Rescue Me is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television drama series which premiered on the
FX NetworkFX is the name of a number of related subscription TV channels owned by News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group. The network's most popular original shows are The Shield, Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me and Damages, as well as the comedy It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia...
on July 21, 2004. The series focuses on the professional and personal lives of a group of
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
firefighterThe New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department City of New York has the responsibility for protecting the citizens and property of New York City's five boroughs from fires and fire hazards, providing emergency medical services, technical rescue as well as providing first response to...
s in the fictional Ladder 62 / Engine 99 firehouse.
The show mainly follows veteran fireman Tommy Gavin (
Denis LearyDenis Colin Leary is an American actor, comedian, writer, and director. He is known for his often biting comedic style and his chain smoking. Leary is the star and co-creator of the television show Rescue Me now in its fifth season....
) and his ever troublesome family as they deal with real life issues, either with post 9/11 trauma or domestic problems. Tommy has to struggle with the loss of his cousin and best friend Jimmy Keefe, who died on September 11, 2001, and frequently visits Tommy in visions. In the pilot episode, Tommy and his wife have already separated and Tommy has moved across the street. He is ill-tempered, self destructive, hypocritical, manipulative, and a relapsed
alcoholicAlcoholism is a term with multiple and sometimes conflicting definitions. In common and historic usage, alcoholism is any condition that results in the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages, despite health problems and negative social consequences...
. He has realized how much he has contributed to the breakup of his family, and constantly struggles to reconcile with them. He loves his children very much, and desires to get back together with his wife. However, despite slowly making steps toward his redemption, tragedy always seems to be right around the corner.
Rescue Me was created by
Denis LearyDenis Colin Leary is an American actor, comedian, writer, and director. He is known for his often biting comedic style and his chain smoking. Leary is the star and co-creator of the television show Rescue Me now in its fifth season....
and
Peter TolanPeter Tolan is an American television producer, director, and screenwriter.-Early career:Before leaving Scituate to pursue his creative talents in Hollywood, Tolan founded a theater group called YPST . The group performed broadway musicals and rehearsed at the local church...
and is produced by Cloudland Company,
ApostleApostle is a New York-based production company specializing in television production created by stand-up comedian and actor Denis Leary and his business partner Jim Serpico...
,
DreamWorks TelevisionDreamWorks Television is a television production company that is a division of DreamWorks SKG, a former subsidiary of Viacom-owned Paramount Pictures. The syndication rights to DreamWorks' live-action TV series were held by CBS Television Distribution until fall 2008, the successor-in-interest to...
and
Sony Pictures TelevisionSony Pictures Television, Inc. is an American television production/distribution company. It is a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In turn, the latter is part of the Japanese conglomerate Sony....
.
It was announced on August 28, 2009 that FX had decided to end the series in 2011 after a total of seven seasons and 92 episodes. The finale is expected to coincide with the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
Characters
Rescue Me mainly focuses on the Gavin family and the men of the firehouse, but many other characters have been introduced over the five seasons that have stayed on as main characters. Recurring guests include performers known primarily for films, including
Tatum O'NealTatum Beatrice O'Neal is an American actress best known for her film work as a child actress in the 1970s. She remains, at the age of 10, the youngest actor to win a competitive Academy Award.-Family background:...
,
Artie LangeArthur Steven "Artie" Lange, Jr. is an American stand-up comedian, radio personality author and actor. Lange is most notable for replacing Jackie Martling on The Howard Stern Show, and as a member of the original cast of the sketch comedy series MADtv...
,
Susan SarandonSusan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1970, and won an Oscar for her performance in the 1995 film, Dead Man Walking...
,
Marisa TomeiMarisa Tomei is an American stage, film and television actress. Tomei first came to prominence as a supporting cast member on The Cosby Show spinoff A Different World in 1987....
,
Gina GershonGina L. Jewshon is an American film and television actress, known for her roles in the films Cocktail , Showgirls , Bound , and Face/Off .-Personal life:...
,
Amy SedarisAmy Sedaris is an American actress, author and comedienne. She is perhaps best known for playing the character Jerri Blank in the Comedy Central television series Strangers with Candy. Sedaris regularly collaborates with her older brother, humorist and author David Sedaris...
