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The Best Episodes of Shameless

Every episode of Shameless ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Shameless!

Binge this in 4d 23h•Peaking at 8.8/10

Chicagoan Frank Gallagher is the proud single dad of six smart, industrious, independent kids, who without him would be... perhaps better off. When Frank's not at the bar spending what little money they have, he's

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Shameless Season 3 Episode 12 - Survival of the Fittest
    8.8/10(16 votes)

    #1 - Survival of the Fittest

    S3:E12

    Fiona and the family prepare a surprise high school,graduation party for Lip. Frank wins a bet and uses the winnings to take Lip out for lobster and some quality father/son time.

    Director:Mark Mylod
    Writers:Nancy M. Pimental, Etan Frankel

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  2. Shameless Season 9 Episode 6 - Face It, You're Gorgeous
    8.8/10(17 votes)

    #2 - Face It, You're Gorgeous

    S9:E6

    Frank employs Liam to help him chase down a romantic connection; Fiona struggles to keep up with the demands of her new investment as Ford pushes her to get serious about their relationship.

    Director:Allison Liddi-Brown
    Writer:Nancy M. Pimental

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  3. Shameless Season 5 Episode 6 - Crazy Love
    8.6/10(24 votes)

    #3 - Crazy Love

    S5:E6

    Fiona is thrown into chaos by the return of Jimmy. Ian takes Mickey's baby.

    Director:Anthony Hemingway
    Writer:John Wells

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  4. Shameless Season 8 Episode 3 - God Bless Her Rotting Soul
    8.6/10(16 votes)

    #4 - God Bless Her Rotting Soul

    S8:E3

    A violent meth dealer threatens the Gallaghers, forcing Ian, Carl, Lip and Debbie to find a way to pay him off without involving Fiona. Fiona battles it out with a vindictive tenant. Lip cares for a down-and-out Professor Youens. Frank - miraculously - attains something resembling sainthood.

    Director:Michael Morris
    Writer:Krista Vernoff

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  5. Shameless Season 8 Episode 4 - F**k Paying It Forward
    8.4/10(15 votes)

    #5 - F**k Paying It Forward

    S8:E4

    A blast from the past shakes up Fiona's view of her life. Frank gets involved with Liam's school and becomes the most popular dad in the PTA. Lip learns getting laid is harder than anticipated when sober. Ian crosses a boundary with a kid from the youth center. Kev and V take a trip to meet his birth family.

    Director:Regina King
    Writer:Dominique Morisseau

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  6. Shameless Season 9 Episode 7 - Down Like the Titanic
    8.4/10(13 votes)

    #6 - Down Like the Titanic

    S9:E7

    Debbie finds Fiona at a low point and helps her pick up the pieces as Fiona continues to face pressure from Max Whitford on her investment hubris. Frank enjoys the honeymoon period of his relationship with Ingrid.

    Director:Silver Tree
    Writer:Molly Smith Metzler

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    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of Shameless

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  7. Shameless Season 1 Episode 12 - Father Frank, Full of Grace
    8.2/10(25 votes)

    #7 - Father Frank, Full of Grace

    S1:E12

    Steve tries to convince Fiona to skip town with him now that his true livelihood as been discovered; Frank and Karen's secret is revealed, forcing Frank to go into hiding; Fiona tries to figure out how to get Lip and Ian out of jail after their arrest for car theft.

    Director:Mark Mylod
    Writer:John Wells

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  8. Shameless Season 5 Episode 8 - Uncle Carl
    8.2/10(18 votes)

    #8 - Uncle Carl

    S5:E8

    Gus tells Fiona he's leaving to go on tour. Frank seeks revenge on Sammi.

    Director:Wendey Stanzler
    Writer:Krista Vernoff

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  9. Shameless Season 8 Episode 8 - Frank's Northern Southern Express
    8.2/10(13 votes)

    #9 - Frank's Northern Southern Express

    S8:E8

    Frank starts a booming import-export business. Fiona considers moving into her own place after Ford shows her a side of Chicago she's never seen. Meanwhile, Lip interviews new sponsors, Ian confronts a pastor trying to "pray the gay away" and Debbie deals with being unemployed while looking for a way to afford school and raise Franny.

    Director:Emmy Rossum
    Writer:Nancy M. Pimental

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  10. Shameless Season 9 Episode 5 - Black-Haired Ginger
    8.2/10(13 votes)

    #10 - Black-Haired Ginger

    S9:E5

    Frank’s new liver medication comes with tragic side effects. Ian tries to get away from Fiona’s hovering. Lip has to keep himself occupied during a day of temptation. Carl makes a connection at a West Point mixer. Debbie tries to repair things with Alex.

    Director:William H. Macy
    Writer:Philip Buiser

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  11. Shameless Season 9 Episode 14 - Found
    8.2/10(13 votes)

    #11 - Found

    S9:E14

    As the Gallaghers decide what to do with a bedridden Frank, Fiona has to make a decision about her future. Carl and Debbie share their heartbreak together. Lip has to deal with a distressed Tami.

    Director:John Wells
    Writer:John Wells

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  12. Shameless Season 1 Episode 3 - Aunt Ginger
    8.1/10(38 votes)

    #12 - Aunt Ginger

    S1:E3

    Fiona turns her attentions to Tony, a cop who has had a crush on her since childhood, but Steve isn't willing to give up without a fight; Ian is targeted by the brothers of a girl he spurned; the whole family searches for elderly Aunt Ginger, who owns their house.

