What I’m Watching: Rescue Me (Series Finale)

Rescue Me: Season 7, Episode 9 “Ashes” (B+)

As Franco says, all good things (must come to an end). Seven years and ninety-three episodes is nothing to scoff at, and this show has certainly evolved plenty over that time. Just looking at it in turns of Tommy’s children, it’s fitting that Janet gives birth to her fifth baby in the final episode, aided by a surprisingly put-together Tommy, moments before he goes ahead and faints. Most of the finale was somewhat more serious, as the fake-out beginning with Lou eulogizing his five fallen comrades turned out just to be Tommy’s dream, and the lieutenant was revealed to have been the lone casualty of last week’s chaotic fire. His death, while tragic, isn’t as devastating as this show has sometimes been known to me, and it paves the way for each of the remaining firehouse members to give their own reasons for leaving. There was no better biting summary of each of the boys’ characters than in Lou’s postmortem letter read by Tommy at his funeral, and that helped to add a bit of levity to a sad situation, as did Mike’s rather dumb opening of the box of ashes just as Franco and Black Shawn rolled down their windows to spit out their gum. Tommy retiring went predictably less than smoothly, with Sheila doubting him and telling him he needs two things – sex and fire – to survive, and Tommy failing miserably to respect the rules of the playground, hilariously getting the other parents mad at him for using untoward words. His final speech to the recruits was a great way of incorporating September 11th without having it dominate the episode. That final appearance of Lou as a new ghost was perfectly haunting, and an excellent way to end the series. This was a great show with a stellar first two seasons that faltered somewhere in the middle, briefly found its groove at the start of season five, and then came back with a very good final season just now. It’s definitely one of the more memorable shows on television, and I’m not sure they’ll ever again be anything quite like it.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Denis Leary
Series grade: B+
Series MVP: Denis Leary
Best season: Season 1
Best episode: TBD (I may yet do a retrospective)

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 7, Episode 8 “Vows” (B+)

It’s crazy to believe that we only have one episode left in the entire history of this series, as we’re fast approaching the tenth anniversary of September 11th. Only on this show could a wedding be filled with such unfiltered horrible remarks, with Sean, Mike, and everyone else making Mexican jokes and Tommy telling Black Shawn’s parents that he thought his grandchildren might come out purple. The wedding ceremony itself actually went off pretty well, and it was only when Sheila starting giving her champagne-inspired toast that things really took a nosedive. I was highly entertained by the vows Tommy had to agreed to during the vow renewal ceremony, and I like that Katie encouraged him to quit active duty by telling him she’s going to start drinking and become a prostitute. The many raised hands at the question of any objections were funny, and I’m glad that Mickey chose to skip right over that part. It was fun to see the Gavin family back together again, with Teddy, Maggie, and Mickey all present for the family meeting in which they planned to get drunk solely on champagne. It’s sweet that Sean proposed to his girlfriend despite Mike’s ridiculous advice, and I’m hopeful that it works out, even if we won’t have the chance to see that wedding. The entire to the episode was intense, and I have to imagine that at least some of them don’t survive this. I can’t believe that Tommy is going to walk away fine from everything and really retire to desk duty, but dying also seems like too much of an easy way out. Either way, I’ll be watching the eighty-minute finale next week, and I’m sure it’s going to be a doozy.

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 7, Episode 7 “Jeter” (B+)

Things are definitely getting turned on their heads in more ways than one in this episode. Lou walks into the firehouse at the start and thinks he must be in the wrong house since there are so many changes afoot thanks to Franco’s efforts as acting lieutenant. This show wouldn’t be nearly as interesting if everyone behaved as they should, so it’s a strange change of pace to see most of the firefighters, save for Tommy and Lou, of course, on their game for once. Seeing all that taken away in the blink of an eye when Franco made the wrong call on the job was quite powerful. This episode was all about Tommy’s post-mortem thoughts, and I’ll admit that I was close to tearing up while both Lou and Sheila read their letters. Lou’s usage of the vodka, or rather the lighter fluid to get the eternal flame effect, set on fire was extraordinarily effective with Sheila, and I loved how it really went up in flames, pun intended, when he tried it again with Janet. Her strong desire for Tommy to quit has unfortunately come so much closer to reality, as, thanks to Lou’s pratfall, everyone now thinks that he’s planning to retire. While Tommy is sure not to give up without a fight, the attention will now be turned to Colleen’s wedding. I’m hopeful that Tommy is going to get his act together and be able to walk his daughter down the aisle, but something tells me that it would be far too happy an ending for this show.

