Sizzle & Scandal: Unraveling the Bizarre Complexity of Kevin & Veronica's Relationship

Shameless, the popular comedy-drama series by Showtime, primarily revolves around the dysfunctional Gallagher family, but some fans find the coupling of Kevin and Veronica to be the most entertaining and enjoyable aspect of the show. While the Gallaghers often struggle with love and maintaining stable relationships, Kev and V have managed to stay committed to each other through thick and thin, earning them the reputation of being a nearly perfect couple.

Despite Kevin being one of the kindest characters in the series and Veronica loving him wholeheartedly, their relationship is not without its flaws. They have an adventurous sex life, and although their union may not have started conventionally, they emerge as the most dependable and dedicated couple in Shameless. However, their problems may not be as overt as those faced by Fiona, Frank, Ian, or Lip, leading some viewers to overlook the cracks in their seemingly pristine relationship. Nevertheless, issues do exist, even if they may remain below the surface.

18 Kevin Didn't Mean To Propose

In the episode "Casey Casden," Kevin found himself in an uncomfortable situation when a persistent woman at the Alibi wouldn't stop flirting with him. In an attempt to deter her advances, he resorted to claiming that he was engaged. Little did he know, Frank overheard his words and took them seriously, resulting in him excitedly announcing the "happy news" to everyone present at the bar, including Veronica's mother Carol.

Surprisingly, Veronica was thrilled by the idea of Kevin proposing. Feeling conflicted, Kevin turned to alcohol and contemplated how to escape this predicament. However, he realized that Veronica genuinely cared for him, prompting him to make an unconventional decision. Instead of clarifying the misunderstanding, he chose to go ahead and propose to Veronica. Unfortunately, it wasn't the heartfelt and romantic proposal that Veronica deserved, and it certainly didn't set a great foundation for the Kevin and Veronica Shameless marriage.

17 Kevin Was Secretly Married

At the Gallagher's engagement party for Kevin and Veronica, Fiona noticed Kevin's lack of enthusiasm and observed his discomfort. Concerned, she questioned him about it, only to discover that Kevin was already married in secret, which complicated their engagement. The exact duration of Kevin and Veronica's relationship prior to the show's commencement was not disclosed to viewers, but given their close bond, it appeared to be a substantial amount of time. It is truly unfortunate that Kevin deceived Veronica for such a prolonged period regarding his marital status and failed to disclose the truth before proposing to her.

16 Veronica Failed To Notice That Kevin Couldn't Read

Viewers eventually discovered that Kevin had been dishonest with Veronica throughout their relationship, keeping a secret about his marriage. However, apart from that revelation, it was assumed that the couple knew everything about each other. The bond between Kevin and Veronica in Shameless appeared incredibly strong and transparent, with them seemingly spending the majority of their time together.

However, in season 2, Veronica started questioning Kevin about his frequent mysterious absences and discovered that he had secretly been attending reading classes for several weeks. Despite spending every day with him, she had failed to notice that Kevin couldn't even read. Strangely, Kevin was afraid to confess the truth to Veronica and she didn't give him enough attention to recognize it on her own.

15 Veronica Encouraged Kevin To Sleep With Her Mother

During Shameless season 4, Kev and V dedicated a significant amount of time to their pursuit of starting a family. Despite numerous unsuccessful attempts, they sought medical advice to uncover the underlying reasons for their struggle. Unfortunately, the couple discovered that Veronica's Pelvic Inflammatory Disease severely diminished her chances of conception, leaving them searching for alternative options to have a child who shares their DNA.

To address their predicament, Veronica proposed a rather uncomfortable solution: Kevin impregnating her own mother, Carol. This unconventional storyline, typical of Shameless, highlighted the complexities surrounding their desire for a child. While alternative methods to conceive exist, Veronica's suggestion of Kevin impregnating her mother only served to blur the lines, as the resulting child would be both her sibling and Kevin's offspring.

14 They Let Carol Take Kevin's Son

After Carol's announcement of her pregnancy with Kevin's child, a remarkable occurrence took place - Veronica defied the odds and became pregnant herself. To their astonishment, they discovered they were expecting twins, as one of the babies had absorbed the third in the womb. This revelation overwhelmed Veronica as she started worrying about how to manage the responsibility of raising multiple children simultaneously.

However, when Carol gave birth to Dominic Fisher-Ball, she made a decision to retain custody and not hand him over to Veronica. Although Kevin had always yearned for a large family and was elated to have a son, Veronica persuaded him to let Carol take Dominic away. Sadly, no compromise was reached, leaving Kevin without the son he had desperately longed for. While this decision might have made sense financially, it likely caused Kevin significant internal anguish.

