Contributor: Edmund B.
“Rescue Me” faced a daunting challenge this season, living up to the tenth anniversary of 9/11 that will define its finale. With the latest episode, “Press”, the show’s creators are starting to live up to that challenge. After some initial teething problems, the plot points for this short season have been established (Jimmy’s tribute, Colleen and Black Shawn’s wedding, Lou’s weight and health issues), the major elements are better balanced, and the show is benefiting greatly from its new sense of focus. Now, with three (of only nine) episodes out of the way, they are well set up to enter the complications phase.
The episode tackles the popular depiction of the anniversary right up front. Tommy’s discomfort with the marketing of the event, its transformation into window displays, is self-evident. His feelings are easy to empathize with, as is his fantasy demolition by pickup. How to properly honor, and more importantly understand, these men remains at the heart of this show, and this season.
After the excesses of Lou’s faux physical, it was good to see Franco immediately challenge him, and bring that story back to its real-world consequences. So far this season, the firehouse has been primarily a source for humor. Reestablishing the chain of command, and reinforcing the dangers, and camaraderie, of the job redressed that imbalance. Lou’s attempts to squirm out of his responsibilities, with Franco and, later, Tommy provided both a realistic depiction of addiction, and the tour de force performance we’ve come to expect from John Scurti.
I was even happier to see Needles’ mis-apprehensions about Franco and Lou’s tryst in the john apparently evaporate. That storyline made no sense for the characters, and existed solely as a much too convenient way to distract Needles from the subterfuge. I hope the writers realized that, and just let it die.
Not that the firehouse was devoid of comedy, this time in the form of the junior trio’s attempts to help Black Shawn prepare for the wedding. Here, the stereotypes and misunderstandings about sexual orientation felt organic and true to the characters. Mike’s facility with wedding dresses, and the guys’ reaction to it, extends a running thread. Sean’s continued cluelessness and apparent nuptials, so ably facilitated by recent events in the New York legislature, promises more comedy gold to come.
Tommy and Ellen’s relationship continues to develop in a very organic way. After Janet puts him off, Tommy is called to rescue Ellen from a disastrous date with her hot cancer doc. Establishing the two of them as comrades in anger, resentment, and inappropriateness, rather than immediate romantic interests, continues to pay dividends.
This time, we are treated to Maura Tierney’s turn at what I’ve decided to call the observed monologue, when Dennis Leary looks on while his fellow actor drives the scene. Tierney delivers an impassioned ramble through death, God and why we might be here. She also serves as a kind of Mother Confessor for Tommy, as he opens up about his ghosts. The promise of a shared journey through their demons remains the strongest element of the show.
The episode ends with Tommy’s interview for Jimmy’s tribute. All involved, to date, have been complicit in the conceit of not exposing the Tommy-Sheila-Jimmy triangle. Shown in rough cut, the tribute is conventional, saccharine hagiography, precisely the sort of unrealistic depiction that “Rescue Me” regularly punctures. Real human beings faced with horrific events will react in a myriad of ways, not all of them pretty or expected. As the reporter puts words in his mouth, Tommy’s mono-syllabic answers build towards an expected explosion, then fades to black. I look forward to seeing if that presages the verbal equivalent of the opening’s fantasy demolition.
Acting: 2/2
Writing: 2/2
Direction: 1/2
Style: 3/4
Final Rating: 8/10