No one can look away from a train wreck. For nine seasons, viewers have been tuning in for their weekly dose of Gallagher madness on the hit Showtime series “Shameless.” Some may watch the show to subconsciously make themselves feel better about their own dysfunctional families, while some may watch just to see when the group will finally get themselves into a predicament from which no amount of love and luck can save them. Regardless, audiences have fallen in love with the children and the adults that make up the infallible television family.  The show is the perfect blend of vulgarity and compassion, and season nine finds the Gallaghers toeing that line once again.

Those who have watched “Shameless” for a while can only hope that the apple falls so far from the tree that it ends up in a completely different orchard. Frank (William H. Macy, “Fargo”), whose sobriety is always a surprise, is the patriarch of the unruly gang. He has never been above using his kids to save himself from the bizarre plights one can only get into by being an overgrown man-child who is too drunk to feel remorse. However, in one of the strangest turn of events, Frank will be running for office this upcoming season. He hopes to better represent the “working man,” because intentionally harming himself on job sites to collect workers’ comp. (something he has done numerous times in seasons past) is the epitome of working-class America. This could either be comedy gold or the scariest thing to happen in Chicago since John Wayne Gacy. Either way, this is one campaign people will not want to miss.

Debbie (Emma Kenney, “Epic”) is also calling for political change this season. Her new welding job addresses the wage gap for men and women in the same field. Debbie’s fight for equal pay may actually make her character likeable this season. Carl (Ethan Cutkosky, “Fred Claus”), who has found discipline from the strict regime of military school, is ready for the challenges that await him at Westpoint, including a psychotically possessive girlfriend that cheers him on from the fences of bootcamp in a cheerleader uniform. Liam (Christian Isaiah), the youngest Gallagher, will struggle with maintaining a balance between his Southside upbringing and the expensive private school he now attends. Ian (Cameron Monaghan, “Gotham”) will have to deal with his new position of power as “Gay Jesus,” while Lip (Jeremy Allen White, “Movie 43”) will once again be putting someone else’s problems on his plate like he does not already have enough issues in maintaining his sobriety.

To wrap it up, sadly, this will be the last season of “Shameless” to star Emmy Rossum (“A Futile and Stupid Gesture”). That is right- the Gallagher family will have to survive day to day without their big sister Fiona, who has been the backbone of the family since the pilot episode. Rossum has dedicated about a decade of her life to the show, and she has expressed her gratitude for the opportunity. Fiona has been the best character since season one and it is fantastic to see that she is leaving the show in a much more successful state than she started. Season nine teasers say a risky business move could threaten her landlord job, but her growth has been beautiful to watch, no matter the outcome. Whatever way the show decides to write her off, it is safe to say viewers will miss her just as much as her on-screen family will. “Shameless” airs on Sundays at 9 p.m. on Showtime.

Image from Shameless via YouTube.com