Shameless

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• Shameless and Episodes each get a second season — TVLine
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• Joseph Gordon-Levitt is still in talks to join The Dark Knight Rises — PopWatch
• Find out which actress is swinging by Showtime's Shameless — TV Squad
• Preview songs from Glee's Valentine's Day episode — Vulture
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• Zach Galifianakis is in talks to join Ryan Reynolds for R.I.P.D. — 24 Frames
• Kristen Stewart passes on Lois Lane role; find out who's been added to the short list — Moviefone

Shameless, Showtime's new comedy about a family that's just barely getting by in the Chicago projects, hit up the Winter TCA today. Star William H. Macy, who plays alcoholic patriarch Frank, chatted with costars Emmy Rossum and Justin Chatwin and the series' producers about their characters and the tone of the midseason TV offering.

• As downtrodden as Shameless can seem in its portrayal of a low-income family with an often-absent father, executive producer John Wells says that it's "really about a loving family." It shows how "people find ways to survive," and the sympathy and empathy they have for each other. Rossum ascertains that "these aren't people who feel sorry for themselves," and that they're "can-do people with a positive attitude." On that note, the producers said that there's an upcoming episode where we'll find out how the Gallaghers are able to live in their house.
• Macy was extremely enthusiastic about his character Frank, calling it the "role of the century," and playfully adding that "it sure is fun to play someone who's toasted all the time." Besides the character, Macy said he was attracted to the show for its great writing, adding that the cast is sometimes surprised by how outrageous the scripts are: "It stops us on the set every once in a while," adding "we just think 'that's shameless.'"
• Rossum also credited her character, Fiona, as the element that made her want to participate. She said she loves the character and had tons of praise for Fiona, citing her "fierce loyalty to her family" and the fact that she has a duality that makes her so strong, yet vulnerable. She's "very much a modern woman," Rossum said.

To learn more about Shameless, like the steamy sex scenes and Chatwin's role, just read more

Are you ready for all the midseason TV shows? I recently gave you a brief look at the new shows, but I'll also be focusing on some of the new series with my pilot scoops. Today I'm checking out Showtime's dark comedy Shameless.

What it's about: William H. Macy stars as Frank Gallagher, a deadbeat alcoholic who heads up a household in the Chicago projects. His brood, which consists of oldest daughter/mother hen Fiona (Emmy Rossum), plus five other children of varying ages, is just trying to get by — whether it's through welfare, charity, or sometimes illegal means.

Where it works: The pilot is smart to focus squarely on Rossum as the hardworking daughter who has no choice but to keep the home running. She gets to show off multiple dimensions in the first episode alone: as someone who loves her family while simultaneously resenting them, but also just a girl in her 20s who yearns to be free and have fun. Her burgeoning romance with Steve (Justin Chatwin) is one of the few moments of levity in the pilot.

Where it doesn't: I predict that many people will find Shameless too dark, and even a little bit depressing, given its down-on-their-luck antihero ensemble.

Am I hooked? I was on the fence for the first half of the pilot, but by the second half, I was dying to watch the next episode. So, yes, I'm hooked for now.

When is it on? Sunday, Jan. 9 at 10 p.m. on Showtime.

To see some photos and a preview clip of Shameless, just read more

Back at the Summer TCA, I was treated to first looks at Showtime's new shows, including its adaptation of the British series Shameless. William H. Macy stars as Frank Gallagher, an alcoholic raising six kids on his own in Chicago.

The first half of the preview is packaged as comedy — though the subject matter is dark, Frank narrates about each of his kids as we get a peek at each of their maladjusted daily lives. Then, things start to take a more serious turn as we see his eldest, Fiona (Emmy Rossum) trying to revive Frank after a bender, and a confrontation between two of the kids about an affair with a married man.

The delicate balance between comedy and drama is what sparks my intrigue about the show. It looks rife for black comedy and gags about rebellious kids, but there are also plenty of opportunities for heavy subject matter here. Plus, Showtime has been hitting it out of the park with its new series lately, and having William H. Macy as a leading man pretty much ensures great performances.

The series doesn't air until next January, but check out the funny, poignant preview when you read more