MovieChat Forums > Shameless (2011) Discussion > season 6 is terrible

season 6 is terrible

posted 8 years ago by ZeeEnds
16 replies | jump to latest

I'm trying to claw my way through season 6 of this show, after barely making it through season 5. Here's what I've observed so far:

1.) Ian no longer has any personality. In the early seasons he was one of the more interesting characters, but for some reason they seem intent on making him a totally different person now that he's bipolar. There's no trace of his former personality. I get that mental illness has a profound impact on people, but bipolar isn't like schizophrenia, where the former personality is simply lost. Maybe if the actor (and writers) had allowed for some warning that this was coming earlier on it would be more believable, but as it stands his storyline is just annoying. And the firefighter thing is absurd.

2.) Debbie's character has just been destroyed, and at this point should probably just be written off the show. I haven't liked her since she was trying to get medication for Ian and was screaming at an ER doctor, "I see knives!" I really hate that there's not a single female character on the show with any ambition beyond boyfriends and babies. While her wanting to be a teen mom is somewhat believable, her willingness to be manipulated and coached by Frank is not. Overall, this is just dumb, and non-stop cringe.

3.) Am I the only person that has a hard time with Fiona dating an elderly junkie? I know this actor from My Best Friend's Wedding, which came out like 20 years ago. I have a hard time believing that a ridiculously hot 20-something would pick a 60-something junkie for a husband. And why is she always looking for a husband? I just don't understand why they never allow her to think or dream about anything else. At least in the early seasons she thought about her career occasionally. And she constantly bitches about the burden of having to raise kids on her own, but she's barely been home since season 4, since she's too busy with marriage proposals and relationships with losers. She has a GED, has she never even considered a class at a community college, or an art career, or just going to Burning Man for god's sake? Why can't she have a thought or interest?

4.) Lip's storyline is atrocious. The whole thing with the professor is just plain bad. I can't even write any more because it's just so frustrating.

5.) Frank should be dead by now. Maybe I've been emotionally drained by HBO, but I get frustrated with shows when they never let characters die. Frank should have died in season 4, and the fact that he's still around now is starting to feel like beating a dead horse. We should get to see what happens to these kids when they can't blame Frank and Monica for their problems anymore. I love William Macy, but his character needs to die.

I don't know if I'm going to make it through this season. I'm on episode 6, and I just can't stop cringing and wanting to fast forward through things. I barely made it through season 5. Please tell me this gets better, and isn't yet another instance of Showtime beating a show to death.

[–] starbuck-19011 8 years ago

Couldn't have been said better. Showtime always ruins a series before it ends. I yhonk it's a tradition.

[–] ZeeEnds 8 years ago

I think I'd be less irritated by the whole thing, if it wasn't the character Fiona that seems to be getting railroaded the hardest. What they've done to her is similar to what they did with the character Deb on Dexter, when they decided that (for whatever appalling reason) she should be secretly in love with Dexter. Here we have a woman who has been independently raising children for years now, and for the past two seasons her primary objective is to find a man who will somehow whisk her away from these children...whom she happens to be legal guardian of. What? Her attempts to be a 9 to 5 office chick? Totally makes sense, right down to the square boyfriend that was never meant to work out. Liam's cocaine accident? Heartbreaking, well played.

Here's where it all goes to hell: yes, Fiona is a convicted felon, which makes her job prospects a lot slimmer than they were before, and her being a waitress somewhere makes sense...but the show seems uncomfortable allowing her to explore the sort of job prospects that are available to her, considering how attractive she is. She is exactly the type of person who ends up stripping for a few years. Still, the waitress thing is forgivable. I can't forgive them hooking her up with a man who is older than both of her parents, and I am sick of them hooking her up with men who seem intent on whisking her away from her household, when the house is in her name and she is the legal guardian. If that was always her desire, why wouldn't she have gone off to Costa Rica with Jimmy? That's a lot more enticing of an offer than a crappy apartment with a junkie who (wait for it) also has a kid. Why would this be the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for her. Again, it comes down to her attractiveness: this sort of decision making is sort of realistic, if Fiona wasn't a total knockout. They seemed okay letting her own her attractiveness when she was working at a club, so what happened?

I really think that all of this boils down to lazy, lazy writing. How many times have we seen the hot for teacher thing play out on tv? It's beyond trope at this point. It is possible to go to college and just have sex with people your own age. It would be far more radical to see Lip struggle to hold it down, and experience the pressures of having to be the one to succeed. In the case of Fiona, it would be far more interesting to see her be alone for awhile, and deal with the loneliness that comes with having to be a parent of so many kids. I'd like to see her bonding with V more again, or trying to figure out where she sees herself once her mommy tenure has expired. They need to open up the room to her way, way more. I'll hold out hope for season 7.

[–] sharebear42019 8 years ago

I liked season 6. Season 5 was a lot worse

[–] AlMacNinis 8 years ago

Frank is still alive because he IS Shameless. There is no show without him.

[–] modica 8 years ago

6 wasn't so bad, but 5 was the worst I have ever seen in a show I liked. Season 4 was great, and for 5 to be so bad had me scratching my head. Season 6 was an improvement.

[–] AlMacNinis 8 years ago

Trust me, there's much worst out there. Much, much worst. Main reason why S5 felt terrible was because of how great 4 was.

[–] cravy-josh-776-908404 8 years ago

I really think you should keep watching. Season 6 is actually my favourite so far. I gave it two 8's and ten 9's, so you can see I think pretty highly of it. If you don't like, I'm not sure why, but keep going.

[–] Philip_90 8 years ago

You know, they're just being Gallaghers. But serious now, I think Season 6 is pretty good and the roast that Frank gives to everyone is impeccably awesome.

[–] mindthinkr 8 years ago

On #5...William Macy...he needs this job right now, as does his wife Felicity, as they have kids to get through school! This is his meat and potatoes, so to speak. I enjoy the character. I find the humor in the absurdity that Frank is like a cat with nine lives.

[–] chinaglenn 8 years ago

I am a fan of the series, but the show sucks now and needs to end. I think the writers ran out of ideas, or something. I don't even think I made it through the end of the last episode. Shameless should be called Pointless.

[–] spiderbyte101 8 years ago

It doesn't get any better. The whole season seems like an massive filler episode.

[–] ZeeEnds 8 years ago

yep. I somehow made it to the end, and having Fiona get married twice in one year = the writers have no ideas for her. I'm holding out hope for Season 7.

[–] FloridaSunshine 8 years ago

yep. I somehow made it to the end, and having Fiona get married twice in one year

Except she didn't get married twice, the second wedding didn't happen.

I really liked season 6.

.

[–] matejbuljan 8 years ago

I totally agree, first 4 seasons were the best, season 5 fell off a little bit, but it was still good, but season 6 just kinda sucked, it was funny at times, had some shocking moments, but not impressive or not "shameless" as the other seasons.