Shameless season 8 finale predictions: Will Ian (and Fiona) get arrested?

Ahead of the Season 8 finale of Shameless, we’re making bold predictions for Fiona’s legal battle and Ian’s fiery battle for LGBTQ+ rights. Here’s what to expect from the final episode.

It’s that time again to say goodbye to Shameless. In one short week, the Season 8 finale will arrive with its unforgettably shocking moments and cliffhangers to usher the Gallaghers out to another hiatus. But fear not! Your favorite family on the South Side will be back for Season 9 later this year (even if we had originally wanted this season to be its last).

After a few seasons of rebuilding, Shameless returned with renewed envelope-pushing provocation and stories that upped the ante. From Fiona’s legal feuds to Ian’s risky crusades, we’re predicting what to expect in the Season 8 finale, and the future isn’t looking bright for a few Gallaghers.

1. Fiona fights the law.

But will the law win? There’s nothing Shameless fans would like to see more than our girl settle this ridiculous lawsuit (with the help of Janice from Friends — yes, that’s Maggie Wheeler playing Fiona’s legal counsel). Now that Fiona’s playing by Gallagher rules, we can expect her to sweep this dust-up under the rug and move forward with Ford. Don’t forget Rusty!

2. Ian visits the slammer.

No one’s denying that Ian’s doing great work as a mouthpiece for oppressed queer youth in the South Side. His profile has been raised so immensely that he’s been assigned with his own security detail. TL;DR, Ian’s a big deal. After ignoring the warnings about getting involved with a 14-year-old runaway’s issues, Ian sends his biggest message yet. And his un-peaceful protest will land him where many Gallaghers before him have: Handcuffed in the back of a cop car.

3. Lip ditches the drama.

Remember in Season 2 of 90210 when Adrianna declared herself “No Drama Adrianna” and put her past of addiction and teen pregnancy behind her? No? Well, that was a niche reference. Anyway, after hearing person after person tell Lip that he’s wrapped up in other people’s drama, it’s not too far-fetched to believe Lip will swear off the chaos and enjoy domestic bliss with Sierra. (Until the next wave of drama rushes in, of course.)

4. Svetlana marries a rich old man.

And by marries, I do mean “cons.” Svetlana grows tiresome of watching her former colleague in sex work achieving their ultimate goal: A wealthy mean pushing 90. Svet’s attempts to match Freelania’s (does that Russian woman’s name look a lot like “Free Melania” to you? Hmmmm…) so-called success fail, she decides to whack her frenemy and steal her husband-to-be. He can’t tell the difference between them anyway.

5. Frank cons a rich man in the traditional sense.

We would all be fools to think that Liam could simply revel in the perks of having rich friends who want to take him yachting in the Caribbean. No, Frank must turn everything into a money-making scheme. Unfortunately, Frank can’t retire — on his social security card or any of the ones he’s stolen — and sees an in to steal thousand-dollar knickknacks from Liam’s friend’s family. It’s bon voyage to Liam, and breaking and entering for Frank.

Next: Shameless deconstructs faith-based homophobia with piercing precision

Odds & Ends:

• Debbie’s toes. Debbie’s TOES. Well, I got the hard-to-watch return to form I ordered way back at the beginning of the season, and I nearly passed out like Liam.
• Carl and Kassidi (thanks to closed captioning for revealing the true spelling of her name) are obnoxious, but it’s the kind of obnoxious that Shameless does well. Follow?
• Poll: Who’s stories have you enjoyed most this season? I’m voting for Fiona and Ian’s, but the way Kev and V’s has evolved has been especially surprising.

What do you hope to see in the season finale? Let us know in the comments!

The season finale of Shameless airs Sunday, Jan. 28 at 9/8c on Showtime.