Summary

• Jimmy's introduction as a seemingly noble hero turned out to be hypocritical, revealing his true criminal nature as Shameless went on.
• Fiona's poor choice in men, including Jimmy, led to toxic relationships and ultimately, her feeling fortunate to have not ended up with him.
• Jimmy's manipulative tactics and emotional manipulation failed to bring Fiona and him back together, showing the struggle in their relationship.

Jimmy on Shameless was the first love interest for Fiona in the series, and their relationship was a major one for her character. First introduced as Steve, Justin Chatwin's Shameless character was a seemingly successful young man — but later revealed himself to be named Jimmy, and that he had a darker side which only made Fiona (Emmy Rossum) more intrigued. At first glance, the pair seemed to be a good match. However, Jimmy and Fiona's relationship grew to be more toxic as Shameless went on.

Out of all of Fiona's lovers on Shameless, Steve/Jimmy stuck around the longest. Actor Justin Chatwin portrayed the character in Shameless seasons 1 through 5, where he was known by a variety of different names and held several different income streams — though most of them were illegal. Fiona and Jimmy's relationship was plagued with tumult, including infidelity from both. However, what happened to Jimmy in Shameless was the result of his own choices, and Fiona herself felt that she "dodged a bullet" by not ending up with him in the end.

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Jimmy's Hypocritical Introduction

Season 1, Episode 1, "Pilot"

The hypocritical way Jimmy was introduced at the beginning of Shameless was the first indicator that he was going to be a problem. Jimmy proves that there really isn't any honor among thieves — while watching Fiona Gallagher dance at a nightclub, he saw her purse get stolen, and he immediately chased after the robber. He was unsuccessful in his attempt to stop the criminal, but Jimmy was made out to be a hero for trying, and his momentary nobility helped him slide into Fiona's life and heart.

Unfortunately, Jimmy wasn't quite the knight in shining armor that he was initially made out to be. He was a professional thief himself, but instead of stealing purses, he made a living stealing cars. Jimmy did seem to truly love Fiona and want to help the Gallagher family, but, at the end of the day, he was just another criminal who threatened to make their already chaotic lives even more complicated.

Fiona Encouraged Jimmy's Criminal Career

Season 1, Episode 1, "Pilot"

Fiona has never been able to maintain a healthy relationship with someone right for her and good for her family, but her reaction to finding out that Steve was a car thief in the pilot episode of Shameless suggested that the Fiona and Jimmy relationship was doomed from the start. One of Fiona's worst character traits on Shameless was her choice in men, as she had other great options besides Jimmy/Steve. Mike Pratt was great with her siblings, had a stable job, and was exceptionally friendly, but she ruined her relationship with Mike by being with his manipulative brother.

Her marriage with Gus was going well right up until she had a brief one-night-stand with Jimmy. She nearly married Sean, even though she knew he was a former addict with a criminal history. Fiona's trend of making bad relationship decisions all started with Jimmy Lishman. She wasn't attracted to him when she thought he was a wealthy businessman, but, as soon as he revealed that he makes a living stealing cars, she suddenly wanted to be with him. When he decided to give that life up to become a doctor, they broke up.

Jimmy Gave Away The House He Bought Fiona

Season 1, Episode 11, "Daddyz Girl"

Steve and Fiona's relationship seemed like it could work out because of his initial generosity toward the Gallagher family. Jimmy wasn't afraid to blow all of his hard-earned car theft money to make Fiona happy. He bought her everything she needed to make life in the Gallagher house easier, and, when that still wasn't enough to satisfy his girlfriend, he spontaneously bought the house next door, so she could finally have a bit of freedom and privacy from her siblings.

It was an incredibly romantic and thoughtful gesture, but the house sadly didn't stay in his and Fiona's possession for very long. In an attempt to keep Tony Markovich from arresting him for grand theft auto in "Daddyz Gurl," Jimmy simply gave the house to his rival for Fiona's heart. Tony already said he wouldn't turn Jimmy in if he just left town, so this was an illogical move that stripped Fiona of a gift he had promised her.

