It’s almost over — and so much has changed! Shameless is embarking on its final season on December 6 after nearly 10 years on air and we can’t help but feel a little nostalgic about how far everyone has come. The Gallaghers are taking on a lot more challenges that are eerily similar to today’s hot topics, like political fervor, equal pay and social movements. It will definitely be a season full of twists, turns and the unexpected.
In its first few seasons, the series was met with critical acclaim and garnered many nominations from prestigious awards shows like the Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards. The show’s TV dad, William H. Macy — a.k.a. the perpetually scheming drunk Frank — has won a whopping three Screen Actors Guild awards for his work on the Showtime hit in 2015, 2017 and 2018. Even Joan Cusack got recognition for her hilarious guest-starring role as the agoraphobic Sheila through season 5.
However, there is one cast member who some fans think never got her due. The show’s star, Emmy Rossum — her character, Fiona, was the young matriarch of the family and the glue that held the Gallaghers together — wasn’t nominated for any awards during the first season of the cable dramedy. She picked up Critics’ Choice Television Awards nominations in 2012 and 2014 but largely stayed off nominee lists for major awards shows since 2011.
In 2018, the powerful actress revealed she was leaving the series that made her a household name after nine seasons. Needless to say, fans were devastated.
“I was 23 when the show started and it’s been pretty remarkable the confidence that it’s given me,” the actress told Entertainment Weekly at the time. “It’s been a long, wonderful journey and I’m so close to my Gallagher family that to walk away is quite bittersweet, but it did feel like it was time for the character to spread her wings and that there was less need for her. I never want something to just feel like a job and so I’m leaving while I still love it.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see photos of how much the cast has changed over the years.