The final three seasons aren't a decline in quality; they are a decline in hope . And that feels truer to the source material than any redemption arc. We cannot talk about the number 11 without discussing the elephant in the room: the pandemic season.

But here is the controversial take: The "bad" seasons (9-11) are actually the most honest.

What season broke you? For me, it was the laundry washing machine monologue. Drop your take in the comments.

11 seasons is too long for a normal family. But the Gallaghers aren't normal. In a healthy household, "survival mode" lasts a few months. In Shameless , survival mode is the personality. Fans argue about the "drop off." Usually around Season 8 or 9. Specifically, after Fiona Gallagher (Emmy Rossum) left the show.

If you are starting the show today, know this: The first 4 seasons are lightning in a bottle. Seasons 5-7 are a hangover. Seasons 8-11 are a slow, wet, Chicago winter.

Detractors say the last three seasons are fan fiction. They say without the anchor of the eldest sister, the show devolved into caricature: Debbie became a villain, Ian and Mickey became a rom-com, and Frank became a slapstick zombie.

B+ for the run. A+ for the nerve.