There are plenty of TV series that have been fortunate enough to have had lengthy runs, and Shameless is certainly one of them. The dramedy, which is one of the best Showtime shows you can stream right now, capped off its acclaimed run with 11 seasons. At this time, this led to emotional posts from stars like Emma Kenney. One would think that the cast would relish having such a lengthy run. However, it would seem that Jeremy Allen White would've been a happier camper if it hadn't have aired so long.
Jeremy Allen White, Known for playing Philip “Lip” Gallagher on Shameless, opened up to GQ about his time on the series. Despite the fact that he enjoyed being on the successful series overall, White admitted that his enthusiasm was somewhat diminished due the sheer longevity of the job:
I love Shameless so much. I love everybody that was a part of it, and the experience was incredible. But I’m not sure if shows are meant to go that long…There was a period where I stopped feeling like an actor, and I started feeling like I was just here to do this show.
I don’t blame Jeremy Allen White for feeling the way that he did. I imagine that being on a show that long can definitely take a toll on someone. Ideally, actors want to challenge themselves with new things. So if they're playing the same characters for a long stretch of time, there's a chance things can become stale and uninteresting.
Of course, things eventually came to an end, but that actually didn't help Jeremy Allen White. As he further explained, the inevitability of the show's conclusion caused him to think more about his skills as a performer:
It was an upsetting head space to be in. When it was going to end, I was questioning: maybe I do just exist on this show. What else is there? Am I an actor? I was definitely having a lot of doubt when I was finishing Shameless.
Ultimately, the actor had no reason to fret, as he can now be seen as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto on FX’s The Bear, one of the best shows on TV right now. The show found an audience quickly and earned a second-season renewal quickly. Given its popularity, you have to wonder how long it might run, though I'd be surprised if the network and its streaming home, Hulu, let it get anywhere near 10 seasons.
Considering everything that the actor says here, you have to wonder why he chose to stay on the show for so long, especially since lead stars like Emmy Rossum even departed prior to its conclusion. But then again, as his comments suggest, he may have feared whether he could actually thrive outside the show that made him a star.
Over a year after Shameless' Fiona Gallagher-less finale, Jeremy Allen White seems to be doing alright. If anything, I'm grateful to the Showtime series for introducing viewers to him, as the show wouldn't have been the same without him. Hopefully, the actor continues to crush it and is able to find new ways to evolve as a performer.
All 11 seasons of Shameless are now available to stream alongside the best dramedy TV shows on Netflix. You can also check out the show, alongside The Bear, with the use of a Hulu subscription.
