There’s never been a TV family quite like the Gallaghers. Over the course of 11 seasons, fans fells in love and rooted for the Gallagher gang. Fans witnessed their highs (sometimes literally) and their lows. The Gallaghers have had their round at the Alibi, but is their story really over?
Shameless reached its season finale after 11 wild, emotional, and jaw-dropping seasons on April 12, 2021. The hit Showtime series premiered in 2011 and followed “siblings in a dysfunctional Chicago family who struggle while coping with their alcoholic father,” according to its Netflix page. Having been on for so long, fans saw several of the main cast members transform from kids to adults during the show’s run. The Gallagher crew included William H. Macy, who won a Screen Actors Guild Award for playing Frank, Emmy Rossum, Justin Chatwin, Jeremy Allen White, Cameron Monaghan, Emma Kenney, and Ethan Cutkosky.
After the series finale aired, many fans admitted they didn’t want the show to end. Could season 12 actually happen? When it comes to TV, anything is possible. HollywoodLife has everything you need to know about the future of Shameless.
Will There Be A Shameless Season 12?
As of right now, Shameless season 12 is not in the cards. However, showrunner John Wells isn’t ruling out a future spinoff or revival. “There is nothing planned. But never say never,” John told The Hollywood Reporter after the series finale. “It’s a crazy world out there with people reviving shows and characters. But we get to tell a lot of great stories with these people and wonderful actors, writers, and directors. If we never tell another story with them, I think we did a lot that I’m proud of and that we’re all proud of. You never know. But we’re surely not planning anything.”
He admitted that he has an “idea” about what would happen to the Shameless characters “over the next few months” after the finale. He continued, “We would have loved to continue making the show because I love making the show — and you’ve heard me say that a bunch of times. In my mind, Lip gets a motorcycle shop and settles in and loses the neighborhood, and becomes the new patriarch for that crazy family. And Ian and Mickey have a kid. But you can fill in the blanks however you want to fill in the blanks as a viewer. Whatever you think is right!”
After the 10th season aired in January 2020 and the final season was greenlit, John admitted that he was “disappointed” that Shameless was coming to an end. “Showtime felt the timing was right for the final season and I’m happy to go along with that,” he told THR at the time. “As I’ve always said, I love this show so much I could make it forever. I’m a little disappointed but not horribly upset because they have been such wonderful partners all these years. I love this family and this world so I wasn’t kidding when I said I could write it forever.”
Season 11’s Ending
Shameless didn’t end in a definitive way whatsoever. The fates of all the main characters, except for Frank, were left open-ended. Frank died in the hospital alone from complications of COVID-19 and alcoholic dementia. His kids were unaware that their father had passed away.
The series finale didn’t wrap up everything in a neat little bow either. Like the Gallaghers, a lot of things were left up in the air. The other Gallaghers, as well as Kev and V, were at the Alibi celebrating Ian and Mickey’s wedding anniversary. Ian and Mickey began thinking about kids, but we don’t know if they ended up starting a family of their own. Kev and V were headed to Louisville, but the fate of the Alibi and Carl’s involvement wasn’t revealed. In the penultimate episode, Carl’s former fling, Tish, showed up pregnant. Is Carl the father? We still don’t know.
Also in the finale, Lip was thinking about selling the house, and Tami was possibly pregnant again. Debbie’s new girlfriend invited her to come to Texas as well. As for Fiona, fans still don’t know what she’s up to after leaving the show in season 9. Emmy Rossum was unable to return in the final season due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Even though Fiona couldn’t come back, the Shameless boss had an idea of what Fiona was up to.
“I think she’s down in Florida,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “We joked in the room that she ended up getting a job at Disney World, probably in Epcot Center because she would never get a job on the better side. We had a lot of jokes for her but we never actually nailed it down. But she would have a life and be pursuing her own things. That’s how people move on with their lives.” (And hopefully reunited with Jimmy-Steve as well.)
Shows Similar To Shameless
If you’re looking for something to satisfy your Shameless craving, look no further than the original Shameless. The U.K. version ran from 2004 to 2013. Like the U.S. version, the original Shameless was a massive hit in Britain. The U.K.’s Shameless features just as much Gallagher chaos and a stellar cast that includes James McAvoy and Anne-Marie Duff. The original series is currently available on Hulu.
At the center of Shameless is a complicated family. Six Feet Under is a family drama that will not disappoint. The critically-acclaimed HBO series ran from 2001 to 2005 and follows the Fisher family, who take over the funeral home their deceased father left them. Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Lauren Ambrose, Frances Conroy, and more stars in the series. The show is available to watch on HBO Max.
Another family drama worth watching is none other than Succession. The Roys are the complete opposite of the Gallaghers when it comes to wealth, but they have just as many problems. Succession has quickly become one of HBO’s biggest hits, and the fourth season is currently filming. You can watch the first three seasons on HBO Max.
If you’re looking to stay on the South Side of Chicago, The Chi is the perfect show for you. The Showtime series was created by Lena Waithe and will return for a fourth season in May 2021. The Chi is a coming-of-age story about a group of people who live on the South Side of Chicago and become linked and bonded together through their experiences. The Chi features an incredible cast, including Jacob Latimore, Yolonda Ross, Curtiss Cook, and more. You can watch the first 5 seasons on Paramount+.
Weeds is a dramedy in the same vein as Shameless. Mary-Louise Parker stars as a widowed mother who starts selling marijuana to support her family. The Showtime series aired from 2005 to 2012. All 8 seasons are available to watch on Hulu.
Hey, if you want to just rewatch Shameless all over again, that’s totally fine, too. The first 10 seasons are available on Netflix. All 12 seasons are available on the Showtime Anytime app.