot of situations that would not normally be funny. It is definitely not a show that is for everyone, so if any of the above would turn you off to a show, then you definitely should skip this one. But, if you can accept those things and are looking for a good dramedy, then this is definitely worth checking out.

When I first saw Shameless, I was almost disgusted. The stuff that goes on in the family - the dad inparticular - was just so.. terrible, unbelievable..but then.. I was hooked because of the realness and honest grit.This is definitely a show unlike any other. Although some of it you just shake your head at in disbelief, most of it is relatable in one way or another and just so very real. I am totally hooked on it now. There are so many different story lines and types of drama within it, that it stays interesting and attention grabbing.There are also many tear jerking moments, and not because of cheesey/corny moments, but because a lot of the situations are so seemingly real and/or sad or just emotional in general. (The second season gets more into the emotional aspect).I actually bought this first season set for my mom as a Christmas present. She had never seen Shameless yet and it is such a great series on so many levels, that I thought she would like it.It is one of those shows where you watch and say O M G, about 10 different times throughout the episode.Definitely give it a try. Watch a few complete episodes before giving up on it! I gaurantee you will be hooked too! It truly is a series that EVERYONE can get something out of.

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Shameless Season 1 is a wild, emotional rollercoaster that perfectly sets the tone for the series. From the very first episode, it draws you into the chaotic life of the Gallagher family in the South Side of Chicago.The season introduces us to Frank Gallagher, the unreliable, often drunk father of six. While Frank spends his days in a haze, his eldest daughter, Fiona, takes on the role of caretaker for her siblings. Each character brings their own unique challenges and personalities, creating a complex family dynamic. The show is full of Gritty Realism and doesn't shy away from portraying the harsh realities of poverty and addiction, making it an authentic experience.Thru Dark Humor the show manages to balance heavy themes with sharp, dark humor, providing relief and making the characters even more relatable. The cast delivers great performances, bringing each character to life in a memorable way. Warning: The show is full of explicit content and is not for the faint-hearted, with strong language, violence, and mature themes throughout.

I watched my first Shameless episode several weeks ago when Showtime ran a weekend marathon showing of a Shameless season 1-3 episodes before Season 4 premiered. After watching just a few minutes of a random episode, I WAS HOOKED!! Unfortunately, it was a busy weekend, so I couldn't drop everything and watch all episodes back-to-back as I desperately wanted to! Anytime I had a few spare minutes, I'd quickly turn it on! I didn't know the characters, didn't know the storyline, but it didn't matter! The series is so well-written! It's funny, dramatic, shocking, happy, sad...it keeps you on your toes and longing for MORE!! The show deals with real life social problems of families in the lower economic class trying to thrive & survive! Although the Gallagher clan is one of the most dysfunctional families ever, they all love one-another so much. Their strong bond is what holds them together and gives them hope for a better tomorrow! I love this family!I'm currently watching Season 4 on Showtime, while catching up with seasons 1-3! I knew that the Shameless series would be one that I watched over and over; therefore, I knew I must own each season on DVD! My Prime membership enabled me to receive the DVD's in two days! Included on each DVD is deleted scenes and interesting commentaries! Thanks, Amazon!!