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 7, Episode 6 “344” (B+)

Chief Feinberg gets a rare opportunity to shine with a long, rambling speech about those people he’ll never forget, and that sets the tone for an episode filled with plenty of big speeches, some from living characters and others from those who have never once been alive in the timeline of the show. Tommy discovering Jimmy’s letter, read in his own voice, was particularly affecting, especially since we haven’t seen him in a while, and Sheila interrupting him and expressing her fury over Tommy invading her privacy was a whopper of a scene. I like that Sheila is giving Colleen a wedding since she has now accepted that she won’t be able to give Damien one, and it’s amusing that Colleen’s concern is that it feels so un-Gavin, so polished and classy. Tommy’s letter to Lou was a bit sillier since Tommy knew he would read it immediately, and things just exploded after that. Franco’s clearly going to have a hard time filling Lou’s shoes (insert donut-related joke about Lou’s weight here, as the characters certainly would), and I’m eager to see how that plays out. Lou’s fake report card from his cooking classes was quite hilarious. Sean telling everyone about his girlfriend earned him predictable mockery, but he seems to have found a great solution by donning a gas mask after they have sex. The final scene with Tommy about to have a drink at the World Trade Center site was intense, with him flashing back to September 11th and Jimmy before giving a homeless man the whole bottle of vodka and driving off. We’re getting close to the end here, and I’m very intrigued to see how all the chips are going to fall.

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 7, Episode 5 “Head” (B+)

Leave it to Tommy to pull everything together and manage to save the day, though Sheila deserves considerable credit for her impressive performance. I enjoyed seeing the guys discuss the various reasons that they might come under scrutiny, concluding with Mike’s rather off-the-cuff reveal of his misdeed at headquarters, providing this episode’s rather unsubtle title. It’s no surprise that Franco doesn’t want to be a part of helping, and he’s really managing to burn his bridges. Going to his sworn nemesis took guts for Tommy, and while he was ultimately helped to honor Johnny’s memory, it’s good that he managed to get some aid when it was most needed. Things looked bad for Tommy when he was told that the wedding venue had cancelled and Colleen started throwing stuff at him, but he managed to turn the situation around in a major way. His speech was strong, some word trouble aside, and he sealed it nicely with a passionate kiss for Janet and his allusion to his big evil plan. Sheila was absolutely the right person to execute it, and I loved her delivery of “Sit down, big mouth” to the reporter, as well as her performance in the presence of the NYFD honchos. Her notion that she was doing it for the Gavins rings true for this show and its centric family. On an unrelated note, I’m glad that Sean has decided that giving his relationship a shot is worth an embarrassing and often unbearable portion of their sex life.

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 7, Episode 4 “Brownies” (B+)

It’s no surprise that Tommy’s interview was going to get him into trouble. The entire time that he was ranting and raving was rather powerful, and it was quite a formidable rant. What was considerably less expected was the positive reaction from Sheila and the Gavin women, who for once seemed to unilaterally support Tommy speaking up and taking a stand for his beliefs and attitudes. Franco, on the other hand, was very upset, and for him to bring up his anger immediately after Tommy saves his life means that he’s not just going to let this go. Asking Feinberg for help getting a promotion to lieutenant probably won’t serve him well either due to the chief’s deteriorating condition. Tommy’s visit to Kelly’s home proved to be rather volatile as well, as she expressed her rage about not being able to be the perfect cancer patient and having no direction now that she’s no longer sick. She managed to one-up Denis Leary in terms of furious fuming, and tremendous credit is due to Maura Tierney. She wasn’t too nice to him at the end either, asking him if he thinks his kisses work some kind of magic on women and then telling him that she doesn’t want to be him, with his god and ghosts. The supporting plotlines were decently entertaining, particularly Teddy’s quick decision to atone for a previous Irish wedding by paying for Black Shawn’s deposit and Sean having trouble discerning just what it was about his new girlfriend’s place that smelled so unbearably bad.

