What has been clear is the war that he has battled against his alter ego - seeing ghosts, hearing voices, and most recently running around town pretending to be the ghost of his dead cousin. More importantly, the ghost with no face that has been mocking him all season has finally been revealed. Tommy's ghost is Tommy. Makes me wonder if we are dealing with a Fight Club split personality. Remember Brad Pitt and Ed Norton? Maybe he has fallen off his rocker. Why else would he be sleeping in the storage closet? In some ways, Tommy seems to have great clarity: trying to make peace for baby Wyatt/Elvis, clean and sober, protecting his daughter, helping his friends, committed to his sobriety, on a spiritual quest for God, and finally acknowledging that he is a man who wants to come home to a woman. He wants something real. Still in other ways, Tommy is deeply lost in the hazy night. His character needs more clarity and closure to make sense of his journey. This alone could be enough of a reason for another season.
Sadly, because not much happened for any other characters on the show this season, the remaining bumbling storylines did not need all that much closure. Lou admitted to his cousin Mike that he had repeated bouts of revenge sex with Mike's girlfriend. But the joke was on Lou - Mike knew he would seek revenge and chose a woman that Lou would not find attractive. Maggie genuinely ended the relationship with Sean. Franco let go of his anger toward Natalie and helped Richie marry his sweetheart. Janet officially emerged from her postpartum darkness and into a light, happy, and radiant woman. She and Tommy still have the electrifying heat and connection. Colleen blames Tommy for the break-up with her boyfriend. It seems her budding romance with Black Sean will serve as the ultimate revenge. And after my favorite girl, Sheila, heard of the Jimmy sightings, she went swinging for Tommy at the firehouse. She felt owed a visit from her husband and was heartbroken that the ghost had not come to see her. Sheila refused to leave the house, and went searching for a glimpse of her husband's ghost. Instead, she found the storage closet, Tommy's stray dog, and her husband's coat. She collapsed on the floor in despair clutching onto his coat and letting go of the hope that she might see her husband again. And then there were two: Tommy and his father watching a minor league ballgame and saying goodbye.
"Though the dawn may be coming soon, there still may be some time. Fly away to the bright side of the moon and meet me on the other side. Ohh dream weaver, dream weaver."
Song by – Reo Speedwagon – Dream Weaver
Rescue Me needs to be rescued. It needs what everyone needs: some direction, a little inspiration and good old-fashioned heart. The sun is about to set on the fourth season of the show and it seems unlikely that any powerful twist will be revealed in the finale. Is it crazy that I am still hoping for a save? Hoping that maybe they have been holding back some bright, bold, radiant light that is going to illuminate and bring significance to an otherwise dark and meaningless season. They better bring something good. "I can't light no more of your darkness. All my pictures seem to fade to black and white. I'm growing tired and time stands still before me, frozen here on the ladder of my life."
]]> Tommy is sober and searching. In his quest to believe and connect with God, he wants that elusive white light that he's heard so much about to shine down upon him. Mick told him to open his eyes and recognize the signs that surround him. But Tommy was not sold. While he hasn't had one drop of alcohol this entire season, he has battled a few emotionally dark and stormy nights. The ghosts have not come back since his breakdown with the baseball bat in his apartment. Only that one mysterious ghost speaks to Tommy now. It seems that Tommy Gavin may be falling off the deep end. He is creeping around wearing his dead cousin's jacket, sneaking into fires, making rescues, and running out the back door. Not sure why he is saving people while wearing the Keefe name on his back, but I am hoping there is some greater purpose to all of it. Could it be that he has gone crazy or "section 8" as the men in the firehouse have referred to it? Is he trying to scare the other firefighters into thinking they are seeing ghosts too? Does he think he is Superman? Or does he just miss his cousin? "Much too late to save myself from falling. I took a chance and changed your way of life. But you misread my meaning when I met you, closed the door and left me blinded by the light."The remaining cast staggered along in their non-essential, disconnected storylines. Black Sean could be the prophet of Ladder 62. He seems to see straight into the underlying truth of people. He called out Franco's battle to hide or deny his feelings for Natalie and shined a light on Mike's deep dark truth of hating (but wanting to be) Tommy Gavin. Then there was Lou who simply couldn't resist the indulgence of Latrina, especially when it came in the form of a lobster cream sauce. Valerie must have taken a little swig of some crazy possessive juice because she was appalled that Tommy had been seen in a restaurant with another woman. That woman is nuts.
Colleen's rocker boyfriend, Tony, has used the Gavin credit card to buy a $5,000 engagement ring (for some other girl). Tommy couldn't have been happier to have the musician deadbeat out of his daughter's life. Sean Garrity tried to prove the depth of his alcohol addiction to the guys but only proved that he is exactly what they predicted—a beer queer. After a few drinks, Sean was sloppily professing his love for the guys and seeing the ladies through a thick set of appearance-enhancing beer goggles. Chief Feinstein has become an intimidating force at the firehouse. He quickly morphed from the fun-loving chief, to a bad ass wanting to rip Tommy's head off. Don't mess with a man's daughter. And finally, the tumultuous and explosive Gavin family AA meetings, where sarcasm and violence flow like honey, have been officially adjourned. Not sure how healing those meetings actually were, Cousin Mick had a bloody lip at the end of the last one.
