Since 2011, fans have been following the Gallagher family on their wild, crazy, hilarious, and disgusting journeys in Shameless. The hit comedy series that aired on Showtime for 11 seasons is the story of Frank Gallagher, an alcoholic and absent single father. He is known in his community as a liar and a thief. Frank’s six children Fiona, Lip, Ian, Debbie, Carl, and Liam are left to fend for themselves and pick up all the slack around the house thanks to their incredibly irresponsible parents. While the Gallaghers’ situation is tight, trying to make ends meet on the south side of Chicago, they still manage to have fun and never let anything break up their family. The talented William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum star in the series as the leaders of the family, Frank and Fiona Gallagher.
When ranking all the Shameless characters, there were many factors that came into play. Instead of the list being based on who was the most morally correct or “good” character, the list is ranked by who was the most interesting, funny, and memorable throughout the show’s run. It’s no surprise that the Gallagher family has gotten into their fair share of crime and trouble, but it definitely does make for hilarious scenes and funny characters. Here are ten of the best Shameless characters, ranked.
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10 Debbie Gallagher
Showtime
Throughout the series, we see Debbie Gallagher evolve from a sweet little girl, who still has hope that her father isn’t the bad guy everyone makes him out to be, into a teenage single mother with just as much resentment for Frank as everyone else on the south side. It’s hard to blame her because of her upbringing, but, as outlined by Screen Rant, Debbie is constantly making questionable decisions that frustrate fans to no end, which has, over the years, made her one of the audience’s least favorite Gallaghers. Despite this, there’s no denying that Emma Kenney does an incredible job portraying the second Gallagher daughter, and there’s no one else who could have played Debbie quite like her.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
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9 Liam Gallagher
Liam is just an infant during the first couple of seasons of Shameless, but over the years we see him grow up to become one of the smartest, most reasonable, and most efficient Gallaghers. While discovering his own identity outside his family, we see Liam attempt to break away from stealing and scamming like his parents and other siblings. He tries his best to carry his weight and is a crucial part of the Gallagher family.
8 Ian Gallagher
Ian, also known as “Gay Jesus,” is the third-oldest Gallagher child and one of the most unpredictable. Ian suffers from bipolar disorder and depression, just like his absent mother Monica, who everyone, especially Frank, is constantly reminding him of. One of Ian’s most memorable moments in Shameless is when he started a movement rebelling against the Church’s disapproval of the LGBTQ+ community and coined the nickname “Gay Jesus”. The fame that came with leading the movement ended up being too much for him to handle, and Ian experienced a catastrophic mental breakdown that got him arrested. This seems like a bad thing, but was actually a blessing in disguise as he was reunited with his former boyfriend Mickey Milkovich who was also serving time.
7 Carl Gallagher
Since the very beginning of Shameless, Carl Gallagher has always been a delinquent kid who enjoyed blowing things up and capturing small animals for fun. As he grows up, his character is all over the place, from being sentenced to serve time in juvenile prison for his involvement in a drug deal to enlisting in military school. It seems as though, every season, Carl does something crazier and more dangerous, which makes his decision to become a cop in the show’s final season even more shocking. He decides he wants to clean up and protect the south side instead of being the one who destroys it. Everyone is extremely proud of the person Carl has become, except for Frank who says he betrayed the family by becoming a cop.
6 Mickey Milkovich
Mickey Milkovich is arguably one of the funniest characters in the entire show and definitely a fan favorite. The Milkovich household is infamous on the south side and known to be even crazier than the Gallaghers. Mickey has always been a character on Shameless, but his screen time and storyline drastically increased once he started dating Ian, and they quickly become one of the most beloved couples in the show. Ian and Mickey are hilarious together and their relationship will always be one of the best parts of the series.
5 Veronica Fischer
Veronica and her boyfriend Kevin are without a doubt the best neighbors the Gallaghers could ever ask for. Right from the start, it’s clear how close Veronica and Fiona are and how their friendship is one of the few things getting Fiona through the struggles of working three jobs and raising five kids on her own. V’s strong attitude and fierce personality, combined with her generous and warm heart, make her one of the most down-to-earth and realest characters on the show.
4 Kevin Ball
He may not be the brightest guy on the south side, but he definitely has the biggest heart. Kevin Ball, played by Steve Howey, is Veronica’s partner and the owner of everyone’s favorite local bar, the Alibi Room. Throughout the series, we constantly see Kevin support Veronica and stick up for the people he loves, especially the Gallaghers. While they may annoy him, he has a soft spot for Fiona, Frank, and the rest of the group. Kevin is responsible for some of the funniest moments in the show, and there’s no way Shameless would be the same without him.
3 Lip Gallagher
Lip Gallagher is by far the smartest and most naturally gifted of all the Gallagher children, but is still just as troubled as the rest. Despite how bright he is, Lip completely disregards the possibility of going to college, believing that he doesn’t deserve anything better than the life he’s always lived on the south side. He resorts to making money on the streets by cheating on SAT exams for other students in his high school, having affairs with older women, and eventually finds himself in a downward spiral and an alcoholic. With the help of a few good people around him, Lip is able to make it out and becomes the honest, good person everyone always believed he could be.
2 Fiona Gallagher
Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Fiona, played by Rossum for nine seasons, is the only reason why the Gallagher family is still alive in their home. She’s been taking care of her drunk father and raising her five siblings since her mother, Monica, left when she was 14. Struggling to make ends meet, Fiona’s personal life goes through the wringer, and she ends up in some of the most toxic relationships we see in the series. If there is one thing audiences have learned from watching hours of Fiona Gallagher’s life, it’s how to be hardworking, resilient, and hustle no matter what. There is nobody more hard-working and determined than her and Fiona’s love for her younger siblings is what kept her going all that time.
1 Frank Gallagher
There are no words to describe what a mess of a person Frank Gallagher is. The alcoholic, scamming, addict leader of the Gallagher tribe, who will do literally anything for a few bucks. He has disappointed his kids more times than anyone can imagine, but, for some reason, he keeps coming back into their lives no matter how many times they try to keep him out. Frank is without a doubt the funniest character in the show, and it’s all thanks to the brilliant performance William H. Macy gave week after week as Frank Gallagher. Macy is an incredible actor, well known for his roles in Fargo, Door to Door, and Seabiscuit, but Frank Gallagher was the performance of his career. There is no one who could have carried Shameless like him.
