Shameless in the time of COVID

Based on Paul Abbot’s UK series of the same name, and now concluding its twelfth season, Shameless follows the antics of the dysfunctional Gallagher family, led by alcoholic patriarch Frank (William H. Macy) on Chicago’s Southside. Although the release of the eleventh and twelfth seasons was delayed due to Covid-19, the latest episodes have taken the pandemic in their stride; the characters are masked to the nines, the schools yo-yo between opening and closing, and the Alibi bar owned by supporting characters Veronica and Kevin (Shanola Hampton and Steve Howey) struggles to survive under restrictions.

Although Shameless is endlessly outlandish, provocative and famous for its employment of shock value, it nonetheless doesn’t shy away from topics like the stark realities of intergenerational addiction, abuse, and poverty. Following eldest sister Fiona’s (Emmy Rossum) departure from the Southside in season ten, the remaining Gallagher children are left to take on the responsibilities of parenting the remaining minor in the family, Liam (Christian Isaiah). Where previously Liam mainly occupied the background, the latest season sees him take centre stage, particularly when exploring racism in post-Trump America, and what it means to be a young Black man today. In the initial episode of season twelve, Frank delivers a monologue lamenting the gentrification of Chicago’s Southside, wearing the now obligatory face mask. The camera then pans out to reveal a spray-painted mural of George Floyd with the words Black Lives Matter in large letters. While Shameless is known for its outlandish and comedic plotlines, the latest seasons have also explored the very real human consequences of political issues such as anti-immigration laws and restricted abortion access. The personal struggles of the Gallagher family take place against the brutal background of ICE raids and deportations which split countless families apart.

Middle child Carl’s (Ethan Cutkowsky) new job as a police officer sees him experience first-hand the corruption and racism within the Chicago police department, which is only complicated by the criminal behaviour of his immediate family members. Whether this story arc ends in a “good cop in a bad barrel’’ narrative, or a more radical anti-police conclusion remains unclear midway through the series. Next door, the racist Milkovich patriarch, Terry (Dennis Cockrum) poses a moral quandary for his son Mickey (Noel Fisher) who struggles to reconcile his estrangement from his homophobic father with his feelings of obligation to care for him as he is now paraplegic.

Although powerhouse Emmy Rossum’s departure from the show was a major loss, William H. Macy has, in this season, delivered his strongest performance yet, followed closely by Jeremy Allen White who plays eldest brother, Lip. Although the earlier seasons, which follow the Gallaghers’ adolescence, are firm fan favourites for a reason, the character evolution of Lip from child prodigy, to delinquent, to father and family man is handled with immense skill. Lip’s struggle with alcoholism is not only impressive in its grittiness and realism but also because it highlights the theme of breaking cycles of intergenerational addiction. Throughout all twelve seasons, both the Gallaghers and the Milkoviches struggle against the frightening possibility of turning into their parents; with Ian now happily married, and Lip and youngest daughter Debbie (Emma Kenney) now parents, all Gallagher children in some sense get their happy(ish) ending, in sidestepping the pitfalls of their parents and stepping up to care for their children.

While the direction Shameless will ultimately take is still largely unclear, if the first half of the season is anything to go by, fans are in for another six episodes which are funny, gripping, tragic, and above all, shameless. Although the pandemic may have delayed the release of season twelve, the manner in which the writers have incorporated not only Covid-19, but the realities of systemic racism, gentrification and political unrest means that the final episodes will be well worth the wait.

WORDS BY GRACE GAGEBY