This show and bad language have always been firm friends. But there are so many F-words in the season's special two-part opener it's as though Gordon Ramsay wrote the script.

The Chatsworth Estate residents have good reason to be all sweary - half find themselves evicted from their homes.

It's part of Operation New Start, a multi-agency crackdown on benefit cheats and other bad eggs.

Considering most of Frank's neighbours don't know the meaning of an honest day's work, or what taxes actually are, they will be busy people.

Especially as the newly homeless refuse to go down without a fight.

With many seeking shelter at The Jockey, they unite and declare war on New Start and its front woman, Carmen Kenaway, played by the brilliant Morwenna Banks. The Chatsworth war continues tomorrow.

As Shameless returns for its ninth series, scrofulous Frank Gallagher is having an eye test. To his horror, he needs glasses: "I'm not of the four-eyed persuasion!"

Frank's woes are compounded by an early morning anti-benefit-fraud swoop on the Chatsworth estate, which could lead to its eventual demise. This will gladden the hearts of anyone who thinks Shameless and its grubby, thieving, foul-mouthed denizens celebrate Everything That Is Wrong With Britain Today.

This, for those who have given up counting, is the ninth series of Shameless. The long-running "dramedy" trundles relentlessly on, seeking out new ways in which to humiliate poor old Frank Gallagher. This week the Chatsworth Dionysus is evicted from the estate, along with the rest of its inhabitants, as the result of new council initiative Operation Fresh Start. As Frank sleeps rough most nights, this isn't much of a problem; he's more concerned about getting laughed at for his new nerdy glasses.

Shameless: Angeline Ball interview

Episode two sees a new face sat at the bar next to Frank - Chatsworth hairdresser and beautician Gloria, played by former The Commitments and EastEnders actress Angeline Ball...

Times certainly are a-changing on the Chatsworth estate as Shameless embarks on a ninth season. Committed derelict Frank Gallagher's (David Threlfall) reaction to being told he must wear spectacles borders on the Nietzschean: "If I am weak, I will not survive." It's a response echoed in the activity that suddenly takes hold of the estate when the closest thing to Armageddon (a coordinated government crackdown on benefit fraud) threatens everyone with eviction and worse... the prospect of having to fend for themselves. Continues Tuesday.

A Shameless priest joins hit Channel 4 TV show

EastEnders star Stephen Lord will play randy vicar.

Frank Gallagher's homeless New Year

It's going to be a homeless and Shameless New Year for Frank Gallagher and the residents of the Chatsworth estate...

Shameless is often derided as a base exercise in excess, but it can deliver great character-led drama with a sharp eye for skewering pompous moralising. Sadly it hasn't been at its best for a long time, and this listless episode proves to be a whimpering end to the current run rather than the expected bang.

There are a couple of promising storylines - the swaggering Carl Gallagher wrestles with his conscience and Kelly struggles over her feelings for Shane. But they have precious little room to breathe among the limp drama of Billy (a dead ringer for a young Gazza) and Mimi's impending nuptials - an event that at least includes the unlikely spectacle of the Chatsworth residents breaking into a synchronised dancing routine.

This is Shameless's 100th episode, a statistic that, for many, will serve merely as a reminder of the series' descent towards mediocrity. This feature-length episode at least manages an ersatz impression of the show's glory days, however. Frank is arrested for the assault of an elderly Jockey employee, but can't remember anything about the incident. Carl, failing to find any allies on the estate, calls on series favourite Kev to save his dad. The writing's sharper than it has been in years, and the returning Dean Lennox Kelly puts in a characteristically excellent perform-ance as Kev.

The comedy drama celebrates its 100th episode tonight. It's become standard to say Chatsworth Estate isn't the place it used to be. Its survival however is down to outlandish but inventive storylines and crackpot characters that compel. Creator Paul Abbott pens this birthday outing. Elderly barmaid Cynthia (Beatrice Kelley) strikes gold on a scratch card and is promptly assaulted. Evidence points to Frank (David Threlfall) who looks set for a spell inside. Things look up when Kev (Dean Lennox Kelly) returns to take charge.