September 11th, 2001 forever changed the United States as we know it. Now it seems like a faded nightmare we choose not to talk about or acknowledge. What about the families of those in the buildings that day? What about the people in the planes that day? What about the people on United 93, the plane that crashed just south of Pittsburgh? Is it truly just a distant memory, or at worst a nightmare? Husbands were forever changed. Wives, now widowed. Parents mourned the loss of a child. Children have grown up without one or both parents. While most of those near the buildings ran away, what about the heroes that ran into the buildings? The firefighters, EMTs, police officers, and more who ran into the ashy haze of what remained of the twin towers, as that monument of American pride slowly transformed into ash and dust.
These are questions that I’ve pondered several times over these past twenty years. I was ten when the planes hit the towers – I was naïve. I didn’t understand what was happening; the only thing I understood was the mysterious panic surrounding every adult around me and leaving school. Our current pandemic with COVID-19 is the closest feeling I can use to describe how it was that day. As I’ve gotten older, what really happened that day has truly sunk in. Perhaps the one thing that was birthed within me as I came to grips with the reality of that day was understanding the sacrifice of the men and women who fell at Ground Zero and the war that quickly followed those events. We’ve had a handful of veterans on our show and nearly every time they bring up their service, there is a pause within the show to thank and acknowledge their service. It’s because of men and women like our veterans that we know freedom. Simple as that.
The firefighters and police are just as insightful. I can’t even begin to imagine how many families lost spouses, parents, or friends at Ground Zero. September 11th now feels like a pause in reality that united us for a moment but then one day we returned to the way life had been. Things never returned to normal for some firefighters. I honestly want to pause this review and thank every brave man and woman who have careers in these professions, constantly risking their lives so that the people involved in such events and who survived those buildings get to live another day. Bravery can have a price sometimes. Sometimes that price comes in the form of ghosts or PTSD. That’s how it is, at least, for Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary). For its freshman season, FX’s Rescue Me fixated on the impact of 9/11 for New York City firefighters.
While the season mostly focuses primarily upon Gavin’s ghosts, he is not alone. Fellow firefighter Kenneth “Lou” Shea (John Scurti) writes poetry to help him cope with the impact of 9/11. Shea and Gavin both open the door to some brutal honesty about stigma. Not only in men, for fear of looking weak, but also mental health. There is even a line where Tommy talks about how he stopped drinking, but not in front of the other guys – he didn’t want to seem weak. It’s a real shame that even almost twenty years later, we’ve only grown a tad better about talking about it. However, that stigma is still here with us, especially in regard to males, which is ironic considering the largest number of suicides come from the male demographic. Even as a gent, you’d think we’d have learned to talk about it by now.
For Tommy Gavin, that stigma creates ghosts and costs him his marriage. For the first half of this season, an underlying plot point is Gavin aiming to destroy the new romantic relationship of his soon-to-ex-wife, Janet (Andrea Roth). The series picks up that narrative thread up and throws it away just as easily. There is a whole subplot involving revenge against the new boyfriend. He’s gone by episode 6 and only mentioned one other time. I get that with television shows you’re going to have stories that may not affect the main story line but will grow the characters. There are several storylines that do neither within this first season. Early within the season, we are introduced to Tommy’s father. It appears to be a one off scene until his father returns, a few episodes later, this time involved in a bizarre drug-induced breakdown.
Even side characters get that same treatment. There is a storyline woven through the first ten episodes – TEN OUT OF THIRTEEN – that leads to one of the characters getting close to being sexually assaulted. The next episode the narrative completely ignores that fact. There are several story arcs throughout that do this. That one instance isn’t an exclusive occurrence. The plot holes may be the worst offense of this series but they are not alone. The series is extraordinarily outdated. The second episode, titled “Gay”, centers on gay bashing. The show contains several scenes with terms that would be offensive to a modern audience. Its handling of women characters is dang near a joke. They are either used for sex or nagging. Though I grew up on the series, this is an element I sincerely hope changes. Elements like this take what could have been a great show and turn it into a childish one.
Even with all of its sins, I promise you this is the best you’ll ever see Leary. A man who most people know as a comedian showcases a rare vulnerability. The raw nature of his performance is absolutely stunning. There is a genuine nature to his performance that will leave you breathless. Other notable performances include Michael Lombardi, Scurti, and Daniel Sunjata, each a firefighter that are given enticing characters arcs throughout. This is not to say that the other characters in the show are bad per say, but these three characters felt the most developed, well-acted, and written. Lombardi, especially, is a character of note. He comes close to rape, but also finds love in the most unlikely of places; Scurti explores the depths of stigma, pain, and what it means to be truly happy; while Sunjata has to navigate around being a father, after years of being a ladies man. All interesting dynamics that pour themselves in the character development core of the series.
Overall, Rescue Me: Season One, contains strength, but not the strength of its subject. The series centers around PTSD of firefighters in a post 9-11 world. The season openly welcomes discussion on themes including stigma, rape, mental health, and alcoholism. At the center of these conversations is the career defining performance from Denis Leary, who doubles as co-writer and co-creator of the series. Some of the season’s supporting cast equally deliver compelling performances, while other co-stars feel like dead weight for the show. Some of Leary’s on-screen house feels cliched and void of purpose, while there are equally characters and storylines that are given without purpose or reason. They exist solely to fill time. Most importantly, Rescue Me reminds us of the real toll that firefighters paid on 9-11 and how that PTSD rewrote them in a post-9/11 world.
If you or someone you know is reading this right now and you are struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message or tweet to us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!
Victims and Villains is written and produced by Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey. Music by Yuriy Bespalov & Beggars. This post was edited by Cam Smith. Rescue Me is property of Sony Television, FX & Mill Creek Entertainment. We do not own nor claim any rights. Rescue Me: The Complete Series is available now and you can pick it up here!
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