Shameless aired for 11 seasons and ended its impressive run in 2021. The Chicago-based series follows the Gallagher clan, a low-income family living in the South Side. Frank (William H. Macy) is the technical head of the household, but Fiona (Emmy Rossum) is really the one who takes care of her younger siblings, at least, for most of the show's run.
The Gallaghers are a highly dysfunctional family who consistently engage in morally gray activities like drug use and violent crimes. Their indecent activities usually stem from their less-than-ideal upbringing by Frank and Monica (Chloe Webb). Despite their immoral conduct, the Gallaghers are a sympathetic family who at their core really love and care about each other.
With Shameless over, you’re bound to be on the hunt for a new show to watch. We selected a few series that may fulfill your need for reckless family dramedy.
Weeds (Peacock)
What The Show Is About: Widower Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) starts selling weed to make money to support her and her two sons in their upper-middle class suburban neighborhood. The Weeds cast also includes Elizabeth Perkins, Justin Kirk, Hunter Parrish, and Kevin Nealon. Jenji Kohan is the creator of Weeds.
Why Fans Of Shameless Would Like It: Shameless and Weeds both involve their characters becoming more corrupt as they age. As the series goes on, the Botwins become more involved with the illegal drug dispensing business, and engage in other criminal behaviors. Shameless and Weeds are both Showtime dramedies so they have similar tones and themes.
Malcolm In The Middle (Hulu)
What The Show Is About: Malcolm in the Middle centers around Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) who discovers that he’s a genius. Malcolm’s intelligence comes as a surprise to his less-than-scholarly family. The cast of Malcolm in the Middle includes Jane Kaczmarek and a pre-Walter White Bryan Cranston.
Why Fans Of Shameless Would Like It: Malcolm and his family may be very tame in comparison to the Gallagher family, but they still have their own brand of highly dysfunctional behavior. The family also consists of characters who have some of the characteristics of Fiona and her siblings. Lip (Jeremy Allen White) and Malcolm could be the same person if a few very critical factors changed. Scary to consider? I know. Malcolm in the Middle is like the PG version of Shameless, with more stability and less drug use and criminal activity.
Stream Malcolm in the Middle on Hulu.
Shameless UK (Tubi)
What The Show Is About: The original Shameless series began in 2004 and ran until 2013. Like the American version, it follows the Gallagher family with many of the characters overlapping. However, unlike the American version, Fiona, played by Anne-Marie Duff in this version, leaves after Season 2. She also ends up with Steve/Jimmy, played by James McAvoy. David Threlfall leads the cast as Frank Gallagher.
Why Fans Of Shameless Would Like It: If you’re looking for a good origin story, then Shameless is a great series to watch to see how the shows intersect and stray apart from each other. The first season of the American Shameless follows the original blueprint fairly closely, but finds its own pace, rhythm, and identity by Season 2. The series are quite different so you won’t feel like you’re just watching the same show with different accents.
Stream Shameless (UK) on Tubi.
Skins (Hulu)
What The Show Is About: Skins follows a group of teens as they deal with their sexuality, love, growing up, friendship, and identity. The series takes a gritty look at adolescence and follows three different groups of teens. Skins aired for six seasons and had three standalone movies/miniseries. The Skins cast included Kaya Scodelario, Nicholas Hoult, Joe Dempsie, Hannah Murray, Kathryn Prescott, and Jack O’Connell.
Why Fans Of Shameless Would Like It: Skins is more of a drama than Shameless, but each series has both dark and comedic tones. The series also tackles the pain of growing up and trying to find yourself. Skins deals with less-than-noble characters whose chaotic behavior brings everyone around them down.
Arrested Development (Netflix)
What The Show Is About: The Bluth family finds themselves in a peculiar situation when George Bluth Sr. (Jeffrey Tambor) heads to prison for white-collar crimes. Michael Bluth (Jason Bateman) must step up and try to keep their real estate business running. Arrested Development aired for five seasons, two of which were Netflix-exclusive seasons.
Why Fans Of Shameless Would Like It: The Bluth family is a mess. In fact, I can see a world where the Bluth and Gallagher family argue over who is the messier family. Obviously, it’s the Gallaghers, but we’re not sure they would see it that way. The Bluth and Gallaghers were once on completely opposite sides of the financial spectrum but share in their volatile family dynamics.
Stream Arrested Development on Netflix.
United States Of Tara (Paramount+)
What The Show Is About: Diablo Cody created this Showtime dramedy about Tara (Toni Collette), a woman with dissociative identity disorder. She takes on the personality of various different characters. The United States of Tara deals with how this disorder affects her life and family. John Borbett, Brie Larson, Keir Gilchrist, and Rosemarie DeWitt also star.
Why Fans Of Shameless Would Like It: Among all their troubles, the Gallagher family comes together, and are usually there for each other when needed. The United States of Tara has a similar united front ideology. No matter who or what stands in their way, both families will work through it together.