,
Larenz TateLarenz Tate is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Tate was born on the west side of Chicago, the son of Peggy and Larry Tate. He is the youngest of three siblings whose family moved to California when he was nine years old...
,
Michael J. FoxMichael J. Fox is a Canadian actor, author and voice-over artist. His roles have included Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy ; Alex P...
and
Jennifer EspositoJennifer Esposito is an American actress and dancer.-Personal life:Esposito, an Italian American, was born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Phyllis, an interior decorator, and Robert Esposito, a computer consultant and music producer. She has one older sister...
.
Season 1
The first season of
Rescue Me debuted on July 21, 2004 and began by introducing the members of
New York City Fire DepartmentThe New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department City of New York has the responsibility for protecting the citizens and property of New York City's five boroughs from fires and fire hazards, providing emergency medical services, technical rescue as well as providing first response to...
's Ladder Company 62 aka "62 Truck" and exploring their lives, both at home and inside the firehouse. It focused on main character
Tommy GavinThomas Michael "Tommy" Gavin is the main character of the FX television series Rescue Me. He is portrayed by Denis Leary. Leary was nominated for a Golden Globe and for two Emmys for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Tommy...
as he dealt with the effects of September 11, 2001 attacks, which, for him, include seeing the ghost of his cousin Jimmy Keefe as well as those of various people he failed to save over the years. Gavin and his wife are separated and, from across the street, he sees her begin to date again and concocts a "secret evil plan" to get her back and prevent her from taking his children and leaving the state.
In other stories; Chief Jerry Reilly attacks a gay former firefighter in a bar after the guy speaks to the press and claims that at least 20 of the 343 men who died during the 9/11 attacks were gay. Sean Garrity begins to date one of Franco Rivera's (many) ex-girlfriends, which leads to Franco finding out that he has a daughter with the woman, whom he takes in after the mother's overdose death. Tommy also gets involved with Jimmy's widow Sheila, and "Probie" Mike Silletti begins to date a "fat chick" named Theresa (Ashlie Atkinson), which he keeps secret. Kenny Shea deals with 9/11 by writing poetry, and then starts to have an affair.
After fireman Billy Warren dies in a fire, the city sends Laura Miles to replace him. She clashes with the guys in general, who do not want a woman on their crew, and with Tommy in particular, whom she is watching and believes is growing dangerous as he takes more and more seemingly unnecessary risks on the job. The season comes to a close with Tommy's mistake at a fire causing Franco to get hurt, and Tommy's eventual transfer out of the house after the rest of the crew find out he has been seeing Sheila and gotten her pregnant. In the final scene of the final episode he shows up at his wife's house, only to find her and his children missing, along with everything in the house.
Season 2
The second season premiered on June 21, 2005. It began with Tommy at a new firehouse on
Staten IslandStaten Island is a borough of New York City in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
and his replacement at 62 Truck, Sully, becoming everyone's favorite. Sully leaves after the crew finds out that he likes to wear women's clothing and shun him. This clears the way for Tommy to return. Back in the old house Tommy shifts his focus to finding his family and dealing with his father, who took an unannounced vacation and came home with a new (rich) wife, Jenny Ng. Sheila loses the baby, but lies about it to keep Tommy near.
Meanwhile, Tommy and Johnny Gavin find out that their father had a long going affair during their childhood, which produced two children. Soon they suspect their new-found brother, a priest, is a pedophile. Mike stalks his ex-girlfriend. Chief Jerry's wife gradually deteriorates from Alzheimer’s and he is forced to seek help from his estranged son before placing her in a long-term care facility. Laura and Franco begin dating, but Laura eventually leaves Franco and the firehouse. Lt. Shea is conned by a prostitute, resulting in him losing his entire life savings. Jenny Ng dies, and Tommy's estranged sister Maggie shows up.
Tommy and his family reconcile for a time, but when their only son Connor is killed by a drunk driver it's too much for Janet to handle. It only gets worse when Johnny finds out the driver may not do time, so Tommy's uncle, Teddy, murders him in public.
Season 3
The third season began on May 30, 2006. Tommy and Janet are now re-separated and Teddy is in jail for murder. Janet begins sleeping with Johnny, Tommy's brother. Tommy and Johnny fight it out in the street, and, later, following an argument, Tommy and Janet have a very physical sex scene. The violence of the act is contrasted with his post-coital attitude and the suggestion that she may have enjoyed it.
