Shameless UK vs Shameless US: The 18 Biggest Differences

Summary

• The US version of
  Shameless
  had a higher budget and production value, allowing for more elaborate aspects of the show and targeting higher viewing figures.
• The acting in the US
  Shameless
  received considerable awards attention, with William H. Macy’s portrayal of Frank earning six Emmy nominations.
• The UK
  Shameless
  had slightly more longevity, running for 11 seasons and 139 episodes compared to the US version’s 11 seasons and 134 episodes.

While both shows follow the story of the dysfunctional Gallagher family, the Shameless US vs UK versions of the show had a lot of differences throughout their respective runs. Starting in 2004, the UK Shameless followed the lower-class Gallaghers led by their useless and troublesome patriarch, Frank. Years later, the US Shameless began with Oscar nominee William H. Macy stepping into the role of Frank with the series premiering on Showtime.

Both series had long and acclaimed runs with large ensembles and wild stories of the families’ misadventures. However, viewers who have watched both series will know there were a lot of ways the two series were distinct. The remake was able to stand on its own while the original had aspects that could not be improved upon. From the character arcs to the key storylines to the tone of the series, the Shameless US and UK versions created two fascinating takes on the Gallagher family.

18 The US Shameless Had A Higher Budget And Production Value

The Larger US Market Allowed For A Bigger Scale

While neither series was a big blockbuster epic like some series on television now, the US Shameless benefited by airing on Showtime which offered a greater budget than the original series ever had. That means they could afford to elaborate on some of the aspects of the show, and create more of a spectacle. Of course, as is with American popular culture more than British, there are significantly different product placement and marketing involved that alter the financial situation.

Both shows have used an elaborate set to create the Gallagher households, but the US Shameless does feature a significant amount of on-location shooting. For example, Patsy’s is a real business. The general quality of the cameras and equipment used is better in the US version too. Generally speaking, the US Shameless was also targeting much higher viewing figures than its UK counterpart, which was made as a quirky-yet-endearing drama trying to cultivate a smaller-yet-dedicated viewership.

17 The UK Shameless Is A More Dated Series

The Show Reflects A Very Specific Time Period

The UK version of Shameless began airing in the early 2000s while the US series didn’t begin its adaptation for another seven years. Though the two weren’t really that far apart in time, they have very different looks and feels, making the UK series feel dated when comparing the two.

Something as simple as the cell phone a character uses or the look of the bar makes the show feel as though it is in a much earlier era than its US adaptation. Part of that might be down to the US version not coming to an end until 2021, bringing it much closer to the modern day. It’s easier to see the current state of the world there than it is in a show that featured a family navigating unemployment and social dynamics in 2004.

16 The US Shameless Is Less Of A Dark Comedy

The Shows Prompt The Debate Of What Makes A Comedy

Today, there is a debate raging about whether or not a show like The Bear, which relies on high-anxiety scenes and dramatic flashbacks to tell its story, is truly a comedy. The same debate has been had about both versions of Shameless. In the UK, Shameless was often referenced as a sitcom, though it was labeled as a drama. In the US, when Shameless earned award show recognition, it was as a comedy, just like The Bear.

In the UK,
Shameless
was often referenced as a sitcom, though it was labeled as a drama.

In the US, when
Shameless
earned award show recognition, it was as a comedy, just like
The Bear
.

Both versions of Shameless feature biting wit and funny mishaps, but they appear, at their hearts, to be dramatic tellings of the Gallaghers and the people around them. If anything, they would be considered dark comedies by their audiences. The US version of Shameless, however, is closer to dramatic territory and the UK version is closer to the comedic, with a slightly lighter tone than the US version despite the drama of the show’s storylines.

15 The Socioeconomic Status Of The Gallaghers Are Different

Both Gallagher Families Are Meant To Be Poor

In both versions of the show, the Gallagher family is clearly meant to be at the lowest end of the socioeconomic spectrum. How each series approaches that, however, is very different. In the UK’s original Shameless series, the family is supported by welfare from the government. They might have circumstances that set them back, but for the most part in the series, the Gallagher family lack ambition to get themselves out of their circumstances unless they are actively moving on and leaving the family behind.

