SHAMELESS (TV SERIES)

(Redirected from Shameless (UK TV series))

'''Shameless'''
is an offbeat British comedy drama television series set in the fictional Chatsworth Estate in Manchester, England. Produced by Company Pictures for Channel 4, the first seven-episode series aired weekly on Tuesday nights at 10pm from 13 January 2004. The drama has been accorded critical acclaim by various sections of the British media, including ''The Sun'' newspaper and ''Newsnight Review'' on BBC Two. The fifth series of the hit channel 4 show is currently being filmed.
The programme was created and at least initially, mainly written by Paul Abbott, who is also the programme's Executive Producer. Much of the series is based on Abbott's own experiences growing up in a similar situation to the Gallagher children in Burnley.
"Shameless" is believed to be the first such series on UK television to be repeated the week following the end of its run. The first series was co-written with Danny Brocklehurst and Carmel Morgan. In subsequent series, Abbott and Brocklehurst shared the main writing duties.
The 22,000 m2 exterior and interior set of Shameless is built on an industrial estate in Wythenshawe, Manchester [1]

Contents
Plot
Critical acclaim
Style
Episodes
Cast
DVD releases
Further reading
References

Plot


The programme charts the lives of the dysfunctional Gallagher family, comprising the father, Frank Gallagher and his six children: Fiona (absent since series 3), Lip (Phillip), Ian, Carl, Debbie and Liam. Other characters featured in earlier series included Fiona's boyfriend Steve, a middle-class car thief (absent since series 3); Kev and Veronica (both absent as from series 4), the Gallagher's neighbours; Kash, the owner of the local shop, and his wife Yvonne; agoraphobic Sheila (absent as from series 4) and her daughter Karen; the policemen Tony and Stan, along with various regular background characters. The cast was expanded for the series 2, with Carol and Marty, Veronica's mother and brother, becoming regular characters after guest roles in the first series.
The Gallagher family reside on the fictional Chatsworth Estate, a council estate in Stretford, Greater Manchester, although is actually filmed on location in Gorton, East Manchester. The scenes in the local pub, ''The Jockey'', are filmed on a set in Salford (a city which makes up the western side of Greater Manchester), although the exterior shots are of a real pub named ''The Wellington'' which is located in West Gorton, on Gorton Lane. Also in close proximity are other landmarks including Yvonne's shop and the residential tower blocks.

Critical acclaim


In April 2005, the programme's first series won the Best Drama Series category at the British Academy Television Awards, the most prestigious awards given in the British television industry.
The programme has been sold overseas, where it airs on channels such as SBS (Australia), Showcase Television (Canada), Nederland 3 (The Netherlands), YLE (Finland) , SIC Radical (Portugal), RTÉ Two (Ireland), Sundance Channel (United States), yes+ (Israel) and Jimmy (Italy).

Style


''Shameless'' is noted for having a style very different from other British comedies. A "moving camera" shooting technique (employing few masks or filters) is employed, reminiscent of the BBC2 drama ''This Life''. The show’s interiors are filmed on staged sets and occasionally on location. It also employs a regular soundtrack, normally of middle American (somewhat Bolivian) style, with some vocals, especially towards the end of an episode. The music is written by composer Murray Gold.
Every episode begins and ends with one of the regular characters commenting in voice-over, normally about an abstract concept and how it relates to families or relationships. The relationship of the opening commentary to the episode's story is only apparent when the plot ends, and the closing narration is usually humorous in nature, as the point of the episode has already been shown. The commentator of each episode is normally the one on whom the plot focuses. This was much more prominent in the first two series, where a plot revolving one character would normally prevent any other prominent sub-plots involving other characters; in series three, co-abiding plots revolving around different characters are more common. However, unlike many shows, these plots are not entirely separate and the plots always support each other to the episode's conclusion, as is the case with literature.
The show uses wholly local Manchester-based speech, featuring a considerable amount of profanities and it portrays local styles of living, which, characteristically, tend to be violent and criminal. Whilst the two policemen, Stan and Tony, are rather likeable individuals, the police force as a whole is portrayed as a major antagonist. An underlying tenet of the show is the strong underlying bond and loyalty which binds the Gallaghers as a family unit, in the face of any vicissitudes. The family, which usually includes only the cohabiting siblings with no custodial figure present, is always wary of the authorities becoming aware of their living situation and separating them; indeed, many episodes’ plots involve evading the authorities. There is some idealisation of this living manner, making poverty and criminality become the norm while somewhat antagonising other classes. (Steve’s middle-class status was often to his disadvantage.)

