We had written it actually, or most of it, when we shut down in March. After 11 long, entertaining years, Shameless has finally gone off of the air. It seemed unrealistic to do something about the South Side of Chicago and people living barely above the poverty line and not have anybody succumb to this horrible pandemic. Shamelessis over but available for streaming on Showtime if you want to see for yourself how Frank dies. So we were kind of monitoring it, because we wanted to make sure we werent going to do something that, by the time it was on the air, would be anticlimactic and sort of post- [the pandemic] We were really hoping that the pandemic ended and we would then rewrite everything at the end so it wasnt all about this. Following the series finale of Showtime's long-running dramedy, showrunnerJohn Wells toldThe Hollywood Reporterwhy plans to bring back Rossum's FionaGallagherwere nixed due to the pandemic. We tried thinking about it, and I tried writing, a couple of different times, the scene where they find out, and I just thought it was the wrong note to end on for Shameless. The is no denyingShamelesshas a very passionate fan base. Why wrap the show without answering any of those questions? So, we had to show that there were some consequences, Wells said. Grade it below, then hit the comments! Frank is (despite appearances) Liam's biological father, and Liam defaulted to him in his search for a parent figure since Frank is technically his father even if he has no other qualifications. ", "We were trying to get Emmy --and Emmy wanted to come backWe wanted her to return and had some storylines about her coming back and she wanted to do it," he said. When ABC decided it was time to end this family-friendly sitcom starring puppet dinosaurs after four seasons, the creators decided to do it in the most depressing way possible by having its main character, Sinclair family patriarch Earl, trigger a catastrophic extinction event that would not only kill every main character, but his entire species. But she would have a life and be pursuing her own things. One of the many questioned he was asked was about why Frank died alone at the end of the series. So I have nothing but appreciation for all of the things they did for us, but I could have kept doing it. Seeing Kevin and Vee in Louisville was a great window into a whole other world, too. When Veronica's mother, Carol, announced that she was going to join the exodus and relocate to Louisville, Kentucky, V at first vehemently opposed the plan. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. Liam Gallagher is very jaded for his young age, which is understandable given that he hasn't really had anything resembling a parent since Fiona left the Gallagher household. Theyre just hilarious. I was also interested in Arthur (guest star Josh Malina) and Carl running the Alibi, it could have been funny as a cop bar story. Shameless, for all of our craziness and outrageousness, was about joy and about family and about people looking out for each other. All of the ideas, though, centered around Fiona coming home after her father, FrankGallagher (William H. Macy), was diagnosed with alcoholic dementia. TVLINE | Most of the characters storylines are left pretty open-ended, except for Franks. Yes. Reportedly, timing surrounding the pandemic was the issue, and Rossum wasn't able to go film in Chicago and California, only to go back to New York for a 2-week quarantine. Shameless is obviously outrageously exaggerated, but we tried to ground it in a real world in which you felt like if you turned the right corner of Chicago, you could run across some Gallaghers and their whole world. All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. Carl is actually already a father several times over, via an artificial insemination scheme from a couple of seasons ago, so there are now quite a few illegitimate children who could potentially pop up again in his future. TVLINE | The contents of Franks letter are not, I would say, warm and fuzzy, and his kids never really have a moment of closure with him. Cumulative U.S. Covid-19 deaths per capita are highest among other large, high-income countries Several countries had higher per capita Covid-19 deaths earlier in the pandemic, but the U.S. death . Rossum left the show in 2018 after nine seasons. CAMDEN, N.J. No one thought Frank Talarico Jr. was going to live. Trisha Faulkner has been a freelance writer for a decade with a focus on news/reporting for the last three years. What do you hope viewers take away from those scenes? So we were trying to balance some humor with character work with heartwarming [scenes], seeing all the family together again just like they were in the pilot episode that we shot 11 years ago. We joked in the room that she ended up getting a job at Disney World, probably in Epcot Center because she would never get a job on the better side," he said. Fans were stunned when ABC's groundbreaking sitcom signed off after nine seasons with the titular heroine (played by Roseanne Barr) revealing that the entire final season had been a figment of her imagination, with her beloved husband Dan (John Goodman) having not actually survived his heart attack in the season prior. Did he meet his maker while feasting on a bowl of onion rings with his family? He, however, liked the idea of fans painting futures for the characters on their own. Frank gets a suitably undignified end as a pair of morgue attendants push his body into the cremation chamber while complaining about the smell. Its fun in American Graffiti where you tell everyone what happens. Times precious. Terms of Service apply. He admitted Thinking Out Loud was actually inspired by Van Morrison, not Marvin Gaye. Could Carl from Shameless Secure a Spinoff Series? If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. He eventually stumbled into a church and insisted on lighting the candles like an altar boy. [This story contains spoilers from the series finale of Showtimes Shameless.]