# Shameless US premiere (spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120 "2011-01-10T18:39:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/61 "2011-03-01T21:20:11Z")
I didn’t see this thread when I posted this unnoticed OP – [Shameless -- comparing U.K./U.S. pilot episodes - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=597525) So I’ll repeat my comments here: > [@acsenray](#): > > Shameless – comparing U.K./U.S. pilot episodes > I just watched the pilot episodes of the U.S. and U.K. versions of Shameless. I have seen no other episodes of either series, so I’m requesting that any plot developments be spoiler-boxed. > > My initial reaction is that I see a lot of potential for this show. However, something which is very strange for someone like me who is addicted to U.K. TV shows and movies – I prefer the U.S. version by a lot more. > > I was trying to puzzle out why I preferred it to the original, and I came up with some factors. > > 1. The U.S. version features some of my favourite character actors, such as William H. Macy, Joan Cusack, and Joel Murray. > > 2. Overall, the U.S. cast has much better acting chops than the U.K. cast – especially evident in the Lip/Ian scenes in the pilot episode (which was almost shot-for-shot identical to the orginal). The American Lip and Ian are played by much much better actors than the British ones. > > 3. The U.S. version has Marguerite Moreau and Shanola Hampton, who are about 500 percent more gorgeous than any woman who has appeared on television in the past 15 years. > > 4. I just don’t buy James McAvoy at all. He looks like a skinny little adolescent punk. And he’s ugly as sin. > > 5. I have developed an unfortunate prejudice against Manchester accents, probably from my exposure to Karl Pilkington and Lunch Monkeys. Every time I hear someone speak with that voice, I just want to kick them in the head. Other North of England accents don’t strike me that way at all. I’m fine with Liverpool, Geordie, and Yorkshire accents, for example. I also recently found out that the main characters keep changing in the U.K. series. I’m skeptical that I would like that, especially since I find the current actors and their roles so engaging. I’d hate to see them constantly being phased out. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/62 "2011-03-02T02:47:35Z")
Which character did James McAvoy play? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/63 "2011-03-02T02:53:29Z")
McAvoy was Steve in the UK original. BTW, he and Anne-Marie Duff (who played Fiona in the UK original) became a real-life couple and are now married. And I think the reason that the main characters in the original changed is because the show’s been on so long. It’s currently airing the eighth series. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/64 "2011-03-02T03:04:35Z")
Does the UK version have as much nudity as the US version? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/65 "2011-03-02T03:06:21Z")
I think so, although it’s been a while since I saw the early seasons. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/66 "2011-03-02T04:04:26Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > And I think the reason that the main characters in the original changed is because the show’s been on so long. It’s currently airing the eighth series. For a total of only 95 episodes so far. From an American point of view, you should be able to carry your main cast that far without blinking an eye. Steve and Fiona, who are arguably the main characters at the beginning, lasted only 13 and 18 episodes in the original. That wouldn’t even be considered a “main” character in an American series. Similarly: Kev and Veronica (only 27 episodes), Kash (19 episodes), Lip (35 episodes), Sheila (28 episodes). It seems very weird to me that the characters that I’m growing to like in the beginning and appear in every episode would be written out so quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/67 "2011-03-02T08:29:23Z")
We’re used to shorter series, and actors here are expected to be more versatile. Unless you’re in a soap opera you can’t just plug away at the same show year in year out. So it’s a balance between the actors wanting to do different things and the writers wanting the opportunity to bring in different characters (although saying that the reason I stopped watching was because the interesting ones had gone). ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/68 "2011-03-02T12:06:33Z")
There’s shorter series, and then there’s writing out two of your main characters after one season. Surely, that’s not common in British TV? ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2011, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/69 "2011-03-02T13:44:04Z")
Not really, but both Duff and McAvoy have very successful careers and I don’t think they wanted to be tied to one show. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/70 "2011-03-04T12:40:48Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > BTW, one of my favorite things about the UK original is that Frank’s drunken monologues displayed an intelligent and literate mind. So far in the U.S. version, Frank’s drunken monologues are of the teabagger/right-wing/racist/conspiracy theory type, and not particularly intelligent or literate. He does display some talent in the bullshitting arena, but it seems like most of the people around him are no longer fooled. Frankly (!), I don’t think Frank needs to be “likable” for it to work. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/71 "2011-03-04T14:29:34Z")
