RESCUE ME from Summer TV

Rescue Me is one of those shows that goes away after its yearly batch of 13 episodes, and even the most ardent television fans forget how good it is in the midst of the slew of network shows. Denis Leary’s brutally honest tale of NYC firefighters returned last night, and I hadn't realized just how much I have missed it. There’s nothing more invigorating to me than watching an artist work on the project they were born to make; Denis Leary is that artist and Rescue Me is his masterpiece.

The evening started early with my discovery of a "Comedy Short" on FX's Rescue Me website that reintroduced the amazing chemistry of Rescue Me’s remarkable ensemble. Essentially a fifteen minute slapstick routine, I laughed form start to finish as the crew tried to escape from a bear/bobcat/wolf that finds its way into the firehouse. For a show that deals in tragedy so often, what makes Rescue Me so great is its ability to weave hilarious comedic subplots into otherwise grim material.

The season three premiere featured that volatile mix we’ve grown to love with Tommy’s marriage falling apart after the death of his son (his wife is now sleeping with his brother, can’t wait for that to get ugly), the firehouse trying to stop smoking, and Tommy’s godson getting a hands-on education in sex from his science teacher. Tommy’s exasperation throughout the teacher drama was priceless hilarity, but the interaction between Tommy and his wife was heartbreaking, with Janet essentially blaming Tommy for not doing enough to save their son. While that reaction doesn’t exactly endear me to her, it’s an understandable, and natural reaction. Tommy saves people everyday (see the little girl at the end of the episode), but he couldn’t save his own son; it makes sense that Janet would resent him for that, even if it's unreasonable of her to believe he has power over unfortunate accidents.

Leary and Tolan set up a slew of narrative landmines in this first episode, and I can’t wait to see them start to explode. As we’ve seen from Rescue Me before, there’ll be a fair amount of laughs and tears along the way. It’s good to have you back, boys.