The Worst Episodes of Shameless

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Worst Episode
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   4.0/10(2 votes)

   #1 - Episode 3

   S4:E31/23/2007

   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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   Director:Paul Walker

   Writer:Stephen Russell
2. 

   4.0/10(2 votes)

   #2 - Episode 4

   S4:E41/30/2007

   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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   Director:Noreen Kershaw

   Writer:Jack Thorne
3. 

   4.0/10(2 votes)

   #3 - Episode 6

   S4:E62/13/2007

   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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   Director:David Threlfall

   Writer:Ed McCardie
4. 

   4.0/10(2 votes)

   #4 - Episode 5

   S7:E52/16/2010

   Maxine is desperate to make a good impression at her parents' party so cajoles Ian into pretending to be her boyfriend. He reluctantly agrees, but their act unearths deep feelings that take everyone by surprise. Meanwhile, Carl realises what he's lost by splitting up with Maxine so he is determined to win her back. But Carl soon finds love and hate are two sides of the same coin when Micky reveals a painful secret. At the Jockey, Mimi does her best to conceal Karen's illness after she returns from the psychiatric unit. While Karen settles back into Chatsworth life, Jamie struggles to cope with the reality of living with mental illness. Escaping for a night out, Jamie meets Michelle, a Madame of a thriving male Escort Agency who plans to seduce him into a murky but lucrative new job.

   Director:Paul Walker

   Writer:Jack Lothian

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   Director:Paul Walker

   Writer:Jack Lothian
5. 

   4.0/10(2 votes)

   #5 - Episode 1

   S8:E11/10/2011

   Libby and Frank are supposed to be getting married, but this is put on hold when Frank disappears on his stag night. Mimi tries to find out the identity of the father of her new baby Cilla.

   Director:Dominic Leclerc

   Writer:Tom Higgins

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   Director:Dominic Leclerc

   Writer:Tom Higgins
6. 

   4.0/10(2 votes)

   #6 - Episode 3

   S9:E31/17/2012

   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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   Director:Andrew McDonnell

   Writer:Ed McCardie
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7. 

   4.0/10(2 votes)

   #7 - Episode 11

   S9:E113/13/2012

   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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   Director:Justin Molotnikov

   Writer:Ed McCardie
8. 

   4.5/10(2 votes)

   #8 - Episode 5

   S4:E52/6/2007

   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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   Director:David Threlfall

   Writer:Amanda Coe
9. 

   4.5/10(2 votes)

   #9 - Episode 8

   S4:E82/27/2007

   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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   Director:Lawrence Till

   Writer:Paul Abbott
10. 

    4.5/10(2 votes)

    #10 - Episode 1

    S5:E11/1/2008

    An emergency visit to the hospital results in Frank receiving devastating news, prompting him to embark on an orgy of drink and drug-fuelled mayhem, which culminates in a bizarre, drug-induced encounter with his younger self. Elsewhere, Lillian comes up with a surprising way to make money, and Lip's shady past catches up with him and leads to a no-holds-barred fight in The Jockey, with shocking consequences.

    Director:David Threlfall

    Writer:Ed McCardie

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    Director:David Threlfall

    Writer:Ed McCardie
11. 

    4.5/10(2 votes)

    #11 - Episode 4

    S5:E41/22/2008

    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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    Director:Paul Walker

    Writer:Jack Lothian
12. 

    4.5/10(2 votes)

    #12 - Episode 6

    S5:E62/5/2008

    A mishap with baby Katie and a bag of Es leads to a standoff between Mandy and Frank. When the family back Mandy, Frank is forced to leave the house and ends up sleeping rough. Meanwhile, when Liam learns he's going to be nappy changing for Monica's new baby, he decides to run away. He catches up with Frank and the two outcasts bond over a camp fire and a leaky tent. Micky's attempts to get into his dad's good books go horribly wrong when he accidentally loses the weekly drug pick-up distracted by a hot guy from the local abattoir. He enlists Ian's help to get them back and the two lads go on an epic search until Ian gets caught by the thieves and Micky has to decide whether to save his friend or his own skin. Shane is delighted when Kellie finally admits that she loves him and he invites her round for Sunday lunch with the family. But Paddy is not happy about sitting round the table with a prostitute and decides to pay Kelly a little visit...

    Director:Lawrence Till

    Writer:Ben Edwards

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    Director:Lawrence Till

    Writer:Ben Edwards
13. 

    5.0/10(2 votes)

    #13 - Episode 5

    S5:E51/29/2008

    With the local council doling out money to the new young-mayor, Debbie sees a chance to buy hens and potatoes and give Chatsworth free egg and chips. Meanwhile, Shane falls for his perfect woman and it looks like she's fallen for him but when she takes him back to her place, the spare room at Lillian's; Shane's in for a bit of a surprise. Also, Yvonne has trouble with some yobs in the shop and things get a bit heated has she finally met her natch? And,when Stan runs down an old lady, he confides to Tom and Carrie that he should be wearing spectacles. To save his job, Carrie takes the rap, but when the old lady decides to sue, it might be Carrie who is going to get fired.

    Director:Lawrence Till

    Writer:Malcolm Campbell

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    Director:Lawrence Till

    Writer:Malcolm Campbell
14. 

