TV Themes #6 & Statistics #12

Today's TV theme, at #6 in our list, is yet another show that is still on today, having completed its 6th season. It too, like last week's Game of Thrones, is not original work: GoT is based on a series of books, while the US version of Shameless is based on a British show of the same name. Also both shows have good actors giving remarkable performances. This is, however, where the similarities between the two shows end.

The British version of Shameless began in 2004 and ran for 11 seasons. I never watched it, so I wouldn't know how it compares to the US version, which began in 2011 and will air its 7th season in October.

It's the story of the Gallaghers, a rather colorful Chicago family: father Frank (William H. Macy) is the big Shameless: constantly drunk, or under the influence of whatever drug he can get his hands to, he manipulates and exploits everyone around him, especially his children. Monica, the mother, (Chloe Webb) is suffering from bipolar disorder and is MIA for most of the time. Then there are the children: Fiona (Emmy Rossum), the oldest, has been like a mother to her siblings. Tough and vulnerable all at once, she has the tendency to make the wrong choices as far as her love life is concerned. Lip (Jeremy Allen White) is a genius who makes his pocket money by taking SAT tests for other kids. He then gets into college on a scholarship, but he self-destructively gets himself expelled. Ian (Cameron Monaghan) is gay and wants to become a soldier. Eventually he's drawn to the fire-fighting profession. His life gets complicated when he too, like his mother, is diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Debbie (Emma Kenney) is a grounded and compassionate child, but when her hormones kick in as a teenager, she gets to become a mother at 15. Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) is a sociopathic child who takes the path of delinquency, but when he witnesses a murder committed by his best friend and falls in love with the daughter of a tough cop, he seems to become human: now he wants to be a cop. Finally Liam (Brenden Sims), a black boy, the youngest of the bunch, is so far a boy of few words.

Other people revolve around the Gallaghers: neighboring interracial couple Kevin (Steve Howey) and Veronica (Shanola Hampton) are a big support to the kids and also have adventures of their own. There's Russian immigrant Svetlana (Isidora Goreshter), who gets to play an important role from Season 3 onwards.

There are the regulars of Kevin's "Alibi" bar, where much of the action takes place and then there are the love affairs of the Gallagher family, some featured more prominently than others: Steve (Justin Chatwin), Sheila (Joan Cusack), Mandy (Emma Greenwell), Karen (Laura Wiggins), Sean (Dermot Mulroney), but most of all Mickey (Noel Fisher): when we're introduced to him he comes off like a primitive bully, a click short of being a gangster. His love affair with Ian, however, transforms him very much into a human being. The relationship of these two boys and the horrific hurdles that they have to jump over in order to exist as a couple is the heart of this show. Possibly the most unusual gay love affair ever put on mainstream celluloid, it is important for gay and straight viewers alike. The fact that the actor playing Mickey wanted out at the end of season 5, made for a rather underwhelming 6th season. I do hope that they manage to bring him back. The show is not the same without him.

The theme is inventive and manages to perfectly set the mood for watching:

The song heard during the titles is The Luck You Got by Detroit Garage Rock group The High Strung. They have been recording since 2000 and have released 15 albums so far, but their claim to fame is this song, because of its inclusion in Shameless. Here it is, set to scenes of the show:

This is the story of Ian and Mickey throughout the seasons, condenced in two two-hour movies. If you haven't ever watched the show and 6 seasons are too much for you, then watch these. If you watched it and just want to be reminded, it's very good.

Here's part 1:

Here's part 2:

Now, to the weekly statistics: there hasn't been a week since the beginning of this blog that the US hasn't had a very comfortable lead over the others and this week the tradition continues. The same applies to Greece, our constant #2. Germany is 3d and not far away, the UK is 4th. The United Arab Emirates have returned and are at #5, while two regulars, Cyprus and Russia are at #6 & #7. Tied with Russia at #7 is new dynamic player Portugal. Also tied at #9, an old favorite, France and a new one, Norway. Italy only just missed out on a place in the Top 10. Also making appearances this week are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Cuba, Czech Republic, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Kuweit, Laos, the Netherlands, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Sweden and Ukraine. Greetings everyone!

In the all-time Top 10, the first four are the usual suspects: the US, Greece, Germany and Russia. The UK, after a period of inactivity, has made a strong return and comfortably sits at #5. Ireland holds at #6, but is threatened by Canada, which is only one visit behind. France, Cyprus and Spain maintain their positions 8-10.

Our random offering this week comes from the excellent Californian Alternative Rock group of the 80s called Dream Syndicate. The Steve Wynn fronted group were active between 1981-1989 and gave us an EP, 4 studio albums, 3 live albums and a compilation. Although they got great reviews, especially their first album, they never managed to crack the mainstream. We begin at the end: the song The Side I'll Never Show is taken from their last album. After this, they broke up.

... Then we go to the begining: Days of Wine and Roses is found in their first album: