The lead in to this Rescue Me episode was basically comprised of the second half of the Jimmy Keefe interview between Tommy Gavin and reporter Pam Kempler.
And you know what that means. Yep: Fireworks time.
It went down something like this: Kempler begins to push Tommy. He resists a bit but not too much because, Tommy being Tommy, he wants to see just how far she’s willing to go. After he doled out a few cursive responses, Kempler starts pushing harder. Wiseacre Tommy verbally parries, peppering his next response with an expletive. In the kitchen, where the entire crew is watching the interview, Chief Nelson turns and shoots Tommy an icy glare, then positions back to the TV once more. Tommy continues to “dance” with Kempler and argumentative boisterousness ensues. But the both of them are committed to this little tête-à-tête.
Once allegations of racism, drug use and more get brought up, however, it’s the final straw for Tommy ending with him telling her “Next time you need help, don’t call the fire department, call the garbage men. Let them take care of you.” Unceremoniously, Tommy rips off his mic, tosses it aside, shoves the bird at Kempler and does same at the camera.
Interview over.
Through the exchange, we see the back of Franco’s head while he and the others are watching the interview. We see it shake forlornly back and forth … then finally drop in disgust. When the program is over, Franco launches a tirade at Nelson. He’s got an agenda about keeping 62 Truck in order, starting with Lou and his weight issues and continuing right on down to the need to keep Tommy kept in line. “Where’s that Ginny charm that was going to win over the reporter, Chief?” he asks Nelson in raised voice. “Up your ass?”
Bingo. First fight of the show.
After a “no harm, no foul” scuffle, Franco immediately catapults vitriol at Tommy concerning … well … everything. Tommy shoots back an accusatory statement about Franco wanting to schtup his wife.
Oh, joy. Look … Fight #2 has broken out.
All this infighting has got me wondering: What’s Franco’s deal? He’s on a mission, but I’m uncertain what that mission is exactly. He’s inexplicably belligerent and wants to take on the world, his way or the highway, but no one’s listening to him. He can’t even leave it alone after Tommy saves his ass at the end of the episode from a certain death. He just has to exacerbate the situation.
And then, in the end, it’s clear … we see what his ulterior motive is. He wants position in the department. He wants status and respect, he wants a title. He puts in a request with Feinberg who tells him he’ll see what he can do, but in the meantime “Keep your nose clean and your mouth shut.”
The thing for me though is this: all the posturing? All the conflict Franco has been dredging up? Not good. He’s ultimately going to see the foundation he’s laid and realize too late it’s gotten him nothing but screwed up or screwed over. Mark my words — this is some kind of huge set up where we’ll witness Franco’s legs swept out from underneath him. And when that happens, he’ll go down. Hard. It may take the remainder of the season to see it happen, but it will happen.
That’s too bad because I like Franco. But right now he’s being a bigger ass than Tommy. And that’s going to turn out to be his undoing.
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Clacked by Michael Noble 
on Aug 03, 2011 @ 23:05 EST5EDT
