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The Worst Episodes of Shameless

Every episode of Shameless ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Shameless!

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The story of a young group of siblings pretty much abandoned by their parents, surviving by their wits - and humor - on a rough Manchester council estate. Whilst they won't admit it, they need

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Shameless Season 9 Episode 3 - Episode 3
    4.0/10(2 votes)

    #1 - Episode 3

    S9:E3

    Mimi and Billy decide to have an open marriage. Patty and Lillian's funeral mourning brings them some unwanted attention. Kelly can't grieve and and ends up losing control.

    Director:Andrew McDonnell
    Writer:Ed McCardie

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  2. Shameless Season 9 Episode 11 - Episode 11
    4.0/10(2 votes)

    #2 - Episode 11

    S9:E11

    Jamie is scared that Karen may uncover the truth about what happened with Gloria. Ruby wants to be accepted as part of the Maguire family while Aidan is fed up with being treated like the idiot child.

    Director:Justin Molotnikov
    Writer:Ed McCardie

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  3. Shameless Season 1 Episode 1 - Episode 1
    5.3/10(6 votes)

    #3 - Episode 1

    S1:E1

    When Fiona Gallagher's (Anne-Marie Duff) bag is stolen on a night out in Manchester, a handsome stranger called Steve McBride (James McAvoy) comes to her rescue. He accompanies her to her home in Chatsworth, a deprived inner city council estate, to meet her large family, and the pair begin to grow close, until she receives a visit from the police concerning her alcoholic father, Frank (David Threlfall). Meanwhile, Lip Gallagher (Jody Latham) makes a shocking discovery about his brother Ian (Gerard Kearns) that turns the brothers close relationship upside down, and he also uncovers a shocking secret about the local shopkeeper, Kash Karib (Chris Bisson). Elsewhere, Karen Jackson's (Rebecca Atkinson) father, Eddie (Steve Pemberton), leaves home after catching her in a compromising position.

    Director:Mark Mylod
    Writer:Paul Abbott

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  4. Shameless Season 1 Episode 2 - Episode 2
    5.6/10(5 votes)

    #4 - Episode 2

    S1:E2

    Frank makes an accidental trip to France, and following a row with Fiona decides to move in with Sheila.

    Director:Jonny Campbell
    Writer:Paul Abbott

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  5. Shameless Season 8 Episode 4 - Episode 4
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #5 - Episode 4

    S8:E4

    Karen attends the psychiatric hospital as an out-patient and finds that Frank has been there all along.

    Director:Metin Hüseyin
    Writers:Ed McCardie, Emma Taylor

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  6. Shameless Season 8 Episode 8 - Episode 8
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #6 - Episode 8

    S8:E8

    Mickey and Shane think of a way to make some extra money. Their final idea was to make a child pornography site which contained no nude images and took the credit card details of those who subscribed. Their view on the matter was that they were doing a good thing by using the website as a deterant, however the police didn't see it that way.

    Director:Paul Walker
    Writer:Phil Charles

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    The 20 BEST Episodes of Shameless

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  7. Shameless Season 8 Episode 9 - Episode 9
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #7 - Episode 9

    S8:E9

    Mimi seems to be suffering with insomnia, however her condition deteriorates when she believes that she may have dementia.

    Director:Andrew McDonnell
    Writer:Frank Rickarby

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  8. Shameless Season 8 Episode 12 - Episode 12
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #8 - Episode 12

    S8:E12

    Mimi's transvestite brother turns up, but isn't all he appears to be. The Maguires are still at each others throats, and Chesney is in danger as he and Jackson join the British Alliance Party, and manage to rub them up the wrong way.

    Director:Paul Walker
    Writer:Darren Fairhurst

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  9. Shameless Season 8 Episode 19 - Episode 19
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #9 - Episode 19

    S8:E19

    Aidan's bad behaviour ends up seeing him in court. Patty ends up having to decide the outcome. Cilla's abduction sees Mimi being forced to face her past, as she reasserts herself has head of the Maguire family. Marty and Mickey start to get intimate as they help each other decorate their new flat.