Meanwhile Lt. Shea, still smarting from getting conned, is becoming testy with everyone on the crew and slowly spiraling down. The Probie (Mike) begins a sexual relationship with his (male) roommate and Tommy falls back into things with Sheila, Jimmy's widow. Sheila wants to get Tommy back and begins to drug him to have sex. Maggie soon finds herself dating Sean Garrity, among others.
Janet gets pregnant with either Johnny's or Tommy's baby and wants to have it to replace Connor. The crew finds out about Probie's possible homosexuality and Tommy comes to his defense. Franco starts to date Alicia (
Susan SarandonSusan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1970, and won an Oscar for her performance in the 1995 film, Dead Man Walking...
), a rich older woman who eventually takes his daughter from him (he is unable to do anything about it because he had taken her from foster care without permission and therefore is not the girl's guardian anyway). Lt. Shea moves in with Tommy and begins seeing Teresa, a soon-to-be ex-nun with whom he plans on moving to Florida to be first mate on his cousin's boat. Chief Riley tries to meet his wife's increasing health care costs by taking a second job at a bar. Later he suffers a heart attack after having sex with Karlene, an illegal immigrant who cares for his wife.
During a stakeout, Johnny is shot three times through the back and killed by someone who was contracted to kill him to stop him from testifying against a powerful drug dealer. During his funeral Sean and Maggie decide to get married at the cemetery. Rosemarie Gavin is also introduced, the long lost sister of Tommy, Johnny, and Maggie. She is deaf and had been shunned by her parents but reconciles with her father.
With the house seemingly breaking up Tommy decides to retire and move in with Sheila. He changes his mind after talking with Janet about her pregnancy and hearing that Mike isn't transferring, Lou has changed his mind about the boat and Franco has failed a lieutenant's exam.
While at Sheila's new house he tells her he is not retiring from the FDNY. Distraught, she drugs him and accidentally starts a fire. The fire is able to spread while Sheila is overwhelmed by frustration, and the finale closes without making it clear if either Tommy or Sheila made it out of the house.
Season 4
The fourth season of
Rescue Me premiered on June 13, 2007.
Tommy and Sheila are apparently rescued by firefighters, but are then accused of arson and insurance fraud. Janet has given birth to the baby and Tommy has come to accept it as his own. Unfortunately, the baby's hair finally comes in and it is "jet black" in color, leaving them to now believe that it is Johnny's son instead.
Teddy is released from prison and immediately abandons his new wife in a coffee shop. Colleen runs away from home and moves in with her boyfriend leaving her parents enraged.
Depressed after being told that he can no longer serve in active duty due to his poor heart, Jerry shocks everyone by taking his own life.
Janet is suffering from postpartum depression and is also deeply affected by her inability to bond with her new son. The baby cries constantly and his crying seems to worsen when Janet holds him. Getting wind of this, Sheila has approached Tommy about them giving her the baby; she has offered Tommy $850,000 in payment. She continues to hound Tommy about this and Tommy has not told Janet of Sheila's offer. Seeing how his wife is suffering and how the baby is being neglected and seemingly rejected by everyone in the family but himself, Tommy is reluctantly beginning to re-consider Sheila's offer.
Tommy soon decides to give the baby to Sheila after contemplating throwing him off into the Hudson river at the request of his brother's ghost. After Janet learns of what Tommy has done she runs him down with her car. After she realizes that he is OK, she sends the youngest daughter up to Sheila's apartment and steals the baby back. Meanwhile Tommy has a breakdown in the apartment in which all of his ghostly friends including Jimmy let him know that they are tired of his selfishness and leave him.
Tommy then shares custody with Sheila by bribing his daughter Colleen with a no limit credit card. Colleen gives the baby to him when she has him, so he can in turn give it to Sheila. Colleen's boyfriend uses the credit card to buy a wedding ring. After Tommy learns this, he goes to the recording studio to sort out Colleen's boyfriend and destroys his guitar. The boyfriend tells Tommy the ring wasn't for Colleen, but for another girl. Relieved of this he apologizes to the boyfriend and wishes him and his new girlfriend the best of luck. When the boyfriend explains this to Colleen, he says its because Tommy scares him and that is why he left Colleen, so now of course Colleen hates Tommy even more.