    5.3/10(6 votes)

    #14 - Episode 1

    S1:E11/13/2004

    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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    Director:Mark Mylod

    Writer:Paul Abbott
15. 

    5.3/10(3 votes)

    #15 - Episode 5

    S1:E52/10/2004

    Karen and Frank's affair continues behind the backs of Shelia and Lip. Shelia is concentrating on beating her phobea of open spaces, through a nurse that comes and visits her. Shelia goes shopping through a virtual reality machine but panics when she gets too near the doors. Ian's affair with Kash is ruined after security cameras are installed in the shop to stop shop lifting. Yvonne notices strange behaviour and comes to the correct conclusion. She tells Kash that she wants another baby and decides that Ian can stay on at the shop but his relationship with Kash is over. Lip discovers Karrens and frank's affair and goes crazy. He attacks his father.

    Director:Mark Mylod

    Writer:Carmel Morgan

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    Director:Mark Mylod

    Writer:Carmel Morgan
16. 

    5.6/10(5 votes)

    #16 - Episode 2

    S1:E21/20/2004

    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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    Director:Jonny Campbell

    Writer:Paul Abbott
17. 

    5.7/10(3 votes)

    #17 - Episode 3

    S2:E31/18/2005

    A gardening competition is launched, by the council, to find the best garden and reward the winners with a years free rent! Naturally the shabby gardens of the Chattersworth estate suddenly turn into gardens fit for the queen. Carol doesn't wish to loose the winning prize and turns the Gallagher's garden from old wreck to sparkling garden. Veronica wants to do up their garden but Kev isn't too keen, that is until he meets with Tommy who works for the council. Together they steal a Diana Memorial Garden (!) and move it into their back yard. Carol see's it as a declaration of war between mother and daughter and when the garden is trashed things turn even nastier between the warring family. It's later revealed that a group of yobs were responsible for trashing the garden, and others, but this does little to end the argument. Meanwhile Shelia leaves to visit her sick mother in a hospice and leaves Frank with baby Nigel and Delia.

    Director:Peter Lydon

    Writer:Daniel Brocklehurst

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    Director:Peter Lydon

    Writer:Daniel Brocklehurst
18. 

    5.7/10(3 votes)

    #18 - Episode 5

    S3:E51/31/2006

    On the day that Kev should be happily celebrating his 35th birthday, his mother throws herself from her balcony. To add to his woes, he sees his ex-wife Roxy, who's recently out of prison and far from reformed, at the funeral. Fatherhood has had a positive effect on Lip and Mandy.

    Director:Jim O'Hanlon

    Writers:Daniel Brocklehurst, Emma Frost

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    Director:Jim O'Hanlon

    Writers:Daniel Brocklehurst, Emma Frost
19. 

    5.7/10(3 votes)

    #19 - Episode 6

    S3:E62/7/2006

    The Gallagher clan can't believe it when Carl starts to bring money into the household - but his mini-enterprise involves growing cannabis for the Maguires and the police are quick to bust him. Lip is jealous when Mandy gets a new boyfriend and he later discovers that she was the brains behind Carl's business.

    Director:David Threlfall

    Writer:Emma Frost

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    Director:David Threlfall

    Writer:Emma Frost
20. 

    6.0/10(3 votes)

    #20 - Episode 6

    S1:E62/17/2004

    Frank brings down the power of the social services on his family in a failed attempt to extract money from Monica.

    Director:Dearbhla Walsh

    Writer:Paul Abbott

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    Director:Dearbhla Walsh

    Writer:Paul Abbott
21. 

    6.0/10(3 votes)

    #21 - Episode 9

    S2:E93/1/2005

    Debbie's on a mission to help Marty who has an impending court appearance for a breach of the peace. Fiona is suffering from morning sickness, so Craig is planning a surprise trip to Wales to relax. Craig's wife, Sue, is jealous of his new relationship and seeks a showdown at the Gallaghers' house.

    Director:Dearbhla Walsh

    Writer:Daniel Brocklehurst

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    Director:Dearbhla Walsh

    Writer:Daniel Brocklehurst
22. 

    6.0/10(4 votes)

    #22 - Episode 3

    S3:E31/17/2006

    Mandy goes into labour after a run in with a masked robber inside the corner shop. Lip desperately wants to visit his new daughter, but will Mandy's parents allow the visit? And if not, just what will it take for Lip to prove himself to them...?

    Director:Jim O'Hanlon

    Writers:Bob Mills, Jim Poyser

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    Director:Jim O'Hanlon

    Writers:Bob Mills, Jim Poyser
23. 

    6.0/10(3 votes)

    #23 - Episode 7

    S3:E72/14/2006

    Debbie has a new best friend who is everything she wants to be and has the boys falling at her feet. Suddenly Debbie realises what other girls her own age have been getting up to and what she's been missing out on while left holding the fort at home. Sue disappears leaving Marty to deal with the debt collectors in the only way he knows how.

    Director:Paul Walker

    Writer:Amanda Coe

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    Director:Paul Walker

    Writer:Amanda Coe
24. 

    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #24 - Episode 4

    S8:E41/13/2011

    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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    Director:Metin Hüseyin

    Writers:Ed McCardie, Emma Taylor
25. 

    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #25 - Episode 8

    S8:E82/1/2011

    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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    Director:Paul Walker

    Writer:Phil Charles