It was a callback to the character's desire in the early seasons to become a writer by having Roseanne sitting at a typewriter, writing a different ending to her story, but it left viewers feeling like their time had been wasted in the worst way. He eventually returned positive for COVID-19 and died in the ER after the nurses and doctors discovered the DNR instruction on his chest. He has had multiple diseases and injuries over the seasons to the point where he has been incapacitated more than once. We had written in various mentions of Fiona over the last two years, but Showtime asked us not to remind people of her absence. I think they were very concerned that Emmys absence would significantly hurt the viewership of the show. We could have used two more seasons to explore that. While some feel that the patriarchs demise will bring the show full circle and give his kids the opportunity to move on in life, there is no doubt that it will be a sad moment for the Gallaghers. However, there's no denying that his relationships with his children have grown over the last season, which is why this scene is decidedly painful. As news headlines about the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease continue to increase, so has concern over its potential to affect employee welfare, disrupt global supply chains and slow business operations. But after she was gone for a while, Fiona became the character fans would love to see return, at least for the series finale. Daenerys (Emilia Clark) suddenly a fascist villain? What are our responsibilities to each other? Shamelessis over but available for streaming on Showtime if you want to see for yourself how Frank dies. As showrunner John Wells tells The Hollywood Reporter, the plan was always to have Frank face consequences of his addictions and horrible parenting an agreement he made with his Emmy-nominated star Macy. Saved by the bell: Contestant ordered to keep mask on, in historic 'Masked Singer first, Chris Pine admits 'it does look' like Harry Styles spit on him but this is what actually happened, Rebel Wilson 'collapsed' after Ramona Agruma proposal: 'I was so overwhelmed', Amy Grant recalls being 'so scared' to return to touring following serious bike accident, Travis Scott being sought by NYPD after alleged nightclub assault. There have been plenty of Covid-19 subplots on TV but I cant think of another lead character who actually died from it. Seeing Kevin and Vee in Louisville was a great window into a whole other world, too. Not only does Frank die, but he does so alone and the series ends without his family knowing about it. In what world?! It's unclear as to whether he dies from his alcoholic dementia, from COVID-19 complications, or as a result of his recent overdose. Frank Gallagher A former journalist and communications professional, certified in AWS Cloud Computing and Google Project Management. "So, it was disappointing for everybody, and we would've loved to have her back, and she wanted to come back, but it was one of those things that couldn't get done during the pandemic.". Wells would have been happy to continue relating the Gallaghers misadventures while addressing weighty topical issues like inequality, gentrification, addiction, mental illness and sexuality for another 20 years. But Showtime gave the show a final season just before the coronavirus pandemic. All rights reserved. In other news, Why is Gina Carano not in The Mandalorian season 3 as Cara Dune? But data from both China and Lombardy, Italy, show the fatality rate starts rising for people in their 60s. Fans were stunned when ABC's groundbreaking sitcom signed off after nine seasons with the titular heroine (played by Roseanne Barr) revealing that the entire final season had been a figment of her imagination, with her beloved husband Dan (John Goodman) having not actually survived his heart attack in the season prior. Is the purpose of the police to protect the well-off from the not-well-off? We had a lot of jokes for her but we never actually nailed it down. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. All Rights Reserved. At the time, fans were left unsure if Frank was just planning for the future or if he was about to make a major choice. No one was alerted to his status, just as no one found the note hed left before shooting up in the penultimate episode. We didnt want Frank to get off scot-free for all his lifestyle choices. However, old footage of her wasincluded inshort family flashbacksexperienced by Frank. In the post-credits, his body, saturated with ingested alcohol, is cremated, with explosive results. When ABC decided it was time to end this family-friendly sitcom starring puppet dinosaurs after four seasons, the creators decided to do it in the most depressing way possible by having its main character, Sinclair family patriarch Earl, trigger a catastrophic extinction event that would not only kill every main character, but his entire species. Distractify is a registered trademark. The showrunner and executive producer John Wells weighed in on the plans for Franks ending. Thats about how the system doesnt really work for families living near the poverty line, Wells said. Theres a great deal of wish fulfillment, even if its the Gallaghers and the way they handle it and their economic difficulties. The pandemic also prevented Rossums return to reprise her role as former leading lady Fiona Gallagher when travel bans amid a COVID surge eliminated that possibility. Tip your waiter a little bit