'Shameless' Renewed for Another Season
by EG
Shameless has barely begun its eighth season, but it's done so a spectacular fashion. The season 8 premiere brought in the series' highest ratings in years, and Showtime is obviously very happy with its performance. As a reward, the series got a renewal this week for a ninth season, which will keep it on Showtime at least through 2018.
There is no end in sight for Showtime's Shameless.
The premium cable network announced Wednesday that it has renewed the hourlong dramedy for a ninth season.
The news comes days after the William H. Macy-Emmy Rossum starrer opened its eighth season with its highest-rated premiere since season three. The seventh season wrapped as its biggest yet, averaging 6.5 million viewers per week. Production on season nine will begin in 2018.
“As challenging as it can be for any show simply to maintain viewers in the current TV landscape, Shameless is adding them in droves,” Showtime CEO David Nevins said. “But it’s no mystery why. The series’ reputation for rich and resonant characters and for deep — and deeply twisted — comedy has drawn not only faithful longtime viewers, but a steadily growing audience. And creatively, the season that kicked off this past Sunday is stronger than ever.”
The series, from showrunner John Wells and Warner Bros. Television, has been a proven hit on Netflix, ranking as one of the streaming giant's most-watched originals and providing a halo effect on original Showtime episodes. The pickup also comes days after co-star Ethan Cutkosky was arrested for a DUI. That will not impact the series as production on season eight has already wrapped.
While there is no news that season nine could be its last, sources note that it could run for at least one more season beyond 2018 and potentially longer.
Read the rest of the story at The Hollywood Reporter.
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