Rescue Me – After 19 months, it’s baaaacccckkkk!!!

by Scott Tunstall

September 12, 2007. That was the last time the boys from Truck 62 graced our television screens. Thankfully, they have returned. The timing couldn’t be better considering we’re about to enter the dead zone as far as new programming is concerned. After such an interminable layoff, the FX execs have wisely decided to roll out 22 brand spanking new episodes of Rescue Me. To quote Borat, “Very Nice!!!

As season premieres go, this one was good, not great. To be fair, it will take me a few chapters to get reacquainted with the characters and their many afflictions. Some things around the firehouse haven’t changed a bit. Tommy is still an ill-tempered womanizer, but at least his sobriety is intact. Sean and Mike are still utter nitwits, but they are partnering up to start a bar. Sheila is still a basket case, but at least she’s in therapy. Don’t worry, there are plenty of new developments, too.

Tommy’s section eight hearing is just around the corner. I think he’ll come out okay, despite his rocky relationship with Chief Feinberg. Colleen continues to excel at pissing off dear ol’ dad; now she’s “sleeping” with Bart. This should make for some interesting confrontations down the road. Father Mickey goes on a serious bender and Tommy must talk him down in a nice role-reversal scene. Could Tommy Gavin become a caring, responsible human being? No way in hell! The writers are toying with us. Besides, Tommy is much more entertaining when he’s a disaster.

I have extremely high hopes for this season. The fireworks motif in episode one should be a harbinger of things to come. It appears Denis Leary and Peter Tolan are going back to basics and centering the action inside the firehouse. The dynamics between the core group of guys is what made Rescue Me so compelling the first two seasons. The Tommy/Janet storyline has been played out, so it’s about time it gets shelved.

I’m also looking forward to the French author who will be arriving at the house to interview the gang for a book she’s writing about the 10th anniversary of 9/11. The memory of that unforgettable day still haunts the characters in ways not yet explored. As much as I enjoy the comedic banter, it’s the honest drama that appeals to me the most. I suspect we’ll be receiving a heavy dose in future installments.

Here are a few more impressions from the premiere:

It was cool to see Michael J. Fox again. His role as Dwight has promise; all he did was bust Tommy’s balls. Best line: “So you guys fight fires once or twice a month, then the rest of the time you sit around picking your ass.”
I like Adam Ferrara as “Needles.” More Needles would be nice.
Tommy turning down a dude for sponsorship at rehab was classic.
The firehouse debate over losing a testicle or an eye is the exact kind of scene that works.
Tommy’s tirade about Bootsy the pantry-shitting dog was hilarious and also quite poignant.
The silhouetted image of a figure being consumed by smoke and flames as Tommy helplessly fights to re-enter the burning building is why this show is worth watching.

Was the season opener a winner or a loser?