One of the central criticisms of the past few seasons of Shameless has been its attempts to rewrite its own history—the end of “Gallavich” (Ian and Mickey’s relationship) was necessary due to Noel Fisher’s exit, but the way the show reframed their relationship as purely destructive and worked to basically erase Mickey…

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Sunday, January 28. All times are Eastern.

The penultimate episode is always a difficult one to review. More than any other episode, the effectiveness of this hour of television depends on what happens in next week’s finale. There is always the possibility that you could critique a show like Shameless for not doing something, and then the finale reveals that …

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Sunday, January 21. All times are Eastern. It’s an honor just to be nominated.

This late in its eighth season, Shameless is past the point where it can reasonably course correct. The middle section of the season introduced a number of storylines that failed to highlight the show at its best, losing track of pretty much every character but Lip heading into “Church Of Gay Jesus.”

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Sunday, January 14. All times are Eastern. All the things that make us laugh and cry.

No city is a “character.” As much as creators like to elevate their stories by claiming a location, it’s just a clichéd attempt to make something sound important without earning it. Cities are complicated places, and nowhere is that more obvious than in Showtime’s new drama series, The Chi. As much as recent headlines…

As I’ve discussed before, Showtime’s choice to sell streaming rights to Shameless to Netflix has had a clear impact on the show’s audience. With each new season, there will be a group of viewers who binged through the entire series without breaks, experiencing it fundamentally differently than those of us who have…

Note: This week’s episode of Shameless is now streaming and OnDemand from Showtime ahead of its linear airing in the show’s regular timeslot on Sunday evening.

We need to talk about Ian Gallagher.

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Sunday, December 17. All times are Eastern. Seven more shopping days until Christmas!

Despite my stance on the rise of the “Skip Intro” button on Netflix, I don’t blame anyone who skips the opening credits of Shameless: after eight seasons with no variation, it’s hard to argue with anyone who wants to shave a minute off their viewing experience.

What is an abandoned church in a “transitioning” neighborhood?

The cycle of a soap opera—and Shameless is, at its core, a soap opera—requires tests. Characters who have a tendency to make bad decisions (so crucial for a soap opera to function) will have moments of progress, but then something or someone will emerge to challenge that progress. The more the cycle repeats, however,…

“Gallaghers are generally not normal humans.”

It struck me watching “Where’s My Meth?” that there is no longer any conflict within the extended Gallagher family itself. After seasons where Fiona was estranged from Debbie and Veronica, and where it felt like the various siblings were drifting away from the family center, this season has been defined by the…

Gathering at a bar with her classmates after her welding class, Debbie is surrounded by people who, like her, are seeking a fresh start. But none of them had a choice: whether newspaper men or taxi drivers, her classmates are all people who were forced out of their former careers by changes in their industries,…