So Close

It comes as no surprise that when looking for solid additions to one's viewing schedule, network TV is generally not the place to look. It's gotten to the point where I fully expect even the worst that HBO or Showtime has to offer will be better than 90% of what network TV dishes out. Maybe it's the freedom that comes without restrictions, maybe it's the decreased emphasis on ratings, maybe it's cable's attractiveness to real actors, but it's probably a melange of factors. Whatever the reasons, I find that even when I'm not completely bowled over by a Showtime or HBO program, I know that it's worth giving it time because odds are, it'll come through for me.

So let it be with Shameless, Showtime's latest drama. I wasn't utterly mesmerized by the pilot, but it was a solid hour of programming and I'm intrigued enough to invest. Again, even without knocking my socks off, it's still far better than what the big four have offered up so far this midseason.

Shameless is based on a British series which I've never seen before. Were I familiar with the show's predecessor across the pond, I have a feeling I wouldn't have enjoyed the pilot as much, so I guess it's a good thing this is one British series I haven't sought out. Yet. The American revamp was good, but just... didn't quite hit a home run. I suspect the British version probably does. If I ever get the time (you know, after I've caught up on all 622 serieseses that are currently in my backlog), I'll have to add this one to the pile.

Starring William H. Macy as the alcoholic train wreck single father of a gaggle of similarly unruly children, Shameless focuses on the dynamics of a family that goes beyond dysfunctional and verges on utterly shameless, hence the title. I say "verges on" because for all the writers efforts to shock audiences, the only aspect that really pushed my buttons was a reference to animal abuse that I can't believe made it into the pilot. I guess the full-frontal nudity, raunchiness, drug abuse, language, and perversity are what most people reacted to, but for me, it all just seemed like they were trying way too hard to be obscene to be genuinely obscene. If a show is truly radical and your characters are truly shameless, you shouldn't have to work so hard to prove it. I wouldn't say the concept was unsuccessful, but at times it really did feel like the writers simply made a laundry list of cultural taboos and scandalous behavior and then peppered them in throughout. Again, for all their efforts, the only scene that made me blink was younger son Carl's apparent penchant for torturing cats. I guess maybe that was the writers attempt at upsetting the unshockable people out there. If it was, mission accomplished, but I still can't believe Showtime let it slide. Anyway, it's beside the point, and wasn't referenced again in the episode, so fingers crossed it never gets mentioned again.

William H. Macy is the biggest name attached to the show, acting as patriarch of the Gallagher clan, but after seeing the pilot, I wouldn't say he's the heavy-hitter of the program or its anchor. Emmy Rossum, playing eldest daughter (and essentially, mother) of the Gallaghers is the real shining star of the series thus far. Especially given the economic climate of late, seeing a daughter working several jobs in order to take care of her younger siblings hits pretty hard. Father Gallagher is a lush who spends the better part of the pilot unconscious, so Fiona has to take over and manage her five young charges. Rossum does a lovely job as Fiona, giving her a hell of lot of strength and resiliency, while still retaining her warmth. She has hard edges, to be sure, but she isn't bitter. There's a very clear and growing sense of resentment she feels toward her father (with good reason), but she holds herself together because she has to.

Seeing Fiona's circumstances and her determination made the appearance of Steve, a charming, well-off suitor, a somewhat welcome, yet predictable turn. It was nice to see someone appreciate her for her (as opposed to the financial support she provides or mothering), but it had a definite Pretty Woman bent to it that was a leery of. While the show easily could have turned this into your typical "rich guy sweeps beautiful street urchin off her feet" whateverness, thankfully, they put a nice twist on it. Sure, he has money, but it's not from a trust fund or swanky job. No, in actuality, he's a car thief. I figured there had to be more to him than a silver spoon, but I honestly didn't see the thief angle coming. It made him a lot more interesting and made his infatuation with someone like Fiona make a lot more sense. I have a feeling that their relationship will provide the central narrative momentum, even in the dysfunctional family dynamic is the true basis for the show. The family seems to provide the context for these characters, and there's a fair bit of interaction among them, but each seems to have his/her own issues and is invested in individual storylines. Each of the two eldest boys (Lip and Ian) has well-founded and unique characteristics, but the youngest three children had little screentime and even less character development... thankfully. There really isn't a ton that can be done with very young children, which is why it comes as little surprise that they don't form the basis for the show. Until they hit puberty, I'm more than happy for them to take a backseat to the teens and adults. The teenage brothers have a great vibe between them and played off each other in a very warm familiar way. Like a good punch to the shoulder. The dynamic created between them by younger brother Ian's newly discovered homosexuality was engaging and realistic, managing to retain a hearty amount of brotherly love and protectiveness, while still acknowledging Lip's discomfort in seeing his brother in a new light.

