Diving Into Shameless
Photo: Showtime
Even since 2010, when Shameless first made its way over from the UK to American shores, the Showtime smash hit has had a fanatic following. Based on the British series of the same name, the US version focuses on the Gallagher family, a scrappy clan of con artists and hoodlums who are trying to survive in the Southside of Chicago by any means necessary.
Starring William H. Macy as constantly-intoxicated patriarch Frank Gallagher, the series also features Ethan Cutkosky, Jeremy Allen White, Cameron Monaghan, and Emma Kenney, who took over as head of the family after Emmy Rossum's Fiona left the show.
What makes Shameless stand out among many other family dramas is its ability to balance hilarious absurdity with the dramatic stakes that come with serious issues like poverty and addiction. That combination of comedy and drama gives plenty of opportunities for every member of the ensemble cast to shine.
Though Shameless has been greenlit for an 11th and final season, the global COVID-19 pandemic has postponed the series’ swan song for now. So until the next Gallagher family reunion, Ranker Insights is keeping Shameless front and center with a deep dive into the fanbase of this long-running Showtime show.
WHAT AMERICAN AUDIENCES THINK
Photo: Ranker Insights
The Gallagher family is well-loved throughout the United States, according to Ranker data. Insights says that a majority of Americans in every region of the US approve of Shameless.
The Gallaghers get more love in the Northeast and the Midwest than anywhere else — 69% of Ranker voters in both regions hold the show in high esteem. Meanwhile, 61% of both the Mountain West and the West Coast approve of the show. The South is slightly sweeter on Shameless, granting it a 64% approval rating.
SHAMELESS FANS' TOP SHOWS
Photo: Showtime
Top shows among Shameless fans include well-scripted dramedies that buoy heavy dramatic themes with moments of levity. For example, fans of Shameless are 8X more likely than the average Ranker voter to watch Netflix's Orange Is the New Black, and 7X more likely to love both Breaking Bad and Sons of Anarchy.
Fans are also more likely to be partial to other programming on Showtime. Viewers are 8X more likely to watch Weeds and Nurse Jackie, and they’re 7X more likely to check out Dexter and Californication.
On the other side of the coin, Shameless watchers are less likely to enjoy more traditional TV fare and reality shows. Low on the list of must-see TV for Shameless fans are Keeping Up with the Kardashians, The Amazing Race, American Idol, and the BBC’s Top Gear.
SHAMELESS FANS AT THE MOVIES
Photo: Showtime
Fans of Shameless like their movies smart, sweet, and a little twisted, much like the Gallagher clan themselves. In addition to their elevated taste in cinema, Shameless fans also enjoy movies about outsiders.
The Shameless audience is over 3X more likely to check out both the cult hit Fight Club and Superbad, and they’re 2X more likely to watch Good Will Hunting.
ON RANKER
Photo: Showtime