Shameless

Shameless is an American television comedy-drama which airs on Showtime. It is a remake of the award-winning British series of the same name. The series is set in Chicago's South Side Canaryville neighborhood. It is filmed in the South Lawndalecommunity area of Chicago and Burbank, California, at Warner Bros. Studios. The series premiered on January 9, 2011. The show's second season, which began shooting on July 5, premiered on Sunday, January 8, 2012. On February 1, 2012, the series was renewed for a third season, which began shooting on June 27, 2012 and premiered on Sunday, January 13, 2013. On January 29, 2013, Showtime renewed Shameless for a fourth season.

The series follows the dysfunctional family of Frank Gallagher, a single father of six children. While he spends his days drunk, his kids learn to take care of themselves.

The show's producers sought to distinguish it from previous American working-class shows by highlighting how Frank's alcoholism affects his family. Paul Abbott, creator of the original, said, "It's not My Name Is Earl or Roseanne. It's got a much graver level of poverty attached to it. It's not blue collar; it's no collar." When John Wells, the showrunner, began pitching the show, he had to fight efforts to place the show in the South or in a trailer park. He explained, "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".