We know that Tommy has a motivation for all of his craziness. But we don't know what it is. Perhaps his sobriety has inspired a deep and true soul search that will lead him out of the dark. Or maybe he has fallen apart. We will see. "Don't let the sun go down on me. Although I search myself, it's always someone else I see, I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free. But losing everything is like the sun going down on me."
Song by: Elton John - Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Rescue Me has flat lined (again). This week's episode titled, Cycle, proved without a doubt that Three Dog Night knew what they were talking about when they wrote the lyric, "One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do. Two can be as bad as one. It's the loneliest number since the number one."
The entire episode swirled around Tommy Gavin. While it's true that Tommy has always served as the core of the show, in the prior seasons, there has been a hugely significant and compelling cast supporting him. It was the culmination of all the characters that captured the hearts of viewers. But the fourth season has gone to some other place-a place where the only fervor and bravery that abounds is that of Tommy Gavin. In this episode alone, let us consider the story (if that is what this is called) of ONE man: Tommy marvels us with his superior street hockey skills, is the sexual slave to a beautiful, puffy-lipped woman (Gershon), fast and furiously drives the fire truck through the streets of New York, and saves three people from death after he runs into a burning building with nothing but a borrowed coat (all this while the rest of the experienced crew just unload the truck and saunter around trying to find a way into the building). It seems that Tommy is the only hero in the bunch.
Perhaps, if Tommy's story were stronger and clearer, it would make up for the loss of everyone else. I have had my fingers crossed that co-creators/writers Leary/Tolan had some magical plot hiding up their sleeves but that seems unlikely with only two episodes remaining. It seems that nothing of substance has developed for the entire season, except one man's struggle with faith. For Rescue Me , one truly is the loneliest number, especially when a stellar cast and strong writing is left waiting in the wings.
Lyrics by - Three Dog Night - One is the Loneliest Number
]]>"Listen, baby. Ain't no mountain high. Ain't no valley low. Ain't no river wide enough baby." As corrupt and dysfunctional as the Gavin clan might be, in one way or another, they are always there for each other. Hereye! Hereye! The Gavin family AA meeting is now in session. It is a healing space where a higher power, mice, wild family feuds and stray dogs abound. Come one. Come all. Everyone is welcome, that is, unless you are not a member of the family (Sean), you are not an alcoholic (Sean), and you believe God to be a giant cloud of pink mass (Sean). The meeting was reminiscent of One Flew Over a Cuckoo's Nest, with the crazy family running amuck: squabbling, interrupting, and not listening to one another. Mick (my favorite Gavin) was the facilitator of the meeting. He tried his best to keep things moving in a positive direction, turning talk of getting high to talk of a higher power, but the Gavin's are not so easily inspired.
]]> "If you need me, call me. No matter where you are, no matter how far. Just call my name, I'll be there in a hurry, you don't have to worry." For some strange reason, Tommy is the person that most turn to when in need of help or counsel. As if Tommy's world of ghosts, addictions, broken relationships and demons is not chaotic enough, he seems to take on every one else's personal drama. Sadly, Tommy always makes more mess when trying to clean mess. Never better displayed than when parenting his daughter. Colleen is a monster. She takes advantage of her family and doesn't seem to care about anyone but herself and her rocker boyfriend. Outside of Janet, Colleen is the worst person to be caring for the baby. Tommy's father-daughter relationship with Colleen is one bride after another, this time in exchange for baby "Wyatt" and information about Janet, he gives her a Jeep Cherokee and a limitless credit card. Tommy is putting Sheila's insurance money to good use. Sheila is waiting patiently in the wings for the return of her baby "Elvis." Tommy arranged for her to get the baby a few days a week, and she seems oddly satisfied with that arrangement.Janet (worst mother of the year) passed baby "Wyatt" over to Colleen because she has a new job at a real estate company and needs time to sleep with her "husky-eyed" boss. What is wrong with this woman? And what happened to her raging PMS, pill popping and drinking? Two weeks ago, she was hiding under a blanket and clutching a bottle of booze and now she is sauntering around in a sleek business suit?
Tommy gives the worst advice: he supports Lou in his endeavor to seek revenge on Cousin Mike. Seems Lou has not forgiven Mike for sleeping with his ex-nun girlfriend and wants to turn the tables on him. The only problem is that Mike's new lady friend is an excessively curvy waitress named Latrina, who Lou referred to as "Aretha Franklin black" and fat. Not sure if the chubby, double-chinned Lou has taken a gander at his own girth in the mirror lately, but perhaps if he did, he might not make such disparaging comments about Latrina. How do you say, double standard?