This is not true in the US version of Shameless. There, the family doesn’t get any help, but instead has to claw their way into opportunities and jobs, only to struggle on a daily basis to pay any bills or have any semblance of comfort. Fiona in particular nearly burns herself out trying to support her entire family however she can.

14 The US Shameless Is The Winningest Version Of The Series

The US Series Was Nominated For 85 Awards During Its Run

While both versions of Shameless were well received by critics and their respective audiences, the US series has the distinction of receiving both more nominations and more awards when it comes to recognition within the television industry.

The US series was nominated for 85 awards over the course of its run, while the UK series was nominated for 48. Of course, the UK series does have the distinction of being nominated on a more international scale than the US version. While the US series saw its award nominations from the United States, the UK series saw nominations from the award circuit in England, Scotland, and Ireland. It also received an International Emmy nomination for Drama Series in 2004.

Interestingly, the UK version, despite often being viewed as funnier, sees its award nominations in drama categories, while the US version, often seen as the darker of the two shows, is nominated in the comedy categories.

Throughout the runs of the shows, the UK series ended up picking up 11 wins from those nominations, including a BAFTA for Best Drama in 2005. The US series, on the other hand, picked up 16 wins from those nominations, including three Screen Actors Guild Awards for William H. Macy.

13 The Acting Is Better In The US Shameless (But Shameless UK Has Its Highlights)

The US Shameless Earned Considerable Awards Attention

When it came to the role of Frank, David Threlfall received a lot of acclaim, but William H. Macy plays him with a significantly more villainous edge, earning six Emmy nominations in the role. While Frank might actually be more likable in the UK version of the show, Macy makes it impossible to look away from him.

Macy also starred as Dudley Frank in Wild Hogs (2007)

There are some other significant actors cast in the US version, including Emmy Rossum as Fiona, breakout star Jeremy Allen White, Cameron Monaghan as Ian, and Joan Cusack as recurring character Sheila Jackson who won an Emmy for her performance. However, the UK Shameless does have some stage merit as well. In the first season of the UK version, Steve is played by James McAvoy, who would go on to have a huge career in Hollywood with roles in the X-Men prequels and Split.

12 The UK Shameless Had Slightly More Longevity

Other Countries Have Also Done Their Own Remakes

Though many UK shows tend to go for shorter runs compared to their US remakes, such as with The Office, this is a rare example of a UK original having a higher episode count. The show ran from 2004 to 2013, producing 11 seasons and 139 episodes in total. Meanwhile, the US Shameless also ran for 11 seasons, running from 2011 to 2021. However, it only produced 134 episodes, just five shy of the UK Shameless.

To credit each version, both shows have received many awards and high viewership ratings. There have also been other international adaptations of the show based on the original UK series, including one in Turkey called Bizim Hikaye, one in Pakistan called Hamari Kahani, and a Russian version called Besstydniki.

11 The Neighbors Are Different (But Central In Both)

The UK Shameless Has Two Different Families As Supporting Characters

Kev and Vee exist in both versions, but leave the UK Shameless after the fourth season. At that time in that version, the Maguire family became more central characters. The US Shameless version of them, the Milkovich family, doesn’t exactly have the same type of dynamic, even though Ian and Mickey are romantically involved for some time. They remain side characters for the rest of the series, with little to no involvement in the most recent seasons (aside from Ian’s departing moments when he arrives in prison).

Kevin and Veronica in the US Shameless are much more prominent and helpful toward the Gallaghers, with Veronica being Fiona’s best friend in both versions and Kev being more friendly with Frank in the UK Shameless. The couples in both versions do want children, with the UK Shameless couple trying to buy a Romanian orphan and getting busted for it. Their marriage in the UK Shameless seems a lot shakier, with Kev’s ex-wife Roxy returning and wreaking havoc on their relationship.

10 There’s Less Censorship And More Mature Content In Shameless UK

The Tone Of The Show Offers Different Context To The Subject Matter

Both versions of Shameless are known for their no-holds-barred take on the Gallaghers’ lives, including nudity, drug use, swearing, and more. However, the UK Shameless pushes the line just a little bit more toward mature content. For example, Ian’s sex scenes feel more censored in the US Shameless, but this isn’t entirely the show’s fault. The actor who plays Ian (Cameron Monaghan) in the US version was underage at the time they were filming some of these scenes.