Maggie Gavin and Sean Garrity are on and off throughout the whole season ending with Garrity pretending to be an alcoholic to spend time with Maggie and an eventual final split.
The family starts their own AA meetings due to the high amount of alcoholics in the family. Michael Gavin, Tommy's father, refuses to attend meetings but contacts Tommy and tells him that he's going to be sober ironically at a bar to "keep his friends close and his enemies closer". Tommy struggles to maintain his sobriety the entire season.
Tommy also begins seeing a woman Valerie (Gina Gershon) who can't be touched after she orgasms during sex. She and Tommy are on and off due to Tommy's periodic want for his ex-wife Janet.
Janet has also taken a job, where she is dating her new, much younger boss.
A new firefighter also joins the house. He's a new guy named Shawn. The crew decides to call him Black Shawn to distinguish him from Sean Garrity but Black Shawn is not happy with this. Due to Lou and Franco negotiating to get him for their basketball team, he says he doesn't want to be referred to as Black Shawn and he is virtually absolved of any probie work, which initially angers Garrity, Mikey, and most of all, Tommy. However, due to Black Shawn's ability to prove himself worthy in the face of a fire, he is accepted by the whole house, including Tommy, who pays him begrudging respect.
The season ends with Tommy, Lou, Sean, Michael Gavin (Tommy's Dad), and Uncle Teddy attending a Newark Bears minor league baseball game at the request of Tommy's dad. Tommy and his father take the close up seats while the rest of the crew take seats higher up in the same section. Lou explains to Garrity how Baseball is like life, waiting for something to come and not being awake for it to happen, but having enough time for a beer, a hot dog, and maybe a blowjob here and there. Also, Colleen is seen attending a picnic with Black Shawn. The last shot is of Tommy showing his father a hit, and his dad not responding or waking up. Tommy realizes that his father has died and puts his arm around him and continues to watch the game.
Minisodes
On June 23, 2008,
webisodeA webisode is a short episode which airs initially as an Internet download or stream as opposed to first airing on broadcast or cable television. The format can be used as a preview, a promotion, as part of a collection of shorts, or a commercial. A webisode can be part of an already established...
s seasons began airing on
crackle.comCrackle is country-limited multi-platform web television network and studio, administrated by Sony Pictures Entertainment and formerly known as Grouper...
and between shows on FX. Ten episodes aired. Viewers can also find complete episodes of the first four seasons on
CrackleCrackle is country-limited multi-platform web television network and studio, administrated by Sony Pictures Entertainment and formerly known as Grouper...
.
Season 5
The show was renewed for a fifth season of 22 episodes. In an interview with on
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Thursday, May 15, 2008, Leary revealed season 5 had been delayed until March 2009 because of the writer's strike, but that all 22 episodes would air on consecutive weeks.
Michael J. FoxMichael J. Fox is a Canadian actor, author and voice-over artist. His roles have included Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy ; Alex P...
joined the cast, playing Janet's (
Andrea RothAndrea Roth is a Canadian actress. She is perhaps best known for her continuing role as Janet Gavin, the wife of Tommy Gavin, the main character from Rescue Me.-Biography:...
) new love interest. According to the
L.A. Weekly, on December 1, 2008 during an appearance at Book Soup in West Hollywood, Leary revealed plot details for season 5, specifically a retrospective look into the events leading up to and surrounding 9/11 by each of the characters, (subsequently Tommy and Lou vie for the the affections of the woman who is writing the story) is the plot line in the first 10 episodes of season 5, which premiered on April 7, 2009.
Later in Season 5, Garrity suffers renal carcinoma and requires surgery, forcing him to reunite with his estranged mother and brother. A woman named Kelly (
Maura TierneyMaura Lynn Tierney is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her roles as Lisa Miller on NewsRadio; and on ER, playing Abby Lockhart on the hospital-based show. Following ER, Tierney was set to star in the NBC series, Parenthood...
) rushes into a fire that the crew is fighting, and retrieves a mysterious metal suitcase. Tommy appears to shun both Janet and Sheila to spend time with Kelly. While there are some romantic undertones, Tommy is more interested in why the suitcase was so important to Kelly.
Much of Season 5 also follows Tommy's extended family -- Cousin Mickey (
Robert John Burke-Career:Currently, Burke is with the cast of Denis Leary's Rescue Me and plays Bart Bass on The CW's Gossip Girl. Recently, he was working on the TV series Kidnapped for NBC and was a featured character on ABC's series Six Degrees. Burke has also had recurring roles on Law & Order, and he appeared...