. I actually think she does, but I think she comes back like six weeks later, with a tan and Frannie in tow. Frank Cullotta, Mobster Turned Memoirist and YouTuber, Dies at 81 At least that means William H. Macy will get a break, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Frank Gallagher Dies From COVID-19 Of all the many, many ways one might expect to see the Frank Gallagher death scene, few could have predicted at the start of the series that he'd fall victim to a pandemic. I just think its true to life, and just as a viewer, I always feel that I like that feeling. And, it was one he stood by. Moreover, many fans felt weird about the series ending without seeing the Gallagher children reacting to his death. The very first scene of the pilot episode had the Gallaghers, Kev and V, and their South Side neighbors throwing an impromptu gathering around a burning car, while Frank Gallagher introduced the members of his family in voiceover. Ian also tells Lip that the rest of the Gallaghers see him as the closest thing they have to a dad and offers to let Lip take his cut of the house sale in order to get set up in his new life with Tami. It seemed appropriate for Frank. Wed have to see. In Shameless, Frank encounters many near-misses with death, and fans didn't expect the season finale. Unlike Ian, she was unable to get on a consistent medication schedule, and as such, ended up being largely absent from her children's lives as she flitted from one adventure to the next. The software that cloned Drake and the Weeknds voices is easy to useand impossible to shut down. 'Shameless' Finale: John Wells Explains Why Frank Died Alone - Tv Shows Ace Based on what was going on with the pandemic, when we were planning it there have been so many surges, I cant remember which one it was but the quarantines went back into effect between New York [where Rossum resides] and Los Angeles [where Shameless films] and it was impossible to figure out how to get her back. The pandemic also prevented Rossums return to reprise her role as former leading lady Fiona Gallagher when travel bans amid a COVID surge eliminated that possibility. We joked in the room that she ended up getting a job at Disney World, probably in Epcot Center, because she would never get a job on the better side. Things you buy through our links may earnVox Mediaa commission. Liam also tries to make him happy by doing Frank things with him, like scamming strangers for money. I sure as hell did. He and his barstool then float up into the sky, because were somehow expected to believe he is not headed down to join Lil Nas X. Bill and I talked a lot about if [Frank] wrote a suicide note, it would be full of grievances, because thats Frank. Ultimately, Frank's (William H. Macy) past catches up with him as a combination of COVID-19 and the effects of alcoholic dementia prove to be more than he can handle and the character dies. RELATED STORIES There were a lot of stories we could have continued to tell. The final scene of Shameless' series finale brings the show full circle. Greg Warren dared to go where no comedian has gone before. Carl's cop (and ironically best) storyline has been a continual journey of disillusionment. Yet, at the end of the series, Ian and Mickey seem to be closest to a secure and settled life. The idea was with Franks dementia being discovered, theres a call and she comes back to help everyone figure it out and that she would come back and be involved at the end with what to do with the house and all that. That's how people move on with their lives. Bleak. What If a Whole Stand-up Special Were About Peanut Butter? Or was that a way to get Emmy Rossum back onscreen, even for a second? 'Shameless' Season 11 Series Finale: Did Frank Actually Die? The characters of Shameless have been fighting a losing battle against the South Side's gentrification for years, and Kevin and Veronica are two such personas that hold out until the end. 10 Times Shameless Broke Our Hearts Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron sits for a. At the time, she called her role "a gift," adding that "the last eight years have been the best of my life. To make you appalled and make you smile at the same time. This was a very intentional decision on John Wells part. No, and I watched them bulldoze the sets into a dumpster, so I dont think anybodys anticipating it. While it was nice that the Shameless series finale included Fiona in some capacity, it would've been better if she could have shown up in the flesh to witness the Frank Gallagher death scene. In Shameless season 11, Debbie shows warning signs of being a similarly poor mother to Franny leaving her alone without any confirmed childcare to go off on a drink and drugs binge, and starting a relationship with Heidi, a violent ex-con who greeted Debbie by pointing a gun and threatening to shoot her daughter if she didn't cooperate. We were just a few days away from starting to shoot. So, Frank eventually dies from a combination of his alcohol-related dementia and COVID-19. Concertgoer Allegedly Orgasms While L.A. Philharmonic Plays