Stream The United States of Tara on Paramount+.
Misfits (Hulu)
What The Show Is About: A group of young offenders doing community service develop powers after a supernatural thunderstorm strikes them. The original Misfits are Kelly (Lauren Socha), Curtis (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett), Alisha (Antonia Thomas), Simon (Iwan Rheon), and Nathan (Robert Sheehan).
Why Fans of Shameless Would Like It: It’s more supernatural than Shameless but deals with characters who have done bad things because of their circumstances, not necessarily because they’re bad people. Many of the Shameless characters get worse as the show goes on, Misfits takes an opposite approach. They become better people as the series goes on, and they try to actually use their powers for good. Both series also explore mature themes and reckless behavior.
Married With Children
What The Show Is About: Ed O’Neill and Katey Sagal star in '80s/'90s sitcom Married with Children. They play combative couple Al and Peggy Bundy. Christina Applegate and David Faustino play their children Kelly and Bud Bundy. The Bundy family is your typical all-American family who just happens to be aggressive and in a constant cycle of failure.
Why Fans Of Shameless Would Like It: The Bundy family and the Gallagher family could easily be neighbors with the similar family down on their luck natures. The Gallaghers are a lot more capable and ambitious than the Bundys but both families represent lower class lifestyle at its most extreme.
Stream Married with Children on Hulu.
You’re The Worst (Hulu)
What The Show Is About: Gretchen (Aya Cash) and Jimmy (Chris Geere) are two highly unstable people, but together they work. They hate everyone but love each other like crazy. The You’re The Worst cast also includes Kether Donohue and Desmin Borges.
Why Fans of Shameless Would Like It: Gretchen and Jimmy bring havoc to those around them, but they balance and stabilize each other. Their chaos works for them. Many of the Shameless pairings have a similar vibe. They may be a mess to others, but they see the beauty in each other’s mayhem. It aired for five seasons on FX.
Stream You’re the Worst on Hulu.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Hulu)
What The Show Is About: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is about the many misadventures of Dee (Kaitlin Olson), Charlie (Charlie Day), Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), and Frank (Danny DeVito) as they badly run a bar and engage in dubious behavior.
Why Fans of Shameless Would Like It: If you enjoy the bad behavior of the Gallaghers then you should love the extremely bad behavior of the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia gang. Also, both shows have terrible father figures named Frank. I'm not saying all Franks are terrible, but all TV dads named Frank aren't that great. In 2021, with Season 15, It’s Always Sunny became the longest-running live-action comedy series of all time.
Stream It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia on Hulu.
Such Brave Girls (Hulu)
What The Show Is About: Such Brave Girls is a British comedy following two sisters and their single mom. No one in the family is well-adjusted, but Josie (Kat Sadler) is battling mental health issues. Her family’s lack of support adds to these troubles.
Why Fans of Shameless Would Like It: Such Brave Girls feels like a spiritual successor to Shameless. The family dynamic is very dysfunctional but there is a charm to the chaos, bad behavior, and tough love. The series premiered on BBC Three and later premiered on Hulu in December 2023.
Stream Such Brave Girls on Hulu.
Other Shows Featuring The Shameless Cast
The following TV shows don’t necessarily have the qualities of Shameless, but they star former actors from it. These shows may appeal to individuals who miss the characters and those who play them. These are some of their popular post-Shameless projects.
The Bear (Hulu)
What The Show Is About: The Bear follows Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), a young award-winning Chef, as he returns to Chicago to run his deceased brother’s sandwich shop. It deals with the stress and struggles of running a restaurant and tackling personal turmoil.
Why Fans of Shameless Would Like It: The Chicago setting may bring comfort to some Shameless fans. Additionally, Allen-White is showcased in a lead role that’s different from his Lip character but just as fascinating.
Angelyne (Peacock)
What The Show Is About: This Peacock original miniseries follows the true story of Angelyne, a woman who rose to fame with billboard advertisements. Emmy Rossum plays the title role.
Why Fans of Shameless Would Like It: Since leaving Shameless, Rossum has only appeared in a few projects. Angelyne is one of them and The Crowded Room is another. Angelyne allows Rossum to play a character completely different from Fiona on Shameless. This makes it a perfect watch for fans of the actress because it highlights her stellar acting range.
Found (Peacock)
What The Show Is About: This NBC procedural follows a crisis management team as they try to locate different missing people each week. The show mainly revolves around Gabi Mosley (Shanola Hampton), a former kidnap victim who is an expert in finding missing people. She also has a major secret and hidden advantage to her job.
Why Fans of Shameless Would Like It: Hampton often stood out in Shameless as Veronica. However, Found really allows her to shine as a leading lady.
Shameless fans who still miss the Gallaghers and all their mess can hopefully find a few shows from this list that provide a suitable substitute. If not, you can begin another rewatch.