    Director:Paul Unwin
    Writer:Kevin Erlis

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  10. Shameless Season 11 Episode 3 - Episode 3
    6.3/10(3 votes)

    #10 - Episode 3

    S11:E3

    Kelly agrees to help save Lillian's savings from police survelliance. But when she discovers how much Lillian has, she is forced to decide what she values more: Money or Lillian's friendship? Meanwhile, Banbury is forced to ask Mimi for help when a problem occurs at the school. Elsewhere, Patreesha plans a housewarming party for Avril which suffers problems surrounding the theme.

    Director:Paul Walker
    Writer:Mark Brotherhood

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  11. Shameless Season 10 Episode 3 - Episode 3
    6.7/10(3 votes)

    #11 - Episode 3

    S10:E3

    Marty befriends a Brazilian housemaid and determines to rescue her from her life of servitude. Kelly insists it's none of their business, but that doesn't deter Marty, who liberates her with a stack of cash he was supposed to be banking for Lillian... Dom springs an uninvited guest on Gloria: their birth mother Hazel. There's no love lost between the two, but is it time for Gloria to extend the hand of friendship? And Billy's sick of people taking advantage. Karen reckons the answer to his problems is a self-help tape.

    Director:Gordon Anderson
    Writer:Mark Brotherhood

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  12. Shameless Season 10 Episode 9 - Episode 9
    6.7/10(3 votes)

    #12 - Episode 9

    S10:E9

    When a new gang hit Chatsworth, The Maguires fear for their future on the estate, and it falls on Jamie to protect his family from their new enemies. however, one of the Maguires closest friends is giving the gang inside infomation. But who? Meanwhile, Frank and Dom clash over the number of conquests they've made on the estate.

    Director:Andrew McDonnell
    Writer:Ed McCardie

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  13. Shameless Season 11 Episode 1 - Episode 1
    6.7/10(3 votes)

    #13 - Episode 1

    S11:E1

    It's a grand occasion as the residents of Chatsworth celebrate being awarded an Olympic ring from London 2012. The Maguires toast the expansion of their empire: Mimi's hijacked control of the local school via the PTA and Shane's setting up a new business venture. Business is booming, but the family is thrown into turmoil when Jamie makes a shocking discovery about his family tree and withdraws from the firm. Can Mimi persuade Jamie to return as head of the family before all is lost or will a shocking secret tear Chatsworth's leading family apart? Meanwhile, Frank finds himself climbing the employment ladder as janitor of 'St Mimi's School', conveniently funding his new leisure activity - the Gastric Bandits, a prostitute double act with Sherrilee and Derrilee, who light up his life.

    Director:Paul Walker
    Writer:Jimmy Dowdall

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  14. Shameless Season 11 Episode 4 - Episode 4
    6.7/10(3 votes)

    #14 - Episode 4

    S11:E4

    Jamie's illusion of his brother's perfect life is shattered when the police raid Kassi's home and haul him to the station. Kassi won't tell Jamie what's going on, but asks Jamie to help find him and his family a place on the Chatsworth during the investigation. So the Blanco family: Kassi, his wife Esther and their four feral children move in next door to the Maguires. Excited by their recent underhand windfall, Kelly and Marty decide to buy a house, but suspicions are aroused about their dirty money, and all hell breaks loose. Shane plays a game of cat and mouse with Sergeant Randall - a shag would suffice but Shane now wants more, and Randall likes to play by her own rules.

    Director:Dominic Leclerc
    Writer:Sean Conway

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  15. Shameless Season 4 Episode 1 - Episode 1
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #15 - Episode 1

    S4:E1

    The Gallaghers' return for a fourth series, and its Lip's 18th birthday but not all is going to be clean sailing as there’s a few surprises ready to hit him. First the Maguires expect him to do something for them. But the biggest shock of all is his long-lost mother Monica turning up out of the blue with a bombshell that could turn their lives upside down.

    Director:Paul Walker
    Writer:Emma Frost

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  16. Shameless Season 4 Episode 2 - Episode 2
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #16 - Episode 2

    S4:E2

    Frank’s desperate to keep the fact that he’s still married to estranged wife Monica from Sheila, and Monica’s not making it easy for him. But Sheila can see that she has competition for Frank and sets about trying to reunite Monica with her estranged lesbian lover. But is Monica still a lesbian?