But this isn’t entirely the show’s fault. The actor who plays Ian (Cameron Monaghan) in the US version was underage at the time they were filming some of these scenes.

There also seems to be much more full-frontal male nudity in the UK Shameless than there is in the US series. This is unsurprising though, given that British censors were notably laxer about nudity on the small screen than their US counterparts in the 2000s. The difference is also partly down to intent, with the UK version of Shameless deliberately going for shock factor much more often thanks to leaning more into the comedy side of dramedy than the Shameless US version.

9 The US And UK Shameless Have Different Romance Plots

Ian And Mickey’s Relationship Is The Most Notable Change

A lot of the romantic relationships between the characters play out differently when looking at Shameless UK vs US. In the UK Shameless, Ian ends up marrying a woman after his affair with Mickey ends, while in the US Shameless Ian and Mickey get married in the season 10 finale. Another major difference is that Monica and Frank have a seventh child, Stella, in the UK Shameless. In the US series, Monica dies in season seven with just six children behind. After that, Frank goes through a slew of new romantic interests, all of which seem to die or leave.

All in all, since the relationships each character has in Shameless are tied into the plot by definition, this is perhaps the area with the most notable level of difference. By the end of the UK and US versions of Shameless, each had their own unique plot threads and narrative arcs, and both had exclusive characters that didn’t appear in the other version. As such, there are many relationships in the US Shameless that don’t happen anywhere in the UK version of the story, and vice versa.

8 The Gallagher Family Stick Together In The US Shameless

There Were More Cast Exits In The UK Shameless

One of the biggest differences in the case of Shameless UK vs US is the American Gallagher family doesn’t drift apart. In the UK Shameless, much of the main cast leaves eventually. Fiona isn’t in the third season, as she leaves briefly to be with Steve. Audiences know how that scenario worked out for her in the US Shameless. However, Emmy Rossum did eventually leave the US show after season 9.

A lot of the other main Gallagher characters have left for entire seasons in the UK Shameless. Frank is really the only one who stays the entire run. By the end of the UK series, it seems as though the entire focus has shifted away from the Gallaghers and onto their neighboring families. Most of the US Shameless cast stuck around until the very end, keeping the sole focus on the Gallaghers.

A Larger Ensemble Of Characters Are Highlighted

Because actors who played members of the Gallagher family left periodically in the UK version of Shameless, there was more screen time for characters outside of the family. In addition to the Maguire family, more of the community as a whole was highlighted in the series.

Not only did that mean that more up-and-coming actors got more chances to find their footing on a popular series, but it also meant that the writers got to flesh out a lot more of the characters. More depth was given to many of the characters that simply popped in and out of the US series. Of course, that also means that some of the Gallagher family members, like Fiona, weren’t as thoroughly explored in the UK version since the actors left the show so much earlier.

By the end of the UK Shameless series, the show was more or less about Frank and the community around him instead of Frank and his own children.

6 The UK Frank Gallagher Isn’t As Bad

His Bad Behavior Doesn’t Come Close To Macy’s Version Of Frank

While the UK Shameless‘ Frank is still a stereotypical on-screen alcoholic, he’s not necessarily cruel and has a borderline functional relationship with the Gallagher children. Fiona does tire of taking care of her father, but their rapport is nowhere near as contentious and volatile as it is in the US Shameless. In the UK Shameless, Frank is much more a victim of his own circumstances rather than the sole cause of them. He makes efforts to help his children at times, rather than exploit them as the US Shameless Frank does.

The US Frank Gallagher has done some truly reprehensible things all for the sake of some cash, including losing Liam in a bet, convincing Carl that he has cancer, ruining Dottie’s heart transplant so he can collect her pension, and much more. The UK Frank Gallagher is hardly the perfect father, but there are also many more moments when he overcomes his inner demons for the sake of his kids — even if he does get into a string of comedic mishaps on the way.