Tommy dolled out even more bad advice to the sullen and lonely Mike Silletti when he told him to go to a bar and find himself a woman. While "get out of the house and meet someone" is decent advice for a normal, healthy person, when given to Silletti, who tried to slit his wrists with a razor blade last week, it is a recipe for disaster. Mike has a tendency to stumble across the perverse and wacky folk in Brooklyn. This time it was a mother and daughter duo, with a mother old enough to be his mother. Yikes. Who wants to bet that Mike will partake in the action?
Finally, one of Tommy's phone calls actually did something good in the world. I love the flaws in cousin Mick. He called Tommy to check on him, just as Tommy happened to be standing outside a bar, fighting the urge to go inside and break his sobriety. Mick's call came just at the right moment and helped save Tommy from himself. It seems that Mick is still heavily battling his own addictions as well and by helping Tommy overcome his temptation helps Mick overcome his own.
As usual, God was under question in much of the episode: in the AA meeting, during Tommy's rant about racism in the FDNY, and during his conversation with his father. "Where was God then?" is a common question on this show. With all the tragedy and wasted life that these firefighters witness, it makes sense that they would question the presence of a higher power. I guess, sometimes, the mountain is high enough.
Lyrics by Ashford and Simpson - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
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]]>At long last, this week's episode of Rescue Me titled, "Animal" finally rose to the high standards of the show's prior three seasons. As I have noted, the entire 4th season has proved disappointing to most viewers, frugally doling out the quality programming that we had come to expect and love from Rescue Me. Many fans were about ready to jump ship. After suffering through this disappointing season, we were practically being pushed away, having no choice but to leave. Hell, Leary earned his second Emmy nomination, they probably wouldn't miss us anyway. "I said go if you wanna go, stay if you wanna stay, I didn't care if you hung around me. I didn't care if you went away. And I know you were never right. I'll admit I was never wrong. I could never make up my mind. I made it up as I went along." But with this episode, the quality came back and was miraculously sustained for the duration of the episode. So, for today, I am a believer again. "All I need is a miracle..."
]]> Outside of the random and seemingly meaningless sexual romp with sex-crazed, sensitive as a tuning fork woman (played by the overly-injected with bad collagen, puffy-lipped Gina Gershon), Tommy had me captivated. But that was after he had wild, fast, and awkward (and what seemed like unprotected) sex with Valerie and then left to get a sandwich. The scene was kind of funny, but then not. It felt irrelevant other than to meet the show's "Tommy nails chicks" quota. Still, even with the useless opening scene, there was something understated and likable about Tommy during this episode. Thank goodness because I had lost my love for Tommy Gavin, and it is hard to watch the show, when you loathe the main character.Tommy is dangerously amoral, we know this, but somehow he has the ability to win the lasting loyalty of his friends, family and fellow firefighters. That is, until he dates one of their daughters. Chief Feinstein is no longer under the Tommy Gavin spell. Feinstein's daughter was disappointed and hurt by her date with Tommy (uh, is that a shock?) and the Chief was furious with him. He reprimanded him throughout the episode and had enough with his Steve McQueen, rule-breaking firefighting antics. The sweet and loveable Feinstein is great (and kind of intimidating) as a hard-ass chief and it was a treat to watch him put Tommy in his place.
Baby Elvis has left the building. My poor, crazy Sheila lost her sweet little baby (well, it's not really her baby, but I am wishing he was). Janet waited outside, with the car running, while her scary little daughter, Katy, took back the baby. For some reason, I found myself rooting for Sheila and Elvis to be together. Janet and her daughter have no interest or love for the baby, other than, to seek revenge on Sheila. At the end of the day, I simply want the baby to be loved and happy. So, I am hoping Tommy will steal the baby back from the mean and nasty Janet (is that awful of me?). Suffice it to say, that I have finally joined forces with the troops of fans that loathe Janet. There is something intolerable about her.
Speaking of intolerable, Natalie's overreaction to Franco's comment about loving her more than Alicia (Sarandon) was such a bore. I am on my knees in gratitude that this storyline is coming to an end. Franco has always showed little interest and passion for Natalie and their engagement has never made sense on the show. Natalie stormed out to go on a long walk and I hope she never returns.
The Gavin family intervention was a dysfunctional riot. With Cousin Mick at the helm of the meeting, Sean with his 15 spiral-bound notebooks, Ellie with her scorned lover's fury and the head of the family sipping on whiskey - the witty, classic Rescue Me style banter was in full force. Maggie agreed immediately to get sober and suggested they start their own family AA meetings. Uncle Teddy wasn't going down without a fight. He argued that there was no point to getting sober. He prefers life in a drunken state. With a room full of struggling, miserable alcoholics, the Gavin clan had a tough time proving that a sober life was a happier one. I adore Ellie's tough, no-nonsense love for Teddy (and I love the way she calls him Theodore). If these Gavin AA meetings continue, we will be in for a weekly dose of hysteria.