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 7, Episode 3 “Press” (B+)

Without the zaniness of Tommy’s “two wives” to bring the crazy in this episode, there’s still plenty of chaos in Tommy’s life and in the lives of his fellow firefighters. Kelly seems to have developed a dependency on Tommy not unlike the same kind of attachment that many other women have to him, though she’s decidedly different than many of them, mostly due to her unconventional outlook on life. Their conversations are among the most powerful moments in this episode, and there aren’t many people that can make Tommy speechless. Mike’s talent for wedding-related things comes as a bit of a surprise, but it’s a good way to incorporate a character that aren’t had all that much to do for a while now back into the storyline. Feinberg’s condition seems to be deteriorating, and I imagine that will play prominently into the remaining six episodes of this show. Lou’s not doing too well either, and no one seems to have a problem saying it. There’s no doubt that Tommy’s plan was the most effective, asking him to be a godfather to his unborn child to make sure he has a reason to stick around. What really hit home in this episode was seeing Tommy’s face when the interviewer was saying that Jimmy became a hero on September 11th. If this show has done one thing right, it’s getting its audience to understand just how these firefighters, especially Tommy, feel about the weight given to that day and how people abuse it. That final line, “There are no happy endings,” was haunting.

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 7, Episode 2 “Menses” (B+)

If there’s one thing Tommy Gavin is not prepared to go up against, it’s four female family members all on the same cycle with a feeling that they’ve been wronged by him. Telling Colleen to put her weight in perspective compared with her pregnant mother was an enormous mistake, and it didn’t take long for him to make all four women cry with that remark. I’m happy to see Maura Tierney return as Kelly, though I’m worried that her presence is going to cause trouble for a newly domicile-oriented Tommy. The television tribute to Jimmy is going to make for an intriguing season arc, and I liked Kelly’s ideas about her legacy as well. Everyone posing as Lou to help him pass the physical was a caper that only this show could get away with, and Sean’s uncontrollable urination and Mike’s horrific psychiatric evaluation were among the most amusing parts. Needles hearing Franco and Lou in the bathroom and getting the wrong idea was something that on another show could be interpreted as too much, but on this show works just fine since no bigger deal should be made of it. Feinberg’s declining mental state hasn’t been explored all that much, but it’s likely that will be a background theme in this season. I was very impressed with Black Shawn asking permission from Tommy to marry Colleen and then deciding to say yes explicitly because he said no. Planning and executing that wedding is going to be one wild rollercoaster of a ride.

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me (Season Premiere)

Rescue Me: Season 7, Episode 1 “Mutha” (B+)

Well, there’s nothing like this show. The kind of things that happen here and the dialogue that is uttered is completely unique to the brain of Denis Leary, Peter Tolan, and the other creative people involved in this show. It wouldn’t be right if Tommy wasn’t doing something crazy like jumping on a car hood within the first few minutes. After an understandable and smart five-month jump, it’s shocking but fun to see Sheila and Janet getting along like old friends, laughing at Tommy’s girly legs and sharing sexual secrets with each other. Janet can really make her points well, telling Sheila that she doesn’t want to have sex with a walking hard-on with a fire helmet, which prompts Tommy to share a bit too much information about his refill of hand lotion. Black Shawn wanting to marry Colleen and going to Franco for advice was hilarious, and he nearly screwed himself up by seeming too startled by her affirmative response. Teddy and Mickey owning the bar and hosting an AA group there seems just as far-fetched as cyclical as anything on this show, and it stands to reason that Colleen is actually drinking all the drinks behind closed doors. Tommy taking a drink wasn’t a surprise either, and I got a chill from seeing his father pop up, followed by Johnny and Jimmy. In an unexpected positive development, Tommy managed to defiantly spit it out as Colleen lay on the floor in front of him and grab the shotgun to get everyone out of the bar and tell them the party’s over, which is sure to have implications throughout the coming episodes.

