William H. Macy

The Emmy-winning actor, 68, returns as Frank Gallagher in Showtime’s dysfunctional-family dramedy

Shameless (Jan. 20). The second half of the ninth season continues the satirical struggles of the economically challenged, marvelously messy—and messed up— Chicago-based Gallagher family.

Who and where is Frank after nine seasons?

I take great pride in being the worst father on television. At the end of the day, Frank is an optimist. He’s a serendipitous-ist and an optimist. He thinks things are going to get better. He’s got a wicked sense of humor. He sees the irony in life. He’s an instant party wherever he goes. He’s smart, he’s knowledgeable and he’s a rascal.

How would you describe the show?

At its core, it’s about family values, but their values are consistent with people who are a paycheck or two away from homelessness: You don’t rat out your friends, you don’t talk to the cops, you get each other’s back. If you pick on one Gallagher, you’ve picked on all the Gallaghers.

You’ve been in several projects with Felicity Huffman, your wife of some 20 years. What’s that like?

We know each other well. We have so much history together and we speak the same lan(in guage so fluently. We can cut to the chase very quickly.

What is the best part of life for you at this time?

I don’t know. I’m a little suspicious of it. Both Felicity and I, every once in a while, say, “Good God, are we the luckiest people in the world?” I’m working towards some version of retirement. We have a place in Colorado. I’d like to live outside of L.A. a little bit. I think I want to slow down, and thanks to Shameless, I can.