‘Shameless’ Boss John Wells Talks Fiona’s Absence And ‘Gallavich’ Struggles

The tenth season of Showtime’s hit series, Shameless, premieres on November 10, and the show’s executive producer John Wells is sharing details about the new season, according to a report from TVLine.

As The Inquisitr previously reported, the eldest Gallagher sibling and substitute matriarch Fiona, played by Emmy Rossum, exited the series after the Season 9 finale. Fiona’s exit made way for the return of a series-regular couple, Ian, played by Cameron Monaghan, and Mickey, played by Noel Fisher. The official Season 10 preview showed the jailhouse couple struggling to keep the romance alive after sharing a cell in lockup, and Wells believes the couple’s close proximity could either make or break their relationship this season.

“That cell is six feet wide by 10 feet long, and they’re in there 22 hours a day. So you can imagine being stuck in that kind of space with anyone, even if you love them or care about them, it’s not an easy place to be,” he said. “So I feel badly for them. It’s ‘careful what you wish for.'”

Wells went on to say the show will be focusing on the couple’s relationship “quite a bit” this year. At some point during the season, Ian will be released from prison while Mickey will remain to serve the rest of his time. Wells said this will also be an issue for the bickering duo.

As for the impact of Fiona’s exit, Wells said it will be an adjustment for everyone. The executive producer compared Fiona’s leaving to that of a big sister who goes off to college or relocates for a new job in another state and said her absence will force others to pick up the slack.

“They don’t think they can do it without her, and then everybody starts to move into taking different responsibilities.”

In this case, viewers will see Emma Kenney’s Debbie stepping in as head of the household and helping the family improve in all areas of life, including teaching them how to better handle their finances and prepare for emergency situations. Debbie’s new rules and strict money management system won’t sit well with Frank (William H. Macy), and the two will find themselves at odds with each other throughout the season.

As for whether or not Fiona could return to relieve Debbie of her duties, Wells said it’s unlikely but it won’t be an out of mind, out of sight situation for the Gallagher family. He said viewers will still hear about Fiona during Season 10 through the occasional phone call with one of her siblings or neighbors.

The tenth season of Shameless premieres on Showtime on Sunday, November 10.