13 Kevin's Illegal Side Jobs

Despite initially resisting their father's influence, the Gallagher children have all embraced Frank's street smarts and are now willing to bend the law or exploit others to achieve their goals. However, it appears that mischievous behavior is not limited to the Gallagher family, as Kevin also consistently engages in illegal activities to get ahead.

Although Kevin holds a stable job at the Alibi, he frequently takes on additional part-time work that puts him at risk of imprisonment. From selling illicit substances out of an ice cream truck to allowing Mickey to rent his wife and her friends at the Alibi, Kevin has been involved in various questionable ventures. Although Kevin's intentions may be noble, each of these side jobs has the potential to separate him from his loved ones for an extended period of time.

12 They Broke Up After Starting A Family

Despite Kevin and Veronica's years of longing to start a family, their realization upon the birth of their twins was that they may not have been adequately prepared for parenthood. Kevin's constant concerns about being a negative influence on their children, coupled with his obsessive pursuit of perfection in fatherhood, unintentionally resulted in him neglecting Veronica and her needs.

Desperate for Kevin's attention, Veronica repeatedly pleaded with him, only to be consistently disappointed. Eventually, she made the difficult decision to temporarily end their relationship - their first significant disagreement as a couple. Instead of attempting to resolve their issues as new parents, Veronica opted to take a break from her family and move forward independently.

11 Kevin Was Quick To Replace His Family

Despite being the one to initiate the break, Veronica found herself unable to be with anyone other than Kevin. She had suggested the idea of seeing other people, but when given the opportunity, she realized that she only wanted to be with the father of her children.

Kevin, on the other hand, had an easier time moving on temporarily from his supposed soulmate. He struggled to be intimate with Veronica for weeks because his thoughts were consumed by their twins. However, when Veronica broke up with him, Kevin quickly embraced the single lifestyle and ended up with numerous college classmates of Lip's. Veronica forgave him too easily, which demonstrated her love for him, but his actions suggested that he may have considered her replaceable.

10 Veronica Married Svetlana

When problems arose in the once stable relationship of Kevin and Veronica, Svetlana, the master manipulator, saw an opportunity to exploit their emotional vulnerability. During their separation, Svetlana managed to become involved with both Kevin and Veronica. Veronica, desperate for attention, began to develop complicated but genuine feelings for Svetlana.

As Svetlana faced potential deportation, Veronica, desperate to keep her around, made the unconventional decision to marry her. This decision was undoubtedly strange, yet Kevin's willingness to let it happen was equally surprising. While it was a well-intentioned act, marrying someone to prevent their deportation is illegal and added to the list of things that Kevin and Veronica did that could have caused serious trouble for them.

9 They Helped Throw Frank Off A Bridge

Shameless is abundant with characters unafraid to engage in physical altercations. While the majority of the Gallaghers have found themselves in fights over the years, Kevin and Veronica, known more for their love rather than their aggression, tend to opt for resolving their issues without resorting to violence. That is why it came as a tremendous surprise when they, along with the Gallagher kids and their friends, collectively decided to toss Frank off a bridge into the frigid waters of the Chicago river.

Frank, driven by animosity towards Fiona's would-be husband Sean, deliberately sabotaged Fiona's wedding day. In response, Fiona's loved ones packed Frank into a trunk and collaborated to unceremoniously dispose of him off the bridge. Typically, the couple of Kevin and Veronica in Shameless act as the voice of reason, yet their involvement in this absurdity demonstrates that they too have a dark side of their own.

8 They Were Both Outsmarted By Svetlana

Kevin and Veronica's lack of responsibility nearly ruined their future as a couple. They failed to read important legal paperwork, which allowed Svetlana to deceive them into signing adoption papers. Consequently, Svetlana legally became a third parent to Kev and V's twins, and they unknowingly relinquished ownership of the Alibi. While Kevin's dim-wittedness and Veronica's trusting nature are usually endearing, their easy gullibility becomes a serious issue in this situation. Only Fiona recognized that Svetlana was a fraud and attempted to warn Kevin and Veronica. Unfortunately, their blindness caused by love prevented them from seeing the betrayal, betraying their usual sensible judgment.

7 Veronica Doesn't Care As Much About The Alibi

Kevin took it upon himself to improve the Alibi Room's reputation as an unsafe place for women. He educated his regular patrons on appropriate behavior, removed inappropriate signs, and made numerous changes to create a more welcoming environment. Meanwhile, Veronica showed little interest in assisting Kevin and even subtly mocked his invitation to speak at a "Women's Equality and Empowerment March." It is disconcerting that Kevin displayed more concern for the safety and well-being of female patrons than Veronica did. This storyline lacked coherence and felt out of sync with the rest of the narrative.

