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Season 1 – Rescue Me

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – Rescue Me 2004 Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 17 Reviews 95% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
New York firefighter Tommy Gavin is a hot mess. He talks to his cousin, Jimmy, who died at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, and he's seeing ghosts of other victims, too. Spotlighting Denis Leary as Gavin, a temperamental alcoholic whose self-destructive behavior has cost him his family, the series revolves around the daily drama associated with being a firefighter in post-9/11 New York, and how the men of 62 Truck use dark humor to color their true feelings.
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Rescue Me — Season 1

Rescue Me — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

Rescue Me emerges from the station as a searing and powerful series, melding the pathos of national tragedy to a scaldingly funny interplay between its blue collar ensemble.

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Critics Reviews

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Chris Barsanti Slant Magazine Though it's hardly can't-miss television, there's plenty to recommend, not least of which is Leary, whose bitter humor forms the dark heart of each episode. Rated: 3/5 Dec 12, 2018 Full Review Steve O'Hagan Empire Magazine Fast pace, vibrant hand-held cameras, lurid characters and full-throttle dialogue, with an action-oriented fire call every ten minutes to end those difficult scenes. Rated: 3/5 Dec 12, 2018 Full Review Paul Brownfield Los Angeles Times Rescue Me feels like a misguided gesture of goodwill -- one that serves Leary's vanity in addition to his heart. Dec 12, 2018 Full Review Jason Zingale Bullz-Eye.com The weekly scripts incorporate a perfect mix of human emotion and frat house comedy, and Leary does a stand-out job on both sides of the acting spectrum. Rated: 4.5/5 Dec 12, 2018 Full Review People Staff People Magazine Rescue Me redeems itself with rough firehouse humor and a realistic depiction of the emergencies faced by the crew. Dec 12, 2018 Full Review Joyce Millman Boston Phoenix With its dark, scabrous wit and hand-held camerawork, Rescue Me recalls that gem of a cop show Homicide: Life on the Street. Jul 2, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (6) audience reviews
Biker B Denis Leary is absolutely brilliant and this series shows it! From his dedication to firefighters and their charities to honoring the heros of 9-11-01! This series combines hilarious comedy with drama and some heartfelt emotions. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/17/25 Full Review Joe B Let's just say this would get cancelled after the first episode these days! But that means nothing. This show is absolutely brilliant. A bunch of under-paid working class anti-heroes, as firemen are, spanning multiple decades of masculinity at the turn of the century after 9/11, and shying away from NOTHING in showing how workplaces and lives are affected because of this. For better, and for worse. It's funny, crude, shocking, poignant, sad, and above all ... a fantastic drama and excellent tv. Shows like this simply don't(wont?) get made anymore. It's so worth the time investing in it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/23/23 Full Review Timmy S Just rediscovering this gem. I forgot how good this show was. No way this show would have been made today without unhinged outrage: Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/17/22 Full Review Audience Member This show has some of the best writing of the last 20 years. I must warn, it doesn't end strong. But the ride is worth it. It does what a great story does. It had me laughing, angry, crying and happy. Overall great show Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member Season 1 lays the foundation for one of the best television programs over the past few decades. Real, gritty, with some outrageously funny moments, Denis Leary leads a sparkling cast through a blend of serious situations with just enough comedy to give it some honest flavor. Leary proves here he is a true actor, not just a comic who acts. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/09/23 Full Review Audience Member It passes the time but this show is the DEFINITION of toxic white males. All of the main characters are majorly homophobic, sexist, racist, hypocritical, mentally and emotionally abusive, sometimes physically abusive. Like seriously everything that is wrong with the human race has been put into these characters. And they try to cover it up by them being "heroes" because they saved people in 9/11. So, great firefighters but terrible human beings. I wouldn't want any of these people in my life in real life. Terrible characters and just when you think there's going to be character development, WRONG. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/24/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Rescue Me — Season 1

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Cast & Crew

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Denis Leary

Tommy Gavin

James McCaffrey

Jimmy Keefe

Andrea Roth

Janet Gavin

Michael Lombardi

Mike Silletti

Jack McGee

Chief Jerry Reilly

Steven Pasquale

Sean Garrity

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jul 21, 2004 Guts New York City firefighter Tommy Gavin questions his ability to do his job while trying to cope with the daily turmoil of his life. Details Episode 2 Aired Jul 28, 2004 Gay A retired firefighter makes a public claim that several firemen who died on Sept. 11 were closeted homosexuals; Tommy dislikes his estranged wife's new boyfriend. Details Episode 3 Aired Aug 4, 2004 Kansas Tommy tries to ruin the finances of Janet's boyfriend; Chief Reilly faces suspension; Lou shares his poetry. Details Episode 4 Aired Aug 11, 2004 DNA A date between Tommy and the widow of his dead cousin takes an unexpected turn; Franco's ex-girlfriend claims he is the father of her daughter. Details Episode 5 Aired Aug 18, 2004 Orphans Tommy comes to terms with the reality of his broken family; Franco makes a life-changing decision when a freak accident occurs. Details Episode 6 Aired Aug 25, 2004 Revenge Tommy tries to convince Janet to leave Roger; the boys set Sean up on a date; Franco discovers newfound fatherly instincts. Details Episode 7 Aired Sep 1, 2004 Butterfly Tommy finds himself relying a bit too heavily on the advice of a psychotherapist who prescribes him medication for his depression. Details Episode 8 Aired Sep 8, 2004 Inches Tommy tries to handle the insanity of his father while defending Colleen's new lifestyle to Janet; the guys in the house decide to have a contest to determine whose manhood is the longest. Details Episode 9 Aired Sep 15, 2004 False Alarm Tommy discovers a secret that Janet is keeping from him; Chief Reilly informs the men of a new, female replacement. Details Episode 10 Aired Sep 22, 2004 Immortal Tommy turns to his Uncle Teddy for help with a financial crisis; the new female addition to the house fights to be accepted; Mike is offered a free place to stay. Details Episode 11 Aired Sep 29, 2004 Mom Tommy continues to defy death with his dangerous stunts; Lou admits his infidelity to his wife; Tommy rescues his father. Details Episode 12 Aired Oct 6, 2004 Leaving Tommy asks Uncle Teddy for some extra cash; Franco struggles to juggle work and raising his daughter; a goodwill tribute to the firefighters lost on Sept. 11 goes awry. Details Episode 13 Aired Oct 13, 2004 Sanctuary Tommy prepares for the upcoming NYPD and FDNY hockey game; Tommy's relationship with Sheila is discovered; Franco comes to Tommy's rescue during a fire. Details

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Rescue Me — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
John Fortenberry, Peter Tolan, Jace Alexander, Adam Bernstein
Executive Producer
Peter Tolan, Jim Serpico
Screenwriter
Peter Tolan, Salvatore Stabile, Michael Caleo, Stephen Belber, Denis Leary
Network
FX
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date
Jul 21, 2004