Shameless is a show that doesn’t lie about how life really is. It shows that life isn’t full of rainbows and sunshine, but rather that it is harsh and truly unforgiving. Shameless shows the consequences for the actions and choices that we make. It is a show that shows the struggles of growing up having to fight for everything you have when you don’t have parents to fight for you. It gives people who live like this something to relate to and to cope with. By watching this show I have been able to cope with the realities of my own life and realized that I am not alone in having a really messed up home life.
While all of the episodes show perfect examples of how life isn’t pretty, one in particular has always stuck out to me. In Season 6, Episode 8 there is an episode entitled “Be a Good Boy, and Come for Grandma”. In this episode, Carl begins to realize that he doesn’t want to be living the life he is. He has been running with a gang, selling illegal weapons and he wants out. It isn’t that simple though. He begins to realize that it isn’t as simple as not showing up.
This is Carl after he tells one of the boys that he is taking a break. The man whips him with a gun and tells him that it ain’t that simple. He is told he needs to be at the next pick up or else. He goes to his father, Frank, for advice. Before Carl even gets a word in, Frank asks for money. Carl doesn’t have any because he hasn’t been making his rounds. Frank seems furious about this, he tells him he must continue doing the work because someone needs to live up to the Gallagher name. Carl still wants to quit, regardless of what his father says.
This is from the scene where Sean goes with Carl to try and get him out of that life. After Sean tells him that Carl will be working for him, gives up his clothes and his car, Carl’s clothes, too, they let them go. They walk all the way home with nothing, but boxers on.
This is just one of the many examples of how this show doesn’t just make everything work out perfectly, but rather messy and full of struggle. They don’t just have the gang agree to letting him leave or somehow make it so it all goes away simply with no consequences.
This show represents how life is not without hardships and regret.
The episode after this one shows how Lip’s drinking doesn’t just end with good memories, but rather a night in the hospital. Before the hospital, he is bar-tending a party where he himself never stops drinking and he mixes up girls names. He doesn’t even know how he got to the hospital.
This is a show that never stops showing hardships and perils. If there was an episode where it had all of the characters happy and just going about there day, it would shock and baffle all of it’s viewers.
The dialogue is also one that helps viewers connect with the show. They never bother to care what they say, if they swear, or even offend anyone. They always say it like it is, they are real about everything.
This isn’t a show I would recommend for young kids, they shouldn’t know what life is like so young. This is a show that is for older teens and young adults that aren’t really sure what life is like. This is a great example of the life you can end up with when you make bad decisions, like Frank the father did when he had all these kids and didn’t take care of them and made them take care of themselves and each other.
Picture Links:
https://www.wattpad.com/445133642-shameless-imagines-gif-series-carl-gallagher