‘Shameless’ season 4 trailer: Are Fiona and the Gallaghers moving up in the world?

A week from Sunday, “Shameless” season 4 returns to Showtime with all-new episodes; but before that happens, why not take another look at what lies ahead? There are quite a few threads that are going to unravel, and all of them suggest that the Gallagher clan is going to make a few attempts to move forward … but whether or not they actually make it is a very different story. Just take a look at the full trailer below if you want some more evidence.

For example, Fiona is going to think that she is in a better place now courtesy of a brand-new relationship, but here’s the problem: Her boss is involved. That’s never a good move. You’re at the mercy of someone who holds your career in your hands, and that certainly offsets the balance of power a little bit. Then again, what is good for Fiona or bad for Fiona is not always in line for what is good for us as a viewer. This story, coupled with some college hijinks and Frank trying to pull together money, promise that this could be one of the most entertaining seasons to date.

The good thing about “Shameless” as a show is that it is almost a genre melting pot in a way. There are moments that you’re going to laugh, moments that you are going to get emotional, and also moments that you are going to completely freak out. The show is always at its best when there is a balance, and the focus is really on the family and their bizarre attempts to try and rise out of the middle class. It’s almost a dramatic, less meta “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” except with no Danny DeVito and more people taking their clothes off and dropping the f-bomb.