Best of the episode was Tommy's rescue of fragile and unstable Mike. It was about time that someone went to check on him. The highlight was the scene on the rooftop. Where Tommy chugged vodka (that we later learned was only water), smoked a cigarette and spoke vulnerably about the horror of losing a child. He spoke of the everlasting pain of 9/11, of losing loved ones and of failing in so many relationships. For a few moments, Tommy revealed a bit of his flawed heart. I rooted for him again. And then he leaped off the side of the building. It was a compelling, perfectly acted and intense scene that had me looking at the clock and wanting more. The heart of the show returned, and that was all we needed. Perhaps we didn't need a miracle after all.
Lyrics by – Mike and the Mechanics – All I Need is a Miracle
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]]>Tonight's episode of Rescue Me was titled, Solo, for good reason—it was all about Tommy Gavin. "It's easier not to be wise, and measure these things by your brains. I sank into Eden with you, alone in the church by and by." It started off with the slap heard around the world, when Tommy returned home without the baby. Janet struck with fury. She went crazy on him. The hardest blow came when she learned that he given the baby to crazy Sheila. After bludgeoning him with a frying pan, Janet packed up their daughter and left. But not before running over Tommy in her little Ford Escort. (Just a note, why does Tommy drive some pimped out, pearl-colored Escalade truck when Janet and the kids buzz around in a tiny Escort?) After the past few weeks of watching the child neglect unfold, I was eager to see the baby swaddled up in some intense Sheila loving. Instead, she hovered over his crib like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and named the baby, Elvis.
]]> Speaking of cuckoos, Tommy saw his regular army of ghosts when he was left alone in the apartment, including Chief Reilly (not played by Jack McGee), Billy (from Season One), and the unnamed ghost who died in 9/11. The usual suspects, Jimmy and Johnny, were furious at Tommy for his selfishness and his failures. They claimed he had been warned (probably from that shadow ghost who had been looming around the firehouse) and that they were done trying to help him. "Your anchor is up you've been swept away, the greatest of teachers won't hesitate, to leave you there, by yourself, chained to your fate." The ghosts set the place ablaze and locked Tommy inside. He went crazy and tried to rescue them from the burning room by chopping through the apartment walls with an axe. (His poor neighbors.) The next morning, when he woke from his breakdown, Cousin Mick stopped by to check on him, saw what looked like a battlefield, with broken furniture and big, gaping holes in the walls. And said, "Time for a meeting."The Gavin marital war became fodder at the firehouse. None of the guys really knew what happened to Tommy. They just knew that Janet left him a bloodied mess. Franco tried to ruin his tragic and useless engagement to Natalie by sleeping with Alicia. Sadly, Alicia wouldn't let him sabotage his relationship simply because he was afraid. She coddled him like a baby and sent him off to be a man with his fiancé. A damn shame if you ask me.
Uncle Mick had a heart-to-heart with Sean about Maggie's addictions. It is time for an intervention and some tough love for Maggie. Mick suggested that Sean take something important away from her (like the relationship) until she straightens up and gets the help she needs. But denying her of morning aspirin was about as tough as dimwit Sean could force himself to be.
The oddest part of the episode was when Chief Feinstein asked Tommy to date his daughter, claiming that he was "just her type of man." Let me get this straight, her father is trying to set her up with an egotistical, narcissistic, alcoholic, married, abusive and raging womanizer? Wow. Feinstein must truly be the wind beneath his daughter's wings.
Tommy finally agreed to the date the Chief's daughter (Amy Sedaris) but only because Lou convinced him that a date with a Jewish girl promises to have a "happy ending." The daughter was a babbling, neurotic mess. So, Tommy took a momentary pause from the date, ran into a burning building (alone), saved a child and returned (with his jacket literally smoking) for a dinner roll. Meanwhile, across the restaurant was yet another woman (Gina Gershon) who was drawn like a moth to the Tommy Gavin flame. She slipped him a piece of paper and sauntered off. We will be seeing more of her next week.
It has to be said that while Tommy did have some powerful scenes during this episode, there is a stellar cast waiting in the wings. The storylines of the other characters are weak and uninteresting. Time to give them something compelling to do. As much as we enjoy a solo performance from Denis Leary, the magic of Rescue Me hides in an ensemble cast of characters. Not just one man. "It's easier not to be great and measure these things by your eyes. All these riddles that you burn, all come running back to you, all these riddles that you hide. Only love can save us now."
Lyrics by - Live - I Alone
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]]>Unlike the rest of Season 4, the heart of Rescue Me beat like a drum during the opening sequence of the episode, Seven. The men battled through a blazing inferno, catching and saving falling babies and barely making it out of the building alive. It was the essence of heroes. Still, even with their heroic efforts, they stood among seven dead babies and children that lined the sidewalk. No one survived. Silence truly does have the loudest voice. The crew was silent and devastated and empty and broken during the journey back to the firehouse. There were no words and no obvious ways to cope. The men staggered through the next day or two, trying to deal with what they witnessed and what they couldn't save. Watching these strong, flawed but vulnerable men fighting the battle and carrying the burden of loss, has been the true spirit of the show. It is the battle and burden of heroes. It was a pleasant reprieve to once again dive deep into the heart of what made Rescue Me such a compelling show. "Been trying to get down, to the heart of the matter, but the will gets weak and thoughts seems to scatter..."