more. In the final moments of the finale, Franks body explodes during his cremation because of the amount of alcohol in his body. Patty Croker: Was revealed to be dying of cancer late in Series 10. Carls story line, becoming a cop. They also never find the note he left before overdosing. Frank has so many possible comorbidities Covid is just the thing that finally pushed him over the edge. When the show was revived in 2018 after 21 years, it forgot all about its controversial ending. Could Carl from Shameless Secure a Spinoff Series? Mild disease. One thing does conclude nicely: Lip is acknowledged for stepping up anddoing what Frank never succeeded in doing for his family. Although there's no direct explanation for his death,. Body aches, sore throat and . Does she wind up with anyone romantically? All of the Spoilers You Could Ever Want for 'Shameless' Season 10. Its fun in American Graffiti where you tell everyone what happens. Frank Gallagher(William H. Macy) is diagnosed with the coronavirus in a hospital and soon dies while on a ventilatora most harrowing cautionary scene amid the current pandemic. Emmy Rossum) through flashbacks from the shows earliest episodes. The West Wing is about how government works. "So, we had to show that there were some consequences. Frank has so many possible comorbidities, Wells said. I would have been interested in seeing the plight of this family without Frank and all that he brings hovering over their heads. "People say you can't drink your troubles away," Frank muses. William H. Macy, who plays Frank, is credited for every episode of Season 11, including the finale. But as he comes to terms with his alcoholic dementia diagnosis, the second to last episode shows Frank with drugs and what appears to be a note to his family. Ian (Cameron Monaghan) and Mickey (Noel Fisher) accept theirnew yuppie lifestyle. It was kind of our inside joke: You can do about anything, but you cant steal a library book. I think that was because [Showtime co-president of entertainment] Gary Levine didnt want to encourage people to actually keep library books. In my mind, she winds up back with Jimmy-Steve (Justin Chatwin). Now, as the group packs up their bags, their hula lamps, and moves on from the South Side of Chicago, Shameless fans prepare to say goodbye ahead of the series finale on April 11. "She lives in New York, and you know, we were trying to make it work, but there were quarantine setups that were in there if she came out to LA. So, it could be that Franks death in the series could bring all his kids together one final time before Shameless comes to an end. See TV's most controversial series finales: The series ended its 11-season run on April 11, 2021. On the subject of Emmy Rossum reprising her role as Fiona, Wells said that both sides involved wanted to make the character's comeback work. In the following episode, we're left to discover that he was indeed making a decision. Was there ever a story that you wished you had contextualized more? You may remember that in season 4, he needs a liver transplant but ends up losing a kidney instead, in an illegal procedure. It sadly certainly seems that Frank is dead. Right?! And Bill playing the part was such a huge part of that. Though the shows are superficially dissimilar, Wells sees all of them as examinations of function or dysfunction. Copyright 2023 Distractify. I think shes down in Florida. We put it up on the writers room board and then took it down a few times. We arrived at alcoholic dementia and had written more than half the season when we shut down., Showrunner John Wells spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the ways the pandemic changed the series finale and how travel challenges prevented one long-awaited reunion from happening https://t.co/SFV6EpPZoC. Then there was the Lip of it all. Yes, Frank Gallagher dies during the Shameless finale, season 11 episode 12, titled Father Frank, Full of Grace.. Was the goal to show that no matter what happens with the house, theyll always come together? Id love to be talking about pandemic checks, and what a huge difference affordable day care would make to Debbie and Tami (Kate Miner). There was going to be a family discussion about who was going to take care of Frank. John Wells discussed the impact of the pandemic and police protests on Sundays series finale. And then went out with a bang. Despite much hope among fans, Emmy Rossum, who left the show in. And did Meadow (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) ever finish parallel parking? Ultimately, Franks (William H. Macy) past catches up with him as a combination of COVID-19 and the effects of alcoholic dementia prove to be more than he can handle and the character dies alone in a hospital. Beyond everything else in the show that people love, what I was always most attracted to was no matter how difficult things were, this was a group of people who loved each other and came together even when they were angry with each other. **Warning Spoilers ahead for Shameless**. This has to set up Fiona coming back for the finale episode! We had about 20 of them! We're not sure how we wish things would've ended with Frank, but we do know we're going to miss the Gallagher family, especially all the laughs and F-bombs they brought to our screens on Sunday nights. During the unexpected time off, Wells rethought the season and decided to incorporate the pandemic, using Frank, who was long past his sell-by date for various medical reasons, as the poster