Cover Story this No Apologies

Final season of ‘Shameless’ premieres

By Breanna Henry TV Media

The10th and final season of Showtime’s longest-running original series premieres Sunday, Nov. 10. In simplest terms, “Shameless” is a chronicling of the Gallagher family. They’re poor yet shockingly well adjusted, considering the circumstances — this South Chicago family has seen more than its fair share of grief and strife.

The series has been nominated for dozens of television awards since it premiered in January 2011, and with a large, outstanding ensemble cast, an indie rock soundtrack and a wry, colorful script, it isn’t hard to see why. Eng lish screenwriter Paul Abbot created the original British version of “Shameless,” and his semi-autobio graphical script became a massive hit in the U.K. before American pro ducer John Wells developed the pi lot of Showtime’s American take. If you are a new viewer, know that “Shameless” is gritty, vulgar and vi olent. “Shameless” has it all, and is unapologetic — shameless even — about every scene.

The Gallaghers are far from being the easily digestible, blue-collar version of America’s poor that series such as “Malcolm in the Middle,” “Roseanne” or even “Married with Children” showcased — this is not living paycheck to paycheck, it’s living penny to penny. Despite heavy themes of alcoholism, abuse, poverty and mental illness, “Shameless” manages more laughs than many comedies, and the Gallaghers seem more real than the cast of any reality show.

William H. Macy (“Fargo,” 1996) plays Frank, the Gallagher family