Before ‘Shameless’ Ends, Relive the Characters’ Wildest Moments
After a decade of crazy hijinks, the wild story of the Shameless crew is coming to an end on April 11. Fans of the show have watched these characters quite literally stumble through their chaotic lives for 11 seasons now and Debbie (Emma Kenney), Carl (Ethan Cutkosky), Ian (Cameron Monaghan), and Liam (Christian Isaiah) grow into adults and teens. While certainly crazy, the ruthless antics of the Gallaghers and co will be missed after the cameras stop rolling.
In preparation for the series’ final episodes, take a look at the most shameless moments of TV’s most-wanted crew.
Shameless, Final Episodes, Sundays, 9/8c, Showtime; Seasons 1-10, Streaming now, Netflix
Fiona's Drug Fiasco
While Fiona (Emmy Rossum) certainly serves as the foundation of the Gallagher family, she is still prone to many a slip-up. Her most notable failure occurs in Season 4 when Liam is found face-full of the cocaine that she’s using on a brief bender. Facing the threat of brain damage, the family must immediately get him to the hospital while Fiona is forced to reckon with the consequences of her reckless action — which includes the potential loss of custody.
Frank's Foul Play
Oh, Frank (William H. Macy). Where do we even begin with Shameless’ most infamous troublemaker? From ruining Fiona’s wedding to purposefully rejecting his girlfriend’s heart transplant in hopes that he would receive her money after her death, Frank has done it all. But none of his cheap cons are as morally twisted as his decision to falsely call Child Protective Services on his own kids. Because there is no official guardian in the house, the kids are swiftly taken in by the government and sent to foster homes. The Gallagher patriarch has done some horrible things to his children, but this one surely takes the cake.
Lip's Baseball Bender
Definitely the intellectual brawn of the Gallaghers, Lip (Jeremy Allen White) uses his above-average smarts to help out his family in any way possible. But his potential is often wasted, due to his destructive tendencies and sharp temper. His downward slope hits a peak in Season 6 when he not only verbally assaults his mentor (and boss!) but also bashes his car in with a baseball bat. Amped up on alcohol, he is expelled from college and promptly taken to rehab.
Ian the Redeemer
A fan favorite for his authentic and honest portrayal of LGBTQ+ and bipolar disorder-related issues, Ian is often unabashed in his recklessness throughout the series. In Season 8, he begins to be viewed as a Christ-like figure, due to his LGBTQ+ activism and occasional “miracle” working. Labeled “Gay Jesus,” his confidence and erratic actions land him in jail on an arson charge after he blows up a van in a feat of miracle-like behavior. (His heart is certainly in the right place.)
Gangster Carl?
Known throughout the series as a troublemaker — he’s even selling drugs at the age of 12 — Carl always seems to be up to no good. But his storyline took an… interesting pivot in Season 6 when he adapted a “thug” persona post-juvie release. Donning cornrows and a gangster demeanor, viewers watched as Carl navigated puberty in the most Shameless of ways. While he later enrolls in military school, Carl still manages to get tied into the criminal activities that the show is known for. Once a Gallagher, always a Gallagher.
Mother Knows Best?
While initially a moral compass in the family, Debbie spins into full rebel mode as she grows older. In order to convince her new boyfriend Derek (Luca Oriel) to marry her, she intentionally lies about being on birth control when they are together, resulting in her pregnancy. When he learns he is going to be a father, Derek completely cuts Debbie off and moves to Florida with his grandparents. At 15, pregnant, and without a father figure, Debbie still decides to keep her baby, who she names Frannie. Her penchant for lies continues to snowball into trouble as the series progresses.
Mickey's Pain in the Butt
Mickey (Noel Fisher) may arguably be the most revered Shameless fan favorite for his quick wit and now iconic relationship with Ian. While “Gallavich” brings some serious heart to the show, Mickey is not without his reckless antics. A house robbery led by Ian and Mickey proves to bite them in the butt… literally. Mickey gets caught red-handed and must flee the house as the homeowner fires multiple shots at the robbers, one of them hitting him in the butt. To make matters worse, he must then have the bullet removed by Dr. L (Harry Hamlin), Ian’s new love interest and the one who requested they rob the house in the first place.
'V' For Vendetta
When Svetlana (Isidora Goreshter) legally cons V (Shanola Hampton) and Kev (Steve Howey) out of their beloved bar, revenge is swift. But keep in mind: This is Shameless, so this is not your typical revenge plot. In a physical confrontation over the bar’s ownership, V eventually has Svetlana arrested, and nearly deported, for her backstabbing crime. V takes this a step further in Season 8 when she calls ICE on Svetlana and her employees to regain control of the bar. If there’s one thing for certain, it’s not to mess with V.
Kev's Motorcycle Blunder
Considering the violent misadventures of the Gallagher crew, Kev has managed to become one of the show’s saner characters. However, a tragic, yet humorous, moment in Season 6 brings Kev into some truly Shameless chaos. Upon receiving noise complaints from neighbors about Yanis (Will Sasso), who frequently revs his loud motorcycle engine, Kev takes matters into his own hands: accidentally clipping the brake line of his motorcycle. Yanis then gets into a car accident, which leaves him paralyzed from the waist down. Kev’s apology prompts an angry Yanis to attempt to set him on fire. Instead, he ends up setting his own wheelchair aflame, resulting in his death.
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