Shameless is the fledgling new series on Showtime. It features William H. Macy (The homicidal husband from Fargo) as a belligerently drunk father, Frank Gallagher. However, Frank is mainly the show’s anchor for go to comic relief. Shameless really focuses on the character of Fiona Gallagher [Emmy Rossum], who is the matriarch of the family.
Emily and her siblings have been abandoned by their mother, and are forced to take care of themselves and their stumbling father [Macy] by committing very shady acts upon the community of Chicago. -Mostly small time “gray area” crimes like stealing toilet paper from public restrooms, to larger crimes of stealing food from easily distracted truck drivers. (Apparently all it takes to make a Chicago truck driver look the other way is for a woman to slightly unzip the front of her blouse)
Shameless also features music from Mark Mothersbaugh [of Wes Anderson movie fame]. The music can often take the foreground in oddly placed “music video” montages that feature the Gallaghers celebrating victories of their thievery and debauchery. I like the music but I only wish that the music videos weren’t so aggressively placed. Sometime the placement of the montages can throw off the pacing of the show and feel more like “fluff” to pass the time. -I wonder if the show might work better in a 25-30mins format versus the 45-50 minute format it’s currently in. Oh yeah, it’s a long show.
When it comes to comedy, Shameless works decently playing off jokes of alcoholism and the family misfortune of “funny cause it happens” sort of humor. As a drama, Shameless kind of falls flat. It tries to pull at the heart strings a bit by trying to make us feel bad about the Gallaghers situation. The problem is that they also present the Gallaghers as a huge, self-perpetuated train wreck. We watch the show because we like to see the self-destructive behavior that makes them all have these problems. But, we don’t really don’t sympathize with them because of their constant criminal behavior. There are many families who have been faced with tough situations who have used legal and proper (even if slightly abusing the system) means to be able to dig their way out of poverty.
We all (I hope) have a set of morals. The Gallaghers have none. Although, it’s fun to watch them break the rules to get their way, we don’t necessarily feel that we would do the same thing. In Shameless, we get characters that are willing to break the law and play the system to get what they want. Then, the show wants us to feel bad for them not standing up to simple tasks that would seem to require less effort than breaking the laws they casually break. Why Fiona?!? Just let Steve [Justin Chatwin] help!!! -You’ll see what I mean if you watch.
Anyway, Shameless it’s a pleasant yarn if not totally engaging. I would not recommend it outright if only because it doesn’t offer anything better than many of the other shows that are out there. Still, if you’re a William H. Macy fan, or just need something to pass the time, you could to worse.
B-