Many of the individual issues explored through these characters are nothing new (sexuality, class, autonomy), but the show has rooted these familiar themes in some interesting people, so I found myself investing. As with other aspects of the show, the writers seem to have had good ideas, but they just didn't quite come together entirely. I'm hopeful that as the series progresses, the show will gel more fully. From just the pilot alone, the fundamentals of the show were close to hitting the mark, but not quite there yet.

The primary problem was with a lot of the dialogue. The verbal interactions were a bit too "on the nose" for me. The link there gives a good explanation of what I mean by "on the nose," so I'll keep this quick, but I basically mean that the characters said exactly what it was they were thinking, even if that's not what actual people would say. Particularly regarding the interplay between Fiona and Steve, there was too little subtlety to be completely believable. When it comes to a new relationship especially, people generally mask their feelings and try to hide their motives. It felt like the writers of the show had some things they wanted to say about life, so they simply had the characters say it flat out. They wanted to make a statement, and rather than making the audience work for it, they simply told the audience exactly what interpretations they should make. It wasn't oppressive, but it was particularly noticeable in Steve's dialogue. I found Steve to be one of the more charming characters on the show, however, so that made it easier to overlook. Nevertheless, I like to make my own inferences and draw my own conclusions about a show, its characters, and their motives. Shameless spelled things out for me a little to specifically for my tastes. I like having to actually try to figure out what someone is thinking or why he/she did or said something. I appreciate subtlety, but I guess it was kind of silly for me to expect a whole lot of nuance in a show called Shameless.

Overall, this was a difficult show for me to really boil down. I enjoyed it, and I'm intrigued for more, but it wasn't a home run either. At the end of the day, I think it's a solid premise with tons of potential, but it was just a "little too" some things and "not quite" other things. It sounds like ridiculous nitpicking, but I honestly couldn't point to one major thing that left it short of greatness. I think it could certainly grow into greatness, but with the pilot, the writers just seemed to be throwing in everything they possibly could. They seem to have maxed out on quirk in every possible way and that seemed to endear the characters to me less rather than more. I appreciate characters who are unique and quirky, but I don't need to be neck deep in it every minute. Again, here's where some subtlety would have gone a hell of a long way. Had they alluded to certain quirks or perversities, I think they would have been a lot more interesting, and as far as I'm concerned, considerably more shameless. The unknown and the unsaid are almost always a lot scarier/kinkier/more shameful/interesting/shocking than what is straight-forward and announced, and I would have liked to have been able to explore the possibilities these characters present beyond what was given.

At the end of the day, it was a very well-made pilot with a curious concept that hit a lot of the right notes. It certainly wasn't perfect, but neither are the Gallaghers. The real shame here is that it didn't quite click with me on every level, but it clicked enough that I'm happy to give this one time to grow. Having never seen the British incarnation, its hard to know how successful this remake is, but going in blind, I found that it had a lot going for it. It'll be interesting to see just where things go from here. I have to salute the writers for being brave enough to write a cast of characters that aren't always likable, so even in spite of the show's deficiencies, it's certainly a different experience. Where a lot of shows pull back on a character's less-than-charming qualities, Shameless celebrates them and that's commendable. I hope this show finds its footing and starts trusting its audience a bit more, but with those being the primary quibbles, it shouldn't be too much of a stretch.

I think Shameless will be a case of "Come for the William H. Macy, stay for the Emmy Rossum." Macy is the big name, and the ostensible draw, but Rossum stole the show. With her at the helm, I'm confident the niggling reservations I have can be ironed out for this promising new drama.

Pilot Grade: B-