), Cousin Eddie (
Terry SerpicoTerry Serpico is a film and television supporting actor.Serpico began his career as a stunt performer. Pretty soon, his chances expanded as directors realized he also could act. In 1997, he appeared in Donnie Brasco, where he played his first major acting role...
), Uncle Teddy (
Lenny ClarkeLenny Clarke is an American comedian and actor, famous for his thick Boston accent. Sometime during the 1970s, as related in the Comedy Central roast of Clarke's friend Denis Leary, Clarke ran for mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts. When asked by Leary what his platform was, Clarke replied "Fuck...
) and Teddy's wife Ellie (
Patti D'ArbanvillePatricia "Patti" D'Arbanville is an American actress and former model.-Early life:D'Arbanville, born May 25, 1951 in New York City, New York, is the daughter of Jean , an artist, and George D'Arbanville, a bartender. D'Arbanville attended PS 41 on Eleventh Street...
) -- as they all return to drinking after spending several months in
AAAlcoholics Anonymous is a worldwide fellowship of men and women who share a desire to stop drinking alcohol, and subsequently maintain their sobriety...
. In the penultimate episode, the four are drinking with Tommy when an obviously drunk Ellie leaves to pick up a dog she and Teddy had adopted. Shortly after leaving, Ellie is shown running a red light and crashing her car. In the final episode, it is revealed that the crash was fatal. Teddy confronts his nephews and Tommy in the bar, clearly pointing the finger of blame at Tommy. The cliffhanger for Season 6 is set after Teddy shoots Tommy in the shoulder, apparently leaving Tommy to bleed to death while threatening that he'll shoot to death anyone who tries to help him.
Seasons 6 and 7
On June 16, 2009, the
Los Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California since 1881. It is distributed throughout the Western United States. It is the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States and the fourth-most widely distributed newspaper in the United States...
website confirmed
Rescue Me will return in 2010 with a sixth season due to increased ratings for the 5th season.
On August 28, 2009 TV Guide confirmed that Season 6 will return with 10 Episodes followed by a Season 7 in 2011 with 9 Episodes and the Series Finale on or around the 10th Anniversary of September 11th.
Music
The main title theme song for
Rescue Me is a shortened version of "C'mon C'mon" by the band
The Von BondiesThe Von Bondies are an American alternative rock band. The current members are Jason Stollsteimer on vocals and lead guitar, Christy Hunt on rhythm guitar, Leann Banks on bass guitar and Don Blum on drums....
. This song was picked by Denis Leary's son, Jack, who helps pick some of the music used in the show. The underscore and end title theme for the show is scored by composer
Christopher TyngChristopher Tyng is an American composer. He composed the music for several television series including Futurama, The O.C., The Job, The Baby-Sitters Club , Knight Rider and Rescue Me....
, who also scored Leary's previous show
The JobThe Job is a single-camera television comedy about a New York City police officer named Mike McNeil -- who indulges in adultery, alcohol, cigarettes and prescription drug abuse—and his fellow 'bumbling detective' pals...
.
Rescue Me often ends with a musical montage. The official
soundtrackA soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the synchronized...
was released on May 30, 2006 on
NettwerkThe Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, as well as Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville and Hamburg...
.
Mike LombardiMike Lombardi is an American actor. He is best known for his role in the television series Rescue Me, as the firefighter Mike Silletti.-Filmography:* Rescue Me , as Mike Silletti...
's band,
Apache Stone-History:Apache Stone formed when Mike Lombardi and Hank Woods began playing together. Lombardi sang and wrote songs, with Woods playing guitar. Woods recruited three additional members to band - first the drummer Mark Greenberg, followed by David Leatherwood on bass and then Nick Bacon on guitar...
, has performed frequently on the show.
Reception
The show was well received when it premiered. The series premiere garnered Denis Leary and Peter Tolan an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series. Tolan also received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series. Leary received another Emmy nomination the next year, this time for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Critics praised the show's willingness to take risks and talk about family, depression, alcoholism, homophobia, and the aftermath of the
September 11, 2001 attacksThe September 11 attacks were a series of coordinated suicide attacks by Al-Qaeda upon the United States on September 11, 2001. On that morning, 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners...
