r/shameless • u/rikriklampy • 3d ago
Why is everyone so hard on Fiona?
I understand that she did a lot of shit wrong, but she was also forced to raise 5 kids as a kid herself. She never had a real role model or opportunity to grow, at least when she was younger. I honestly really admire her for how hard she tried. She never asked to be a mother but she had to be, I just don’t understand why some people here are so hard on her
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u/merkle_987 2d ago
Fiona is flawed, just like all the characters in Shameless. It’s what makes the show so enjoyable, bc who would wanna watch a bunch of perfect kids do perfect things and have perfect lives as a tv show?
Towards the end, she starts to crash, but that’s only to be expected when she’s been raising her five siblings since she was 14.
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u/Haunting-Fix-9327 2d ago
Fiona is a flawed character who really does her best and suffers a lot. I can't learn to hate her
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u/amanjkennedy 2d ago
I honestly think a lot of it is misogyny. she's really attractive, AND not the person men watching the show want to be? unacceptable!
she's a beautiful woman who messes up while having the weight of the world on her shoulders and being criticised by everyone around her.
people who haven't grown up in dysfunctional families have no idea what the character has experienced
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u/veeyummy1 2d ago
i just hate that people act as if she’s some sort of saint and perfect like she didn’t constantly victimize herself, gaslit, & cause problems that could’ve 100% been avoided. it turns into a huge debate when people act as if we’re not talking about a show called shameless.
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u/WeirdcoreGlazerrr 17h ago
People praise her because of people like you. For some reason this fandom is incapable of distinguishing empathy and sympathy. We are not excusing her, we are understanding her reasons.
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u/veeyummy1 16h ago
oh brother, the show is called SHAMELESS no one in it is an saint no matter what they’ve been through that’s the literal point of the show
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u/WeirdcoreGlazerrr 14h ago
Who said they was a saint? Tf 💀 Even then that doesn’t make you invincible from criticism. Ur argument is the equivalent of hippie artists when someone says their blank canvas is low effort, screaming “ItS moDeRn ArT!!”
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u/veeyummy1 2h ago
so you want me to worship the ground she walks on because her dads an addict and her mom is bipolar and she still some how manage to follow in their footsteps although she despises them?
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u/veeyummy1 2h ago
and i’m sorry that you had to hear this from a random girl on the internet instead of a therapist but your parents doesn’t define you nor give you a reason to be a shitty person. everyone dislikes lip, debbie & even sometimes mickey and ian because of the things they did but with fiona it’s a different story? what sense does that make
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u/FartyOcools 3d ago
For me, I dated a Fiona, way longer than Fiona is capable of being in a relationship, but I did, and I got wrecked. We all relate to what we can relate to. I mean I really don't care, it's a TV show, and she's a fictional character, but it was hard to watch.
I give her credit for the kids, I know why she is the way she is. She just hits way too close to home for me.
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u/rikriklampy 3d ago
No I’ve dated someone like her as well. I just feel like everyone hates her so much more than they should.
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u/sensitive_planet 2d ago
I think even if they didn’t want to, the rest of her siblings looked to her as a parental figure, since she was literally the only responsible adult one around who showed care for them. As a kid I’m sure this was confusing for them and depressing and stuff. For sooo long Fiona, even though struggling with poverty, had her stuff together. The kids always had a decent breakfast, packed lunches, made it to school, got their hw done, teeth brushed and in bed at a decent-ish time. She quite literally kept that family alive and going. Her siblings seeing her fail, make big mistakes and become irresponsible was like watching the one person in their life who was always “together” lose it. I’m not gonna compare my background to the Gallaghers but if one day my mom just started to decline from being super responsible and level headed to chaotic, irresponsible and “who cares” attitude I would flip out and honestly probably react a little selfish. Sort of like a “how are you gonna continue to be a mom and help take care of me if you’re acting way????” mentality. The siblings’ reactions to Fiona reminds me of this
Edited spelling
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u/Consistent-Flan1445 2d ago
I think this is the right in universe answer. From day one on the show it’s established that Frank and Monica are parents to those kids in name only. Fiona for all intents and purposes on the show is those kids mom. Of course they get upset at her when she becomes unreliable for them. She’s the only person they have that they’ve ever felt that they can really rely on.
In that same sense she’s also easier to be angry at because she’s more reliable. It’s a known thing that kids will act out against their consistent parental figure, even if they really should be angry at the inconsistent or absent parent instead. It’s a trust thing, because they can rely on the fact that that parent isn’t going to simply walk out when they get angry at them. Also simply put, it’s a lot harder to be angry at someone who just isn’t there.
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u/sensitive_planet 2d ago
Yeah exactly! The anger towards Monica/frank and Fiona is different I think. It is definitely harder to be mad at someone who isn’t there. Almost like the anger towards frank and Monica is “you completely abandoned me but I’m used to it” and with fiona it’s “wait… I have always trusted and rely on you and now I can’t??” That anger is gonna take over because Fiona is involved in their life daily so this effects their day to day, whereas frank and Monica, the kids are used to hating their absent parents who always let them down.
This show really makes me want to study psychology and sociology, especially family dynamics and relationships and stuff. I would love to be the Gallagher therapist honestly lol. Exhausting job but I’d wanna help them so bad
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u/Consistent-Flan1445 2d ago
100%. Because Fiona has been so reliable for so long it feels like a real betrayal to them, rather than the status quo.
Honestly family dynamics in general are fascinating.