Fiona Couldn't Make Up Her Mind About Jimmy

Season 2, Episode 6, "Can I Have A Mother"

One of the biggest problems with the Steve and Fiona relationship is that both of them had a hard time committing to the relationship. They cheated on their own partners to be with one another, but Fiona and Jimmy found it difficult to fully commit once he returned to Chicago. Most people in healthy relationships never debate if they should be together. While many Shameless viewers thought these two were soulmates, Fiona herself has never been sure about Jimmy.

When Jimmy returned to Chicago after fleeing the city in the first season, Fiona was torn on whether or not she should give him a second chance. She messed around with him in a bathroom while she was on a date with another guy in "Can I Have a Mother," but she immediately regretted it and led him on for weeks. When she was married to Gus, she slept with Jimmy as soon as he came back to town, but they broke up shortly after.

Jimmy Took Lip In Just To Upset Fiona

Season 2, Episode 9, "Hurricane Monica"

Another signal that Steve and Fiona's relationship had turned sour was when he started to use her own family to get to her. When Jimmy came back to Chicago, he immediately tried to get Fiona back. She initially refused to resume their relationship because Jimmy was now married to Estefania, and she still didn't forgive him for leaving her in the first place, so Jimmy had to utilize some sketchy tactics to slide his way back into Fiona's life.

Jimmy tried to help out around the Gallagher house and drive Fiona's siblings around town in the hopes that Fiona would become reliant on him and decide that she needed him. When that didn't work, he let Lip stay at his apartment after Fiona kicked him out for dropping out of high school in "Hurricane Monica," knowing that this would anger Fiona and force her to finally have a conversation with him. Good boyfriends don't have to resort to this level of emotional manipulation.

Even The Writers Struggled To Bring Them Back Together

Season 2, Episode 7, "A Bottle Of Jean Nate"

Jimmy's attempts to get back with Fiona upon returning to Chicago didn't quite work out, signaling that Fiona and Jimmy's relationship was in danger of dying out completely. Therefore, the Shameless writers had to come up with somewhat nonsensical ways to force the former couple to interact, adding to the list of things that make no sense about Shameless. That's when Fiona's friend Jasmine invited both Jimmy and his new wife Estefania to a party she was hosting on a fling's boat in "A Bottle of Jean Nate."

There are countless reasons why this didn't make any sense. Jasmine knew that Jimmy broke Fiona's heart when he first left town, knew that Jimmy was now married, and knew that her best friend didn't want to see him. Jasmine also had a secret crush on Fiona and kissed her at that same party. She explained that she contacted Jimmy about the party to try to get them back together, but, if Jasmine cared about Fiona or wanted to be with her, she shouldn't have invited him.

Fiona Barely Cared About What Jimmy Was Up To

Season 3, Episode 1, "El Gran Cañon"

When Jimmy first revealed to Fiona that he made all of his money stealing cars in the pilot episode of Shameless, she never really expressed any sort of concern that her boyfriend would get caught one day and find himself behind bars. She was too busy worrying about her siblings and problematic father to really worry about Jimmy or keep tabs on what he was up to. If this wasn't an early indicator of problems with the Steve and Fiona romance, her continual habit of looking the other way only got worse as time went on.

When she came across Jimmy burning his own clothes in front of the Gallagher house late one evening, she didn't even think to question why he was doing that. The Fiona and Jimmy relationship could've been tested had she found out he was an unwilling accomplice in disposing of Marco's body. He had just been forced to endure something awful and looked traumatized as he set fire to his clothes, but Fiona was too focused on other things to notice or ask if he was okay.

Jimmy Was Never Honest About Estefania

Season 3, Episode 11, "Order Room Service"

Jimmy's marriage to Estefania was a complete sham and the relationship often resulted in Jimmy's most shameless moments. A criminal had forced Jimmy to marry his daughter so that she could legally live in the US, and he repeatedly threatened to end Jimmy's life if he didn't keep up the charade and make their relationship seem real to government officials. Estafania could technically be seen as the biggest reason the Fiona and Jimmy romance eventually died. He had to flee a second time in "Order Room Service" when Estefania's father revealed she was being deported.

