Series Four of Shameless, began airing on 9 January 2007 on Channel 4 in the UK and consisted of 8 episodes. The series marked a major cast change. With many key characters from the previous series being wirtten out in the first three epsidoes. Notably, it expaded the Maguire family widely, introducing new members of the family and featuring them in prominent roles.
Overview[]
The series begins with the departure of Kev and Veronica, arrested for trying to buy a baby in a foreign country.
Jamie Maguire is released from prison and gets a job at The Jockey, stating that he is no longer interested in the family business. He is intrigued by Karen who appears to not be scared of him like everyone else on the estate.
Monica and Norma return. Norma gets cast aside by Monica who is now after Frank. Monica is jealous of Debbie and Frank's relationship and tries to encourage her to get a boyfriend of her own.
Sheila sees Monica as competition for Frank and tries to get her back together with Norma. Carl has other ideas, as he is trying to get rid of Norma to get his parents back together.
The Maguire family see more dominant roles and we see some backstory on Paddy and more prominent roles for other family members such as Shane and Micky.
Episodes[]
| Title | Writer(s) | Director(s) | Airdate | # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Beginnings | Writer: Emma Frost | Director: Paul Norton Walker | January 9, 2007 | #401 |
| Lip turns "18" and the Maguire's attempt to welcome him to the family business, Monica returns, Kev and Veronica are sent to prison for buying a child in a foreign country. and Frank nearly burns the house down whilst Sheila is away.
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| New Romances | Writer: Emma Frost | Director: Paul Norton Walker | January 16, 2007 | #402 |
| Frank desperately tries to keep the fact he is still married to Monica a secret, Sheila sees competition in Monica and tries to reunite her with her lesbian lover, Norma Starkey.
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| You Decide | Writer: Stephen Russell | Director: Paul Norton Walker | January 23, 2007 | #403 |
| Monica makes every effort to win Frank back from sheila, a new Police Officer starts on the Chatsworth Estate, Frank must choose between Monica or Sheila, but is it too late?
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| The Runaway | Writer: Jack Thorne | Director: Noreen Kershaw | January 30, 2007 | #404 |
| Ian gets involved with a girl on the run from the Maguire's, Karen and Jamie try to out do each other at The Jockey, Mimi causes concern when she stops talking.
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| Boys, Boys, Boys | Writer: Jim O'Hanlon & Amanda Cole | Director: David Threlfall | February 6, 2007 | #405 |
| Monica encourages Debbie to get a boyfriend to stop her hanging around Frank, Ian and Micky Maguire get to know each other.
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| Dangerous Situation | Writer: Ed McCardie | Director: David Threlfall | February 13, 2007 | #406 |
| Carl realizes he must get rid of Norma if he wants to reunite his family, Frank messes up his new job driving Shane Maguire's Ice Cream Van.
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| Terrorist Target | Writer: Emma Frost | Director: Noreen Kershaw | February 20, 2007 | #407 |
| When mysterious explosions rock the Chatsworth Estate, rumours of Terrorism begin to spread. Norma accuses Frank of trying to rape her.
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| Revelations | Writer: Paul Abbott | Director: Lawrence Till | February 27, 2007 | #408 |
| When three of his former cell mates die in mysterious circumstances, Paddy Maguire begins to wonder if he will be next, Karen worries if marrying Jamie is a good idea after all.