boy for anti-maskers. As viewers learned later in the episode Heidi (Shakira Barrera) had one hell of a rap sheet, but that only turned Debbie on even more. 1,110,364. Be a little more understanding with the person who delivers your package. People have been seriously harmed and even died after taking products not approved for use to treat or prevent COVID-19, even products approved or prescribed for other uses. Why wrap the show without answering any of those questions? But no, we never worked it out. All rights reserved. So, the island was purgatory, right? Before he created Shameless, the long-running family drama that ended Sunday night on Showtime, John Wells was the showrunner of ER and later seasons of The West Wing, both on NBC. How much did the Black Lives Matter protests and the ongoing national conversation about racial inequality influence what you had originally planned? The penultimate episode gave us some pretty strong clues as to how the Showtime series would wrap up, but one major cliffhanger had us wondering: does Frank die? It just hit at just the wrong time with the continuing shutdown," said Wells. See TV's most controversial series finales: The series ended its 11-season run on April 11, 2021. After 11 seasons of debauchery, drinking, and downright denial, Shameless and the Gallagher crew said farewell in the April 11 series finale, Father Frank, Full of Grace with an expected ending and more than a few lingering questions about the surviving characters. Interactive tools, including maps, epidemic curves and other charts and graphics, with downloadable data, allow users to track and explore the latest trends . No, and I watched them bulldoze the sets into a dumpster, so I dont think anybodys anticipating it, Wells told the outlet. In the sixth episode of this season, Frank is diagnosed with early stages of Alcoholic Dementia. Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) embraces a new position in the police department that will allow him to stay true to himself. This is all most people will experience. The series ends without answering if Lip (Jeremy Allen White) sold the family home or if bar owners Kevin (Steve Howey) and Veronica (Shanola Hampton) sold it and moved to Louisville. We never fleshed it all out. And dont think we forgot about Frank! We all want a place to go home to where we know everybody has our back. Frank is far from the supportive, nurturing parent his children hoped he would be; Frank is Frank. Showtimes long-running series,Shameless, concluded with the series finale on April 11, 2021 and the death of Frank Gallagher (William H. Macy). The right medications for COVID-19 can help. Yes, absolutely. Copyright 2023 ComicBook.com. He embarked on countless schemes that brought any last ounce of his morals into question, and he has continued to be a thorn in his children's sides. That is a huge portion of our society that we dont tell nearly enough stories about.. Since the initial diagnosis, his health has only declined. John Wells would have been happy for Shameless to last another 20 years, but hes satisfied with its run. Its not like we took out the healthiest individual youve ever seen. However, viewers are skeptical about whether he was indeed dead. Print People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported - ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. What is proper policing? I think I have an idea about what would happen over the next few months, but I have no idea what would wholly happen. We would have loved to continue making the show because I love making the show and youve heard me say that a bunch of times. #Shameless. David Chase's game-changing HBO mob drama ushered in modern day's golden age of television. There's certainly some schadenfreude in this, Frank always thinking he can skate by. We had some humorous versions of it, where they all got sick of Frank, put him in a box and sent him down to Florida. After waking from his overdose, the Gallagher patriarch eventually ended up in the hospital, where he died of COVID. It seemed unrealistic to do something about the South Side of Chicago and people living barely above the poverty line and not have anybody succumb to this horrible pandemic. They all would have! Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day, Inside the business of TV with breaking news, expert analysis and showrunner interviews. It seemed unrealistic to do something about the south side of Chicago and people living barely above the poverty line and not have anybody succumb to this horrible pandemic.. As Frank is dying, he daydreams about being back at the Alibi with his family and he begins to levitate. Debbie plunges into a dangerous world when she meets someone. I want to see the Alibi cop-bar story, and what happens with Carl and Arthur (Joshua Malina) as police officers. And Ian (Cameron Monaghan) and Mickey (Noel Fisher) have a kid. It's been a heavy season, so hopefully, any flashbacks will be to happier times. Critics did not latch onto the show at the beginning. In its final season, Shameless sought to reflect the losses many families have experienced during the pandemic. Frank faces his mortality.". Frank is losing control of his bodily functions and can no longer drink alcohol. James Gunn Reveals New Superman, Batman Movies and More, Shameless Finale: Showrunner Adresses One Character's Death and Why SPOILER Didn't Return, Everything Coming to Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max & Other Major Streaming Services in March 2023, Star Wars Alum Daisy Ridley Cast in New Prime Video Series. We tried to find some way to make it Frank-like and fun and let him hold onto who he always was in the last moments," he continuted. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. In the hospital, Frank's fever spikes as he tests positive for COVID-19. The finale doesnt offer any resolution about whether Lip sold the house, what happened with Debs (Emma Kenney) and Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) and Liam (Christian Isaiah) or if Kev and Vee sell the Alibi and move to Louisville. Frank!!!! Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Connect today SHARE Many businesses continue to adapt their operations and workforce to COVID-19, whether bringing their employees into the workplace safely or evolving work-from-home or hybrid work strategies. InShamelessSeason 11 Episode 11, Franks son Liam (Christian Isaiah) is tasked with taking care of him. Body aches, sore throat and . In Sundays series finale, Frank died of Covid. The 43-year-old actress will take on the role of June George, the . Fans were stunned when ABC's groundbreaking sitcom signed off after nine seasons with the titular heroine (played by Roseanne Barr) revealing that the entire final season had been a figment of her imagination, with her beloved husband Dan (John Goodman) having not actually survived his heart attack in the season prior. But I dont know. But she would have a life and be pursuing her own things. Somehow, though, he stayed alive. That's what we do, at least. On the finale, the Gallagher family patriarch ( William H. Macy) died of COVID-19. In your mind, do you know how it ends for these characters? In the early ideas of the story, that was a perfect way to have Fiona return. After nine seasons of listening to Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) deliver one of the most long-winded stories in the world on the CBS sitcom, detailing how he met the mother of his children, fans were understandably horrified by the tossed-off way it was revealed that she'd been dead all along and Ted was, in fact, seeking his kid's permission to pursue their aunt Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders). And NO. I dont have any explanation for why The Wire was never the most decorated show in television history. The priest calls an ambulance for Frank as he's sent off to the hospital for a final time. Instead, his poor sister Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) met her demise and he escaped Miami to restart asa lumberjack in Oregon?! - April 12, 2021 11:49 am EDT. There are certainly many people who believe that. With all the comorbidity that Frank had, Bill and I both talked about it and said, It would be unrealistic to not have anybody in this community actually suffer severe consequences of the pandemic. And Frank seemed like the logical choice. We wanted her to return and had some storylines about her coming back and she wanted to do it. Even when he was dogging his own kids in his own suicide note, hes still making us laugh because hes still Frank. Shameless showrunner John Wells told Entertainment Weekly that he would love for Fiona's actress, Emmy Rossum, to return for the final season. So I thought, We should make a comment on that. We tried to make a comment all season on the particular difficulties that the pandemic has presented in low-income communities, and still make it kind of funny. No, Shameless season 11 was considered the final season of the American show. No, Fiona does not appear in the final season of Shameless. Don't f*cking waste it. We joked in the room that she ended up getting a job at Disney World, probably in Epcot Center, because she would never get a job on the better side. When the iconic NBC comedy signed off in 1998 after nine seasons, original co-creator Larry David returned to really drive home how little the show's core four characters had learnedand how kinda awful they'd been all along. It was pretty much the same with the exception: We were trying to get Emmy and Emmy wanted to come back. Except time's precious. He writes things on his fathers arms to help him remember that he has dementia and who to call if he gets lost. Sadly, the rest of the Gallagher clan never learn he is dying thanks to his ridiculously large hospital file, although Lip crosses paths with the ambulance without knowing it. Despite what would usually be a turning point for most people, Frank returns to his old ways very soon. The final episode of the series featured all that hard living catching up with Frank for the last time.. Did he meet his maker while feasting on a bowl of onion rings with his family? Mild disease. What would you want to see in a Shameless spinoff? Frank Gallagher(William H. Macy) is diagnosed with the coronavirus in a hospital and soon dies while on a ventilatora most harrowing cautionary scene amid the current pandemic. Instead, his poor sister Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) met her demise and he escaped Miami to restart asa lumberjack in Oregon?! I think thats more fun, personally. People would tell us how their big sister raised them, or how they reconnected with older siblings because of the show. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows! While the problematic patriarch's death would be a sad way to conclude the show, fans are hoping that it may mean a reunion for the rest of the Gallaghers. 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