Rescue Me

From TVGasm Recap:
"Probie makes the craziest suggestion of all, saying they should buy those new Halligans and saw that they were promised last year. You know something that would actually help their firefighting. He also wants some of the cash to redecorate the bunk room - nothing crazy just some new throw rugs and some sharp new linens - you know to really brighten up the place. He saw some great things on While You Were Out, the other night. "

Emphasizing once again that Siletti is the most redeemable of the bunch.

"The Probie is going to have to work late tonight to cover for the comatose Sean, so he calls his wife, the Lumberjack, to tell him he won't be home for dinner. The Lumberjack seems really pissed off that he's getting stood up and Probie, God bless him, innocently apologizes. You think it's just another, Lenny and Carl moment between the two of them and it's going to be funny like last week's "faggot fight." But you see, the Lumberjack isn't really upset, because there is another guy walking into the kitchen. Apparently, the strenuous confirmations of the Lumberjack's heterosexuality were all for naught as he embraces this other guy, who I immediately hate. Look, I don't care if the Probie is gay, straight, bi or asexual. The Lumberjack's betrayal is unacceptable. And you just know that Probie's heart is going to be broken, when he finds out. Damn you, Lumberjack! Damn you to hell!"

From Pookie:

"Despite the things you read about Mike Silletti being too stupid to be a fireman and that he is the bottom boy, figuratively, of the house, there is an overwhelming sense that you, the viewer or at least I, the viewer, want to protect him, want to see him happy. It may be because of those two factors, but it may also be that he has a child-like naiveté that surpasses those.

In Season 3, it appears it doesn’t take much to make him happy. Putting aside the blow jobs, the name-calling, the brawling, Chris makes him happy by simply letting him rest his head against his shoulder and by reciprocating by leaning his cheek against the top of his head. The small smile on Mike’s face says it all.

Sure, the relationship appears to have devolved into slapstick, but what remains to be seen is how Chris’s “betrayal” will play out. He can say that since Mike wasn’t interested in returning the blow job favour, “A man has needs.” But why then bother keeping up the façade, why continue in the not-so-fulfilling sexual relationship he has with Mike? Is there something more?

And that brings me back to Mike’s naiveté. Does he really think that Chris is content with the situation? Is he stupid or is he just accepting of what people tell him? Looking back at the past seasons, I think the latter is the answer, at least in this case. It makes me want to yell out a warning to him, much as they used to in silent movie theatres."

And related news:

'Rescue Me' Answers Bell for Fourth Season
FX orders 13 more episodes for 2007
July 12 2006

The cable network has picked up a fourth season of "Rescue Me," which has enjoyed improved ratings -- along with a healthy dose of controversy -- during its run this summer. The show will likely return in the spring of 2007.

"'Rescue Me' is a key part of one of FX's stated goals, which is to foster some of the best episodic series on television," FX President John Landgraf says. "[The cast and crew] have done an incredible job on season three and the audience and critics responded with continued loyalty and passion. We are enormously proud of this series and of Denis [Leary's] Emmy nomination for best actor."

'Rescue Me' Showcard
Through its first six airings this season, "Rescue Me" is drawing about 2.9 million viewers a week, a 10-percent improvement over its season two performance. Ratings among FX's target audience of adults 18-49 are up by 8 percent.

Leary and Peter Tolan, who co-created the series about New York firefighters, and Jim Serpico will remain as executive producers. The entire cast is set to return as well.