The series depicts the dysfunctional family of Frank Gallagher, a single father of six children. While he spends his days drunk, his kids learn to take care of themselves. The show's producers sought to distinguish it from previous American working-class shows by highlighting how Frank's alcoholism affects his family. [5] Paul Abbott , creator of the original, said, "It's not My Name Is Earl or Roseanne . It's got a much graver level of poverty attached to it. It's not blue collar ; it's no collar." [5] When John Wells, the showrunner, began pitching the show, he had to fight efforts to place the show in the South or in a trailer park . He explained, "We have a comedic tradition of making fun of the people in those worlds. The reality is that these people aren't 'the other' – they're people who live four blocks down from you and two blocks over". [5]

Love this show...carl d most