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me (Season Finale)

Rescue Me: Season 6, Episode 10 “A.D.D.” (B)

The opening of this episode did almost exactly the same thing the season three premiere did: conveyed an entirely different sense of what was going on related to Sheila and Tommy. In that case, things were hardly as dire, since Sheila wasn’t actually dead and she and Tommy were just trying to avoid getting arrested on fraud charges. Damien’s death would have been tragic enough, and seeing him paralyzed and incapable of functioning is so much worse. I wondered where Crazy Sheila had gone since I couldn’t imagine that she would be so calm if her son was gone, but of course she only lasted a minute before lashing out and bursting into tears (in this case, understandably). Her all-too-optimistic hope is truly hard to watch, and it’s hard to decide whether Tommy or Mickey is actually the greater villain for indulging her charade or telling her the hard truth, respectively. With only one minute left on the clock at the end of the episode, I wondered what major event might happen. Damien suddenly coming alive and telling Tommy that his condition is his fault is just what Tommy needs: another demon. All these conversations about Tommy being unreliable and obsessed with Sheila and Damien rather than his actual immediate family seem so repetitive, but the truth is that’s how life plays out for Tommy Gavin. While he’s managed to quit drinking for now, he still can’t show up to one daughter’s AA meeting and another’s recital. The fact that they’re both at the same time is just one of those things that Tommy can’t control and can’t really use as an excuse since he wouldn’t have gone to either anyway. The Pat Mahoney storyline didn’t really go anywhere, and this final episode brought it all together to underline the brotherhood that comes with being a firefighter and bucking the system, and the scene where the workers discover the plaque was the standout moment from this final installment. This season as a whole hasn’t been spectacular, but it has had some good episodes, especially the astonishing “Sanctuary.” The show will return in 2011 for nine episodes before going off the air for good, and I’m hopeful that the show can rally and capture some of its incredible from the first season and the first slew of episodes from the fifth and really wow me and everyone else who’s still watching.

Season grade: B/B+
Season MVP: Denis Leary/Peter Gallagher

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 6, Episode 9 “Goodbye” (B)

I really should start paying attention when my signature shows are about to sign off the air for a while. With only one episode left to go (airing tonight, no less), the show won’t be back on until late next year, presumably to coincide with the ten-year anniversary of September 11th. This penultimate episode certainly prepares for another horrendous kick to the gut, as both Lou and Damien are now in mortal danger in the middle of a fire. As if this show needed something else to be mournful about, but that doesn’t mean it’s not decent drama. I’m a bit confused by the terms of Mickey and Janet’s punishment of Tommy and Sheila, since Janet now seems fully prepared to hop into bed with Tommy as long as he really stops drinking. I let out the biggest sigh of relief when Tommy finally passed the test and poured the alcohol down the drain when Janet offered him a choice between two different drinks. This season has actually been pretty good, and I think what it needs in its final season, and the next episode for that matter, is a centralization of all its storylines and a renewed focus on what it’s like to be a firefighter in New York City, especially as the tenth anniversary of September 11th looms ever closer. Losing Lou would be an appropriate tragedy, while Damien’s untimely death would be far too much to bear, and would likely send Tommy and Mickey spiraling down the drain along with the already-deranged Sheila. Tune in tonight for the season finale, and though this show’s departure is unfortunate, that does mean that “Sons of Anarchy” will be back in this timeslot next week!

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 6, Episode 8 “Cowboy” (B+)

This episode started with a surprisingly pleasant scene between Janet and Tommy that seemed like it was going to be the calm before the storm, though I’m not so sure that things are going to explode as much as they threatened to in this hour. Of course Tommy and Sheila can’t end their years-long affair as easily as she stupidly suggested, and the list of problems with Tommy had to be interpreted as a challenge to his manhood rather than an easy out. In a sense, Mickey is actually the most volatile and unstable Gavin family member because he used to be the voice of reason back when he was a priest and then succumbed to the family’s alcoholism and had his life turned upside down. I fear very much what he’ll do with the knowledge he has about Tommy’s latest indiscretion. Needles had a magnificent speech where he yelled and insulted his superior in a major way, and kudos to Adam Ferrera for some brilliant delivery. Damian turning to Franco and Black Shawn for some Yoda advice was fun, and even more unexpected and fantastic was the ensuing scene that followed Penny not even letting him finish his prepared speech before demanding that he take her home (and to bed). I had completely forgotten about Damian’s teacher, and having him get so excited about the thought of lasting one minute by Christmas was pretty hilarious. I loved Penny’s line: “This isn’t homework, you’re going to try this right now.” Sean and Mike really messed up in a big way by taking Pat to see all of the wrong people, but at least he died peacefully in the car reflecting back on his life. He did share one thought-provoking pearl of wisdom during that abysmal experience: “you don’t get to pick who you save.”

