One of the U.S. adaptations based on a British property that still has a big following to this day comes from Showtime.
Based on Paul Abbott’s famous series, the American version of Shameless followed one of the most complex family dramas of all time, centered on the Gallaghers. One of the central characters of the story was Emmy Rossum as Fiona Gallagher, the sister who had to raise the whole family while Frank Gallagher neglected them and spiraled as a father.
During her appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Rossum was asked about the numerous romantic relationships Fiona had during her time in the Showtime series. As her character got involved with different love interests during her Shameless seasons, the star admitted that she felt her character should have ended up with “Jimmy Steve. They’re just so good together. It has to be. I mean, he’s not always honest at all, but I just love them together.”
Shameless season 1, which carried over a lot of elements from the British version, saw Steve/Jimmy, played by Justin Chatwin, enter Fiona’s world and the lives of the Gallaghers. While their romance started off strong initially, it didn’t take long for Steve’s criminal activities to catch up with him, which saw his character take several south turns throughout his time on the show.
In the end, by the time Fiona leaves Chicago in Shameless season 9, she isn’t with anyone, as she had finally decided to focus on her own life, following a troublesome journey where she had initially hit rock bottom. Unfortunately, by the time the series finale in season 11 aired, it came during the global pandemic, which was the reason why Rossum couldn’t come back one last time.
Rossum also looked back on her fight for pay equity, as that became a big headline about Shameless during the later seasons. The Phantom of the Opera actress shared that, “Well, when I started the show, it made a lot of sense that Macy made a lot more money than me. He was coming in much older, much more accomplished, tons more credit, and number one on the call sheet. And then by season 3, they approached us— we had a 6-year contract— approached us to add another year.”
Emmy Rossum: And I think my lawyers felt at that time that we had the receipts, like we could see the way the storylines were shaping. We knew about fan engagement, and we felt that it made sense to ask for that. We didn’t get it, and that’s fine. We thought, we tried, we didn’t get it.
And then in season 5 or 6, they came and they asked for more years. So I guess at 6 we extended to 7, and then maybe in 7 they came and they asked for 8, 9. That’s right. And by that point, I had been directing a lot on the show, and it very much felt like a two-hander. And we said, let’s go for it again. It was kind of shut down pretty fast, and that kind of lingered for a while.
It’s always scary asking for what you think you’re worth. To say, “I think this is what I’m worth.” You have to take up space in the room, and it’s their job to make the show for as little as possible to make the most profit. That’s how any business runs. So I can understand it from the other perspective too. And I didn’t know if they were going to come over to our side and do it or not. We were getting kind of close to filming the next season, and I was one day sitting— I was on a writer’s retreat, and I was procrastinating, and I opened up Twitter. And it was a headline that we were in, like, a stalemate. And I was shook. it’s a private business negotiation. And I never imagined it would become public, not just for the public, but also for the rest of the cast and the crew. Everyone was doing their own negotiation. So I certainly didn’t want that… I didn’t say anything.
Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience American Sitcom Trivia Challenge
☕FriendsI’ll be there for you
💼The OfficeThat’s what she said
🥣SeinfeldNo soup for you!
🏠Modern FamilyWe’re a family
🎥ClassicsGolden era
01
For ten seasons, six friends gathered at a Manhattan coffee shop with a famously orange couch. The group — Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe — made this spot their second living room. What is the name of this iconic café?
✓ Correct! Central Perk is the coffee shop where the Friends gang spent most of their free time. With its iconic orange couch and Gunther behind the counter pining for Rachel, it became one of the most recognizable fictional locations in TV history.
✗ Cue the sad trombone! The answer is Central Perk. MacLaren’s Pub is from How I Met Your Mother, Monk’s Café is from Seinfeld, and The Coffee Bean is a real chain. Central Perk is where Phoebe played “Smelly Cat” and six friends became family.
02
The American version of The Office follows the employees of Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch, led by their well-meaning but painfully awkward regional manager. Which actor played the beloved Michael Scott?
✓ Correct! Steve Carell turned Michael Scott into one of the most iconic sitcom characters ever. His mix of cringe-worthy humor and surprising heart anchored The Office for seven seasons. “That’s what she said” became an inescapable pop culture catchphrase.
✗ Cue the sad trombone! The answer is Steve Carell. Rainn Wilson played Dwight Schrute, Ed Helms was Andy Bernard, and Ricky Gervais created the original British version and played David Brent. Carell’s Michael Scott is the heart and soul of the American Office.
03
Often called “the show about nothing,” this groundbreaking 1990s sitcom followed a fictionalized version of a stand-up comedian and his three friends in New York City as they obsessed over life’s minor annoyances. Which show is it?
✓ Correct! Seinfeld (1989–1998), created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, revolutionized the sitcom with its observational humor about everyday life. From “The Contest” to “No soup for you!”, it produced some of the most quoted moments in TV history.
