TV Romances
Fiona Gallagher’s Boyfriends on ‘Shameless,’ Ranked From Worst to Best
Like most Gallaghers, Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum) was pretty unlucky when it came to love. As she worked to keep her family fed, bathed, and in school on Shameless, Fiona made time for plenty of romantic dalliances.
A few were better than others, and some were just flat-out horrible for Fiona. Swooon is looking back at Fiona Gallagher’s love life and ranking seven of her love interests from worst to best (we say best loosely).
7. Ford
This guy was a total bore, in my opinion. It never made sense to me why Fiona got so upset that he had a secret wife and kid. Now, Ford (Richard Flood) was brutally honest with Fiona in a way none of her love interests had been before, but consistently talked down to her, which was a red flag. There was also the whole sperm donor thing that never felt right. Sometimes you get a vibe with a guy, and this handyman reeked of sketchiness.
6. Gus
Sorry, not sorry. I never understood the appeal of this guy. There was something off about him. Gus (Steve Kazee) and Fiona got married mere days after they met each other. This relationship was never going to last. He wanted to recreate his parents’ love story and that just never works out. When Fiona cheated on Gus, their romance quickly spiraled out of control. Both sides got bigger which further proved why they weren’t right for each other. But I have to say, Gus’ “F**k You, Fiona” song was brilliant.
5. Sean
Let’s just be honest: Sean (Dermot Mulroney) was a better version of Frank (William H. Macy). Granted, Sean was always trying to be a better version of the person he once was, while Frank willingly wallowed in his addiction, but the similarities were there. Addiction is a nasty disease, and it would be unfair to fault him for something he struggled so deeply with. Sean ultimately felt like more of a father figure to Fiona than a lover. There was no spark there. Fiona, for all of her faults, would have been content with Sean but never truly happy. Frank could have handled the wedding in a much better way but stopping her from marrying Sean (by revealing his relapse) was the best thing he ever did for Fiona.
4. Tony
Tony (Tyler Jacob Moore) was fine. He was a nice guy, but it was very clear from the get-go that Fiona was not in love with him. He was also just boring. Tony never would have made it as a permanent fixture at the Gallagher household. You have to have a strong dose of personality to hang with the family, and Tony didn’t have that. (Worth noting: When Ian ran into him in prison, Tony said that Fiona turned him gay.)
3. Adam
Adam was Fiona’s perfect summer fling — hot and nice. Fiona didn’t get a chance to fully get to know Adam because of Jimmy/Steve’s return, but he could have been a contender! Come on, it’s James Wolk! Fiona ruined this brief romance by hooking up with Jimmy/Steve in a restaurant bathroom, and that was the last we ever saw of Adam. It was fun while it lasted.
2. Mike
Mike (Jake McDorman) was a good guy, but Fiona was in her self-destructive era, so this relationship was doomed from the start. He was a little too normal for someone like Fiona Gallagher. Some people just need a little drama in their relationships — ahem, Fiona. She really went for the jugular by hooking up with his brother, which sealed this relationship’s fate. However, he still bailed her out of jail after the Liam cocaine debacle. Fiona didn’t deserve him.
1. Jimmy/Steve
They will never make me hate you, Jimmy/Steve (Justin Chatwin). Was he the definition of trouble? Yes. Could Fiona ever truly trust him? No. Despite his many flaws, he did love Fiona. They were just victims of bad timing. She had the weight of the world on her shoulders, while he had a knack for sloughing off any semblance of responsibility.
When Fiona and Jimmy/Steve were good, they were great. Jimmy/Steve fell for her pretty much the moment he saw her at the bar. Their connection was instantaneous and lit up like a gasoline-fueled fire. Rossum and Chatwin’s chemistry was masterful. They were supposed to run away together at the end of the first season, but he left without Fiona to protect her. Sure, he did marry a drug lord’s daughter to hold on to his ear and was involved in messy (and very illegal) situations. Jimmy/Steve showed the best version of himself when Fiona’s mother attempted suicide at Thanksgiving. In the darkest Gallagher moment, Jimmy/Steve could be the man Fiona needed.
When he returned in Season 5, it was the right closure for them at the time. Fiona’s tearful “you have to let me let you go” was painful but necessary for him to hear. He could say “I love you” a million times over, but letting Fiona go was the best way to show her that he truly did love her.
They were a classic example of right person, wrong time. They had a love so good it often hurt. Fiona had other love interests after him, but no one could replace the imprint Jimmy/Steve left on her heart.
Also, is it a coincidence that Fiona’s exit featured her at the train station, a scene that mirrored her Jimmy/Steve moment in the very first episode? Maybe these two were finally ready to get off at the same stop. (Give us this endgame in a future revival!)