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 6, Episode 7 “Forgiven” (B+)

This show really knows how to put a lump in your throat. From the start of the episode that finds Tommy stuck in a prison cell with only the ghosts of Jimmy and Connor to keep him company to the end of the episode where Connor’s friend suddenly shows up to interrupt the squabble between Tommy and Janet, this often very entertaining and funny show really is grounded in drama and tragedy. That said, this episode was for the most part quite fun. The closing of the firehouse was a great catalyst for an active episode, and the guys’ delight at the idea of chanting was fantastic. Lou’s initial attempt to break down the door to the firehouse resulted in the destruction of his ax, but what was truly impressive was the response of the firefighters, without any equipment, to the burning school. Damien’s expression of “that’s your life; maybe I don’t want that life” was powerful, but not as much as the fact that he ultimately ran towards the building to help out, despite Sheila’s objections and concerns. Franco messing up his apology to Tommy by speaking much too highly about Janet was quite amusing. Most terrific of all, of course, is Father Phil, hitting on Sheila after pegging her as a collar-chaser and getting attitude from Mickey. Peter Gallagher really is being used so much better here than in his role on “Covert Affairs” at the very same time every week. Lou coaching Tommy on what to say while he’s on the phone with Janet was fun, but the relationship between Janet and Tommy is actually something much more serious. The fact that she falls for Tommy after his unconventional parenting technique actually works indicates that her recurring attraction to him is just as unchangeable as Tommy’s addiction to alcoholism. Her getting pissed off by his ignorant, immature behavior at the fancy restaurant is just an inevitable step of their continuous brief reconciliations, but she always goes back to him in the end. The playing of “It Had to Be You” as we see them getting into bed off screen at the end of the episode underlines that point brilliantly.

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 6, Episode 6 “Sanctuary” (A-)

This is one intense episode that brings this show back to the good, old days. And by that, of course, I mean a rougher, much more disturbing and also more meaningful exploration of the job (being a firefighter) and the disease (alcoholism). Colleen’s failure to move forward in a new manner after her drug-induced blackout could have simply been another chapter in the humorous riffing on the Gavin family alcoholism. Instead, having a drunken Teddy drag an even more wasted Colleen to a meeting where a sober Maggie is calling out a sober Tommy for all of the things he’s done was more powerful than I could possibly have imagined. Tommy’s own self-exploration and his inability to move and go on the call was his first serious taste of doubt that he’s had since the start of the show. He’s always been conflicted about his family, about drinking, and about 9/11, but he’s nonetheless still charged into fires just as fearless as ever. Having both Needles and Father Phil call him a coward really egged Tommy on to do something drastic, chasing after Colleen when she told him she’d see him in hell and then performing his own exorcism on him. Father Phil’s initial interference seemed level-headed, but it got even more frightening when he decided to encourage Tommy to keep going. Damien did point out something truly interesting: all that fighting broke out even without Tommy there, which at least means that some of the supporting plotlines not directly involving Tommy are capable of being interesting. Still, that terrifying makeshift exorcism performed by Tommy is easily the most memorable moment of the television season thus far.

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 6, Episode 5 “Blackout” (B+)

Even with all of the drinks that Tommy has had over five seasons of this show, he’s never had a bender like this. Of course that’s mostly due to his dear family members lacing his drink, though no one knows that until the damage has already been done and Colleen has gone missing. One of the hooks of this show has always been watching just how self-destructive Tommy is, and this episode, like many of the others, manages to find a lot of humor in the midst of such a serious situation. Some of it is more uncomfortable – like Tommy yelling at his dead son – while some is more conventional and flat-out silly, like Damien going from bar to bar with the idiotic duo that is Sean and Mike. Past wounds seem to have been forgotten, like Lou who is walking around as if he’s healthy as the day he was born and drunken Tommy who doesn’t even seem to care that Franco and Janet are sleeping together (as far as he knows). Tommy’s newly gleaned but hardly certifiable knowledge that his cousin, who back in season one used to be a priest, is now bedding Sheila should play out interestingly, though he has far more pressing things to deal with now that his daughter’s well-being has been severely put at risk. I’m sure this episode will have repercussions that will reverberate throughout the rest of the season if not the entire series, and Tommy’s path to being “rescued,” as the posters for this season stamp on his forehead, will have to take a serious detour.