.
The debut episode was seen by almost 4.1 million viewers, ranking #8 all-time for series premieres in basic cable. Season one and two averaged 2.7 and 2.8 million viewers, respectively.
Controversy surrounded
Rescue Me after an episode in season 3 ("Sparks") showed Tommy raping his ex-wife, Janet. A few minutes later, Tommy leaves the home and Janet is on the couch reading a magazine. Two episodes later ("Zombies"), Janet forces herself on Tommy to make them "even". A later episode dealt with Sheila, the wife of Tommy's deceased cousin, drugging him with rohypnol and Viagra and then proceeding to
rapeRape, also referred to as sexual assault, is an assault by a person involving sexual intercourse with or without sexual penetration of another person without that person's consent....
him.
Media releases
Sony Pictures Home EntertainmentSony Pictures Home Entertainment is the home video distribution arm of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation. It was established in 1978 as Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment....
has released
Rescue Me on DVD in Regions 1, 2 & 4. Seasons 1-4 have been released in Region 1, seasons 1-3 in Regions 2 & 4. Season 5, Volume 1 will be released in Region 1 on September 1, 2009.
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Rescue-Season-5-Volume-1/12163
| Title |
Originally aired |
Episodes |
DVDDVD, also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc,is an optical disc storage media format, and was founded in 1995. Its main uses are video and data storage...
release dates by regionDVD region codes are a DRM technique designed to allow motion picture studios to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and, price; according to the region...
|
Blu-rayBlu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the standard DVD format. Its main uses are for storing high-definition video, PlayStation 3 games, and other data, with up to 25 GB per single layered, and 50 GB per dual layered disc...
release date |
iTunes Release |
| Region 1 |
Region 2 |
Region 4 |
| The Complete First Season |
2004 |
13 |
June 7, 2005 |
February 20, 2006 |
February 8, 2006 |
Discontinued |
October 14, 2008 |
| The Complete Second Season |
2005 |
13 |
May 9, 2006 |
January 29, 2007 |
September 27, 2006 |
Discontinued |
October 21, 2008 |
| The Complete Third Season |
2006 |
13 |
June 5, 2007 |
June 8, 2009 |
March 11, 2009 |
June 5, 2007 |
October 28, 2008 |
| The Complete Fourth Season |
2007 |
13 |
June 3, 2008 |
TBA |
TBA |
TBA |
November 7, 2008
(Premiered on iTunes in UK) |
| Season 5, Volume 1 |
2009 |
11 |
September 1, 2009 |
TBA |
TBA |
TBA |
April 7, 2009
(Premiered on iTunes in UK) |
Trivia
- The family name "Gavin" is a reference to Denis Leary's friend and fellow Boston comedian "Father" Don Gavin.
- Many actors on Rescue Me were also on The Job
The Job is a single-camera television comedy about a New York City police officer named Mike McNeil -- who indulges in adultery, alcohol, cigarettes and prescription drug abuse—and his fellow 'bumbling detective' pals...
, Denis Leary's previous television series about the New York Police Department. There are also a number of stylistic and comedic similarities between the two series and in episode 207, "Shame", Leary is seen wearing a The Job t-shirt.
- In the second season, Lou mentions to Tommy that even though everyone loves Sully, he thinks he might be an ex-con. This is a reference to actor Lee Tergesen's work on the HBO series Oz
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes. It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz aired for six seasons...
, where Tergesen portrayed Tobias Beecher, a convict. Additionally, many other actors from OZ have made appearances on Rescue Me including Robert John Burke (Mickey Gavin), Dean Winters (Johnny Gavin), and Robert Clohessy (Steven from HQ).
- In the first season opening credits the E-One
E-One or Emergency One Incorporated is an emergency services manufacturer and marketer based in Ocala, Florida.- History :Founded in 1974, E-One has a staff of roughly 900 in four plants in the United States. In 1993 E-One purchased Superior Emergency Equipment and in 2004 bought Saulsbury Fire...
logo is clearly visible on the front grille of the truck. In seasons two through four, the logo is blank. In the fifth season, the PiercePierce Manufacturing is an Appleton, Wisconsin based manufacturer of custom fire and rescue apparatus and a wholly owned subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation. Pierce was acquired by Oshkosh in 1996. The company was originally founded in 1913 by Humphrey Pierce and his son Dudley as the Pierce Auto...
logo is seen.