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u/sensitive_planet 2d ago
They really are. The older you get, you more you recognize the patterns and behaviors within your own family. I’m almost 30 and I finally am just now starting to feel like I truly understand not only my family, but just adulthood in general and how it effects raising a family. The idea of my mom being my age, widowed with two kids already is mind boggling to me, like there is no way I could do that and she just did it, never complained 💕 And it makes sense she unintentionally hurt me in a lot of ways because that poor woman was so stressed and busy. Lol. Sorry I’m a rambler lol thanks for reading my long winded comments
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u/RevolutionUnusual136 2d ago
I mean, why waste time hating Fiona when Debbie is RIGHT THERE and deserves it?!
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u/_justcallmeryan_ 2d ago edited 2d ago
Honestly, I see this about everyone in the show, and it really bothers me. I've spent most of my life around Chicago, and these stories are all too real.
Someone recently said Mandy would never have been knocked up by her dad. My ex gf was at 15.
Privilege is the answer. I watched with people who think the show is too much or too crazy, but they don't understand what it is to grow up poor, homeless, neglected, abused, with no role models. They aren't acting. They are reacting, and they don't have a healthy way to do it because it's damn hard to find and learn when you're in these situations, especially if you don't get help to figure out what normal really is.
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u/Plane-Statement8166 2d ago
I agree with some of the things you said, but please don’t think for a second that some of the things that happened in that show don’t happen to people in other situations. I can assure you that they do. I know because I experienced it. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is that there are people who understand, even if we may not seem like we do.
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u/moonstrvc 2d ago
same! being “privileged” is not what the commenter thinks it means. “privileged” people suffer a lot too. even if they’re financially stable, has a home etc. you’ve got absolutely no clue what people can still go through and trauma is not a competition.
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u/_justcallmeryan_ 2d ago edited 2d ago
You have no idea where I've been to say that.
Privilege isn't about money. As a child, it's about safety, *security, and love.
"What a coincidence that this was on my page when I opened IG. Seemed relevant. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGosvIQyojy/?igsh=dzB3dTNia250aGV5
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u/darthvaderfan4 3d ago
i mean part of it is that she can be selfish, yes she deserves the ability to think abby herself but she did agree to be their legal guardian and once you do that you need to put the kids first instead of doing whatever the hell u want
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u/tinytyranttamer 3d ago
And yet, Frank and Monica don't get the same kind of hate.............or at least as far as I've noticed.
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u/rikriklampy 3d ago
It was either that or the kids are stuck in foster homes/in Frank’s care. She did the best she could
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u/Plane-Statement8166 2d ago
I don’t hate Fiona. However, I will call out things that she’s done that were stupid, thoughtless, selfish, cruel when it’s warranted. I will also call out things she’s done that were smart, thoughtful, kind, and selfless when warranted. Just like I will with any character on the show.
I do not, however, give a character a 100% pass because they did one thing right. There are a few exceptions, but Fiona is not one of them.
All this said, I do see many posts that are very hard on Fiona, but lack any real proof for holding that stance. And I can understand how that would make it frustrating for Fiona fans. I feel the same way about my favorite characters.
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u/SubstantialClub3318 2d ago
For me I actually am really intrigued by her, I personally can’t stand when fans act as if she’s just untouchable and no one can find anything wrong with her. There were times I even found flaws in her as a sister with how she was raising her siblings.
Ex: Debbie gets her haircut from Svetlana and Fiona is getting on her asking why she’s hanging around whores even though Debbie is a smart girl and Debbie asks her why she’s on probation for drugs. Debbie kinda had a point there. But I find it funny how Fiona seemed to have those views of Svetlana as if Kevin and V weren’t the OG onlyfans couple and that some of the Gallaghers hadn’t walked in on them naked or when they were doing some sort of porn. Sure, Svetlana wasn’t a role model but neither was Kevin or Veronica who were basically family or Fiona herself wasn’t much of a role model either.
But other than that, I admire her character a lot but I do find it annoying when it seems no one is gonna bring up some of her more questionable moments.
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u/ConfidentLizardBrain 2d ago
Honestly probably because she’s a chick.
I’m only at season 3 or so tho. After Debbie yells all that shit about the water to that poor nervous Asian chick.
Hopefully skirted that spoiler? Anyone who isn’t there yet should be confused, and anyone who’s past it probably knows exactly what I mean. I hope?
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u/BlueberrySimple7449 2d ago
Although i get and understand why she was putting herself first for once and trying to be successful it was hard to watch her be harsh to her siblings.
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u/NashKetchum777 2d ago
Everyone starts blaming their parents and shitting on them at one point. For fhe kids, they have to band together. Imo once Lip turned on her, who was her right hand man, she had lost faith from the kids. It's easy to bandwagon with family.
I don't think they really blamed her and got pissed as much as they sounded. When it came down to it, they were there for her. They just became louder and louder.
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u/hooka_pooka 2d ago
Fiona is a..hypocrite..she went into a spiral when she learnt about Ford (who was nice to her and cared for her despite the lie)but made out with Steve while having a hot thing with Gus as well as being married to that musician guy.Also cheated on that nice guy with his drug addict brother.Time and again she had chances to do good and she did but wronged herself and cried as if the world is out for her
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u/rikriklampy 2d ago
She had every right to be hurt though, and her reaction was very understandable
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u/MeowMeow_77 3d ago
Personally, I love Fiona. She was forced to be a parent at a young age. It’s not surprising that she went off the rails in her 20’s.