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 6, Episode 4 “Breakout” (B+)

This episode marks a great return to one of the things “Rescue Me” does best: comedy played out as a result of brotherhood. It’s not a moving dramatic installment necessarily, but it is an entertaining hour than makes great use of all the characters. Lou’s nurse is extremely helpful in kicking that off by pointing out everyone’s flaws, which resounds particularly for Black Shawn, who is dismayed to learn that his eyes are too far apart. Franco’s charm is quite hilarious, and the positioning of all of the firemen as doctors, orderlies, and random people standing by was magnificently comical. Black Shawn’s failure to name any black doctors by first citing Dr. Bill Cosby, then Dr. Huxtable, and then Reverend Sharpton was very amusing, and it’s a treat to see the character get a chance to embarrass himself since he’s usually the voice of reason, compared to Sean and Mike in particular. Sean staying with his friend at the hospital was touching, though of course he isn’t quite able to deliver by immediately admitting that he doesn’t have some grand plan to take care of him. Tommy’s visit with Father Phil proved much more powerful than expected, and Father Phil, played by the always-great Peter Gallagher, is quite a fun character, asking awkwardly if he can keep the photo of Janet after insisting that Tommy needs to look at it again. Tommy’s misconception about Franco and Janet, made even more tragic by the fact that Franco didn’t let anything happen while it seems like Janet probably would have, is a major setback for the not-too-forward-moving Tommy, and I imagine tensions will begin to explode in the next episode and just go downhill from there.

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 6, Episode 3 “Comeback” (B-)

I think the chances of this show getting completely back on track as about as likely as Tommy permanently quitting drinking. After two decent introductory episodes, this show is starting to slip as the only consistent, forward-moving plotline is a desperate attempt to hang on for dear life for the ailing firehouse. Tommy being convinced that there’s a big party in the works for him and not letting it go is just plain uncomfortable and a huge waste of time. There’s something somewhat interesting about Mike and Sean discussing just how dumb they are and trying to do a good deed, which elicits a ridiculous conversation about George Clooney and Brad Pitt, but it makes the show feel even more sluggish and aimless. A near-rumble between the firefighters from the rival houses, complete with both Sean and Damien hitting on the female probie, is a much more interesting direction that the show should explore in the coming episodes. Tommy’s assertion of “me, I’m happy just being a firefighter” was a good line, and having Sean and Black Shawn talk about being with the Gavin family ladies was a nice throwback to long-forgotten plotlines. It’s unfathomable that Franco is clueless that Tommy might be bothered by his blatant flirting with Janet, and that’s quite frustrating. It’s bittersweet to have the crazy Sheila back, freaking out when she learns that Damien’s getting a medal and acting all loopy when the fire trucks drive past, because her insanity is something entertaining but also something that often gets taken too far. I was pleasantly surprised by the sudden appearance of Peter Gallagher, who began a regular gig on “Covert Affairs” during this very timeslot, who came in to praise Tommy’s rescue of the statue. Hopefully we’ll see more of him in the coming episodes. Of course there are much more pressing matters to attend to, like Lou’s health. His character has been a bit off for a while now, but it’s hard to imagine what the show, and more importantly the firehouse, would be like without Lou.

