BWW Preview: The Song Remains the SHAMELESS for Season Six

Look, I'm not going to lie to you, I adore this show and it's hard for me to be a critic about it. So forgive my gushing as I love everything Gallagher and will most likely over praise them an exorbitant amount. I'd like to apologize for it, but I won't.

So where were our beloved Gallaghers left standing at the end of Season Five?

Fiona - She was torn between her impulsive marriage to sweetheart musician, Gus (Steve Kazee) and her attraction to her boss Sean (Dermot Mulroney).

Lip - Still in a torrid affair with his professor, Helene, with her husband's approval and is facing some moral dilemmas as he realizes that they are a part of the influx of people trying to gentrify their neighborhood. He has fallen for Helene and ex-girlfriend, Amanda is in love with him and not taking their breakup so well.

Ian - Fresh off his medication break and mental breakdown, Ian broke up with Mickey as he loves him too much to saddle him with his condition for the rest of his life.

Mickey - Tried to kill Sammy, but didn't succeed and now is clearly paying the price.

Debbie - She lost her virginity to boyfriend, Derek, and intentionally got herself pregnant.

Carl - Still serving time in juvy with Sammy's son, Chuckie, as both have taken up with rival gangs and are about to engage in a war.

Sammy - After being thought dead when Mickey "killed" her, she is back and out for Mickey's blood.

Frank - Helped his friend/lover, Bianca, die, he is distraught with her death and heads home to be with his family.

Kev and V - The power couple found their way back to each other after a split, but they still have a long road ahead as they try to balance parenthood with marriage.

And where do we go from here? Jimmy came back for a hot second, but Fiona finally realized he probably wasn't the best guy for her. Is Jimmy really gone for good? Is he ever? He does have a tendency to show up when she's at her lowest point and proceeds to wreak havoc. I think she has enough man troubles right now to deal with. And choosing between nice guy, Gus and nice, but not right guy, Sean is her latest dilemma, but we all know who she will choose right? She never makes the best decision for her, which is as much admirable as it is frustrating.

Debbie and Carl are damn near train wrecks at this point and going quickly off the rails. At some point, the dynamic shifted where Lip is the most responsible member of the Gallagher clan. Yes, Lip... the one sleeping with his professor as her husband watches, that Lip.

Will Frank's recent heartbreak make him a better man and father to his kids? Haha, just kidding. He'll find a way to make himself a victim and use it to his advantage. We all know better by now. But the most distressing part of the storyline is the breakup of Mickey and Ian. Good Lord, I haven't cried that hard in a long time. (#ihavenoone) I know Ian is trying to do the honorable thing, but, geez, Ian, you gotta love that sweet, charming gangster. He'd quite literally die for you. From the preview, it looks like Mickey is serving some time for his attempted murder of Sammy, which I would imagine isn't going to help their relationship, but I don't imagine anyone was all that mad at him. Sammy is pretty reprehensible. And in that family, that's a distinguished honor.

Regardless, we keep coming back for more. My concern is that we have been rooting for this family for so long and they still make poor decisions and can't ever catch a break. At some point to we give up hope? Or do we accept that fact that this is how their lives are and find contentment that they are able to be satisfied with what they have? It's a constant struggle and perhaps that is the very reason we tune back in for more.

Season Six Premieres Sunday night, January 10th.

Here's a trailer for Season Six:

Photo Credit: SHOWTIME

Follow me on Twitter @eponineq and follow @BWWTVWorld for all the latest updates, scoops and recaps.

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!