"Shameless" is a popular SHOWTIME television show that has gained a lot of popularity within the past year. It's a US adaptation of a show that originates in the United Kingdom. "Shameless" follows the poverty-stricken Gallagher family in their struggles to maintain relationships, money, and mental stability. While the show is a good source of comedy, it also highlights many problems that people in America do face on a daily basis, although we don't hear much about.

1. It shows the struggles of alcoholism in families

The father figure of the show, Frank, has obvious alcoholic abuse issues. He is a careless father who's only goal is to get as drunk as possible and forget about everything else in life. His actions play a crucial role on the Gallagher's home-life and overall outlook on their father.

2. It shows the aspects of both gay and straight relationships

The two eldest brothers in the Gallagher family, Ian and Lip, each lead very different love lives. Ian falls for a selection of older men, while Lip is able to reel in any girl he wants. However, they each have their fair share of issues within their relationships, and always stick around to help each other out.

3. You see what it's really like to live in poverty

We quickly notice the immense amount of troubles the Gallagher's have with paying for simple necessities like school lunches and laundry loads. They also happen to be neighbors with Fiona's best friend V, and her boyfriend Kevin, who share a similar situation. V happens to be a woman of color and therefore faces some stereotypes about both her race as well as her living situation. Shameless does an excellent job at portraying these circumstances without bias.

4. The struggles of teenagers and adults are represented alike

The Gallagher family's ages range from 2 to 22, with everything in between. Fiona dropped out of high school to help support her family, leaving her to learn to deal with the issues of young adulthood all on her own. In the show, we see how the younger kids struggle with simple challenges, and we see how the teenagers work so hard to create a better future for themselves and their family. And we see Fiona, just trying to make it all work; find a good boyfriend, a good job, and a healthy life.

5. You get to observe an extremely strong family dynamic

Although the Gallagher's and everyone involved in their crazy life face a series of unfortunate circumstances, they manage to support each other through it all. Despite any arguments they have, or trouble they get into, in the end they're always there for each other. On the other hand, they all share a common dislike for Frank, and therefore work to protect the security of their family from his alcoholic, abusive tendencies.