Shameless - brilliant

After the brilliant first series I didn't think the Christmas special or launch episode of series 2, although brilliant, were up to the same standard - but the last two episodes have been fine examples of television comedy drama at it's best.

Beginning with last weeks episode which focused on the issue of fostering. It dealt with it brilliantly, raising issues I'd never thought of. As well as being very emotive, it also had a strong comic tone which didn't impact on the drama.

However, this week's episode was the best so far. The surreal backdrop of the estates gardening competition was gold - while the main storyline around Steve bought in a curveball I hadn't seen coming. Drama is much better when the TV guides don't insist on describing the whole plot in their summary!

As for Frank and the twins, hilarious and an excellent example of why this drama works (and currently EastEnders doesn't!) - it's got a very good heart at the centre of it!

Ain't got E4 but reading around the next episode is supposed to be even better!

One thing though - I wish they'd change the opening sequence. Franks introduction got very repetitive in the first series, and although they've changed the clips in the titles, the narrative is the same. It be much better if they did something different each week - using the week's narrator to introduce the characters from their point of view!

I love Shameless! I thought last nights episode was the best by far because it used the shock tactic, with Steve having a daughter. It was nice at the end when we just saw Steve throwing stones at the windown, then we see that Steve had made the words 'Marry Me' in the grass.

Next Weeks episode looks set to be even better, and I am now totally addicted to it again. Channel 4 at it's best!

Was that just the best hour of television drama I have ever seen?

I'm speechless - absolutely brilliant - and I haven't got a clue how the story will develop from there!

The most dramatic programme so far, very different to last week, - but had a great comedy storyline running throughout with the dog.

Great to see something on TV which doesn't have the plot given away in the description for the programme - and fantastically complex characters - not just the good and the bad!

And if that's the cliffhanger for episode 4 - what will they do for the end of the series?

More please C4!

The C4 episode tonight was the best one yet of the best series on TV since This Life.

Yeah, great episode, though I felt the stuff with the dog was uncalled for totally.

Who on earth would do that to a dog's voice, and then to show that the dog dies made it awful TV for me, sorry!

Another vote for fantastic. Though it's taken a different direction from the first series which was more comedy than drama IMO. Though this more dramatic series is brilliant. Channel 4 does excel at this sort of thing.

I thought the dog storyline was very funny - and I love animals!

I didn't think it was worth starting a new thread for so i figured this was that best place to point out that ch4's other -once- great comedy drama Teachers has been axed.



Good Idea. Since series 2 with every passing series the got worse. Christ knows what series 5 would have been like.

From the Sun

It is worth a new thread - it's related because it's on C4 - but is a completly different show and news I wouldn't have heard about if I wasn't reading this thread: so here it is - Teachers is axed!


Back to Shameless and the dog - I usually can't stand animals getting hurt on TV (but people getting hurt strangly doesn't bother me!) but the storyline was brilliant and came straight out of Marty's character. The final scene had me in stiches!

And to top things off, my home town even got a mention! If your ever abroad, we've got some great car parks in Wrexham you know!

Back to Shameless and the dog - I usually can't stand animals getting hurt on TV (but people getting hurt strangly doesn't bother me!) but the storyline was brilliant and came straight out of Marty's character. The final scene had me in stiches!

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No I'm still in the can't stand animals getting hurt on TV camp.
I just thought it was absolutely sick, especially with the blood at the end.

I think what worries me more is that you can have something done to the dogs voice like that.

Shameless is superb ... and as I have E4 next week's C4 episode is great as well - focus is on Lip - as usual some brilliant acting and bits that just make you either laugh out loud or say to yourself 'how the hell did they think of that'.

Shameless gets better and better each week - last night's episode was powerful, captivating, as ever fantastically acted, and the scenes with Marty and the dog were hilarious. I believe Shameless will be back for a third series - hope it gets through that unlike another Channel 4 drama series...

I'm considering getting Series One on DVD, having not seen any of the first series is it worth getting it? Cheers in advance

Series one is even better than this fantastic series. Though it's far more of a comedy programe than the series drama it is now.