TVSquad

(S05E16) Drunk dialing usually doesn't turn out well. But when I got a call in the middle of the night asking me to cover Rescue Me this week, I gladly obliged. Apparently, Jonathan Toomey has been on an all night bender with a bunch of his dead relatives, and I'm not one to get in the way of family. "You work it out, buddy," I told him, "And we'll be here for you in the morning."

I didn't discover Rescue Me until the second season, but I was immediately drawn in by the intimacy and idiocy of the boys. Watching Tommy try to rise from the pits he'd fallen into was impressive, as was the strength he showed. But even more painful, and yet far more riveting and satisfying, is watching him slowly falling flat on his face, and yet he has no idea the pavement is coming. Season five is blowing me away ... so how about next year, Emmy?

(S03E01) Wow. That was one hell of a return. Rescue Me is one of those rare shows that smacks you from every angle and it does it well. Tonight's season three premiere didn't hold anything back. I'm still not sure how to react to the way it ended. Although, I had a pretty good hunch as to what it would be, but I'll get to that. We pick up months after the death of Connor Gavin and Tommy's world is still upside down. But that shouldn't come as a surprise, because when has Tommy's world ever been right side up?