Shameless

This article is about the original British series. For the U.S. version, see Shameless (U.S. TV series). For other uses, see Shameless (disambiguation).

Shameless
Shameless Series 8 title card
Genre	Dramedy
Created by	Paul Abbott
Written by	Paul Abbott Danny Brocklehurst
Directed by	Various
Starring	David Threlfall Elliott Tittensor Rebecca Atkinson Alice Barry Nicky Evans Tina Malone Ciarán Griffiths Aaron McCusker Sally Carman Qasim Akhtar Valerie Lilley Jack Deam Karen Bryson Emmanuel Ighodaro Kira Martin Robbie Conway Angelina Ball Kari Corbett Amy Beth Hayes Rachel Leskovac
Theme music composer	Murray Gold
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Language(s)	English
No. of series	9
No. of episodes	105 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Paul Abbott George Faber Charles Pattinson David Threlfall
Location(s)	Wythenshawe, Manchester, England
Cinematography	Gavin Struthers (series 4-5) Andy McDonnell
Running time	60 mins (inc. advertisements)
Production company(s)	Company Pictures
Broadcast
Original channel	Channel 4 (since 2004) Dave (2011)
Picture format	576i 16:9 (SDTV) 1080i 16:9 (HDTV)
Original run	13 January 2004 – present
Chronology
Related shows	Shameless (U.S.) (2011—)
External links
Website
Production website

Shameless is a British television drama series set in Manchester on the fictional Chatsworth council estate. Produced by Company Pictures for Channel 4, the first seven-episode series aired weekly on Tuesday nights at 10pm from 13 January 2004. The comedy drama, centred on British underclass and working class culture, has been accorded critical acclaim by various sections of the British media, including The Sun newspaper and Newsnight Review on BBC Two. The programme was created and partially written by Paul Abbott, who is also the programme's executive producer. The second half of series eight resumed on 30 August 2011 on Channel 4 and concluded on 25 October 2011.

On 11 July 2011 the TV channel Dave stated they would be showing Shameless from series 1–7, but only series 1 and 2 ended up being shown.

The show was renewed for a ninth series which began on 9 January 2012.

Plot

Shameless is a comedy drama set in a Manchester council estate named Chatsworth. It follows the lives of the Gallagher family.

Cast

Main article: List of Shameless characters

Series overview

Main article: List of Shameless episodes

Series		Episodes	Premier	Finale
	1	7	13 January 2004 (2004-01-13)	24 February 2004 (2004-02-24)
	2	11	4 January 2005 (2005-01-04)	8 March 2005 (2005-03-08)
	3	8	10 January 2006 (2006-01-10)	21 February 2006 (2006-02-21)
	4	8	9 January 2007 (2007-01-09)	27 February 2007 (2007-02-27)
	5	16	1 January 2008 (2008-01-01)	15 April 2008 (2008-04-15)
	6	16	27 January 2009 (2009-01-27)	12 May 2009 (2009-05-12)
	7	16	26 January 2010 (26 January 2010)	11 May 2010 (2010-05-11)
	8	13	10 January 2011 (10 January 2011)	8 March 2011 (8 March 2011)
		9	30 August 2011 (30 August 2011)	25 October 2011 (25 October 2011)
	9	22	9 January 2012 (9 January 2012)	()

Series 1 consisted of seven episodes. Series 2 started with a Christmas special (23 December 2004) followed by a longer run of ten episodes (4 January – 8 March 2005). Channel 4 introduced "First Look" to their scheduling of Shameless from Series 2 onwards, enabling viewers to see all but the first episode a week early on their sister channel E4. The preview screening immediately following the Channel 4 episode, allowing two consecutive episodes to be watched in quick succession.

Series 3 began with a New Year special (3 January 2006), with seven further episodes (10 January – 21 February 2006) completing the run. Series 4 comprised eight episodes (9 January – 27 February 2007), but it was also announced that Series 5 would see the series expanded to sixteen episodes (1 January – 15 April 2008). Series 6 continued the lengthened sixteen-episode format (27 January – 12 May 2009).

Series 7 began on 26 January 2010, and introduced Pauline McLynn and Valerie Lilley. It again consisted of sixteen episodes.