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me

Rescue Me: Season 6, Episode 2 “Change” (B+)

Man, Tommy can’t catch a break. Adhering to Janet’s demands that he deal with Colleen’s drinking problem means that he incurs the wrath of his extended family for skipping out on his promise to go to a meeting. One of the strongest themes of this show is that it’s extremely hard to change and that an alcoholic will always be an alcoholic, and this episode underlines that more than anything else. While it seems abundantly clear that everyone has become tired of Tommy’s constant new beginnings and relapses, I still don’t like the outbursts of laughter from the firefighters, particularly Black Shawn, when Tommy professes that he’s quitting drinking. I prefer the far more effective brutal mocking carried out by Janet as she quotes Tommy’s oft-said lines about what he’s doing and why he’s doing it. Tommy’s family is getting seriously messed up, and it seems that Katie is the only one not quite affected by everything, although it may not stay that way for long. Tommy’s research into the contest regarding both of his daughters and unsolicited information proved to be entertaining and definitely the comedic part of the episode (along with Needles’ remark that the guys were talking about “American Idol”). I got worried that Tommy might go ballistic when Sheila said that he only had girls and not boys like her, disregarding completely the loss of Connor. The show has moved on and lost so many people since Connor died, and it’s gotten even more volatile. Tommy reminding Franco that his brother actually did sleep with his wife is just one example of exactly how out of whack everything is on this show. Tommy’s so stressed out that he can only quit drinking or smoking, not both, leading to an extraordinarily powerful and intense climax to this episode.

What I’m Watching: Rescue Me (Season Premiere)

Rescue Me: Season 6, Episode 1 “Legacy” (B+)

Like no other show, except maybe “Breaking Bad” (though in a different way), I get a pit in my stomach at least a dozen times when watching an episode of this show. Not every installment is like this, but this first one sure is. After getting his entire extended family to fall back off the wagon during an attempted intervention, Tommy got shot by his uncle Teddy, who earlier in the show’s history even went so far as to go to jail to avenge the death by drunk driver of Tommy’s son. When most people get shot, their supposed friends and family treat them kindly and gently. Not so for Tommy. Teddy threatens to shoot him again if he ever catches him drinking, his cousin Mickey nearly gets him killed by driving like a maniac, his ex-wife Janet punches him in the shoulder where he didn’t get shot, and his cousin Jimmy’s insane widow Sheila chews him out for not making her life better. And even those who do support him, like his firehouse buddies, refuse to accept that he didn’t see anything when he died for a few minutes in the ambulance. That opening sequence with Jimmy ushering Tommy into some sort of afterlife was rather chilling, but completely appropriate for this show. The fact that Tommy had to seek out sanctuary in a church to pour a bottle of alcohol down his throat, of all things, is typically gut-wrenching and hardly surprising for the lifelong alcoholic. This is sure to be a volatile season, and it’s off to a fiery start.

Finishing Up The Season: Rescue Me

When the fifth season of this show began in April, I hadn’t yet had the chance to catch up on my blog after taking a semester off during my time abroad. It’s especially unfortunate because every episode of this season sparkled with intensity, whether it was an incredibly effective and dramatic hour or an altogether bizarre, puzzling one. I’ll do my best to recap my thoughts on the season in its various stages of quality throughout the season.

The season got off to a decent start with a good premiere, but the arrival of the French reporter in the second episode was what really got things going. Her rather comic display of non-affection for Lou was entertaining, but a distant second to the wounds she opened up for the main characters, especially Tommy. I’ve written about the two things that made the first eight episodes of this season great several times in my Emmy predictions and AFT Awards: the exploration of the effects of 9/11 and Tommy’s alcoholism. Jimmy popping up on the tape from the World Trade Center was an incredible launching point for both of these storylines to be explored, and a powerfully haunting look back at what the show was originally about in its first season.

Three episodes – “Sheila,” “Perspective,” and “Iceman” – were completely stunning and just as good as, if not better than, this show has ever been. Tommy diving back into his drinking, thinking he could control it, was absolutely fascinating, and complemented wonderfully by the conflicting viewpoints of conspiracy theorist Franco and optimist Mike. Genevieve was the perfect catalyst for the reopening of these threads that had seemed all but dead, and it made the series completely unmissable for those few episodes. Tommy’s change of heart and self-deceptive acceptance of his alcoholism was so unexpected and so entirely interesting. The problem was, like the addiction it was trying to portray so graphically, the show got a little out of hand by season’s end.

