The BEST episodes of Shameless

Every episode of Shameless ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Shameless!

The lives and relationships of a group of siblings and their estranged father Frank Gallagher on a rough Manchester estate.

Last Updated: 11/27/2024Network: Channel 4Status: Ended
Frank in the Frame
star
8.58
73 votes

#1 - Frank in the Frame

Season 8 - Episode 18 - Aired 9/27/2011

The landmark 100th episode. Micky gives Mimi an ultimatum: either the new boiler goes or he does. And there's uproar in The Jockey when Frank pockets Cynthia's scratch card.

Directors: Gordon Anderson
Writer: Paul Abbott
Watch Now:Amazon
Assault
star
8.49
101 votes

#2 - Assault

Season 5 - Episode 15 - Aired 4/8/2008

Norma wakes up in a stranger's jogging bottoms after a night on the tiles and sets off on a wild goose chase to find out who she slept with the night before.

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Boys, Boys, Boys
star
8.43
164 votes

#3 - Boys, Boys, Boys

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/6/2007

Debbie's enjoying having her dad back in the house, but when Monica gets jealous of the attention Debbie's getting, she tells her it's time she got a boyfriend.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Wedding
star
8.42
124 votes

#4 - The Wedding

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 2/21/2006

Frank and Sheila's wedding day looms, but there's a surprise in store for Frank when Sheila reveals what really happened to her ex-husband Sheldon.

Directors: Paul Walker
Writer: Paul Abbott
Watch Now:Amazon
The Runaway
star
8.39
141 votes

#5 - The Runaway

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/30/2007

Ian gets caught up with someone on the run, Karen and Jamie try to out-do each other, and Mimi Maguire causes concern when she stops speaking.

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Gang Wars
star
8.39
162 votes

#6 - Gang Wars

Season 7 - Episode 16 - Aired 5/4/2010

Karen and Joe are holed up in the shop. Joe is plotting their future away from Chatsworth, but Jamie has Connor in hiding and Karen isn't going anywhere without her son.

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The Countdown
star
8.36
187 votes

#7 - The Countdown

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/1/2008

A normal drunken night out turns into a nightmare for Frank when he mistakes an electrical generator for a urinal. Hospital tests reveal that he has a heart condition and may not last to the weekend.

Directors: David Threlfall
Writer: Ed McCardie
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Save Chatsworth (2)
star
8.35
85 votes

#8 - Save Chatsworth (2)

Season 9 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/10/2012

Carl returns to the Chatsworth Estate as a qualified policeman, but not everyone welcomes him back. Jackson's life is in chaos when he is accused of falsely claiming benefits.

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Baby
star
8.32
224 votes

#9 - Baby

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/17/2006

After being knocked to the ground during a purse robbery at the shop, a heavily pregnant Mandy Maguire gives birth to Lip's daughter. But the Maguires won't let him anywhere near them.

Writer: Paul Abbott
Watch Now:Amazon
The Maguire Motto
star
8.31
64 votes

#10 - The Maguire Motto

Season 8 - Episode 21 - Aired 10/18/2011

Mimi might wear the trousers in the family, but it's time Billy pulled his weight, so Mimi sets a profitable challenge to test his manhood. And Micky takes over the community service play.

Directors: Lawrence Till
Writer: Ian Kershaw
Watch Now:Amazon
Revelations
star
8.27
161 votes

#11 - Revelations

Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 2/27/2007

Learning of the death of his ex-cellmates is sending Paddy round the bend. Three of them have been taken out in suspicious circumstances: could this mean he's next?

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You Decide
star
8.26
174 votes

#12 - You Decide

Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/23/2007

Monica's got her claws into Frank, but dare he tell Sheila that he's slept with his ex? Elsewhere, there's a new copper on the estate, but Carrie's not as nice as she looks.

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Great Dangers (3)
star
8.22
152 votes

#13 - Great Dangers (3)

Season 7 - Episode 10 - Aired 3/23/2010

Shane is devastated to discover he's 'firing blanks' and, while he frets, Kelly is reconciled to their future without children. Carl and Chesney are back on the estate living undercover.

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Reunited
star
8.17
199 votes

#14 - Reunited

Season 7 - Episode 7 - Aired 3/2/2010

Frank's romantic interest, Libby, returns and her time away has only increased her ardour. Armed with just a mobile library, she's determined to bring knowledge to the people and rekindle her romance.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
It's Over
star
8.16
100 votes

#15 - It's Over

Season 6 - Episode 16 - Aired 5/12/2009

It's been a tough year on the Chatsworth, with benefit fraud, brothels, jail, stings-gone-wrong, fake suicides, cold turkey, lesbian romps, lingerie parties... What else could possibly happen?

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End of the Line
star
8.15
47 votes

#16 - End of the Line

Season 11 - Episode 14 - Aired 5/28/2013

After nearly a decade of drama, debauchery, sex, drugs and anarchy, some old familiar faces return for one last party.

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Dead (2)
star
8.15
353 votes

#17 - Dead (2)

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 2/24/2004

Frank is only worrying about himself as usual, and things are not looking good. The housing office is on to him, his debts are piling up and the bailiffs are still on the doorstep.

Directors: Dearbhla Walsh
Writer: Paul Abbott
Watch Now:Amazon
To the Future
star
8.14
113 votes

#18 - To the Future

Season 6 - Episode 10 - Aired 3/31/2009

The Gallaghers receive a letter from Liam's school summoning both his parents to see the head teacher. With Monica gone, the family try to appear conventional, with Norma taking on Monica's role.

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PC Gallagher
star
8.14
64 votes

#19 - PC Gallagher

Season 8 - Episode 22 - Aired 10/25/2011

The game is up for Billy and Mimi when Micky catches them in a compromising position. And while Mimi is over the moon, Billy is bricking it as the Maguire brothers are out for his blood...

Watch Now:Amazon
New Romances
star
8.12
207 votes

#20 - New Romances

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/16/2007

Frank struggles to stop Monica telling Sheila that they're still married, but when Monica comes on strong, can he resist her advances?

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The Darkest Hour
star
8.11
123 votes

#21 - The Darkest Hour

Season 6 - Episode 9 - Aired 3/24/2009

No one is sure if Shane will ever be the same again after he's partially paralysed in an accident. Battle lines are drawn between Mimi and Kelly as they go to war over who will help with his recovery.

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Cop Killer
star
8.08
85 votes

#22 - Cop Killer

Season 9 - Episode 5 - Aired 1/31/2012

Jamie is under pressure when an old copper from his past calls in a favour. Aidan is compelled to act when Frasier turns his attention to Letitia. And Micky faces a life-changing decision.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Ninth Time Around
star
8.08
106 votes

#23 - The Ninth Time Around

Season 5 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/15/2008

When Manchester experiences an earth tremor, Monica's waters break and she goes into labour. On the other side of Chatsworth, the same tremor knocks Frank off his bar stool and puts him in a coma.

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In with the Maguire's
star
8.07
231 votes

#24 - In with the Maguire's

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/7/2006

The Gallagher clan can't believe it when Carl starts to bring money into the household. But his mini-enterprise soon attracts the attention of the police.

Writer: Paul Abbott
Watch Now:Amazon
We're Going to the Moon
star
8.05
586 votes

#25 - We're Going to the Moon

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/20/2004

Frank is nowhere to be seen, which is a bit odd as it's giro day. The family panic when a body is found in the canal, but Frank turns up in Calais, with no passport and no clue how he got there.

Directors: Jonny Campbell
Writer: Paul Abbott
Watch Now:Amazon