Shameful

Submitted by Anon on 12 January, 2005 - 5:59

Television over the Christmas period? Well, it was the usual rubbish.

Lists of the top 100 Christmas repeats.…

Gone are even the Only Fools and Horses type specials. Let alone the Morecambe and Wise classics. (Well, they aren’t gone, of course, because they are… repeated. But, I mean, new programmes of that quality are gone.)

One bright spot, however, was the Christmas special of “Shameless”.

I enjoyed the hilarious happenings that resulted when the Gallaghers’ estate was quarantined by the army after family friends Kev and Lip sold a stolen lorryload of poisoned meat around the area in the run-up to Christmas.

Despite all the violence and madness that goes on around them, the Gallaghers still function as a family unit, with the support of their friends and neighbours.

As tempting as it may be to see the drama as overly dark and a caricature of life in low-income Britain, the fact is that it portrays a family whose relationships would be envied by many — apart from those with Frank, who has no redeeming features whatsoever.

In the Christmas special, we see the extended family rally round to help one of the boys, who is sick, and Frank’s partner, who is giving birth. Frank, of course, spends the whole time in a drunken haze, and getting into trouble.

My mother often reminisces about growing up in the east end of London, and how many of her aunts and uncles lived down the same street.

She looks back with affection on how they used to help look after each other.

Maybe Shameless shows us a way to live better lives in a world where extended families are more widely dispersed and few of us know our neighbours.

Catch the new series of Shameless in the new year!

By Dan Nichols

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.