]]> But the deep dive lasted through only two commercial breaks before we were brought back up to the surface, and forced to wade through the somewhat tired and meaningless storylines. The news and devastation of the "baby" fire had everyone talking. Troy, Sheila's young stud boyfriend, officially lost that loving and worshipping feeling for Tommy (now that he is a mere mortal who could not save the babies). Troy took down his Tommy Gavin shrine and ended it with Sheila. No one will miss Troy (except for when he sported the pea coat like Tommy's). Lou has had his fill of his oversexed girlfriend and her Neapolitan-flavored edible panties. He broke up with her and made amends with his slimy cousin Mike (Artie Lange). They toasted to their freedom and brotherhood, as Mike so eloquently stated, "Bro's before ho's." Charming.Apologies were everywhere. Garrity extended an olive branch (and a slap) to Mike by admitting to and apologizing for burning his mother's house down. Seems that Mike was relieved to be rid of the heavy family memories and welcomed a fresh start and home with the insurance money. Anyone else want to make millions on insurance money? Jeez, I feel like burning something down.
The beautiful and talented Susan Sarandon once again graced the show with her presence. Alicia (Sarandon) came back to New York with Franco's daughter, Keela. As much as I thought it strange that Alicia just ran off with Keela without any resistance from Franco in the first place, I welcomed the story back. Alicia and Franco have better chemistry than Franco and his fiancé. The small, budding interest he did have in Natalie has been threatened with Alicia and Keela's invitation to become a real family. Aside from the chemistry, it's a better move for Franco. There is such little space for him between Natalie and her creepy brother.
Peaks of the episode: The ghost looming around the firehouse, Cousin Mickey offering spiritual but honest counsel and Tommy's effort with AA's (24 hours a day) Little Black Book. The deep valley of the episode: Tommy holding his little sleeping baby boy over the river. Now, I can appreciate that Tommy is broken, angry, feeling helpless and from this skewed perspective (and advise from his dead brother Johnny) considers death by drowning a lesser fate than what lies ahead for his son/nephew. But I have had it with the cruelty and carelessness toward this nameless baby. No one likes the kid. He is ignored, constantly drugged with Benadryl and now dangling over a river. Frankly, it's unpleasant to watch (and not in a compelling and entertaining kind of way). It is lazy, flat-line writing. Leary and company can surely find another way to engage their viewers than by threatening innocent babies. In the meantime, I'll be here, just waiting on a heartbeat.
Lyrics by: Don Henley - The Heart of the Matter
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"There's nothing you can know that isn't known. Nothing you can see that isn't shown. Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be. It's easy. All you need is love..."
Calling all angels, ghosts and beyond. Will someone please, for the love of all that is good and holy, rescue that baby? Tommy Gavin is so tragically unaware of what's happening to Janet that he might as well walk around with a brown paper bag over his head. Let's look at the glaring facts: Janet either sleeps or stares at the television in a catatonic state. She barely speaks. She constantly chugs wine. She forgets to feed her daughter. And she has been having dreams of the baby drowning in the bathtub. One would hope that her partner (since high school) might recognize that something is dramatically different about his wife and do something to help his family. But that doesn't happen here. Instead, he suggests that Janet take a shower and then heads off to meet his friends at the bar. A brilliant display of the sacred family unit.
]]> Tommy's youngest daughter, Katy, is obviously lost in the shuffle of the messy Gavin family. This little girl is angry. Her mother is trapped in the land of the lost, her older sister has moved out, her brother has died, and her father is, well, Tommy. Tragically, Katy has transferred her frustration and fear onto the sweet, little, brown-haired (nameless) baby. Tommy walked into the bedroom and found Susan standing over the baby's crib like Linda Blair hunched over a Oujia board in the Exorcist. "I hate him." she scowled at the wide-eyed little boy. Okay, enough is enough with the forgotten baby. I can't bear to watch it anymore."There's nothing you can make that can't be made. No one you can save that can't be saved. Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be in time. It's easy. All you need is love..."
Tommy is too flawed a man to do what it takes to save his broken family. But that is not to say he doesn't try. He's made a valiant effort with staying off the drugs and alcohol. He has tried to keep his oldest daughter Colleen, connected to the family and does so, by getting her and her rocker boyfriend new bedding. He lives with his ex-wife and sleeps on a blow-up mattress next to the crib. In some ways, he has tried. But Tommy should be seeking professional help for his wife and keeping close watch on her. Instead, he will likely pass the baby over to Sheila, which will only lead to disaster when Janet reemerges from the fog and sees that her baby is gone. As much as I hate the idea of Sheila with the baby, at this point, I am begging for the baby to get out of that dark and loveless apartment and experience life with a name.