- The part of Battalion Chief Jerry Reilly was played by Jack McGee. In Paul Haggis
Paul Edward Haggis is a Canadian-American screenwriter, producer and film director who spent his early career producing and directing various American and Canadian television network series.-Personal life:...
's CrashCrash is a 2004 American drama film, co-written, produced, and directed by Paul Haggis. It premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2004, and was released internationally in 2005. The film is about racial and social tensions in Los Angeles...
McGee played the gun store owner who harasses a Muslim customer (Shaun Toub-Personal life:Toub, who is of Persian Jewish background, was born in Tehran, Iran and raised in Manchester, England . At the age of fourteen, he moved to Switzerland and after a two year stay, he crossed the Atlantic to Nashua, New Hampshire to finish his last year of high school...
), saying he "incinerated his friends" by flying 747s into the Twin TowersTwin Towers may refer to the following:In architecture:* The tallest two towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, destroyed September 11, 2001* The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
.
- The turnout jacket Leary wears in the pilot episode belonged to New York firefighter Captain Patrick "Paddy" Brown, who died in the World Trade Center attacks
The September 11 attacks were a series of coordinated suicide attacks by Al-Qaeda upon the United States on September 11, 2001. On that morning, 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners...
. The jacket was donated by Leary's fellow co-star Robert John Burke-Career:Currently, Burke is with the cast of Denis Leary's Rescue Me and plays Bart Bass on The CW's Gossip Girl. Recently, he was working on the TV series Kidnapped for NBC and was a featured character on ABC's series Six Degrees. Burke has also had recurring roles on Law & Order, and he appeared...
who was good friends with Captain Brown.
- In the pilot episode of the show, Leary is also seen wearing a Leary Firefighters Foundation
The Leary Firefighters Foundation provides funding and equipment to fire departments throughout the United States.On December 3, 1999, six firefighters in Worcester, Massachusetts were killed in the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire, a massive fire set by squatters...
9-11 memorial t-shirt.
- In episode 110, "Immortal", Leary is seen wearing a shirt bearing Garnet "Ace" Bailey's
Garnet Edward "Ace" Bailey was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and scout who was a member of Stanley Cup and Memorial Cup winning teams...
name, number and picture. Ace Bailey was the lead scout for the Los Angeles KingsThe Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
and a former Boston BruinThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, entering the league as the first United States-based expansion franchise...
who was killed on September 11 when Flight 175United Airlines Flight 175 was a scheduled U.S. domestic passenger flight from Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts to Los Angeles International Airport, in California...
hit the World Trade Center.
- Several hockey
Ice Hockey is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a puck into the opposing team's goal. It is a fast-paced and physical sport...
players have appeared on the show in various roles. Most notably Hall of FamersThe Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
and former Boston BruinsThe Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, entering the league as the first United States-based expansion franchise...
forwards Phil EspositoPhilip Anthony "Espo" Esposito, OC is a retired professional hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers...
and Cam NeelyCameron Michael "Cam" Neely is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played right wing for the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League from 1983 to 1996...
—with whom Leary has raised money via Comics Come Home.
- In episode 211, "Bitch", Leary's hockey helmet is emblazoned with a "W 6" logo on the front. W 6 stands for "Worcester Six" and represents and memorializes six firefighters who died on December 3, 1999, in the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire
The Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire was a fire that began on December 3, 1999, in Worcester, Massachusetts. It started when two homeless and mentally disabled people, Thomas S. Levesque and Julie Ann Barnes, who were living inside the warehouse, knocked over a candle after an argument earlier...
in his hometown of Worcester, MassachusettsWorcester is a city in the state of Massachusetts in the United States of America. Having a population of 172,648 in the 2000 census, Worcester is ranked the second or third largest city in New England. It is the county seat of Worcester County....
. Among the dead were Leary's cousin, Jerry Lucey, and childhood friend, Lt. Thomas Spencer.
- New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the...
head coach Bill BelichickWilliam Stephen Belichick is the American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
had a cameo in episode 312, "Hell", as a mourner at a funeral. In the scene, Belichick and Phil Esposito briefly discuss their interest in sports (ironically, lacrosse, golf, and tennis).