For some reason, Jimmy wasn't open about the reasoning for his marriage to Estefania with Fiona even after they finally started dating again. It might've saved the Steve and Fiona relationship had he been honest about his predicament. However, Fiona had no clue how much danger Jimmy was in from Estefania's father Nando, and his henchmen. So, when he disappeared for the second time after being forced onto Nando's boat, it was a complete shock.

Fiona Only Cares About Her Own Problems

Season 3, Episode 5, "The Sins Of My Caretaker"

Steve and Fiona's relationship in Shameless was in trouble yet again when Jimmy was forced to cope with the news of his father's sexuality, thanks to Lloyd's affair with Ian. Unfortunately, Jimmy spirals over this news, and Fiona does little to placate him even though her younger brother is also involved. As the primary guardian of all of her siblings, Fiona always had a lot on her plate in Shameless, and she didn't have much free time to spend talking to Jimmy or helping him solve his issues the way he constantly consoled and helped her.

Jimmy never really expressed any emotions about this neglect until he found out his father was divorcing his mother and was having an affair with Ian Gallagher. Jimmy desperately wanted to talk to his girlfriend about this surprising revelation, but she was too focused on her own family drama to spend even a few minutes discussing Jimmy's father's issues with him. Jimmy then finally called Fiona out on her selfishness in "The Sins of My Caretaker," and this started a fight that they never truly resolved.

Their Fights Left Deep Scars

Season 3, Episode 5, "The Sins Of My Caretaker"

All couples have their disagreements, but healthy couples don't react to arguments as poorly as Fiona and Jimmy did. When he yelled at Fiona for always only caring about her problems and never reserving any time to talk about his, Jimmy just tried to pretend the fight never happened, and the couple moved on without resolving this glaring issue. When he got especially angry, he chose to get revenge on Fiona by being with another woman.

After Steve and Fiona fought in "The Sins of My Caretaker," he quickly looked to Estefania to be consoled. Jimmy and Estefania were only together on paper, but, whenever he and Fiona had issues, he messed around with his wife to release some of his stress and anger. He always maintained that he solely loved Fiona and expressed some remorse for his infidelity, but, if he truly cared about her, he wouldn't have done that in the first place.

They Didn't Make Plans For Their Future Together

Season 3, Episode 11, "Order Room Service"

While it seemed like Steve and Fiona had plans for their future, these were flimsy goals at best, and neither of them truly displayed decisiveness in their romantic relationship. Before Jimmy was forced to leave Fiona for the second time, he considered putting an end to his life of crime and going back to medical school in Michigan. He asked Fiona if she and the other Gallaghers would like to leave Chicago with him, but Fiona soon found out that he applied for a studio apartment in "Order Room Service."

It was then that Fiona and Jimmy's relationship truly fractured in Shameless, as she realized that he never actually wanted Fiona's siblings to come along and join them in their fresh start. Fiona was happy for Jimmy when he revealed his plans to get his life back in order, but, once she discovered the truth about his desire to take Fiona away from her family, they got into a huge fight. Fiona pointed out that they never made decisions together, and Jimmy was unable to argue against that fact.

Jimmy Hesitated Before Contacting Fiona When He Returned To Chicago

Season 5, Episode 5, "Rite Of Passage"

It initially seemed as though Fiona and Jimmy's relationship was over when he left Shameless in season 3. However, Jimmy made a surprise return in season 5, shaking up the Fiona and Jimmy dynamic once again. The second time Jimmy reappeared in Chicago after months of no contact with Fiona, he decided against immediately approaching her and begging her to take him back. Instead, he asked his mysterious friend Angela to spy on Fiona for him to see whether or not she was happy or entered into a new relationship.

Angela repeatedly appeared at Fiona's restaurant to keep tabs on her until Jimmy finally decided to reveal that he was back in "Rite of Passage." Jimmy never really explained why he waited so long to approach Fiona or why he continued to pursue her after he found out she was married to Gus. If he really cared about her, he would have just stayed out of her life upon discovering that she was finally moving on and in a good place in life.

