Queerview television guide for July 12

Big Brother (CBS) 8:00 PM EDT
So far, the broadcast edition has only hinted at Nick's flirtations with Joe, something that has captivated live feed and Big Brother After Dark viewers. It'll be interesting to see if that finally comes up, even if it means a cringe-inducing summary of to the story by Julie Chen.

Shameless (Sundance Channel) 11:00 PM EDT
When I first recommended this Brit import last week, I wasn't sure what to expect out of this show (except for grittiness and full-frontal nudity), especially when it came to gay son, Ian. I expected Ian would sit on the sidelines, his homosexuality just being a bit flavor that makes him different from the rest of his dysfunctional family.

That's not the case, as being gay is just a part of who Ian is and he's got a ton of dysfunctions totally unrelated to being gay. Ian's having an affair with Kash, a married Muslim man who owns the convenience store where Ian works. So far, Ian's relationship with his boss has turned out to be just as funny and dysfunctional as the rest of the Gallagher family's stories. Shameless is a series that defies easy explanation, but it's a memorable, enjoyable show.