Unlike the US version where the family unit stays relatively cohesive for years, the UK version understood that in a household like this, it’s every man for himself. We watched Fiona (Anne-Marie Duff) try to hold the roof up, Lip (Jommy Dixon) burn bright and fast, and Ian (Gerard Kearns) navigate his identity.

The resilient eldest daughter who sacrifices her own future to keep the family together in the early seasons .

Musically, the show—epitomized by its iconic theme song, a cover of The Smiths’ “The Boy with the Thorn in His Side”—was quintessentially Two-Tone. Like the ska revival of the late 70s, Shameless was black and white mixed with vibrant color: gritty realism slammed against farcical surrealism.

The Chaos of Chatsworth: Why Shameless UK Still Reigns Supreme