6 They Tried To Sneak Two Kids Into School For The Price Of One

Kevin and Veronica were taken aback when they realized the exorbitant cost of providing a quality education for their twins, Amy and Jemma, as they reached the age to enroll in preschool. After being disappointed by the high tuition fees at several schools, they reluctantly concluded that they could only afford to send one daughter to preschool.

In an attempt to deceive the school and enroll both girls without paying for an additional spot, the couple dressed Amy and Jemma identically and instructed them never to be seen together. Each day, one of the daughters would hide in a closet to aid in their parents' deceptive plan. Kevin and Veronica were fortunate that their scheme was not discovered when a fire alarm ultimately foiled their intentions. Not only was their behavior illegal, but it was also irresponsible, as they were teaching their own children to circumvent the system.

5 Kev & Veronica Disagreed Badly Over Expanding The Family

From the beginning of Shameless, it has been evident that Kevin Ball has always desired a large family. He persuaded Veronica to foster two different children together, he was overjoyed upon learning she was expecting twins despite their financial unpreparedness, and he was heartbroken when Carol chose to keep their son. Unfortunately, Veronica does not share the same desire for a household filled with baby Balls.

During season 9, Kevin pleaded with Veronica to have another child, to which she reluctantly agreed, giving him hope. However, a few days later, she changed her mind and compelled Kevin to undergo a vasectomy, indicating their differing stances on expanding their family. This disagreement on such a substantial matter could have potentially ruptured their relationship, especially considering that the issue of the vasectomy was never completely resolved as Kevin never truly consented to the procedure.

4 They Don't Communicate About Their Finances

Kevin and Veronica's ability to get along well is occasionally surprising, given that they have often neglected to involve each other in important decision-making processes as a long-term couple. This issue became evident during their brief separation and Veronica's subsequent marriage to Svetlana, highlighting their difficulty in discussing significant emotional matters. However, the more troubling aspect lies in their failure to communicate about their financial concerns.

Without consulting Veronica, Kevin took sole ownership of the Alibi, despite the fact that he unquestionably required her assistance in managing it. He consistently makes purchases for the business without seeking V's input, while Veronica once spent a considerable amount of money on steaks for an Alibi surf n' turf night without first discussing it with Kevin. It is truly astonishing that Kevin and Veronica have managed to maintain any financial stability given this lack of communication.

3 They Were Bad Foster Parents

Despite appearing to be fun and competent parents to their twin daughters, Kevin and Veronica struggled to successfully raise their two foster children. Kevin's desire to have children motivated them to take in Ethel, a teenage mother who had recently escaped from a marriage to a much older man. Although Kevin genuinely cared for her, despite her unusual behavior and maturity level, he and Veronica failed to prevent her from running away with a teenage father she had just met, reminiscent of a discarded storyline from the TV show Shameless.

Years later, the couple attempted to foster young immigrant Santiago, but this endeavor also proved unsuccessful. Santiago had limited English skills, only knowing the words to the National Anthem. Kevin's admiration for him was primarily based on Santiago's beautiful voice and pitching ability. While Kevin desired a large family, he lacked the necessary skills to successfully raise one, causing him to resemble Frank more than he would like to admit.

2 They Stopped Being There For Fiona

Throughout the early seasons of Shameless, Kevin and Veronica were always there for Fiona, offering support and a shoulder to lean on. They saw firsthand how awful of a parent Frank was and witnessed Fiona's struggle to raise a house full of children on her own. In an effort to help Fiona, they did everything they could whenever she needed them.

However, things took a turn when Veronica became infatuated with Svetlana. She began to distance herself from Fiona, and their friendship never fully recovered. This happened because Fiona tried to warn Veronica about Svetlana being a con artist, but Veronica refused to believe it. From then on, Fiona and Veronica had minimal interactions, and the absence of her best friend's support was a significant factor in Fiona's decline during the eighth and ninth seasons of Shameless. Additionally, Kevin and Veronica suffered the consequences of their lack of trust in Fiona, losing their business as a result.

1 Kevin And V Enable Frank

As the Gallagher family's neighbors, Kev and V have witnessed the detrimental impact of Frank's drinking on his children. Despite this knowledge, they have chosen not to intervene. They frequently allow Frank to accumulate a tab for his drinks at the Alibi, fully aware that he will never settle it, and they serve him excessively.

It is within their rights to refuse service to a customer, and had Kev and V turned Frank away, he might have been motivated to change his behavior and become a more responsible father and individual. There is also the possibility that Frank would have found another establishment to continue his drinking, as they are not responsible for his choices. However, despite observing the negative consequences for his family, Kev and V did nothing to assist Frank. When exploring their actions more deeply, Shameless' "perfect couple" were far from perfect.