Shameless: A Modern Day Telling of Cinderella

This is the first in a series of features analyzing current television shows as retellings of classic fairy tales. We’re kicking off the series with a guest post from TV insider Jen Grisanti.

In Showtime’s new series Shameless, I see a modern day telling of Cinderella. The eldest daughter, Fiona, is the modern Cinderella. Fiona is accountable for taking care of her family due to an alcoholic father, Frank Gallagher, played by William H. Macy, and the loss of her mother. Fiona is the one who cooks and cleans for the family. Her knight in shining armor is Steve. Fiona first meets Steve when he defends her honor at a nightclub when a guy steals her purse. This leads to an interlude. Fiona assumes that once Steve sees her familial situation, he won’t come back. Only, Steve does come back.

He begins to court Fiona by buying her family a washing machine after seeing the condition their old one is in and sending her flowers. Consumed in the idea that they are from different sides of the tracks and feeling over-whelmed by the responsibilities of her family, Fiona rejects the gestures. When Steve’s persistence continues, she eventually gives in and they have a heated discussion about their different backgrounds. There is a twist at the end that ties it all together in a beautiful way; maybe they are not that different.

Fiona is our modern day Cinderella because in her we see the beautiful daughter who is suddenly thrust into the new role of cleaning up after others, becoming the care-giver and having to be responsible for her family at a young age. However, there is a difference in this story. Fiona is not portrayed as the victim. She accepts her lot in life. Her flaw is her co-dependency. She needs others to need her. This flaw also makes her endearing. So, when her Prince Charming (Steve) comes into her life, she questions his sincerity because of her own fear that once her coach turns into a pumpkin, he will no longer be interested. She is wrong.

In Steve, we see a modern day Prince Charming with an edge. Steve is smitten with Fiona because she is different from the rest. This is conveyed when he tells her that he saw her dancing at a club weeks before with her friend and was too shy to  approach her. She tests him on this and asks him what she was wearing. When he tells her, she then asks if he is also pursuing her friend who she believes is the better looking one. He responds, “Because you think like that and Jenna doesn’t. Jenna dances for an audience. You dance like there’s no one else in the room.” I loved this. It reminded me of how the Prince goes after Cinderella with the glass slipper. He uses everything he can to make it fit.

In Frank Gallagher, you could have what is perceived as the evil stepmom. Only, in this modern re-telling, he is the loveable alcoholic father. It is because of his addiction that Fiona is left in the family position that she is. However, unlike in the fairy tale, it is clear in this version that Fiona loves Frank. It is a way to really explore family and how we create a unit despite the hurdles that are put in the way.

With her siblings, they explore that one brother, Lip, finds out the other brother, Ian, is gay. Their story arc is a beautiful exploration into life, love and acceptance.

With Shameless, you have wish fulfillment, you have connection, you have big hurdles but at the core of all of it, you have a family.

ABOUT JEN GRISANTI
Jen Grisanti is a Story Consultant, Independent Producer, Writing Instructor for NBC’s Writers on the Verge, Blogger for The Huffington Post and author of the book, Story Line: Finding the Gold In Your Life Story (Michael Wiese Productions, March 2010, paperback).