Series 8 began on 10 January 2011, and is the longest run to date, with 22 episodes. Channel 4 broke Series 8 into two parts, with Episodes 1–13 being shown between 10 January – 8 March 2011 and Episodes 14–22 aired during late summer 2011. The second half of series 8 resumed transmission on 30 August 2011, finishing with episode 22 on 25 October 2011.

Series 9 began filming in May 2011 continuing the lengthened 22 episode format, beginning on 9 January 2012.

Critical reception

In April 2005, the programme's first series won the Best Drama Series category at the British Academy Television Awards. It was also nominated for Best British Drama at the National Television Awards 2007, but lost out to Doctor Who. Shameless won an award at the Royal Television Awards Society North West Awards 2007 where it beat Coronation Street to the Best Continuing Drama Award.^{[citation needed]}

The programme has been sold overseas, where it airs on channels such as SBS One (Australia), UKTV (New Zealand), Acht (Belgium), Showcase (Canada), Virgin 17 (France), Nederland 3 (Netherlands), YLE FST5 (Finland), SIC Radical (Portugal), RTÉ Two (Ireland), BBC America (only aired the first series) and Sundance Channel (United States), yes+ (Israel), I.Sat (Latin America) and Jimmy (Italy).

American version

Main article: Shameless (U.S. TV series)

HBO began developing an American version of Shameless after striking a deal with John Wells.

By October 2009, the development had moved to Showtime. John Wells Productions filmed a pilot episode for the cable network in December 2009. It stars William H. Macy in the Frank Gallagher role. Allison Janney was cast as a romantic interest for Frank, but left after taking a job on Matthew Perry's Mr. Sunshine and was unable to be a part of both series. Academy Award nominee Joan Cusack joined the cast as the new Sheila Jackson. Also joining the pilot are Emmy Rossum as Frank's sensible and feisty eldest daughter, and Justin Chatwin as a car thief who falls for her. Showtime's Shameless cast includes Steve Howey, Shanola Hampton, Jeremy White, Laura Slade Wiggins, Joel Murray, Cameron Monaghan, Emma Kinney, and Ethan Cutkosky. The first episode of the series aired on Showtime on 9 January 2011.