Tchaikovskys 5th, Melanie Lynskey, Seth Meyers, and More Support WGA Amid Negotiations. In the most surprising turnaround from Shameless season 1, Carl ended up becoming a police officer and working the parking enforcement beat after getting tossed out of several different departments. Right?! I havent really given it any thought.. Shameless Finale Joins List of Most Controversial TV Endings - E! Online Despite his sins arguably more than earning him a place down below, for audiences, he was the linchpin of the show throughout, the corrupt center upon which the world of Shameless span. After 134. Season 11 eventually made it to release after pandemic-induced delays, but the decision to end Shameless there has stuck. Its not like we took out the healthiest individual youve ever seen. American Idol's Top 10 Revealed Live, Following Pair of Brutal Eliminations, Morning Show Renewed for Season 4 Plus, Find Out When Season 3 Will Air, Stephen Amell Doesn't Think He's Done Playing Green Arrow, Will Trent Recreates the Scene of Angie's Abduction and Betty's, The Diplomat Snags Lightning-Fast Season 2 Renewal at Netflix, Yellowjackets' Tawny Cypress Talks Episode 4's Tai/Van Reunion: 'We're All Worried About Taissa', Yellowjackets' Warren Kole Parses Jeff's Place in Season 2's 'Daisy Chain of Catastrophe'. Does she wind up with anyone romantically? The series ends with the hope that The Alibi will survive this way but does not guarantee it. At the end of Shameless, Lip has decided to sell the Gallagher house for a mere $75,000 a far cry from the $250,000 he was offered by a developer before he pushed too hard and lost that deal. He eventually returned positive for COVID-19 and died in the ER after the nurses and doctors discovered the DNR instruction on his chest. However, he kept forgetting that he had dementia. Even for Frank there can be a grace and joy in the passing, at least thats what I hope that we can go out a little more gracefully. Yes, absolutely. I think we pulled it off. Dan Martin writes, "My beloved Barbara (Cyrus) '60 died last year, after 59 wonderful years together, including three sons and 10 grandchildren all living in the vicinity of the greater New York area." Dan mentions lots of activity with family and friends, and he looks forward to resuming travel that was deferred due to COVID. Throughout the episode Frank's condition worsens, until he eventually succumbs to COVID-19 and dies. After finding out about Frank's dementia diagnosis, Liam took him out for a day trip to relive Frank's glory days and try to bring him back to himself. April 12, 2021 by Trisha Faulkner 0 Comments. Were you sad that Frank Gallagher died alone in the Shameless finale? A very minor but sad result of everything thats happened in the pandemic. That's an experience many people have had with relatives who have died . No, and I watched them bulldoze the sets into a dumpster, so I dont think anybodys anticipating it, Wells told the outlet. After the long ride this character had, did he really deserve to be all alone on his death bed? Love Island Tasha Ghouri Bursts Out Of Sparkling Bikini, Mystery 101 Stars Reunite One More Time: How Hallmark Mystery Fans Can See Trio, Jenelle Evans Drops Serious Cash On Lavish New Boat, Hailey Bieber Sizzles In Skintight Black Dress & Pearls. And, it just suited this character perfectly. Its a crazy world out there with people reviving shows and characters. Vlada Gelman / Not that theres ever a good transition after that, but focusing on the episode Frank rises above the South Side on his bar stool, beer in hand, looking back on his life. "The idea was with Frank's dementia being discovered, there's a call and she comes back to help everyone figure it out and that she would come back and be involved at the end with what to do with the house and all that," Wells said. Updated April 17, 2023 Daily Covid hospital admissions Avg. We all want a place to go home to where we know everybody has our back. No matter how screwed up they are, we all wish we had them as a family. Shameless: 10 Ways Frank Has Changed Since The First Season - CBR As Frank puts it in his final farewell speech in the Frank Gallagher death scene: "Lip, you're smart as a whip. Household insecurity and instability is a key problem for children living on the poverty line; a 2014 report (via The Washington Post) found that 2.5 million children experienced homelessness annually in the US. That hasn't stopped people from linking his death to the Covid-19 vaccine. In what world?! WGA Strike Picket Line Locations List For Los Angeles & New, Rodgers Boosts New Jets Season Ticket Sales by 400%, TeamSays, 'Scream VI' Lets Streaming Take the Lead with Debuts on PVOD and, Tony Predictions: Best Actress Jessica Chastain and Jodie, Editor's Choice: I Purchased This TikTok-Viral Walking Pad and I, TVLine is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Thats an experience many people have had with relatives who have died of COVID. "I think she's down in Florida. 4 min read. He eventually returned positive for COVID-19 and died in the ER after the nurses and doctors discovered the "DNR" instruction on his chest. We originally intended to get a little farther in the story and have Carl buy the bar from Kev and V and turn it into a cop bar and have Debbie work behind the counter. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a5fe3b23cd87ca1bb54d60c722772668" );document.getElementById("eedd789636").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Copyright 2023 by TV Shows Ace. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. [Featured Image: Paul Sarkis/SHOWTIME for PRESS USE], Tags: Frank Gallagher, John Wells, Shameless, Showtime, William H. Macy, Your email address will not be published. Officer Tipping, in attendance at Ian and Mickey's anniversary party, suggests to Carl that they could pool their money, buy The Alibi, and turn it into a cop bar to save it from its fate as a yoga studio or tanning salon. Its not like we took out the healthiest individual youve ever seen. Never has a series finale more nakedly telegraphed the idea "We like this character and may want to do more with him some day" before. Shameless series finale: John Wells on Frank's death, Emmy Rossum not What an Unvaccinated Sergeant Who Nearly Died of Covid-19 Wants You to Frank's spirit then visited the Alibi as the family (plus Kev and V). While Fiona was shown in flashbacks during all the Frank Gallagher series finale moments, it was still weird not having her around. And more than a year later, many of them are still asking that very question. Frank Gallagher - COVID-19 Asymptomatic Testing Program - LinkedIn If you like TVLine, you'll LOVE our email news alerts! Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. COVID-19 played a major role on the final season of Shameless, both onscreen and off-screenserving as the primary reason that Emmy Rossum, who starred as Fiona Gallagher on the series for nine. It started small but quickly escalated to the point where he was diagnosed with alcoholic dementia. That Shameless would end without providing resolution for what happens to the Gallagher children comes as little surprise, as Wells has said for years that he was drawn to a sense of life going on for the characters. Despite much hope among fans, Emmy Rossum, who left the show in season nine in 2019, did not return forthe finaleto reprise her role of Frank's eldest daughter Fiona Gallagher. It wouldn't be an in-character Shameless finale without the traditional mid-credits stinger. He called the circumstances "a very minor but sad result of everything that's happened in the pandemic.". Yes, Frank Gallagher dies during the Shameless finale, season 11 episode 12, titled 'Father Frank, Full of Grace.' The finale begins with Frank's overdose, brought about during the last. Ultimately, Franks (William H. Macy) past catches up with him as a combination of COVID-19 and the effects of alcoholic dementia prove to be more than he can handle and the character dies alone in a hospital. In theShamelessseries finale, he woke up and wandered around southside Chicago. Washington state man becomes first U.S. death from coronavirus - NBC News According to John Wells, a COVID-19 death is extremely lonely. It could have been one of many things; it was the last thing that pushed him over the cliff, but he was barely hanging on. When he heard about Lip's plans to sell the Gallagher house, Liam's first assumption was that he would be made homeless and would get no help from his siblings, so he began proactively preparing himself for life on the streets. The series finale saw Frank die from a combination of his diagnosis and COVID-19. The patriarch of the Gallagher clan even goes as far as to get "DO NOT RESUSCITATE" tattooed in bold letters on his chest, leading to confusion among the hospital staff about whether the instructions are legally binding. That was biggest disappointment: not being able to make that work out, because we all wanted it to happen. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day, Inside the business of TV with breaking news, expert analysis and showrunner interviews. I want to think what I want to think about the characters, where they end up and what happens with them and have the audience have those conversations with others over drinks. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. We had about 20 of them! Frank's spirit then visited the Alibi as the family (plus Kev and V). Below, executive producer John Wells talks about Franks death, the shows open-ended conclusion, Fionas absence and potential spinoffs. 'Shameless' Signs Off With the Loss of One Gallagher and Still Does Frank die in Shameless season 11? Character's fate explored - HITC As showrunner John Wells tells The Hollywood Reporter, the plan was always to have Frank face consequences of his addictions and horrible parenting an agreement he made with his Emmy-nominated star Macy. Hannah has been with Screen Rant since 2013, covering news, features, movie premieres, Comic-Con and more! 'Shameless' Boss Explains the Surprising and Open-Ended Series Finale Emmys one of my favorite people, so I would have just loved to seen her just as a friend. The series finale saw Frank die from a combination of his diagnosis and COVID-19. It was pretty much the same with the exception: We were trying to get Emmy and Emmy wanted to come back. She lives in New York with her husband, and we managed to time it just at the wrong time, unfortunately. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the showrunner decided to change the story a little bit. All articles, images, product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. America's first ER doctor to die on the frontline of the coronavirus COVID-19 has done what a failing liver, alcoholism, drug abuse, dementia, being tossed in the Chicago River in the winter, and a suicide attempt could not do: kill Frank Gallagher. Many wonderful novels end and youre still thinking about the characters and what they do. Shameless Finale: Showrunner Adresses One Character's Death and Why