'Shameless' Season 10 Release Date, Spoilers: Ian-Mickey Love Story Could be Explored in Fiona-Less Installment

“Shameless” season 10 marks the decade-long run of the popular Showtime series but, in a way, it also seems like a fresh start without Fiona (Emmy Rossum) in it. On the plus side, both Ian (Cameron Monaghan) and Mickey (Noel Fisher) are definitely back that opens many opportunities for upcoming storylines.

The dynamic of the dysfunctional Gallagher clan is expected to change with Fiona being gone in “Shameless” season 10. But what is quite clear now is fans are going to see more of Ian and Mickey as Fisher was also confirmed to return as a series regular. The question now is how they can be together when Ian has a much shorter jail sentence than Mickey?

When showrunner John Wells was interviewed by Entertainment Weekly following the season 9 finale, they understandably have not planned yet how these lovebirds are going to have their moments in “Shameless” season 10. “Yeah, [Mickey’s] got a little more time,” Wells confirmed before coming up with a witty suggestion. “I don’t know, conjugal visits?”

It can be recalled that Mickey was sentenced by up to 15 years in prison while Ian only needs to serve a couple of years. Fiona’s last scene with his brother was still in prison so there could be a time skip in “Shameless” season 10 to highlight how Ian and Mickey would make it through another “long distance” setup.

To make their relationship one of the central plot points in “Shameless” season 10, it is possible to have this duo establish some kind of operation that would require help from the other Gallagher siblings. Screen Rant suggests that, given Mickey’s talents, Ian could recruit Debbie (Emma Kenney) and Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) for a “business” to smuggle “goods” in and out of prison.

Showtime has yet to announce the release date for “Shameless” season 10. But the show is expected to return later this year, possibly sometime in fall.