    Director:Stephen Hopkins
    Writer:Nancy M. Pimental

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  13. Shameless Season 8 Episode 12 - Sleepwalking
    8.1/10(15 votes)

    #13 - Sleepwalking

    S8:E12

    Fiona taps deep into her Gallagher roots to get the homeless family out of her apartment and dismiss their lawsuit. An explosive incident sends Ian and some of his followers into hiding from the authorities. Meanwhile, Lip makes a difficult decision in order to have the life he really wants, Carl looks for a way to go back to school without upsetting Kassidi, Debbie considers letting Derek back into Franny's life and Frank makes plans to take advantage of Liam's rich friend. Season finale.

    Director:John Wells
    Writer:John Wells

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  14. Shameless Season 2 Episode 6 - Can I Have a Mother
    8.0/10(18 votes)

    #14 - Can I Have a Mother

    S2:E6

    Grammy Gallagher shows up on a medical furlough and tries to track down a former meth lab protege that owes her money; Sheila plans Karen's wedding reception; Fiona double dates with Steve and his Brazilian girlfriend, and discovers that Steve is married; Ethel reacts to Clyde's death; Frank discovers the identity of Eddie's insurance beneficiary.

    Director:John Dahl
    Writers:Steven Schachter, William H. Macy

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  15. Shameless Season 5 Episode 1 - Milk of the Gods
    8.0/10(21 votes)

    #15 - Milk of the Gods

    S5:E1

    Fiona juggles her job and a crush. Lip heads back home.

    Director:Christopher Chulack
    Writer:Nancy M. Pimental

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  16. Shameless Season 5 Episode 2 - I'm the Liver
    8.0/10(18 votes)

    #16 - I'm the Liver

    S5:E2

    Sheila gets an offer to buy her home. Plus, Fiona is off house arrest!

    Director:Sanaa Hamri
    Writer:Krista Vernoff

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  17. Shameless Season 5 Episode 5 - Rite of Passage
    8.0/10(17 votes)

    #17 - Rite of Passage

    S5:E5

    Fiona's plans to announce her marriage unravel. Mickey asks for Lip's help.

    Director:Alex Graves
    Writer:Etan Frankel

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  18. Shameless Season 6 Episode 6 - NSFW
    8.0/10(14 votes)

    #18 - NSFW

    S6:E6

    Ian and Caleb get serious. Lip appears before a disciplinary committee.

    Director:Jake Schreier
    Writer:Sheila Callaghan

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  19. Shameless Season 6 Episode 11 - Sleep No More
    8.0/10(13 votes)

    #19 - Sleep No More

    S6:E11

    A confrontation between Sean and Frank quickly descends into a brawl.

    Director:Anthony Hemingway
    Writer:Sheila Callaghan

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  20. Shameless Season 9 Episode 13 - Lost
    8.0/10(10 votes)

    #20 - Lost

    S9:E13

    Frank’s injury gets in the way of everyone’s plans as Fiona attempts to get her life back on track and Lip grows frustrated with his relationship with Tami. Carl gets some bad news about his future, and Debbie finally makes a move on Kelly. Kevin and Veronica get in trouble at the twins’ preschool.

    Director:Iain B. MacDonald
    Writer:John Wells

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  21. Shameless Season 10 Episode 12 - "Gallavich!"
    8.0/10(17 votes)

    #21 - "Gallavich!"

    S10:E12

    Liam out-Gallaghers Frank, Lip works to convince Tami to stay in Chicago with their baby, Debbie turns over a new romantic leaf and Kev’s new business takes off, but V wonders where the money is going.

    Director:John Wells
    Writer:John Wells

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  22. Shameless Season 3 Episode 6 - Cascading Failures
    7.9/10(19 votes)

    #22 - Cascading Failures

    S3:E6

    The Department of Family Services hauls the Gallagher children away, leaving Fiona desperate to get them back. With Monica nowhere to be found, Fiona is forced to find Frank and get him to make a "Father of the Year" appearance in court. It all goes well until Fiona discovers that Frank's not the solution to her problem - he's the cause. Meanwhile, Kev and Veronica recruit V's mother as a surrogate and Terry catches Mickey and Ian in a compromising situation.

    Director:Anthony Hemingway
    Writer:Alex Borstein

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  23. Shameless Season 4 Episode 3 - Like Father, Like Daughter
    7.9/10(17 votes)

    #23 - Like Father, Like Daughter

    S4:E3

    Frank stalks his previously unseen daughter, Sammi, and is surprised to find out she has a son, Chuck. Meanwhile, Fiona and Mike are getting serious. Also, Carl begins stealing dogs and holding them for ransom so that he can earn some drug money for Frank. Sheila has her first successful online date with Native American cowboy Roger Running Tree.

    Director:Sanaa Hamri
    Writer:Sheila Callaghan

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  24. Shameless Season 4 Episode 8 - Hope Springs Paternal
    7.9/10(18 votes)

    #24 - Hope Springs Paternal

    S4:E8

    To prepare for a visit from her probation officer, Fiona must remove all paraphernalia from the house; Ian is kicked out of Mickey's house.

    Director:Mimi Leder
    Writer:Sheila Callaghan

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  25. Shameless Season 4 Episode 9 - The Legend of Bonnie and Carl
    7.9/10(19 votes)

    #25 - The Legend of Bonnie and Carl

    S4:E9

    Carl connects with a girl in detention; Lip and Amanda grow closer; Sheila returns with big plans; Fiona searches for a job; Mickey spends time with Ian.

    Director:Mark Mylod
    Writer:Etan Frankel

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Best Episodes Summary

"Survival of the Fittest" is the best rated episode of "Shameless". It scored 8.8/10 based on 16 votes. Directed by Mark Mylod and written by Nancy M. Pimental, Etan Frankel, it aired on 4/7/2013. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Face It, You're Gorgeous".