Tommy’ unbelievably shocking takedown of his intervening family and success in getting them to start drinking all over again was a very impressive moment. Its effectiveness as a dramatic plotline got derailed pretty quickly when it became overly comical. It didn’t make much sense at the start that Maggie was the only one of the family immune to Tommy’s “charm” since she was actually the zaniest and most out-of-control member of the Gavin clan. Mickey being pulled back to the bottle was a powerful thing, but he especially got too goofy. The whole crew sitting at the bar laughing like idiots really ruined what had been a dramatic high point for the show. While it led to an inevitable loss familiar to the cycle of “Rescue Me,” the general madness instilled in the always-loopy Teddy wasn’t quite as great as it could have been. Teddy has always been crazy, but never dangerous. I find it hard to believe that he’d go so far off the deep end and shoot Tommy after everything else he’s been through, particularly the death of Connor. It’s obvious that Tommy will survive and be a changed man, but hasn’t he done that enough already?

Looking at other characters, their plotlines weren’t fully strong, but certainly interesting, to begin with, at the very least. Needles was terrific in the first half of the season in his attempts to be taken more seriously, and the more comic introduction of his wife was pretty funny. The reintroduction of Candy was frustrating because it was clear from the start how it was going to play out, and it’s not as if the bum-like Lou has really changed at all as a result. Franco’s potentially lesbian relationship was a bit fun while it lasted, but his abrupt dismissal of her upon realizing (or rather, presuming) her true sexual orientation was rather disappointing. Mike’s band wasn’t terribly cool, and Sean’s cancer storyline proved interesting for a bit (especially with the peculiar musical sequences), but like with Lou, it didn’t really change him much. It reminds me of watching seasons on DVD when I already know what happens in a later season of the show and that the plotline can’t possibly go anywhere. But in this case there was never much doubt that nothing would be accomplished from the temporary introduction of guest characters and arcs for regulars, and that’s a real shame.

Now on to the two (make that three) crazy ladies in Tommy’s life. Sheila was a hoot and also provided dramatic poignancy, and her attempt to “seduce” Tommy in one of the season’s later episodes was pretty terrific. Damien’s undying loyalty to her didn’t make much sense particularly because he appeared in the first ever episode of the show as a hacker who gave Janet’s boyfriend’s computer a virus. His willingness and ability to mess with Tommy so freely seems a bit hard to believe, especially since he was supposed to be the probie and get hazed far more than he did. Someone pointed out to me that he is the son of Jimmy Keefe, and therefore might be very certain of the security of his job. Janet started out very fun, reminiscent of her former self with her weekend getaway with Tommy, but she quickly became rather cold. It was fun to see Tommy squirm, but not nearly as satisfying once it became clear that she didn’t have much of a leg to stand on. Watching the two of them duke it out for ownership of Tommy was pretty funny, but it got just a little silly.

Then came woman number three. Maura Tierney was simply magnificent in her complete dismissal of anyone and everyone, and her concurrent attempts to sleep with each and every one of the firefighters. I had no idea that she was just a skilled actress and so fantastically able to out-act and out-one-liner Denis Leary. I’m hopeful that she’ll stick around for a bit since she seems to be bringing out the best in Tommy, and because she’s such a talented performer. Her meeting with Sheila and Janet was a lot of fun, and nice to see her so entirely unintimidated and unfazed by these two crazy ladies. She’s my choice for the best guest star of the season even though many trumpeted Michael J. Fox, who did do an impressive job but the role wasn’t quite as terrific as it was made out to be.

In summation, “Rescue Me” was able to rediscover itself in the first half of the season, which aired during the 2008-2009 television season. Unfortunately, it couldn’t quite keep up with itself as it traded a dramatic resurgence for rather immature comedic storylines. I think part of the problem was that this cable series took on the unceremonial challenge of airing twenty-two episodes instead of the traditional thirteen. Broadcast television shows usually have approximately twenty-two episodes each season and often experience a slump in the middle of their seasons as a result of filler plotlines used to stretch out material to fill the entire run. “Rescue Me” was much better off sticking to thirteen. The first eight episodes were truly superb, and served as an excellent recovery from a very sub-par fourth season. The latter half of the fifth wasn’t bad; it just wasn’t nearly as good as it could have been or, more importantly, as good as it was at the start of this year.

Season finale: B
First eight episodes: A-
Latter episodes: B
Season grade: B
Season MVP: Maura Tierney