I just started watching the first episode of the UK version and it's identical to the first episode of the US version. I've seen all seasons of the US version. Did the US version follow every UK episode or did it diverge from the UK version eventually. I didn't want to search this forum for the answer so I could avoid potential spoilers.
DISPLAY thy breasts, my Julia!
Just copied and pasted this from a previous post I made just to give you an idea of some of the storyline differences
Mickey and Ian get together in the fifth series but never really get serious. It's not the big love story the US version made it. Ian begins seeing girls as well in the later seasons.
The Milkovich's are called the Maguires in the UK version. Paddy and Mimi are the parents to Mickey, Mandy, Jamie and Shane. They also had another son Fergal (who is dead). Mandy dies in season 6. Jamie is married to Karen Jackson (daughter of Sheila) and they have a son together called Connor. Mickey is a jokey camp character is considered the 'wimp' and the 'sensitive' one of the family
There is no Aunt Ginger, In the UK version Frank's mum is dead, we see his dad arrive for one episode in season 4 but that's all we see of any extended Gallagher family.
Kev and Veronica struggle to have a baby, they try IVF which doesn't work and they leave in season 4 after being sent to prison for trying to steal a Romanian baby from an orphanage. There is no 'Kev and Carol sleep together to make a baby' storyline
Marty and Carol (Veronica's mum and brother) have larger roles and from season 3 onwards they are regulars.
Jimmy/Steve is just called Steve in the UK version. He is a car thief. We never meet his family. He is forced to leave after Tony the cop sets him up in a drug deal which means both police and gangsters are after him. He leaves without Fiona as she refuses to leave without the others but eventually he returns and the go off into the sunset together at the end of season 2. She returns in the final ever episode and says she is married to Steve and they have a son.
Lip and Mandy have a daughter together - Katy. The whole Karen being pregnant storyline doesn't happen in the UK version. Lip and Mandy are together from season 2-5 on and off.
Sheila and Frank stay together for longer in the UK version. They get married in season 3 (i think) and have twins Nigel and Delia. She leaves him and the show in season 4 though.
In season 4 frank and monica get back together and have yet another gallagher baby called Stella. Monica runs away in Season 6 again but returns in the final season and has the last gallagher baby in the final episode. A little boy called Ben.
Ian, Debbie, Lip, Carl and Liam all leave in the final few seasons. Lip leaves for college, Ian leaves for a fresh start, Debbie joins the army and Carl becomes a police officer. Liam leaves to stay with and look after Monica.
Monica is not bipolar in the UK version, Her girlfriend is called Norma and is actually a quite likeable character.
In the later seasons, the series changes and doesn't focus so much on the Gallaghers. The Maguires (aka Milkoviches) are probably the main family in the later seasons.
Linda is actually called Yvonne in the UK version. Kash disappears in season 3 after faking his death, His and Yvonne's two kids, Meena and Chesney have larger roles in the later seasons. Chesney actually becomes close with Carl and is about to become a father when the show ends.
Liam isn't black or a baby. He's about 4-5 in the first season and about 10-11 when he leaves.
Ian is not the son of Frank's brother but the son of a random drunk. Ian goes to look for him but upon seeing he's just like frank. He decides not to approach him.
Overall the whole series is completely different, while i would say the US version is a drama with some comedic moments. The UK version is a comedy with dramatic moments. Frank is more of a funny character rather than a nasty one like the US version can be.
Only the first season.
share