"Shameless" offers satisfying family drama

I've never seen the British series that's the basis of the new Showtime drama "Shameless," premiering Sunday at 10 p.m. So, when I viewed the three preview episodes sent to press, I went into it with no preconceptions; no idea whether this was a re-invention or a carbon copy; no clue about whether it had the potential to be better or worse than the original.
All I can tell you is, based on its own merits, Showtime's "Shameless" is an entertaining, well-acted and wholly satisfying drama, featuring breakout performances by some amazing actors.