DVD releases

Shameless: Series One
	Set Details			Special Features
	7 Episodes 2 Disc Set 16:9 Aspect Ratio Subtitles: yes (English) English (Stereo)			Meet the Cast An interview with Paul Abbott
	Release Dates
	United Kingdom, Ireland	Australia	United States
	27 December 2004	22 September 2005	24 April 2007
Shameless: Series Two Plus Christmas Special
	Set Details			Special Features
	11 Episodes 3 Disc Set 16:9 Aspect Ratio Subtitles: yes (English) English (Stereo)			Feature Length Christmas Special Audio Commentary (Episode 4) Featuring Paul Abbott, Dearbhla Walsh & Matt Jones
	Release Dates
	United Kingdom, Ireland		Australia
	31 October 2005		7 October 2010
Shameless: Series Two
	Set Details			Special Features
	10 Episodes 3 Disc Set 16:9 Aspect ratio Subtitles: yes (English) English (Stereo)			Audio Commentary (Episode 4) Featuring Paul Abbott, Dearbhla Walsh & Matt Jones
	Release Dates
	United Kingdom, Ireland
	16 January 2006
Shameless: Series Three Plus New Year Special
	Set Details			Special Features
	8 Episodes 3 Disc Set 16:9 Aspect Ratio Subtitles: yes (English) English (Stereo)			Feature Length New Year Special Mockumentary: Being Alice Barry (Lillian Unpeeled)
	Release Dates
	United Kingdom. Ireland
	30 October 2006
Shameless: Series One, Two and Three Boxset
	Set Details			Special Features
	26 Episodes 8 Disc Set 16:9 Aspect Ratio Subtitles: yes (English) English (Stereo)			Meet the Cast An interview with Paul Abbott Feature Length Christmas Special Audio Commentary (Episode 4) Featuring Paul Abbott, Dearbhla Walsh & Matt Jones Feature Length New Year Special Mockumentary: Being Alice Barry (Lillian Unpeeled)
	Release Dates
	United Kingdom, Ireland
	30 October 2006
Shameless: Series Four
	Set Details			Special Features
	8 Episodes 3 Disc Set 16:9 Aspect Ratio Subtitles: yes (English) English (Stereo)			Take That Sequence Directors Cut The Missing Scenes Full Unedited Frank Rant Outtakes
	Release Dates
	United Kingdom, Ireland
	29 October 2007
Shameless: Series One, Two, Three and Four Boxset
	Set Details			Special Features
	34 Episodes 11 Disc Set 16:9 Aspect Ratio Subtitles: yes (English) English (Stereo)			Meet the Cast An interview with Paul Abbott Feature Length Christmas Special Audio Commentary (Episode 4) Featuring Paul Abbott, Dearbhla Walsh & Matt Jones Feature Length New Year Special Mockumentary: Being Alice Barry (Lillian Unpeeled) Take That Sequence Directors Cut The Missing Scenes Full Unedited Frank Rant Outtakes
	Release Dates
	United Kingdom, Ireland
	29 October 2007
Shameless: Series Five
	Set Details			Special Features
	16 Episodes 5 Disc Set 16:9 Aspect Ratio Subtitles: yes (English) English (Stereo)			Behind-The Scenes Exclusives Audio Commentaries on Episode 9 & 11 Building The Set Outtakes Deleted Scenes
	Release Dates
	United Kingdom, Ireland
	21 April 2008
Shameless: Series One, Two, Three, Four and Five Boxset
	Set Details			Special Features
	50 Episodes 16 Disc Set 16:9 Aspect Ratio Subtitles: yes (English) English (Stereo)			Meet the Cast An interview with Paul Abbott Feature Length Christmas Special Audio Commentary (Episode 4) Featuring Paul Abbott, Dearbhla Walsh & Matt Jones Feature Length New Year Special Mockumentary: Being Alice Barry (Lillian Unpeeled) Take That Sequence Directors Cut The Missing Scenes Full Unedited Frank Rant Outtakes From Series 4 And 5 Behind-The Scenes Exclusives Audio Commentaries Building The Set
	Release Dates
	United Kingdom, Ireland
	21 April 2008
Shameless: Series Six
	Set Details			Special Features
	16 Episodes 5 Disc Set 16:9 Aspect Ratio Subtitles: yes (English) English (Stereo)			Meeting Danny Meeting Carl & Maxine Frank's Alternative Titles Deleted and Extended Scenes Outtakes Audio Commentary - Episodes 7&12 Her name was Maxine his name was Carl Jockey Drinking Game (Alphabet Males)
	Release Dates
	United Kingdom, Ireland
	18 May 2009
Shameless: Series One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Six Boxset
	Set Details			Special Features
	66 Episodes 21 Disc Set 16:9 Aspect Ratio Subtitles: yes (English) English (Stereo)			Meet the Cast An interview with Paul Abbott Feature Length Christmas Special Audio Commentary (Episode 4) Featuring Paul Abbott, Dearbhla Walsh & Matt Jones Feature Length New Year Special Mockumentary: Being Alice Barry (Lillian Unpeeled) Take That Sequence Directors Cut The Missing Scenes Full Unedited Frank Rant Outtakes From Series 4-6 Behind-The Scenes Exclusives Audio Commentaries Building The Set Meeting Danny Meeting Carl & Maxine Frank's Alternative Titles Deleted and Extended Scenes Audio Commentary - Episodes 7&12 Her name was Maxine his name was Carl Jockey Drinking Game (Alphabet Males)
	Release Dates
	United Kingdom, Ireland
	18 May 2009
Shameless: Series Seven
	Set Details			Special Features
	16 Episodes 4 Disc Set 16:9 Aspect Ratio Subtitles: yes (English) English (Stereo)
	Release Dates
	United Kingdom, Ireland
	17 May 2010
Shameless: Series One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and 7 Boxset
	Set Details			Special Features
	82 Episodes 25 Disc Set 16:9 Aspect Ratio Subtitles: yes (English) English (Stereo)			Special Features To Be Confirmed
	Release Dates
	United Kingdom, Ireland
	TBC

Further reading

• Munt, Sally R. (2007). "Shameless in Queer Street". Queer Attachments: The Cultural Politics of Shame. London: Ashgate Publishing. pp. 133–159. ISBN 0754649210. 
• Walters, James (2006). "Saving Face: Inflections of Character Role-play in Shameless". Journal of British Cinema and Television (Edinburgh University Press) 3 (1): 95–106. doi:10.3366/JBCTV.2006.3.1.95. 

External links

• Shameless at channel4.com
• Shameless at TV.com
• Shameless at the British Comedy Guide
• Shameless at the Internet Movie Database