Rescue Me (2004 - 2011): Review By ejk1

Rescue Me, the television show that did more to shine a light on the survivors of 9/11 than any other show (actually, possibly more than all other shows combined) came to an end tonight, and as expected of this great show, it delivered the goods. No, it did more than that. In the extended to eighty minute finale, Rescue Me: Ashes ran the gamut of emotions, from poignant tragedy to glorious hilarity to the acceptance of finality. In short, Ashes is a microcosm of all the things that made Rescue Me great.

*Only one spoiler beyond this. I promise.*

"Ashes" begins by showing the audience the result of last week's devastating fire, which as we find out very early has taken the life of one of the crew's own. The only spoiler I will reveal is that it was not Tommy Gavin that died, which makes sense, as we need to follow him all the way to the end. So, if you were hoping that Tommy was going to die, you're SOL. And I'm not sorry about that, as in his final performance as Tommy Gavin, Denis Leary is in prime form. For seven years, Leary has been one of the few performers on TV that I looked forward to seeing, as he performed without fail. But in "Ashes" Leary saved his best for last, especially in the playground scene. You can see everything that makes Tommy Gavin, well, Tommy Gavin. Leary, who I hope can finally now gain the film stardom that eluded him years ago, gives a nuanced performance here. He certainly deserves credit for making Rescue Me as great as it was.

Leary was not alone of course. "Ashes" had great performances all around, and believe me when I tell you that these guys had one of the funniest scenes I have ever witnessed on TV or film. The scene I am talking about is the one where the surviving firefighters from last week are headed to the funeral of their fallen brother. It is marvelously done, and is epic in its humor. Plus, just when you think it has reached its zenith, it reaches even higher. Congratulations, firefighters of Rescue Me; you have made one of, if not the funniest scene in television history, at least in my opinion.

it wouldn't have been right if Rescue Me had ended its run without highlighting the firefighters of 9/11, and "Ashes" does this wonderfully as well. Sometimes it seems like the real world has done everything it can to forget that tragedy. But the viewers of Rescue Me never forgot; Leary and co. would never let us forget that sad day. Yes, they sometimes injected (inappropriate?) humor into their memories, but Rescue Me never lost the mission, which was to keep 9/11 in the consciousness of the people. For that alone Rescue Me deserves respect.

To sum up, Rescue Me: Ashes is a perfect ending to a great show. It is better than the finale of Lost, Smallville, and basically every other show that has ended the past five years or so. Injecting brilliant humor during melancholy moments, and the rejoicing of life during the darkness of loss, "Ashes" gives the audience of Rescue Me something we needed: closure. For Tommy. For firefighters that risk their lives everyday. For the firefighters of 9/11. And for their families and friends. If you have never watched Rescue Me, I highly recommend doing so, and if you used to watch but drifted away, do try and find the time for "Ashes." You will not regret it in the least.