The Showtime original series “Shameless” is filled with drama, comedy and other genres all incorporated into one show. It's known to push boundaries when it comes to how far shows can actually go. It features a low-income family on the south side of Chicago who faces constant struggles.
One of the main characters in “Shameless” is the father, Frank, played by William H. Macy. Frank is a drug addict, alcoholic and degenerate. Throughout the seven seasons that are out, he puts the family through absolute hell, and the oldest of the kids, Fiona, usually ends up taking the burden of taking care of the family.
Frank Gallagher will do anything to keep getting high or drunk. From trying to collect the life insurance of a past husband of a woman to bringing the youngest kid in the family out to the side of the street to panhandle, he never fails to amuse.
The aspect that makes Frank so unique is his plethora of knowledge and his massive vocabulary. One of the main scenes is set in the Alibi room, which is a bar. He is constantly on a barstool flexing his wisdom to the others who are there who seem to pay no mind to his rambling.
You would think being as intelligent as he is, he would try to do something different with his life and get it together, but that seems to have no interest to him. He just wants to drink and get high.
Throughout all of the negative actions that he commits, somehow he remains such a lovable character. He is also absolutely hilarious.
He drinks so much to the point of liver failure. After he gets a liver transplant, he immediately asks the doctor when he can drink next. Frank is relentless with his drinking. And although he fails to really do anything for others, those around him are trying to help him any way possible.
After leaving his oldest daughter when she was born and then only coming back into her life when he needed a liver transplant, she still was there to take care of him. Same goes with Sheila, a woman who Frank engages in a relationship with for the sole purpose of a place to stay and money. She is always there to take care of him, despite the fact that he is never there for her.
Frank Gallagher is a cinematic masterpiece of a TV character. William H. Macy really becomes Frank, and it is incredible to watch. I can’t get enough of him. I can't wait to see whats next for him and his crazy adventures.
One minute he is getting paid good money and staying in five star hotel rooms for pretending to be gay, the next, he's on the floor of an apartment with a needle in his arm and naked strangers scattered around the room.
