Is Kev the best character on ‘Shameless’?

With the last season of Shameless now available on Netflix, many fans are discussing the show’s legacy. Whenever a television series concludes its run, viewers will list things like their favorite episode or best relationship. Perhaps the hardest debate is around the best character on Shameless.

From the Gallagher family members to Kev & Veronica, the principal cast of Shameless is hard to beat. In this article, we’ll attempt to figure out who the best character on Shameless is. It’s not going to be easy.

Kevin Ball 

Portrayed by actor Steve Howey, Kev is a sleeper pick for the greatest Shameless character. Kev owns the Alibi Room, is married to Veronica (Shanola Hampton), and is a friend to the Gallaghers. Despite Kev often giving Frank (William H. Macy) crap about his drinking problem, he lets Frank keep a tab at the bar. 

While Kev can be a goofball, he’s kindhearted & means well. Growing up in foster care leads Kevin to have a desire to be a father. Kev & V take in a girl named Ethel for a while. She eventually runs away, leaving Kev heartbroken. Kev ultimately gets his chance to be a parent when Veronica gives birth to twins.

Veronica Fisher

Kev’s partner in crime, Veronica “V” Fisher is certainly a contender for the foremost Shameless character. V runs the Alibi Room with Kev & doesn’t take bull from anybody. V is also best friends with Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum). She’s always there to help with the Gallagher family’s problems even when she shouldn’t have to.

Much like her husband, V knows how to crack a joke. However, she can be serious as well. V is an extremely dynamic character, as she is strong & vulnerable at the same time. For instance, V goes through childbirth yet doesn’t know how to cope with motherhood.

Fiona Gallagher 

Though she is only featured for nine seasons, Fiona still has plenty of screen time to make an impact. She is the one Gallagher who keeps the family together & functioning. However, her own issues often get in the way. For instance, Fiona gets involved in some toxic relationships that affect her mental health.

Fiona struggles with a powerful internal conflict. On one hand, she loves her family & wants to be there for them. On the other, she desires a life for herself beyond the South Side of Chicago. In the end, she gets what she wants, moving on from the Gallagher family to follow her own dreams.

Lip Gallagher 

The second-oldest Gallagher child, Lip (Jeremy Allen White) is one of the most beloved characters on Shameless. He’s thought of as the most intellectually gifted member of the family. Lip often uses his smarts to make money for his family. For instance, he takes the SAT for other students & charges them for it. These plans often backfire, leading to consequences. 

Despite Lip being exceptional, he still falls victim to hereditary issues. While he’s a promising student, his alcoholism leads to him dropping out of college. Lip has a fatherly instinct in him from very early on in the show. This part of him seems to want to right the wrongs of his own father, Frank. Lip eventually gets his wish & becomes a father to Freddie Gallagher.

Ian Gallagher 

Perhaps the most interesting character arc on Shameless is Ian Gallagher (Cameron Monaghan). Ian is unlike the rest of his siblings, as he is supposedly the son of Frank’s brother Clayton. This dynamic leads to Ian feeling like the black sheep of the family. Moreover, Ian is a gay man living in an oftentimes heteronormative community. 

Ian struggles with bipolar disorder, which he inherits from his mother Monica (Chloe Webb). This causes him to make rash decisions. For example, Ian enlists in the Army under Lip’s name. He deserts, steals a helicopter, and goes on the lam from military police. Later in the series, he blows up a van.

Debbie Gallagher 

Besides Fiona, Debbie (Emma Kenney) is the only other sister in the Gallagher household. For being one of the younger children, she is fairly level-headed. She even has some affection towards her father despite his problems. Debbie’s patience with Frank diminishes as she gets older.

As Shameless progresses, Debbie shows more of the quintessential Gallagher attributes. She tries to entrap her boyfriend by getting pregnant, yet ends up being a single teenage mother. Later on, she starts a relationship with a disabled man to get in on his monthly checks.

Carl Gallagher 

Over the course of Shameless, fans get to see Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) grow up. He starts off the series by sharing a bedroom with Lip & Ian. A bit of a troublemaker in school, Carl has a hard time controlling his impulses. Perhaps this is why he has a closer relationship with Frank than his other siblings. 

About halfway through the show, Carl starts dealing drugs for a neighborhood gang. After getting too close to real violence, he decides to change his ways. Carl wants to become a cop, taking the first step by going to military school. Carl has several romantic relationships over the course of the show, some of them resulting in chaos.

Frank Gallagher 

What would Shameless be without Frank? He’s a deadbeat father & a con man, but you can’t help but love him. Frank is a walking contradiction most of the time. He’s intelligent, yet makes poor decisions in order to get drugs & alcohol. Frank believes strongly in self-determination, yet gets by on disability checks & other ways to cheat the system.

Despite Frank’s negligence of his family, it seems as if he does care about them. The Gallagher children often try to find ways to get rid of him, yet they try their best to make sure he is okay. The dynamic between Frank & his family is what makes Shameless interesting.

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You can stream the final season of Shameless on Netflix now. Who’s your favorite Shameless character? Comment to let us know!