Shameless: The Worst Thing Each Main Character Has Done

Based on the UK TV show, the long-running Shameless series tells the story of one of the most dysfunctional families ever seen: the Gallaghers. The story is set in Chicago’s South Side and contains plenty of controversial characters and spine-chilling scenes that, sometimes, fans have difficulty understanding. While some of these characters’ actions might be comprehensible, others are hard even to watch.

Some of these characters seem to be redeemable throughout the numerous seasons, especially since their actions often are the result of their drastic economic situation and family problems. However, their issues do not justify their actions, so let’s take a look at the acts that are most difficult to forgive.

10 Ian: Seducing & Stealing From An Old Man

Ian Gallagher is one of the most complex characters on the show; most of his despicable actions are, however, caused by his bipolar personality disorder. In the 9th episode of season 4, Ian and Mickey desperately need and search for money. At a bar, Ian solicits an old married man for money and, just as he starts undressing, Mickey intrudes and takes a picture of the two of them, then blackmails the man to get his money. Luckily, Mickey couldn’t let Ian sell himself, but Ian didn’t think twice before seducing and threatening an innocent man.

9 Fiona: Hitting Her Mother’s Corpse

Although Fiona Gallagher might be the most reasonable and decent member of this messed-up family, she has done despicable things as well. Besides cheating on good and loving boyfriends, one of her most despicable acts is punching her mother’s corpse (Monica) right before her funeral. Her mother surely wasn’t the best parent in the world, and it’s easy to see why Fiona lost her temper on such a day, however, laughing, cursing, and ultimately hitting her corpse was too disrespectful and wrong.

8 Lip: Kicking Fiona Out

Philip Gallagher is another particular and fascinating character, despite his frequent bad decisions. In the 11th episode of season 9, Lip is in a particularly bad mood and takes it out on Fiona; earlier, the Child Services had shown up and his AA sponsor, whom Fiona got drunk with, had a bad relapse.

He blamed her for the events although she tried her best with the CS and didn’t know about his sponsor being a hundred days sober. Lip ignores that she is in a really bad situation, because no one ever notices when she’s the one crying for help.

7 Mickey: Frequent Violence

Mickey Milkovich was raised in a quite violent and old-school family, which explains his issues with accepting his homosexuality and expressing his emotions. He grows a lot throughout the series, however, he doesn’t lose his aggressive behavior: hitting, fighting, planning a murder, etc. seem to be his natural responses to provocations (even when minimal). He’s not a bad person, but he doesn’t change his violent ways, which is his most despicable act.

6 Monica: Cheating On Frank

Although the early relationship between Monica and Frank Gallagher isn’t displayed in the show, her most despicable action is beginning to disrupt their family by repeatedly cheating on him. She’s a quite messed-up character too, therefore, she committed many terrible things; but when Ian is revealed to be the son of Frank’s brother, she admits to recalling the affair but not the specific one, making it clear that she had been unfaithful plenty of times, which makes it her possible worst act.

5 Carl: Selling Guns In School

Although he was just a kid, the path Carl took at some point in the show is quite dark and scary. Throughout the series, he also gets involved with selling drugs and other despicable things, however, even if he didn’t know any better, putting everyone’s life at risk by selling guns at school is unacceptable and dangerous.

The saddest part is how easy selling weapons seemed to be for him, and how easy it was to get all the teachers to buy them.

4 Karen: Raping Frank

Karen Jackson, at first introduced as Lip’s best friend and lover, might be one of the most hated characters of this show. She broke Lip’s heart multiple times and has done plenty of despicable things; she’s overall a terrible person. However, her lowest point was when she raped an unwilling Frank. He was blamed for sleeping with her, however, things went differently: she pinned him down while he was incapacitated by drugs and kept repeating “no.”

3 Mandy: Running Over Karen

Sister of Mickey, Mandy Milkovich has also adopted her family’s aggressive behavior and responses. She’s never been perfect, like any other character of this show, however, she crossed the line when she planned and pre-meditated Karen’s murder – even though the latter survived and ended up with permanent brain damage. Mandy had been fighting for Lip’s heart for a long time, and Karen was seriously toxic to him, but that doesn’t justify running her over with the car.

2 Debbie: Raping Matt

In season 5, Debbie Gallagher decides she wants to lose her virginity. She invites her friend/crush Matt to a party and, when Matt gets drunk and passes out, she climbs in the bed, makes him wear protection, and sleeps with him- all while he isn’t able to react. Due to their age difference, he never presses charges; the day after, however, he confronts and tells her “Friends don’t rape friends,” then cut contacts with her for good.

1 Frank: Killing Dottie Butterface

Dottie Butterface is one of the characters with the saddest storylines and endings. She needed a heart transplant because hers barely worked, but Frank Gallagher saw her health problem as an opportunity: he tries to get placed in her will to get her pension money after her death. She eventually won a heart for the transplant at the medical lottery, however, Frank answers and tells them that she’s already dead. After that, Franks bangs her to death because her barely working heart cannot take sexual activity.

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