Episodes


Main articles: List of Shameless episodes

To date, 4 series (34 episodes in total) of ''Shameless'' have been broadcast on Channel 4, together with a Christmas special which preceded the series 2 and a New Year special which preceded series 3. The dates that the series were broadcast are as follows:-
'Series 1:'

★ 7 Episodes 13 January 2004 - 24 February 2004

★ Christmas Special: 23 December 2004
'Series 2:'

★ 10 Episodes 4 January2005 - 8 March 2005
'Series 3:'

★ 8 Episodes 3 January 2006- 21 February 2006
'Series 4:'

★ 8 Episodes 9 January 2007 - 27 February 2007
'Series 5:'

★ 16 Episodes have been commissioned by Channel 4 for future broadcast.
With effect from the second episode onwards, each episode was premiered on the partner channel to Channel 4, E4, at 11pm each Tuesday evening following the Channel 4 episode. Following the yearly pattern, the third series started at 10pm on Channel 4, on Tuesday 3 January 2006.
Such was the popularity of the first series that the third was commissioned at the same time as the second.

Cast


The role of Frank was originally given to Sean Gallagher, but then it was thought he was too young to play the character. It cost makers, Company Pictures £100,000 to re-shoot the scenes already filmed with David Threlfall as a replacement. Famous pop singer, Mika has a cameo in series 5. In 2007, it was revealed that Matt Lucas and Bill Nighy asked for cameo parts in Shameless, but creator, Paul Abbott said the show would lose its realistic charms if they brought in celebrities to play parts.

DVD releases


'Shameless: Series One'
'Set Details''Special Features'

★ 7 Episodes
★ 2 Disc Set
★ 16:9 Aspect Ratio
★ Subtitles: yes (english)
★ English (Stereo)

★ 'Meet the Cast'
★ 'An interview with Paul Abbott'
'Release Dates'
27th December 2004 22nd September 2005 24th April 2007

'Shameless: Series Two Plus Christmas Special'
'Set Details''Special Features'

★ 11 Episodes
★ 3 Disc Set
★ 16:9 Aspect Ratio
★ Subtitles: yes (english)
★ English (Stereo)

★ 'Feature Length Christmas Special'
★ 'Audio Commentary (Episode 4) Featuring Paul Abbott, Dearbhla Walsh & Matt Jones'
'Release Dates'
31st October 2005

'Shameless: Series Two'
'Set Details''Special Features'

★ 10 Episodes
★ 3 Disc Set
★ 16:9 Aspect ratio
★ Subtitles: yes (english)
★ English (Stereo)

★ 'Audio Commentary (Episode 4) Featuring Paul Abbott, Dearbhla Walsh & Matt Jones'
'Release Dates'
16th January 2006

'Shameless: Series Three Plus New Year Special'
'Set Details''Special Features'

★ 8 Episodes
★ 3 Disc Set
★ 16:9 Aspect Ratio
★ Subtitles: yes (english)
★ English (Stereo)

★ 'Feature Length New Year Special'
★ 'Mockumentary: Being Alice Barry (Lillian Unpeeled)'
'Release Dates'
30th October 2006

'Shameless: Series One, Two And Three Boxset'
'Set Details''Special Features'

★ 26 Episodes
★ 8 Disc Set
★ 16:9 Aspect Ratio
★ Subtitles: yes (english)
★ English (Stereo)

★ 'Meet the Cast'
★ 'An interview with Paul Abbott'
★ 'Feature Length Christmas Special'
★ 'Audio Commentary (Episode 4) Featuring Paul Abbott, Dearbhla Walsh & Matt Jones'
★ 'Feature Length New Year Special'
★ 'Mockumentary: Being Alice Barry (Lillian Unpeeled)'
'Release Dates'
30th October 2006

'Shameless: Series Four'
'Set Details''Special Features'

★ 8 Episodes
★ 3 Disc Set
★ 16:9 Aspect Ratio
★ Subtitles: yes (english)
★ English (Stereo)

★ 'Take That Sequence Directors Cut'
★ 'The Missing Scenes'
★ 'Full Unedited Frank Rant'
★ 'Outtakes'
'Release Dates'
29th October 2007

'Shameless: Series One, Two, Three And Four Boxset'
'Set Details''Special Features'

★ 34 Episodes
★ 11 Disc Set
★ 16:9 Aspect Ratio
★ Subtitles: yes (English)
★ English (Stereo)

★ 'Meet the Cast'
★ 'An interview with Paul Abbott'
★ 'Feature Length Christmas Special'
★ 'Audio Commentary (Episode 4) Featuring Paul Abbott, Dearbhla Walsh & Matt Jones'
★ 'Feature Length New Year Special'
★ 'Mockumentary: Being Alice Barry (Lillian Unpeeled)'
★ 'Take That Sequence Directors Cut'
★ 'The Missing Scenes'
★ 'Full Unedited Frank Rant'
★ 'Outtakes'
'Release Dates'
29th October 2007

Further reading



''Shameless'' at Channel4.com


References


1. Shameless Series 5 new set



This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.

psst.. try this: add to faves