They say "time is money," but really it's not

Why is this episode doubly long?

Paul Abbott wrote it?

Oh. It's the 100th episode.

I began watching the British version of Shameless in advance of the premiere of the American adaptation in order to be able to discuss the differences between the two, and ended up consuming all then-95 available episodes over a few weeks.

I could write a book on the British version of Shameless,

about how it lost almost all of its original characters (Emmy Rossum's female lead counterpart departed in season two) and changed its premise,

about how actor Sean Gilder (Paddy Maguire) quit because he couldn't bear doing any more bedroom scenes with the actress who plays his wife,

about its bonkers sixth season (amnesia, tortured stowaway deaf lad murders his abusive father, abusive boyfriend seduces and blackmails his Stockholm-syndromed girlfriend's sister-in-law, heroin victim's mother kidnaps her daughter's heroin dealer and hooks him on heroin)…

Q: How many television programmes that ran at least four seasons have you seen every episode of?

—My number is smaller than you think.
—1. Shameless (100 episodes).
—2. Skins (45 episodes).
—Um…
—Let me go through this network by network.
—Fox.
24 (192 episodes).
Tiny Toon Adventures…ran three seasons.
Animaniacs?
—I saw all 69 episodes that aired on Fox Kids, but tuned out after it moved to Kids' WB!. I tuned in once to Kids' WB! and Pinky was singing about cheeses? – a far cry from "Yakko's World."
—NBC.
Friday Night Lights (76 episodes), The Office (153 episodes), and 30 Rock (103 episodes).
—Must See TV was only mostly seen by me.
—CBS.
The Amazing Race (215 episodes).
—Did I see every episode of Garfield and Friends? No.
—ABC.
—Mmm…nothing.
Lost?
—Didn't see its first season.
—ABC Family.
Greek (74 episodes).
—Bravo.
Top Chef (118 episodes).
—HBO.
The Wire (60 episodes).
—Didn't see the third season of The Sopranos, the fourth season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, or the fifth season of Oz.
—Showtime.
Dexter (72 episodes).
—AMC.
Mad Men (52 episodes).
Breaking Bad hasn't completed its fourth season yet, but you can pencil it in (46 episodes).
—FX.
Nip/Tuck (100 episodes).
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (73 episodes).
—Pencil Sons of Anarchy in too (52 episodes). And Jersey Shore (48 episodes).
The Shield?
—I joined it in progress, in season five.
—Oh. Trailer Park Boys (55 episodes).
[pause]
—I think that's it.
—16, 17… Only 18?
—So I missed an episode or two of Degrassi: The Next Generation's TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY ONE episodes.
—Also, lower the minimum to three seasons and my total balloons. Tiny Toon Adventures, Arrested Development, Brotherhood, Kyle XY

1 Comment

  1. dedleg 29 Sep 11 at 00:12

    I love the obvious import you give to Tiny Toons Adventures. Seriously. I don't think I've seen every episode, but there are many episodes I've probably seen at least 10 times.

    Reply

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