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Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Frank Gallagher - David Threlfall
- Phillip Gallagher - Jody Latham
- Ian Gallagher - Gerard Kearns
- Carl Gallagher - Elliott Tittensor
- Debbie Gallagher - Rebecca Ryan
- Liam Gallagher - Johnny Bennett
- Monica Gallagher - Annabelle Apsion
- Sheila Jackson - Maggie O'Neill (until episode 3)
- Norma Starkey - Dystin Johnson
- Mimi Maguire - Tina Malone
- Paddy Maguire - Sean Gilder
- Jamie Maguire - Aaron McCusker
- Shane Maguire - Nicky Evans
- Micky Maguire - Ciaran Griffiths
- Mandy Maguire - Samantha Siddall
- Karen Maguire (née Jackson) - Rebecca Atkinson
- Carol Fisher - Marjorie Yates
Secondary cast[]
- Lillian Tyler - Alice Barry
- Yvonne Karib - Kelli Hollis
- Tom O'Leary - Michael Legge
- Carrie Rogers - Amanda Ryan
- Stan Waterman - Warren Donnelly
Frank's Intro Speeches[]
While most series contain a noticeable in-series change in the opening title sequence in some way (such as Steve McBride's departure in Series 2, Libby Croker joining the main cast in Series 7, and Carl Gallagher departing in Series 9 etc.), Series 4 is unique in that it contains the most (drastic) edits of the sequence in series, three in total.
- The first sequence carries on directly from Series 3, with the same Frank's speech, and the same characters: the Gallagher children as normal (Lip, Ian, Carl, Debbie, Liam) as well as Sheila, Kev, Veronica, Carol, and Marty. However during the showing of the Gallagher children (which normally involved their Series 1 younger appearances, it briefly includes up to date versions of their character appearances, showing how grown up they've become since the start). This lasts until Episode 3, where Sheila departs from the show, and is no longer featured, thus replaced entirely by Monica, bringing about a change in the intro speech. Strangely, Kev, Veronica and Marty are kept in the intro until the 3rd episode of the series, even though they departed in the first episode.
- With the departure of Sheila, the intro speech is modified to take out characters that left (Kev, Veronica, Marty), and incorporate the guest stars from Series 1 - 3 that have now become main cast. The sequence now becomes the Gallagher children (Lip, Ian, Carl, Debbie, Liam), Monica, Norma, Maguire Family. Strangely, Carol is taken out along with Kev, Veronica, and Marty, despite still being in the cast (although admittedly phased out). This intro wasn't used very long, and with it ending on episode 7, it was only used for 3 episodes.
- The first big change to the intro speech, and overall opening sequence, that occurred in the series finale as a prototype for what would become the intro for all of Series 5, marking the start of a new era. The intro has now become a montage of scenes from the show, while Frank changes his monologue away from his friends and family, and focuses it more towards life on the estate in general. This was likely due to the number of characters growing, and the show evolving, to make it less about the Gallagher children, and focusing more on other residents, like the Maguire and Karib families.
Now nobody's saying the Chatsworth Estate is the Garden of Eden, but it's been a good home to us--to me, Frank Gallagher, and me kids, who I'm proud of, 'cause every single one of them reminds me a little of me. They can all think for themselves, which they've me to thank for. Lip, who's a bit of a gobshite, which is why nobody calls him 'Phillip' anymore. Ian--a lot like his mam, which was handy for the others when she disappeared into thin air. Carl--we daren't let him grow his hair for two reasons: one, it makes it stand on end and makes him look like [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyah_Willcox Toyah;, two, nits love it. Debbie! Sent by God, total angel! You've to check your change, but she'll go miles out of her way to do you a favour. Plus lickle Liam--gonna be a star some day. Monica, the wife--she's back with her bird in tow, and we can't get shot of her. And the neighbours, the neighbours--well, what can you say? Well, nothing if you don't want your arms breaking. Still, nobody's perfect. But all of them, to a man, know, first and foremost, one of the most vital necessities in life is they know how to throw a party! Scatter!
Tickets this way for the Chatsworth Express! Come and watch pikeys making a mess of the lives they were given by him upstairs, and kids they're convinced, aren't actually theirs. What sounds on Earth could ever replace kids needing money or wives in your face? 'Cause this, people reckon--and me included--is why pubs and drugs were kindly invented: to calm us all down, stop us going mental. These are Chatsworth Estate's basic essentials! We are worth every penny for grinding your axes. You shit on our head, but you pay the taxes. Imagine Britain without Chatsworth buccaneers, who'll come on your face for the price of a beer? Eh? Make poverty history! cheaper drugs now! Make poverty history! Cheaper drugs now! Scatter! Party!