"All you need is love, love, love is all you need..."
Love was absent from the usual suspects at the firehouse but the witty and playful banter was alive and present. The new probie, Bart ("Sean"), has caused quite a stir, at least for Tommy. In exchange for his stellar basketball talents, Lou and the others have made him exempt from any and all probie work. It is kind of annoying to watch the higher-ranking men push mops around while the new guy just kicks back and reads the paper. This will not last for long. In the meantime, Lou caught his sex-starved girlfriend wearing her nun habit while riding atop his nasty cousin. Sean (Leslie) went snooping around in Mike's closet, accidentally lit his house on fire and then fled the scene. (Exactly what any great firefighter would do.) Franco's daughter is back in town and Natalie wants him to get his little girl. Instead, he went to the bar and played quarters with his buddies. (Exactly what any great father would do.) They are only one week into their engagement and Natalie is already giving him ultimatums. Where is the love, folks?
"All you need is love (all together now). All you need is love (everybody)
All you need is love, love, love is all you need."
Lyrics by - The Beatles - All You Need is Love
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]]>In a typical tension-filled Rescue Me opening sequence, Janet, who is exhausted and clearly still in the throes of postpartum depression, accidentally left the baby in a parking lot. As she raced back to get him, an 18-wheeler truck drove over the baby. The storyline disturbed me and I was incredibly relieved when Tommy woke up. It was just another one of his anxiety-induced dreams, probably brought on by his concern over Janet's lack of connection with the baby, but as usual, I fell for it hook-line-sinker. To imagine that Denis Leary and Peter Tolan would tragically kill off another character from the show is not unrealistic. Most recently, Chief Reilly, beautifully played by Jack McGee, bid us farewell with a gun to the head. Since his dismissal from the show, there has been press concerning ill feelings between McGee and Leary. McGee paints Leary in a not so flattering light, by referring to him as self-involved and arrogant. As much as I am a steadfast fan of the show, it makes me wonder if there is legitimacy to his claims.
Either way, it seems that Leary found a way to further snub McGee in last night's episode. The men at Ladder 62 have the Chief's ashes in their possession and they were trying to figure out what to do with them. God forbid anyone suggests that his son is allowed to keep his father's remains. Instead, they opened up the urn and peered inside. They made jokes about dust busters, pointed out what looked like teeth and then, Franco, threw his burning cigarette inside. Not all that respectful.
]]> With that said, Franco was a bit distracted with his own life angst. He spent much of the episode slung over a toilet seat, before and after his proposal to Natalie. She accepted and he could not have looked less enthused. Surrounded by such glowing representations of marriage, who can blame the guy? For some reason, Sean attempted to mend his psychotic relationship with Maggie, but after 36 hours she had already moved onto someone else. So, Sean has reluctantly bunked up at Mike's place amidst 1,000 of his mother's creepy dolls.Nothing could top the creepy scale more than Sheila offering Tommy $400,000 for his baby, other than, what seemed like his serious consideration of the idea. They still haven't named the baby. Janet is depressed. The baby cries constantly (except when in the arms of Tommy or Sheila). Tommy's youngest daughter wants no part of the child. And Sheila yearns for the little baby boy. It's a twisted concept and I cannot imagine where they will go with it.
The remainder of the episode pretty much revolved around penis banter. First, with the arrival of the new chief and his "infamous pecker", Chief Sydney Feinberg, played by Jerry Adler (Hesh Rabkin from The Sopranos). Though it feels like a slight betrayal to Chief Reilly, the new chief seems like a likeable and endearing character and I look forward to seeing more of him. Then came Lou's concern about his overactive sex life. He pleaded for a reprieve from sex with his girlfriend in fear that his private part would break off like a twig. Finally, there was the subject of Tommy's impotence. Nona was able to cure Tommy of his lifeless body part with a massage to his ego. Seems that Sheila's story about his inability to perform on the night of the fire, crippled him more than he realized. Just the slight mention of something to the contrary was all it took to get him going again. At long last, Nona is done with Tommy and, to be honest, I am done with Nona.
For the past three seasons, I have waited with bated breath for my weekly dose of Tommy Gavin and the crew. But something is missing from Rescue Me in season four. I'm not quite sure what has changed but I simply don't love it the same way. "After the love is gone and what used to be right is wrong, can love that's lost be found?"
While one cannot predict something as illusive as love, I will remain an optimistic and loyal fan and hope that my adoration will be restored.
Lyrics by: Earth, Wind and Fire - After the Love is Gone
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]]>"PRESSURE. Pressing down on me. Pressing down on you, no man asks for. Under Pressure, that burns a building down, splits a family in two, puts people on the streets."