On the most recent episode, the US Frank was sober because he was participating in a drug trial. He played the piano in the living room (a classical piece and a Billy Joel song, I think), to the surprise of his children. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/72 "2011-03-04T14:41:27Z")
> [@Illuminatiprimus](#): > > I see they’ve picked a better looking Ian for the US version, the UK one minged. I think the entire U.S. cast is leagues better looking than the U.K. one, except Fiona, maybe. > [@ZipperJJ](#): > > In the US version, the family’s financial and housing situation does seem far-fetched. Is it like that for anyone else? Or am I just totally ignorant? > > I actually think what throws me off is white people living in the projects. Yes, I KNOW people of all colors live in the projects in America. But my only exposure to THAT is _The Wire_ - where everyone was black. “Projects” and “Estates” seem like different cultures to me, yet they are synonymous in the _Shameless_ universe. As others have stated, the Gallaghers don’t live in the “projects,” in the usual sense of the word. Usually the term “projects” refers to large government public housing built in the '60s and '70s. They live in a poor, probably historically Irish, neighbourhood of Chicago made up of old single-family houses. So, you could call it a slum. And, by the way, it’s not far-fetched for there to be some project housing with white families. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > In the UK original, they live in council housing (i.e., public housing). I think the Showtime version also has them in public housing, as that’s what the guy in the arena mentioned about Fiona. He called her a “project girl,” but I don’t think he cared to be precise in his terminology. > [@Sampiro](#): > > If anyone has seen the Brit version and this one I’m curious if the Frank character’s about the same in both. I actually find myself wondering what appealed to Macy about the role since he’s got a decent career and I’m sure had other options. Seriously? To an “actor’s actor” like Macy, this is a plum role. What actor wouldn’t love such juicy opportunities to completely ham it up? Good actors love playing “bad.” > [@Noelq](#): > > 1. So Frank is Manic when not drunk. Interesting concept. I don’t think sobriety itself was making him manic. It was his desperation to distract himself from his craving combined with huge intakes of sugar. I suspect someone like Frank doesn’t eat a whole lot of actual food on a day-to-day basis and isn’t used to a sudden influx of sugar calories. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/73 "2011-03-04T15:16:36Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > > [@ZipperJJ](#): > > > > In the US version, the family’s financial and housing situation does seem far-fetched. Is it like that for anyone else? Or am I just totally ignorant? > > > > I actually think what throws me off is white people living in the projects. Yes, I KNOW people of all colors live in the projects in America. But my only exposure to THAT is _The Wire_ - where everyone was black. “Projects” and “Estates” seem like different cultures to me, yet they are synonymous in the _Shameless_ universe. > > As others have stated, the Gallaghers don’t live in the “projects,” in the usual sense of the word. Usually the term “projects” refers to large government public housing built in the '60s and '70s. They live in a poor, probably historically Irish, neighbourhood of Chicago made up of old single-family houses. So, you could call it a slum. In the third episode, we learned that the house in which they live actually belonged to Aunt Ginger (the one whose Social Security checks Frank has been cashing). My guess is that Aunt Ginger owned it free and clear, so that partly explains their financial and housing situation. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2011, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/74 "2011-03-07T08:28:33Z")
Cool- we finally got to meet Mommy. “You know how Dad’s a monumental fuck up? It turns out he’s the good one.” Loved Frank’s attachment to Liam. “You’ll take him over my dead body!” “We’ll sign those papers.” “Okay.” Good episode. Nice seeing Julia Duffy again as well. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/75 "2011-03-14T16:53:53Z")
How in hell can Liam be Frank’s? ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/76 "2011-03-14T19:09:22Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > How in hell can Liam be Frank’s? Just repeat to yourself “It’s just a show,I should really just relax” Yeah, I’m :dubious: too. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/77 "2011-03-14T19:13:20Z")
The in-show explanation was that Frank’s mother had an affair, although I know that it’s an inplausible explanation. It seems to be an unnecessary complication for them to have added to the show. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/78 "2011-03-14T19:56:29Z")
Buying the house next door couldn’t have come at a better time. It looks like the boom is lowered on Steve/Scott next week. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/79 "2011-03-21T15:04:47Z")
How is it that a person of Frank’s age and years of heavy alcohol abuse and bad nutrition is physically able to have so much sex? ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120/80 "2011-03-21T19:15:05Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > How is it that a person of Frank’s age and years of heavy alcohol abuse and bad nutrition is physically able to have so much sex? Good writers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shameless-us-premiere-spoilers/567120.md?page=5)