Shameless

It's amazing how quickly TV evolves and its easy to forget the trailblazers who lead the way. Paul Abbots Shameless hit UK homes in the early noghties on typical Channel 4 audience figures. By the last episode everyone was talking about it. People at least had a peak at it. It received admiration as much as it received complaints, fact was the perfect portrait of the northern underbelly.

Series 2 Would build on the success that had been left but a darkness loomed, not the silly OTT story plots that provided comedy. Nope the departure of Fiona and Steve was near. And although the addition of Marty was a plus the maguire clan was something that would haunt this show in the latter years. With their ever changing cast playing different brothers who never speak and then later turning Shameless into the Mimi Maguire show.

But for now the seasons passed on with great one of stories and longer term events, The Amazing Christmas Special, Sheila vs Monica, Marty and Sue, Kelly Ball, The knockin shop all great additions.

But the drip drip of main cast, Lip, Ian, Sheila, Vee, Kev start to become a gap to big to fill, especially with the Maguires who now have names.

The inconsistently with the story lines of this family from major players to murderers to people selling second hand out of date lettuce to make money. The Maguires are as scary as a Substitute teacher on her first day on the job. Micky is a great character however and could be a son of anyone.

By the time Libby arrives (Go ooooon Go ooooon Go oooooon) The show is finished but instead of DNR they try this, end up with another kid in the house. Stella disappears at some point and there's an old crow that gets overplayed time and time again.

I guess the main problem is Debbie as now left to join the Army something never discussed before, her friend maxine is still around but moves out. Ian and Carl fall out, Ian leaves.

Only Carl and invisible Stella remain. But the show switches to maguire plot lines..... No this was based on Frank Gallagher and his shameless way of living.

Season 9 is hard to view and 10 is no better but 11 OMG now that is SHAMEFUL. The last episode is OK but 5 cast members return.

Should have been one of the best ever but ruined by too many seasons

I happened upon this show one afternoon while nursing a hangover and have been hooked ever since. I was also lucky that BBCA was playing the entire series 1 as a marathon that day. This show blows away any of the lame crap that they call TV over here and is another testament to the vastly underrated talent of the UK. The only way a show this ballsy would be shown over here would be on a pay channel like HBO or Showtime. I am fast becoming a huge fan of British TV (Eastenders, The Office, Coupling, Father Ted, The Green Wing, ABFAB) and hopefully the DVD will be available to us yanks soon. Let's just hope some stupid network (NBC) doesn't get ahold of it in an attempt to "Americanize" it like they tried with Coupling and The Office.

I love television. Watched it since the late '50's and enjoyed everything, even if I hated myself for enjoying it. However, there are shows that stand out and Shameless is one of them. I think that Alan Clark produced some of the best drama on British TV, even including Ken Loach and Dennis Potter. On comedy, the UK has birthed or succoured a comprehensive list of talented writers that Greece was not ancient enough to pre-empt. Shameless is brilliant. It is Ken Loach and Ian Pattison (Rab C Nesbit) in concert, it is Dennis Potter and the Pythons. David Threlfell plays Frank Gallagher, a wastrel philosopher whose genes will inherit the earth. His family are an absorbing, entertaining, sensitive magnet for our attention and affection. They are challenging and rude, but I'd live there, it is urban Manchester and welcoming. Forget the comedy for a minute and I'm most reminded of Alan Clark's 'Road'. Threlfell and Maxine Peake ( the best in ' dinnerladies ') are like Dudegeon and Horrocks. They provide adult acting and the rest of the cast are not far behind. If you do nothing else on a Saturday night, buy this DVD. It will brighten up your life.

From the very first episode you will be drawn into the lives of each of the principal characters - warts and haloes and all. Each is fully realized with a light and dark side, shown incrementally and alternately through their actions and their reluctantly expressed concerns. The story lines are both outrageous and – once you spend a few minutes with this family – absolutely believable, and move at an enervatingly brisk while gratifyingly even pace. I'm so glad I found out about it when Series II had already completed, and could enjoy it from episode 1.1 through the end of series II. While it seems evident that Series III will commence with casting changes, this production is so incredibly well planned (unlike most U.S. series - Lost, I'm looking at you) that the story arc girds you quite well for even fundamental shifts, and instills great anticipation. The show addresses immediate, on-the-ground social issues like complacency vs. poverty, avarice vs. honor, cheating vs. work (and stealing vs. profit), lust vs. love, and 9 times out of 10 the virtuous parts of humanity are exemplified and enjoyed (but always with the other side engaged and/or confronted in the process). That 10th time is where Frank comes in. Paul Abbott is a brave artist, a brave man, and a brave son. Never has such a reluctant father been so well-realized and so generously presented. Now. When do we get Series III?

I'm not a great authority on this, as I hardy watch TV any more. If they came up with more stuff like this, I would be addicted to the Box. Fantastic script, characters and acting and the funniest, freshest British made comedy I've seen since Spaced and (to a slightly lesser extent) The League of Gentlemen.

Although I come from the north of England and lived in Manchester for two years and therefore, through direct association, find I can relate very naturally to this humour, it must surely transcend 'northern' taste and appeal, in the same way that Phoenix Nights did, to absolutely anybody who sees it.

It's no wonder Channel 4 are taking the unusual step of running the whole series again, as I think media interest/hype came too late this time round. It's the only British thing to come remotely close to challenging the HBO stable (6ft Under/S.A.T.C) stuff that has attracted TV's biggest plaudits in this last 4/5 years. I think it will go down as being an important landmark in British comedy broadcasting and gain cult status for years to come.

Commissioning a series two is a must - it was just hitting full speed last night with the closing episode of this first run.