    Director:Paul Walker
    Writer:Emma Frost

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  17. Shameless Season 4 Episode 3 - Episode 3
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #17 - Episode 3

    S4:E3

    Monica manages to seduce Frank and sink her claws back in, but he dare not tell Sheila that he and Monica have been sleeping together. Sheila proves to be a frightening adversary when scorned and Frank could be in real danger. But neither Sheila nor Monica want to share him and he has to decide on which wife he wants. But who will he choose?

    Director:Paul Walker
    Writer:Stephen Russell

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  18. Shameless Season 4 Episode 4 - Episode 4
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #18 - Episode 4

    S4:E4

    Ian gets more than he bargained for when a new person enters his life. Another death in the Maguire household causes Mimi to think the family may be cursed.

    Director:Noreen Kershaw
    Writer:Jack Thorne

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  19. Shameless Season 4 Episode 5 - Episode 5
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #19 - Episode 5

    S4:E5

    Debbie's glad to have her dad back at home, but Monica's not happy with all the attention Frank is giving her and tells her it's time she found herself a boyfriend. Also Ian catches the eye of someone he least expected.

    Director:David Threlfall
    Writer:Amanda Coe

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  20. Shameless Season 4 Episode 6 - Episode 6
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #20 - Episode 6

    S4:E6

    Carl wants his family back together and that means getting rid of Norma - for good. Unfortunately, things don't go to plan when Norma proves to be a very tough adversary. Frank agrees to work on Shane's ice cream van - the Maguires use it as a cover for dealing and Frank's got E's on tap! However, there's trouble brewing.

    Director:David Threlfall
    Writer:Ed McCardie

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  21. Shameless Season 4 Episode 7 - Episode 7
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #21 - Episode 7

    S4:E7

    Explosions across the estate spark fears that Chatsworth is a terrorist target. But it has the Maguire's worried that they're under threat from folk a little closer to home when Patrick finds the family semtex missing. Meanwhile when Frank reveals to Monica she was never his first choice over Sheila, Monica vents her anger by turning to Norma for gifts and goodies.

    Director:Noreen Kershaw
    Writer:Emma Frost

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  22. Shameless Season 4 Episode 8 - Episode 8
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #22 - Episode 8

    S4:E8

    Learning of the death of his three ex-cell mates is sending Paddy round the bend. With the three of them taken out one-by-one in suspicious circumstances, could this mean he's next in line?

    Director:Lawrence Till
    Writer:Paul Abbott

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  23. Shameless Season 5 Episode 2 - Episode 2
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #23 - Episode 2

    S5:E2

    Mimi is forced to confront her deepest insecurity after an ex-boyfriend makes a cruel comment about her weight, and Paddy's inability to back up her up forces a wedge between the loving couple. And Carl takes offence when Ian becomes romantically involved with his teacher, ruining his chance at wooing a promiscuous fellow pupil.

    Director:David Threlfall
    Writer:Stephen Russell

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  24. Shameless Season 5 Episode 3 - Episode 3
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #24 - Episode 3

    S5:E3

    Monica seeks to make up for lost years with her children after failing a pregnancy test. Paddy is livid after the Jockey is robbed before Mimi's surprise birthday party, leaving Karen with the responsibility of arranging the bash from scratch. Stan becomes smitten when his pen-pan from the Ukraine pays a visit, but Carrie suspects that the charming foreigner has an ulterior motive.

    Director:Paul Walker
    Writer:Stephen Russell

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  25. Shameless Season 5 Episode 4 - Episode 4
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #25 - Episode 4

    S5:E4

    Frank Gallagher has won the lottery; or so the residents of Chatsworth think when Yvonne announces it on the local news. And Frank's not about to announce that he's never bought a lottery ticket in his life when free drinks are coming his way. But will he 'fess up when Liam is kidnapped and the ransom fee is his so-called winnings?

    Director:Paul Walker
    Writer:Jack Lothian

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Episode 3" is the worst rated episode of "Shameless". It scored 4/10 based on 2 votes. Directed by Andrew McDonnell and written by Ed McCardie, it aired on 1/17/2012. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Episode 11".