Parents' Guide to

Shameless

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Dysfunctional family dramedy has booze, drugs, and sex.

TV Showtime Drama 2011
Shameless Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

age 16+

Based on 81 parent reviews

age 14+

Great show.

While Shameless has lots of drugs, nudity, swearing, etc, it is definitely a show that accurately portrays problems many families go through. Shameless does not glamorize anything, and shows the effects and consequences of things. It is a great show to watch, though seeing kids under 14 watching it doesn't sit right with me, while it depends on maturity, being exposed at a young age could have effects, as young children aren't able to process things the right way. While Shameless portrays hardcore topics, it is still a comedy, meaning some unrealistic things are bound to happen. It is one of my favorite shows, and I highly recommend.
3 people found this helpful.
age 12+

AMAZING STUFF

I think the show was awesome and they did a great job on everything and whoever says it’s not a good show I’m sorry but you must be stupid or something.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
2 people found this helpful.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (81):
Kids say (224):

Not all viewers have seen the original, critically acclaimed series that inspired this remake. But like its British counterpart, this Shameless is a complex, often harrowing, family drama with comedic elements, which casts Macy as a generally unlikable "alcoholic" father who leaves his six children to fend for themselves.

The U.S. version starts as a sexed-up, in-your-face shocker that throws any of the original series' subtleties out the window. But a strange thing happens a few episodes in, once you get past seeing an elementary schooler swilling a beer in plain sight of his family members, who only seem mildly annoyed that he's drinking it. You find yourself rooting for the Gallagher kids (admirably anchored by Rossum and Jeremy Allen White and Cameron Monaghan, who play her two younger brothers), even though they'd probably try to rip you off if you met them in person. The series cleverly explores the lives of those living at the margins of American society, as is the case of the Gallaghers, who experience poverty and try their best to lead satisfying lives.

TV Details

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