2 months ago, Rescue Me Season 5 Volume 2 released on DVD and in anticipation for Season 6 which will be coming to F/X later this year, I have gone back and reviewed the season premiere of Season 5. Check it out.
In volume 1 of Season 5, the men of 62 Truck are back for a fifth season in Denis Leary and Peter Tolan’s series.
Tommy Gavin is grappling with the death of his father as the season opens, along with the new man in Janet’s life (guest star Michael J. Fox). The crew devises a business plan to open a bar, which turns into a lucrative venture, but also a temptation to Tommy, who continues to struggle with sobriety. Sean faces a health issue with no easy solution, while Needles struggles to garner respect and maintain control of the firehouse. Meanwhile, Sheila attempts to purge herself of Tommy and allows Damian to pursue a future as a firefighter.
Conspiracy theories about 9/11 ruffle more than a few feathers, brought on by the arrival of an intriguing foreigner. Under the shadow of a haunting past, the crew continues to look to the future and realize that salvation often lies where you least expect it.
In Volume 2 of Season 5, the season continues as Tommy’s drinking begins to spiral out of control. Sean recovers from his illness and heads back to work where Tommy’s temper problems still get him in trouble. Needles and Lou both have new women in their lives, providing endless entertainment around the firehouse. Meanwhile, Tommy’s womanizing ways begin to catch up to him when he finds himself caught between Janet, Sheila, and an intriguing newcomer. Tensions boil over in a shocking turn of events during a late night at the bar, leaving Tommy Gavin in serious jeopardy in the hottest season yet.
Episode 1: Baptism
Tommy: You uh, you want to go for a walk?
Mickey: Yeah, this place is dry anyway.
Tommy: (To family at baptism) Congratulations on the baby!
What a fantastic premiere to an incredible season. The episode opens with Tommy doing what else…dreaming. Season five picks up where the last season ended, as Tommy along with the rest of the Gavin family are mourning the death of Tommy’s father. Even though cousin Mickey encourages Tommy to become a sponsor for someone in Alcoholic’s Anonymous, Mickey relapses and is not at all a great sponsor for Tommy. Perhaps Mickey encouraged Tommy to become a sponsor so that Tommy would be so focused on his sponsor that he wouldn’t notice how Mickey was breaking down.
Unfortunately, well, fortunately Tommy noticed and was there for his cousin. Though if this is how the season is starting off with Mickey…let’s just say it will be interesting where Mickey stands at the end of the season. As for Tommy and his relationships with women…if Valerie keeps up the pace, Tommy could drop her and find somebody else. After all, we know his heart is still with Janet, so no matter who he is with, he belongs with her. As if it wasn’t enough to see Tommy flustered when Janet is with another man, now she is with Dwight (Michael J. Fox). What a thrill to have Fox on board for multiple episodes. Fox’s appearance this season is definitely my favorite guest appearance in this TV season as a whole.
Back to what is good for Tommy for a moment…Sheila is definitely not an option and Seasons 1-4 prove why. On a side note, she can nag to Tommy all she wants about Damien’s future but Damien is going to do what he wants to do because, well, like mother like son. All of this is just the beginning, which viewers will love, as the build up to the next 21 episodes was written perfectly. Colleen and Black Sean keeping their relationship secret is understandable, and watching this season from the beginning again, I am anticipating reliving the moment Tommy and Sean come to an understanding about the relationship. Ah relationships. That is one of the main components of this show and the character development and relationship development is drawn out so well. For instance, as Sean proposes that he, Mike, and Franco invest in a bar with his inheritance money…viewers think the best and worst that can come out of this situation and lucky for us, we get to see both this season.
Seeing Sean so full of optimism in his moment of clarity about being driven to work the bar was interesting to say the least, given all that happens in and with the bar this season. More on that in future reviews. The episode comes to an end with the mention of a new character, a journalist, and quite an emotional fire as the team cannot save a trapped person high up in a building that is too dangerous to enter. The ending was so raw, no dialogue, just music and sounds of the blaze and destruction. What a beautiful disaster. That’s what I love about Rescue Me, it has the perfect balance of comedy and drama and I can’t wait to continue to relive Season 5 in anticipation for what is to come in the final 2 seasons of Rescue Me.