Blu-ray Review: Shameless: The Complete Series

Synopsis: ​Eleven seasons. Six children. But there's only one Frank Gallagher, the proud, working-class patriarch of the independent Gallagher family, who without him would be...perhaps better off. When Frank's not at the bar spending what little money they have, he's passed out, leaving his kids to fend for themselves.

Main Feature: Shameless is one of those populist shows that I really, really tried to embrace and like. The dark humor based around downtrodden individuals, in Chicago no less, would've been ideal tailor-made for my sense of humor. Alas, it was not. I found the premise hooking me in but not delivering much on a consistent basis. Sure, the performances could be fun, especially seeing such a wonderful supporting actor like William H. Macy to get a mainstream lead role. But the way the premise played out was one of a repetitive one-trick pony. Only so many times I can watch a drunk and his family fall down and get up over and over. And while this is what addiction is--a constant cycle--the show felt like it was grounded more in the entertainment's reality of addition portrayal rather than one of actual reality.

Bonus Features: The extras are grouped oddly. This complete series set looks to be a mish-mash of individual sets the studio decided to finally throw together. Seasons 1 thru 7, then 8 thru 11. The bonuses are grouped by season, with the basic items: behind the scenes featurettes, cast interviews, commentaries, etc.

Final Call: Shameless: The Complete Series blu-ray set is a frank collection for it's obvious fans, all in one place.

Grade: C