Shameless season 9: How will the cast departures effect the show?
Shameless will be back January 20, but fans have had plenty of time to ponder some lingering questions. The effect of Emmy Rossum’s departure is the biggest one, but several others could divide the show, or keep it linked together.
Fiona owes money. Lip is giving money away. Kevin wants a baby. Carl is hoping his cadet is beyond excellent at body disappearing, while enjoying his new martial, if not marital, bliss with the general’s daughter on Shameless.
Shameless is winding down. Fans are plotting the end perhaps more than the writers, or at least a couple message board commentators have suggested as much. With so many hanging threads, the series end is giving fans a feeling of impending Gallagher doom. What alternative outcomes could give bring smiles instead of more Gallaghers in the slammer?
One thing is known. Frank goes scorched earth once more, treating Fiona terribly the whole final episode featuring Emmy Rossum.
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“All the actors really wanted a great goodbye scene with Emmy,” William H. Macy told the red carpet before the Wilder-Fury fight. “I had hoped that I could have a lovely, warm, conciliatory-meeting goodbye with her, and I’m a complete s–thole the whole episode; horrible, worse than I’ve been in a long time. Just a waste of oxygen.”
Despite the toxic ending on screen, off screen is a different story. Emmy Rossum posted, “I know you will continue on without me, for now. There is much more Gallagher story to be told. I will always be rooting for my family. Try not to think of me as gone, just think of me as moving down the block.”
Macy did say he expects tenth season of Shameless, and is excited about the show it could be moving forward. One possible positive connection linking everyone together could be Frannie.
Frannie? Yes. Debbie is struggling, Kevin wants a new baby, Veronica is not doing ninth months of pregnancy. I doubt Vee’s friend with the need for baby clothes gives any children to a man who fakes a chainsaw massacre.
In Kevin’s defense, he scared that woman away to protect his babies memories. Tokens of youth are of great value to a sentimental man trying to understand how to raise daughters in a #MeToo world. In that world are men like the regular patrons of the Alibi, so Kevin must be extra protective. Being a Papa Bear and protecting Debbie’s kid would fit his nature as the show’s more moral character.
Courteney Cox, Katey Sagal joins Shameless. dark. Next
There are plenty of stories hanging in the balance for the second half of Shameless season 9. Leave any ideas in the comments below and tune in January 20th on Showtime to see how sharp Frank has sharpened his verbal knives.