Tommy has lost his daughter, Colleen. The scene that I had waited for all week, the scene where the boys of Ladder 62 basically knocked down the door of Colleen's boyfriend's apartment was not as funny as I thought it would be. Outside of Tommy requesting, "Blinders!" when his daughter sauntered out of the bedroom half-naked, the scene was kind of sad. Tommy behaved badly, in an over-protective but also kind of barbaric manner. There was no thinking or strategy involved in getting his daughter home. In the normal Gavin style, he just launched into action, grabbing his daughter and pulling her out of the apartment. Colleen retaliated in rage and showed how little respect she has for him. Seems that with all of his narcissistic years, Tommy will now reap what he has sown.
]]> Janet was disgusted at how he handled the rescue of their daughter. After his gorilla style mission, she demanded that Tommy apologize to Colleen's rocker boyfriend. Which is like asking Tommy to become a different person for about 15 minutes. Lou suggested a different strategy; one that he assured him would win back his daughter's love. Take a beating from the rocker boyfriend and then wait for Colleen to leap to Tommy's defense. Of course, it is easier for a man like TG to take a whipping than it is to swallow his pride and apologize. So, let the beatings begin. He didn't fight back. Instead, he just took the punches, and waited for his daughter to rescue him. Think again. Colleen was far more concerned with the well being of her boyfriend's precious guitar-picking hands than her father. The plan backfired, Colleen stood by her man and Tommy got his ass kicked by a little nose-pierced punk. Classic Rescue Me moment."It's the terror of knowing what this world is about. Watching some good friends, screaming let me out."
Seems Teddy has been institutionalized now. He went from the firehouse to the big house and it looks like he is not going to make it on the outside. He needs to rent Shawshank Redemption or something, and get busy living. Teddy is on the run from Ellie and is hiding out from what he considers a, "gigantic net of need that is blanketing the city." I just LOVE this guy. While it could be that I am simply swayed by his unmistakable and authentic Boston accent, he adds such humor to the show.
Speaking of humor, hard to top when the tough and aggressive Nona called Tommy a princess and made him get out of her truck. I think I misjudged this woman. Not desperate just knows what she wants. Franco's relationship with girlfriend just boggles me. One minute he's emotionally blocked and the next he is preparing to propose. Not sure of his affection for the creepy brother either. And then there was Lou, begging his lover nun for mercy from her tsunami of unbridled passion.
Sweet little emotional Mike is in need of a good, solid friend. He would have been better served if he had turned to a serpent for comfort, rather than a Tommy Gavin. Thankfully, Mike's mother passed away and spared her son the burden of having to take her life. Whew!
"Can't we give ourselves one more chance? Why can't we give love that one more chance? Why can't we give love give love give love?"
Chief Reilly did not give himself another chance. He could not imagine or desire a life without his wife and without his family at the firehouse and because of that, he could not make it on the outside. The loss of his familiar life was too much pressure and he lost it. His FDNY brotherhood was slightly absent and careless in saving their friend. Could they not recognize the depth of his despair? Taking the unsung hero, Chief Reilly, from the show will surely leave a big gaping hole in the splendor that is Rescue Me. Jack McGee will not be easy to replace.
"This is our last dance, this is ourselves under pressure. Under pressure.
Song Lyrics - David Bowie - Under Pressure
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]]>And the Academy Award goes to ... Ms. Sheila Streep for her reenactment of what transpired on the night of the beach house fire. Crazy Sheila craftily pasted together a big, fat, juicy lie that involved her honest and heartfelt efforts to please and save her man and Tommy's limp, lifeless member. Tommy believed the tall tale, as did his lawyer, who considered it the most perfectly crafted story. Tommy seemed to even sell the insurance investigation team on the drunken and fragile male ego story. When leaving the hearing, he crossed paths with Sheila who was fabulously lip locked to the young and handsome firefighter that saved her from the fire. Tommy was distracted and jealous and bitter about the whole thing, which compelled him to call, Nona, the woman who had been pursuing him and finally accept her invitation for a date. "He can't, he can't, he can't stand losing..."
Janet still trapped in the hell of postpartum, is dealing not only with a colicky baby, who has lovingly transitioned from "little no name" to "puke face," but also with her 18 year old daughter, Colleen, who has seemingly runaway to live with her rocker boyfriend. Not for long though, because Tommy has tapped his contact at the police department and found out her whereabouts.
]]> Uncle Teddy has been released from jail, with his fried chicken touting wife by his side. In the typical Gavin style, Teddy wants nothing to do with his conjugal visit bride and sneaks out the bathroom window of the restaurant, leaving her sitting there alone. Now, I am not against supporting Ellie in sisterhood, but all signs have pointed to pending doom with this pair. As someone who could easily find armor-alling the dashboard to be a chivalrous and romantic gesture, it is hard to ignore their prisonmate.com connection and his preference for a bucket o'fried bird over Ellie's tender loving care. Calling all ladies, let's lift the standards, shall we?And then there were the boys. Let's hear it for them. For me, the single best part of the show is always during the kitchen scenes at the firehouse. The flawed, offensive yet witty banter between the men around the dinner table brims with a typical family dysfunction. There is never a dull moment. This week's dinner conversation was likely no different than what most of us discussed while breaking bread with our loved ones - who is in your spank bank? Dimwit Sean accidentally admitted that Tommy's wife, Janet, occasionally visits his bank wearing a clingy, wet, white shirt. Tommy all but flipped out and the knives had to be removed from the table. We know this about Tommy, he may not want the woman, but he also doesn't want anyone else to want her. Not all that surprising considering that Tommy and Janet have had a twisted, troubled and dark relationship since Season One, best displayed during last year's controversial "rape" scene. "Guess this is our last goodbye, you don't care, so I won't cry. You'll be sorry when I'm dead and all this guilt will be on your head. Can't stand losing you..."
