The Showtime series Shameless captivated audiences for eleven seasons. The much-talked-about show even launched the careers of actors like Jeremy Allen White, who played Phillip “Lip” Gallagher. While the show garnered a loyal fanbase, it all came to an end in April 2021. Needless to say, fans were left wondering, “Will there be more seasons or is it over?”
Here’s everything you need to know about why Shameless came to an end and whether there will be another season or not.
Why did Shameless end after Season 11?
Shameless ended because the main character Frank (William H. Macy) died from COVID-19 in Shameless Season 11.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, John Wells revealed why Shameless ended after Season 11. He said, “Bill (Macy) and I had always made deal that there would have to be consequences for all of Frank’s abuse to his body, between the drugs and alcohol. We arrived at alcoholic dementia and had written more than half the season when we shut down. With all the comorbidity that Frank had, Bill and I both talked about it and said, “It would be unrealistic to not have anybody in this community actually suffer severe consequences of the pandemic.””
He continued, “And Frank seemed like the logical choice. It could have been one of many things; it was the last thing that pushed him over the cliff, but he was barely hanging on. It’s not like we took out the healthiest individual you’ve ever seen. It seemed unrealistic to do something about the South Side of Chicago and people living barely above the poverty line and not have anybody succumb to this horrible pandemic.”
Will there be a Shameless Season 12?
No, there won’t be a Shameless Season 12.
The executive producer, Wells, explained in a 2020 interview with Variety why they don’t want to renew Shameless for another season. He said, “With this, we’re just following people’s lives. We just have to walk away from them at some point.” With this statement, Wells implied there will not be a Season 12 for Shameless.
Will Jeremy Allen White return for more seasons of Shameless?
No, the actor Jeremy Allen White won’t be returning for another season of Shameless.
In a 2022 interview with Variety, Jeremy Allen White from Shameless expressed the challenges of inhabiting their character for an extended period. When asked about returning for another season, he revealed that the role took an emotional toll, making it difficult to maintain a positive headspace.
He said, “I love ‘Shameless’ so much. I love everybody that was a part of it, and the experience was incredible,” White said. “But I’m not sure if shows are meant to go that long…There was a period where I stopped feeling like an actor and I started feeling like I was just here to do this show.”
Shameless is an American dramedy that follows the Gallaghers, a working-class family living in Chicago. The show revolves around Fiona, the eldest daughter, who takes on the role of parent to her younger siblings after their alcoholic father, Frank, proves unfit.