✗ Cue the sad trombone! The answer is Seinfeld. Frasier was a Cheers spin-off, Everybody Loves Raymond focused on family dynamics, and Curb Your Enthusiasm is Larry David’s later show (which is essentially a spiritual sequel). Seinfeld is the original “show about nothing.”
04
In this CBS sitcom, a father in the year 2030 tells his children the winding, years-long story of how he met their mother. Along the way, audiences meet Barney Stinson, whose catchphrase “Legen — wait for it — dary!” became iconic. Which show is this?
✓ Correct! How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014) starred Josh Radnor as Ted Mosby and Neil Patrick Harris as the suit-obsessed Barney Stinson. The show’s creative framing device and running gags made it a 2000s staple — though its controversial finale still divides fans.
✗ Cue the sad trombone! The answer is How I Met Your Mother. New Girl featured Jess and the loft gang, Happy Endings was a short-lived cult favorite, and The Big Bang Theory focused on Pasadena physicists. Only HIMYM gave us Barney’s Playbook and the blue French horn.
05
Modern Family ran for 11 seasons on ABC, following three interconnected families. One fan-favorite character is a goofy, magic-loving real estate agent married to Claire Pritchett, played by Ty Burrell. What is this character’s name?
✓ Correct! Phil Dunphy, the self-proclaimed “cool dad,” is Modern Family’s lovable goofball. Ty Burrell won two Emmy Awards for the role. Phil’s terrible magic tricks, his book of “Phil’s-osophy” wisdom, and his devotion to Claire made him a modern sitcom icon.
✗ Cue the sad trombone! The answer is Phil Dunphy. Jay Pritchett is the family patriarch played by Ed O’Neill, Cameron Tucker is Mitchell’s partner played by Eric Stonestreet, and Manny Delgado is Gloria’s son. Phil is the magic-loving, “cool dad” real estate agent.
06
This 1980s sitcom is set in a Boston bar “where everybody knows your name.” It starred Ted Danson as an ex-baseball player turned bartender and ran for 11 seasons, spawning the spin-off Frasier. Which classic sitcom is this?
✓ Correct! Cheers (1982–1993) is one of the most beloved sitcoms ever made. Ted Danson’s Sam Malone, Shelley Long and Kirstie Alley as his love interests, and a legendary ensemble made it a ratings juggernaut. Its finale was watched by over 80 million viewers.
✗ Cue the sad trombone! The answer is Cheers. Taxi was a late-70s/early-80s sitcom, Night Court was set in a courtroom, and Wings was actually created by Cheers writers but set at an airport. Only Cheers gave us Sam and Diane, Norm’s barstool, and one of TV’s all-time great theme songs.
07
Andy Samberg stars as a childish but brilliant detective in this comedy set in a New York City police precinct. The show was saved by NBC after Fox cancelled it, thanks to a massive fan campaign. Which sitcom is this?
✓ Correct! Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013–2021) starred Andy Samberg as Detective Jake Peralta alongside Andre Braugher’s scene-stealing Captain Holt. When Fox cancelled it in 2018, fan outrage was so loud that NBC picked it up within 24 hours for three more seasons.
✗ Cue the sad trombone! The answer is Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Parks and Recreation was set in Pawnee’s government offices, Scrubs took place in a hospital, and Superstore was set in a big-box retailer. Only B99 featured the 99th Precinct and the legendary Jake-Holt dynamic.
08
In this beloved 1990s NBC sitcom, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia is sent to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle in Bel-Air. The show launched its star into global superstardom. Who played the titular Fresh Prince?
✓ Correct! Will Smith played a fictionalized version of himself in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–1996). The show’s theme song is one of the most recognizable in TV history, and the series launched Smith’s career from rapper to one of the biggest movie stars in the world.
✗ Cue the sad trombone! The answer is Will Smith. Martin Lawrence had his own show Martin, Eddie Murphy was already a film star, and Jamie Foxx had The Jamie Foxx Show. Only Will Smith flipped his life upside down and moved to Bel-Air to become the Fresh Prince.
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Once the situation was known to the public, Rossum admitted that she had no idea what would follow, commenting that, “I didn’t say anything. And after the first headline or article, I was kind of like, refresh, refresh, refresh, what’s going to happen? And the tide really shifted. People seemed to write other articles immediately, commenting on that, kind of being quite surprised that I wasn’t already being paid equal. And it was resolved within a day. I was shocked, shocked, and quite frankly very, very surprised that we actually got it.”
Years after the Shameless ending, Chatwin was asked by ScreenRant in 2025 about his thoughts on Fiona’s story with Steve/Jimmy. The actor, who first met Rossum when they worked on the live-action Dragon Ball film, commented, “It was an unhinged romance. Sometimes those people that you have the most deepest, toxic love for, you need to walk away from just to live your life and go on. For me, that was the story that [John] Wells was telling. Sometimes you’ve got to push away from the thing that feels the best. But I think Jimmy Steve’s out there somewhere.”
Shameless is available through home media release and on streaming.
