Totally Shameless -Funny - but not as funny as it used to be & not for the easily offended (Shameless)

Member Name: dove3066

Product:	Shameless
Date:	25/03/09 (34 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Totally different comedy

Disadvantages: later series not as good as the earlier ones

This programme is not the sort of programme to watch if you are offended by seeinmg any of the following on TV: sex, violence, drug taking, excessive use of swearing.

I don't think there is an episode that deosn't carry some sort of warning at the start of the programme. However if you are happy with the warning then you should enjoy yourself for the next hour. I would say however that I found the first three series much funnier - and much lighter than the last two series - and certainly the series currently being shown on channel 4.

The series is based around the totally dysfunctional Gallagher family, Frank and Monica and their numerous children. The situations these people get themselves in is totally bizarre. The original series were written by Paul Abbot but the later series have only seen him as executive producer and I think this is possibly why it has lost the comedy a bit and ended up being a little bit too dark - the current series has one of the characters forced to become a heroin addict and another now partially paralysed. There have still been some funny bits - my favourite this series was episode 3 where Frank ended up doing Jury service and kept the jury deliberating for days just to get the expenses and where Shane and Mickey run "madchester" tours with other friends pretending key madchester characters like Morissey.

I'll carry on watching because when it is funny it is very funny - but these interludes seem to be getting fewer

Summary: A good british comedy, but not for those easily offended