They Never Sorted Out Their Issues

Season 3, Episode 5, "The Sins Of My Caretaker"

There's no question that Steve and Fiona had issues that were swept to the wayside, and their biggest fight in Shameless was proof enough that the relationship was doomed. Throughout Fiona and Jimmy's on-again-off-again relationship, they expressed a variety of issues with each other that were never properly amended. Fiona was right that Jimmy failed to include her when making big decisions, and Jimmy was right that Fiona only seemed to care about her own problems and couldn't be there for him when he wanted to vent about his father.

Fiona's dismissal of Jimmy's feelings about his father in "The Sins of My Caretaker" wrecked their relationship in a major way. They always seemed to get right back together after major arguments, but none of the problems that were brought up during their major arguments ever got resolved. Good couples are able to forgive and forget their partners' minor indiscretions and failings, but they don't just ignore glaring issues in their relationships the way Fiona and Jimmy always do.

Fiona Sacrificed A Healthy Marriage For Jimmy

Season 5, Episode 7, "Tell Me You F***ing Need Me"

Fiona damaged her amazing relationship with Mike Pratt beyond repair to sneak around with his rebellious and manipulative brother Robbie. It proved Fiona was as bad as Frank at times, but that wasn't the last time she'd sabotage her own love life. Steve and Fiona both cheated on their respective partners with one another. A few years later, Fiona spontaneously married Gus Pfender and the two of them seemed to be very happy together until Fiona decided to be with Jimmy again.

Jimmy had already broken Fiona's heart and abandoned her without warning twice, but, whenever he came back to town, Fiona just couldn't help but jump right back into bed with him. She immediately regretted cheating on Gus and told Jimmy that she wanted to be with her new husband in "Tell Me You F***ing Need Me," but the damage was done, and Fiona found herself alone once again.

Jimmy Constantly Lies To Fiona

Season 1, Episode 1, "Pilot"

The entire Steve and Fiona relationship is based on one key lie: Steve isn't even his real name. Jimmy has lied to Fiona ever since their very first meeting; he introduced himself as Steve and let Fiona believe he was a successful businessman when he was really a car thief. As the relationship progressed, Fiona and Jimmy were consistently tested by his own lies that would often see him fleeing and her left heartbroken and without answers.

Later in the relationship, he hid the truth about his dealings with Estefania's drug lord father from Fiona for reasons unknown. When he returned to Chicago several months later, he had taken on yet another new identity, and his friend Angela knew him as "Jack." Jimmy seems to be a habitual liar, as he also let his family believe he was away at medical school when he was actually back in Chicago stealing cars. There's really no reason to believe he'll ever change.

He Expected Debbie To Lie To Fiona For Him

Season 1, Episode 9, "But At Last Came A Knock"

The first major stumbling block for Steve and Fiona's romance was the revelation that Steve was actually Jimmy. However, Fiona wasn't the one to find this out first. When Debbie Gallagher saw a suggestive text on Steve's phone from another woman, she took it upon herself to investigate and see if her sister's boyfriend had a secret second relationship. Her sleuthing took her to Candace Lishman's home where she found out that Steve was actually Jimmy Lishman, Candace's son.

Candace had no clue that Jimmy had taken up a new identity and was living in Chicago. When Jimmy walked into his childhood home and found Debbie there waiting for him, he immediately begged her not to tell Fiona who he really was. For weeks, he forced Debbie to lie to her own sister and gave her gifts in exchange for her silence. Debbie had done terrible things on Shameless, but Jimmy was the one truly at fault.

They Never Treat Each Other Like Partners

Season 3, Episode 11, "Order Room Service"

It's important for couples to treat each other with respect; partners are supposed to run financial decisions by each other, even when one individual in a relationship makes more money than the other. They're supposed to make plans for the future together, and they're supposed to be there for each other during both the good times and the bad. Fiona and Jimmy may have been a fun couple to watch, but they never treated each other like true partners.

