Welcome to our first ‘Fresh Meat’ column, where we will review and analyze new shows, determining whether their worth your precious time. Our first review is of Showtime's Shameless (Sundays at 10pm).
Based on the award-winning British series of the same name, Shameless premiered on January 9th. Starring a brilliant William H. Macy, this show is based around a drunk and his six kids in Chicago’s west side. Unlike most shows dealing with family poverty or absent, alcoholic fathers, this show brings the drama on a personal level that many shows miss.
William H. Macy plays Frank Gallagher, a father of six, who spends his days drinking at his next-door neighbors bar. The children are a motley crew, ranging from the eldest daughter (Emmy Rossum) who acts as the matriarch, to a gay son who falls in love with his boss at a supermarket. Another son is a genius who takes the SATs for other people.
There are few shows these days that truly make you laugh, sympathize and relate to the characters so well. Shameless brings a real life American family struggling to stay a float straight to your television screen. According to Executive Producer John Wells, “we have a comedic tradition of making fun of the people in those worlds. The reality is that these people aren't 'the other' — they're people who live four blocks down from you and two blocks over."
If you subscribe to Showtime (or the internet...), I highly recommend giving this show a look. It's only three episodes in and is a fast hour of television, and William H. Macy and a supporting turn by Joan Cusack as his agoraphobic neighbor make this show a must watch.
Bottom Line: This show fits well with Showtime's current stable and has the potential to become another fantastic series for the network.
1 comment:
I watched all of the current episodes of Shameless last night in a fit of insomnia. So far, pretty impressed. It may be my favorite family driven show right now.
A big ol' pile of dramedy fun.
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