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Back and On Fire: 'Rescue Me' Returns with Extended Fifth Season on FX
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- TV's best (only?) blue-collar drama, FX's "Rescue Me," returns for its fifth season this week, 19 months after the last original episode premiered in September 2007. Blame the writers' strike and FX programming strategy for the delay.
When viewers last saw New York firefighter Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary), his father had died in the seat next to him at a baseball game. Tommy, always on the verge of becoming unhinged, reacts angrily while another family member falls off the wagon.
In addition to Gavin family psychodrama -- emphasis on "psycho" -- the show's emphasis remains, as always, on the firefighters in their off hours. Lt. Kenny "Lou" Shea (John Scurti) describes their often profane firehouse conversations as "gripping exchanges of deep thought and personal wisdom." These include debates over whether it's better to lose an eye or a testicle.
Plots this season include a new boyfriend (guest star Michael J. Fox) for Tommy's estranged wife, Janet (Andrea Roth), and firehouse interviews by a French journalist (Karina Lombard) writing a book to be published to coincide with the 10-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
All 22 episodes in this season of "Rescue Me" -- expanded from the usual 13 for a cable series -- will air over the coming 23 weeks with the season finale slated for Sept. 8. A sixth season of 18 episodes has already been ordered.
Normally the series only produces 13 episodes a season but producers are not drained by this season's larger order.
"We're just full of ideas and energized in a way that we haven't been before, which is a shock to us," said executive producer/director Peter Tolan. That bodes well for the new season, necessarily so because some viewers and critics felt the fourth season disappointed. (Tommy threatening the life of a newborn? Really?)
"Most shows have a sophomore slump. We waited, I think, until our fourth year to do it," Tolan acknowledged at a January FX press conference. "Now, a slump for us I don't think is a marked difference in the quality of the show. ... I think it was a lack of focus. That's all."
Leary joked that it was planned.
"I think we did it on purpose so that we could have a [stinky] season and then this season would look so much better in comparison," he said.
One upcoming plot explores the belief held by firefighter Franco -- and shared by the actor playing the role, Daniel Sunjata -- that 9/11 was an inside job. In next week's episode, Franco calls 9/11 "a massive neo-conservative effort that's been in the works for 20 years."
"I think that the way the show addresses the issue is going to be socio-politically provacative," Sunjata said.
As far as limits on the show's often outrageous plots, Leary could think of only one limit imposed by FX executives: His salary.
"I had a crazy idea of getting paid, like, $250,000 an episode," Leary said. "They put limits on that, let me tell you. That's Kiefer Sutherland money right there."
'Rescue Me' When: 10 p.m. Tuesday, FX.
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Copyright 2009 P.G. Publishing Co.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania)
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by vetaia bogi on
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..We are lifesavers who put OUR bodies and life in the line so that others may live and see their families and loved ones once again,so we need a show that shows our dedication and committment to our profession,so give us true reality show that people can see and appreciate us.....HERO'S..
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Permalink Reply by Allen Wahlstrom on
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oh puh-leeze!
Do you have any idea what Dennis Leary does for firefighters and the fire service in general???
Leary Foundation
Read what the man has done for firefighters and specifically the Worcester, Massachusetts FD.
Leary's cousin was one of the 6 Worcester FF's who died in 1999, and out of that grief he started this foundation.
Whether you like the show or not, you are a little strong on the vitriol...
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already tried...not enough viewers, and come on our job is pretty boring 90% of the time.
Rescue Me plays way better to the reality TV crowd.
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Might want to grow a little thicker skin, that was not an attack.
I am not a huge fan of the show, but the episodes I have seen are pretty true to the real world.
Not nescesarily the fluffed up "Magic Kingdom" world we are supposed to live in as firefighters.
How many firefighters are divorced, drink too much, live wreckless lives, and are pretty much emotionally a mess?
I cant count all the brothers I have watched fall apart emotionally, then turn to everything from drugs, to women, to sex in order to cope with what we see over the course of our careers. I can think of at least three who lost their jobs over drugs, alcohol and or porn. These were good firefighters who loved their job, were dedicated, and were proud to put on the uniform and serve...they turned to outside comfort in the form of drugs, etc in order to deal with life.
Is Rescue Me the side we want everyone to see, all shiny fire trucks and heroic actions?
Well for most, not so much, but that is part of the fire service that makes us real to many who watch it.
We arent any different then any other professional.
We do our job, because thats what we do. That is what we are trained to do.
Unfortunately we are not so great at the other part, which is coping with what we deal with, and the hours away from family.
We cant go home and tell the wife about the 4 year old we pulled out of a car last night that should have been home in her bed sleeping, not dead because mom or dad didnt think that last drink was going to affect their driving.
We cant come home and tell our kids that, man dad had a close one last night, another second or two and youd have gotten a nice flag, instead of a goodnight kiss.
We just suck it up and hope for the best.