Jimmy always bought whatever he thought Fiona needed without asking her first. He applied for a studio apartment in Michigan before asking Fiona if she'd leave her brothers and sister to be with him in "Order Room Service," causing one of several large fights that fractured Steve and Fiona's relationship. When Jimmy finally needed Fiona to support him emotionally in the way he was always there for her, she failed to do so.

Fiona Was Never Appreciative

Season 1, Episode 1, "Pilot"

Fiona always claimed that she was able to handle taking care of herself and her siblings all on her own, but, deep down, she really enjoyed the way Jimmy constantly pampered and provided for her. She eventually accepted the washing machine he gifted her after their first night together in the pilot episode, she never turned down Jimmy's offers to help out around the house, and she was more than happy to accept the house he gave her.

Yet, for some reason, she never properly thanked Jimmy for his constant generosity. There's no question that there was a power imbalance in Steve and Fiona's relationship, with Steve often physically and financially coming to her aid. Thanking Jimmy would have required Fiona to admit that she could use some help, and Fiona always refuses to rely on anyone other than herself. So, she opted to seem unappreciative whenever Jimmy did something to try to make her happy.

Fiona Only Reached Her Potential Once Jimmy Was Gone

Season 7, Episode 12, "Requiem For A Slut"

The biggest proof that Steve and Fiona's relationship was toxic at its core was the fact that Fiona experienced something of an upward arc after Jimmy left for good. In the later seasons of Shameless, Fiona finally started to get her life together. She made a big gamble buying an old laundromat, but she quickly made a significant profit on that purchase and was able to use the money she made to buy an entire apartment building in "Requiem For a Slut."

After years of struggling to find a good job or way to support her family, Fiona got her life on track all the way up to Emmy Rossum leaving Shameless in season 9. That never would have happened if Fiona and Jimmy were still together because Jimmy's constant pampering kept her from having the drive to hustle to make money. Without Jimmy in her life, Fiona was forced to push herself to her potential. She just seems to be at her best when he's not in the picture.

Jimmy Was Always Indecisive

Season 5, Episode 5, "Rite Of Passage"

Unfortunately, Steve and Fiona's relationship was plagued by indecisiveness, as it hardly ever seemed like Steve knew what he wanted out of life. He resented his parents' dream of him becoming a wealthy and successful doctor, but he asked Fiona to move with him to Michigan, so he could go back to medical school. He loved the chaos of the Gallagher house and enjoyed providing for Fiona and her siblings, but, in a moment of anger, he called her home a slum and implied that he deserved better.

However, no situation was a bigger indication that Jimmy was of two minds than when he returned in Shameless season 5 and didn't initially seek Fiona out. When he returned to Chicago for a second time to win Fiona back in "Rite of Passage," he spied on her for weeks before announcing his arrival.

Outside of knowing that he wants to be with Fiona, Jimmy doesn't know much else about his future or what roads he wants to take in life. Even if he and Fiona were meant to be together, they have a lot of self-exploration to do before they can enter into a healthy, stable relationship.

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  Shameless

  Summary:

  Oscar®-nominated William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum star in this fiercely engaging and fearlessly twisted series. Chicagoan Frank Gallagher is the proud single dad of six smart, industrious, independent kids, who without him would be...perhaps better off. When Frank's not at the bar spending what little money they have, he's passed out on the floor. But the kids have found ways to grow up in spite of him. They may not be like any family you know, but they make no apologies for being exactly who they are.

  Release Date:

  2011-01-09

  Cast:

  William H. Macy, Jeremy Allen White, Justin Chatwin, Ethan Cutkosky, Joan Cusack, Emmy Rossum, Emma Kenney, Cameron Monaghan, Noel Fisher, Steve Howey, Shanola Hampton

  Genres:

  Comedy, Drama

  Seasons:

  11

  Story By:

  paul abbott

  Writers:

  Paul Abbott

  Streaming Service(s):

  Netflix

  Directors:

  John Wells

  Showrunner:

  John Wells