Franco might be in love, most evidenced when he came to the rescue of her annoying brother at the jewelry store. Poor sweet Mike is watching his mother lose her battle with cancer. She begged Mike to put her out of her misery, lovingly patted him on the cheek and suggested he go figure out how to kill her. My favorite man on the show, Lou, is strategically planning to recruit a talented basketball player to their firehouse. Seems like this player is being scouted by more than one house and the competition is getting ugly. Smells like trouble for Chief Reilly. He is fighting to hold onto his rank and title in the FDNY but it looks as though disappointment and a desk job is gaining on him. With Co-Executive Producer and Writer, Peter Tolan, who plays Chief Pecher, holding the current chief title at Ladder 62, it looks like our favorite Chief Reilly may have little hope for return. As much as Reilly should reign, power trumps talent. Call it the bane of television.
Whatever we do or do not understand about Tommy Gavin, this week's episode of Rescue Me has revealed another layer of his character - he simply can't stand losing.
Lyrics - The Police - Can't Stand Losing
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]]>Guess who just got back today? Them wild-eyed boys that had been away. Haven't changed, haven't much to say. But man, I still think them cats are crazy. The boys are back in town. FX's summer series Rescue Me kicked off the 4th season drawing 2.8 million total viewers to the premiere, a slight (18%) drop from 3rd season. Good to have them back. The sexy and twisted firefighters of Ladder 62 offered a pleasant reprieve from my Sopranos mourning. With the moves of a jungle cat, from one flawed and dangerous character to the next, the boys of Rescue Me arrive just in the nick of time.
The season begins with Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary) stumbling to recall the events that led up to the beach-house fire. Not sure how Sheila escaped the interrogation but it seems that Tommy is the prime suspect of foul play and insurance fraud. His recollection is cloudy, as it should be considering that he had vats of drugs unknowingly floating around in his body. Surprising, with such an extensive investigation underway, that no hospital records would reveal this insight.
]]> Regardless of his trouble with the law, Tommy is making an honest effort to fly straight this season and has stopped drinking, drugging, whoring and even smoking. He has taken on the role of Mr. Mom while ex-wife Janet fights postpartum depression. But that is not to say that this season will be without vices. Tommy's daughter, Colleen, is a mirror image of her father. She has arrogantly claimed the Gavin birth right of addiction and rebellion. And she carries this torch proudly as she saunters home at 3am marked with love bites, the musky scent of marijuana and peppermint schnapps.Janet dryly waves off their daughter's drinking and promiscuity almost as an all-American right of passage, as she recalls the days of having sex on Quaaludes. Yikes. Watching Tommy act as the "morale compass" for the Gavin family and fight to tame his daughter will offer the perfect platform for the wickedly funny, sarcastic banter that is the show's trademark.
The rest of the crew progressed in life, as they should have, fighting their personal battles and vices. Franco is still stalled in the land of sexual prowess and commitment phobia. His girlfriend's mentally disabled brother is just odd and I hope that he will not occupy too much of a storyline this season. It would be an utter bore. Lou's relationship with the nymphomaniac ex-nun is still going strong. Mike has taken a pause from his bi-sexual exploits to care for his terminally ill mother. Sean is carrying the burden of Maggie's intoxication with porn and well-endowed men. And good ole' Chief Reilly is fighting to regain his health and his job at the firehouse. Not sure if his brush with death has knocked out his homophobia, but he has pleasantly agreed to stand alongside his gay son at his wedding.
Jennifer Esposito has joined the cast as Nona, the no-nonsense and strong female firefighter that pulled Tommy from the blaze and saved his life. Under the Gavin spell, she is aggressively pursuing him. For some reason, Tommy is intimidated by her and avoids her at all costs. No doubt she will wear him down.
And then there was crazy. They kept Sheila from us throughout the episode. Not even a mention of her name. Still, I knew she was lurking in the shadows. Most fans have a love hate relationship with Sheila, but not me, I just love, love, love that crazy girl. The premiere ended with a dark and calm Fatal Attraction-like Sheila, with a drink and cigarette in hand and dressed to kill. Oh, Oh Sheila. A jungle cat indeed.
Lyrics by - Thin Lizzy - The Boys Are Back in Town.
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