5 The US Shameless Has A Russian Influence

The Character Of Svetlana Was Integral In The US Shameless

One of the most notable characters in the US version of Shameless who doesn’t appear in the original UK Shameless is Svetlana. She initially arrives on the show as a Russian sex worker hired by Mickey’s dad after catching him with Ian. However, she becomes pregnant with his child and begins living with him. Eventually, she ends up in a three-way relationship with Kev and Vee, and at one point, she even tries to take control of the bar.

Svetlana had a significant impact on the show and was present for five seasons before Isidora Goreshter left in season 8. Conversely, while there are minor Russian characters who appear in episodes here and there, they’re rarely, if ever, named and only exist to serve specific plot points, usually around the criminal exploits of the Maguires.

4 The UK Shameless Has An Irish Influence

The Differences Between The Milkovichs Vs The Maguires Is Substantial

Unlike the US Shameless, the UK Shameless saw a greater inclusion of the Maguire family (the UK’s version of the Milkovich family), and the Irish mobsters had a huge impact on the storyline. The Milkovichs mainly served their purpose as a bigoted influence against Ian and Mickey’s relationship, with some occasional chaos thrown in for good measure. The Maguires had a much bigger stake in the overall plot.

The Maguire’s influence in drug sales and other criminal organizations is a big part of the UK Shameless, and they also have more children than the Milkovichs. Mimi and Paddy Macguire’s only daughter Mandy passes away in series 6, and Mandy ended up having a daughter, Katie, with Lip Gallagher. The Maguires also run The Jockey, the UK version of The Alibi Room, rather than Kevin and Veronica. When looking at Shameless UK vs US, the Maguire family had a much larger influence on the story than the Milkovichs.

3 The Pub In The UK Shameless Is Nothing Like The Alibi Room

The Future Of The Alibi Club Plays Into The Finale

In the UK Shameless, the bar that acts as one of the most common locations for the show is The Jockey. (In the US, it’s The Alibi Room.) The Jockey is run by various characters throughout the show before eventually being owned and operated by members of the Maguire family. First, it was Karen and Jamie, then it was Mimi, and then it was back to Karen and Jamie again.

On the US adaptation of Shameless, Kev and Vee take over The Alibi Room and run it consistently for the rest of the show. That even includes Svetlana’s attempts to take over control of the bar from them when she realizes they aren’t the most financially adept individuals. During the US Shameless series finale, Carl considers buying The Alibi Room and turning it into a cop bar.

2 The US Shameless Improved Character Growth

The US Ensemble Does Feel Too Large At Times

In the UK Shameless, the timeline goes by much faster, and audiences don’t get to make a connection to the characters that they do in the US Shameless.

The multiple cast exits from the series are one reason for this. As a result of multiple characters leaving the series after just a few seasons, the show takes away more of the time viewers get to know those characters before saying goodbye. There are also so many different characters in the UK Shameless that remain as side characters in the US Shameless that it gets a little too distracting to connect to everyone.

There are also so many different characters in the UK
Shameless
that remain as side characters in the US
Shameless
that it gets a little too distracting to connect to everyone.

On the US version of the show, early the entire Gallagher family gets a turn in the spotlight. While there are large arcs surrounding Fiona’s desire to protect her siblings, Ian’s desire to find himself, and Frank always putting himself before everyone else, the truth is that every character gets to grow throughout the series.

1 COVID-19 Wasn’t In The UK Shameless

Frank Gets A Happier Ending In The UK Version

US Shameless‘ Frank Gallagher had to pay for his sins, and showrunners made the right choice in killing him off through COVID-19 in the series finale. Since the US Shameless ended in 2021, the Coronavirus pandemic was included as a part of the story in the final season, whereas for obvious reasons, this didn’t play a role in the UK Shameless. The fate of the Gallagher family patriarch is one of the biggest differences of the Shameless US vs UK versions.

The UK Shameless saw Frank reconcile with his family and Fiona after she offered him cold hard cash to walk away from his family consequence-free and he refused. The US Shameless, on the other hand, saw Frank diagnosed with alcoholic dementia and slowly losing all of his faculties and dignity, and Emmy Rossum didn’t return as Fiona for the finale. Frank tries to commit suicide and fails, leaving a note for his family that goes entirely unnoticed, but it’s his COVID-19 infection was ultimately the end of him.