Some of us are in departments that are proactive about CISD, I am one of those lucky ones. Well I am now, but I wasnt for the first 15 years of my career and while I thought I was just fine, I at times was not a fun person to be around. Just ask my ex.
Rescue Me shows that side of our world. Is it pretty? Not a bit, but it's the real world.
I think your post was over the top, and my response was "puh-leeze". And vitriol is the hateful tone you used towards the show, not an attack on you.
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lets see:
checking trucks out...sound of passes being checked...breakfast cooking...training...sound of lunch cooking...snoring...more training...putting a truck back in service (lots of grumbling about letting B shift do it in the morning)...weights clanking...treadmill running...more cooking...the news...more complaints...american idol...more snoring...box alarm...morning wake up.
That pretty much covers the average house in America. Not the busy ones of course, throw in 15 calls for the box and way less cooking.
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Dennis Leary is an opportunist. I am sorry his firefighter cousin died. I don t care how much money he has raised for fire departments. He has exploited the tragedy of September 11th to make this embarassing TV show and to line his own pockets. This show makes us look like idiots to the public. Don t watch this garbage.
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I hope this does not offend you but, I have been around a long time and watched a few of the first season shows. I feel that a good portion of this series is demeaning to the Fire Service. Look at it as would you be proud to have all of your dirty laundry placed on the front page of the world. We all know that most of the stuff portrayed goes on, even though it should not so why broadcast it to the world. I stopped watching because I did not see charactors helping people, just showing how screwed up they were. I don't think it instills public confidence in our profession, just like the "SHIELD" did nothing for law Enforcement.
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Permalink Reply by Mike on
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Although I love the show and will be there to watch it tonight(locked in on reminder), there is truth to the negative replies about the show! On the good side, yes Dennis Leary does a lot for firefighters, but...(Not being ungrateful, just fact)his foundation only helps certain cities! 95% of the cities he supports are up north in the NY and surrounding area. The farthest department down south he has helped is New Orleans, LA, which is understandable, but not all of the needy departments out there benifit from his foundation! Also, the show really does portray firefighters in a negative way. Let's look at our departments and be honest, does half of that stuff go on at all departments at every station? You must admit, there is not one character on the show with good morals. I know nobody is perfect and we don't always see eye to eye on everything, but you can't tell me there is a firehouse in America that carry on like that and especially after 9-11. All the fire houses I have ever visited has been very kind and family like we knew each other for years! In a few other replies there were some other true points! Our jobs can be boring(depending on your department), and people don't want to see that. Unfortunately, trash, sex, and violence does sell and it keeps viewers watching, so I understand that from a business point of view! I do admit that the R and X rated content is inconvenient when my kids come in the room because I have to turn the channel and miss parts of the show. So all in all I do agree the show doesn't show us in a positive light, but I know I'm not like that and I carry myself in a way that reflects me as a person with morals which shows in me as a firefighter. So let's continue to carry ourselves in a respectable and honorable manner to show the public that that's not how we really act and realize its just a show and enjoy it or don't watch it!
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Although I love the show and will be there to watch it tonight(locked in on reminder), there is truth to the negative replies about the show! On the good side, yes Denis Leary does a lot for firefighters, but...(Not being ungrateful, just fact)his foundation only helps certain cities! 95% of the cities he supports are up north in the NY and surrounding area. The farthest department down south he has helped is New Orleans, LA, which is understandable, but not all of the needy departments out there benifit from his foundation! Also, the show really does portray firefighters in a negative way. Let's look at our departments and be honest, does half of that stuff go on at all departments at every station? You must admit, there is not one character on the show with good morals. I know nobody is perfect and we don't always see eye to eye on everything, but you can't tell me there is a firehouse in America that carry on like that and especially after 9-11. All the fire houses I have ever visited has been very kind and family like we knew each other for years! In a few other replies there were some other true points! Our jobs can be boring(depending on your department), and people don't want to see that. Unfortunately, trash, sex, and violence does sell and it keeps viewers watching, so I understand that from a business point of view! I do admit that the R and X rated content is inconvenient when my kids come in the room because I have to turn the channel and miss parts of the show. So all in all I do agree the show doesn't show us in a positive light, but I know I'm not like that and I carry myself in a way that reflects me as a person with morals which shows in me as a firefighter. So let's continue to carry ourselves in a respectable and honorable manner to show the public that that's not how we really act and realize its just a show and enjoy it or don't watch it!
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Permalink Reply by 3rd GEN FF on
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Hey Leary, $250,000 an episode, try the salary of a real Firefighter! You probably wouldn't even consider 1 episode. But hey your an actor and its a show. One we all love!
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Dennis Leary is an actor that likes to make a lot of money potraying a firefighter. In the process he makes the entire fire service look like meatheads to the general public. He would not last 1 second crawling down a hallway at any type of fire. I love this guy like cancer.
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Permalink Reply by Donna Mason-Smith on
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9/11 an inside job?!! Don't tell me this series is from those conspiracy loonies. Bummer to link fire fighters to those people who have such little opinion and faith in the US that they would fall for this stupidity.
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