- Chief Pecher in episode 313, "Beached", is played by co-creator/writer Peter Tolan.
- In episode 404, "Pussified", Leary says, "...when the Bronx was burning, ever hear about those days?" That episode was the first new episode after the premiere of the ESPN
ESPN is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting and producing sports-related programming 24 hours a day....
mini-series The Bronx is BurningThe Bronx Is Burning is a television drama that debuted on ESPN on July 9, 2007 following the 2007 MLB Home Run Derby. It is an eight-episode mini-series adapted from Jonathan Mahler's best-selling book, Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx Is Burning...
, in which Daniel SunjataDaniel Sunjata is a Tony Award-nominated American actor who has performed in film, television and in the theater.-Career:...
stars. Sunjata is in Leary's presence as this line is spoken.
- Leary mentions a "Cold Storage Warehouse fire" in the same fortune episode, making another reference to the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire.
- Firefighter Mike Moran's quote "You can kiss my royal Irish ass." is often used in the show.
- The FDNY has never had an Engine 99. It once had both a Ladder 62 and Battalion 30, both merged into the FDNY from the Brooklyn Fire Department.. The reference to Engine 99 is a tribute to Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is currently a part-owner of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League...
, whose number 99 was retired by the entire NHL after his final game as a New York Ranger.
- In 405, "Black", the coach of the NYPD hockey team is Ernie Boch, Jr.
Ernie Boch, Jr., CEO, president and spokesman of Boch Enterprises, a $1 billion business comprised primarily of automobile dealerships in Norwood, Massachusetts....
, the President of Boch Automotive, a prominent chain of car dealerships in Norwood, Massachusetts. The coach of the NY firemen's team is legendary hockey player Phil EspositoPhilip Anthony "Espo" Esposito, OC is a retired professional hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers...
, a Boston Bruins alum.
- Lyndon Byers
Lyndon Svi Byers is a professional ice hockey player turned radio host.-Career:Byers began his playing career in 1981 with the Regina Pats of the major-junior Western Hockey League. The following year, the Boston Bruins selected him with a second-round pick at the 1982 NHL Entry Draft...
, a former member of the Boston Bruins and a current Boston area radio DJ, has a recurring role as Ryan, co-captain of the FDNY hockey team.
- The name of Mike Lombardi's character, Silletti, is taken from that of producer Tom Sellitti.
- There is in fact a Battalion 15 in the FDNY.
- In season 2 episode 4 Tom Gavin's coworkers say he looks like Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, television writer, comedian, producer, and the current host of The Tonight Show on NBC. He rose to fame as the host of NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien from 1993 to 2009, before leaving to succeed Jay Leno to The Tonight Show helm,...
, this is a reference to Conan O'Brien actually being Denis Leary's cousin.
- The character Franco, played by Daniel Sunjata
Daniel Sunjata is a Tony Award-nominated American actor who has performed in film, television and in the theater.-Career:...
, persists that 9/11 was an "inside job" all throughout season 5. Daniel Sunjata subscribes to these same beliefs in real life. On September 22, 2009, the LooseChange 9/11 video is being redone and will be narrated by Sunjata.
- Tommy Gavin
Thomas Michael "Tommy" Gavin is the main character of the FX television series Rescue Me. He is portrayed by Denis Leary. Leary was nominated for a Golden Globe and for two Emmys for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Tommy...
's son, Conner, shares the name with Eric ClaptonEric Patrick Clapton, CBE is an English blues-rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer. Clapton has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Yardbirds, of Cream, and as a solo performer, being the only person ever to be inducted three times...
's late son Conor who also came to a tragic end at the age of four by falling from the 52nd story of a New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
apartment highrise. In season 4, Tommy brings up the tragedy of Eric ClaptonEric Patrick Clapton, CBE is an English blues-rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer. Clapton has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Yardbirds, of Cream, and as a solo performer, being the only person ever to be inducted three times...
several times to Sheila about Elvis/Wyatt (No Name Gavin).
See also
- 9/11 (film)
9/11 is a 2002 documentary film about the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City, in which two planes crashed into the buildings of the World Trade Center...
— flashback scenes in the World Trade CenterThe World Trade Center was a complex in Lower Manhattan in New York City whose seven buildings were destroyed in 2001 in the September 11 terrorist attacks...
resemble scenes from this documentary
External links