By Umnata
Oooh Boy! Am I glad that I jumped on the Rescue Me bandwagon! I haven’t been so excited about picking up a show in its third season since someone all but forced me to start watching America’s Next Top Model… uhh… I mean Sportscenter. Tonight’s show had everything you could want in a quality hour of television: Secrets Revealed: Check. Kinky Sex: Check. Clever Dialogue: Check. Sibling Rivalry: Check. The alien host that now controls Tatum O’Neal: Double Check. It also had one of the best on-screen television beatings of all-time. Attention all you Sopranos fans who felt this season was heavy on the Johnny Cakes and light on the bloodshed, try to catch the last ten minutes of this episode. Your thirst for blood will be more than quenched. So as that show cools down, this one is revving up, and me likey!
We kick off the episode with one of my favorite sights: Sheila. She is holding up her end of the bargain she made with Tommy last week by coming over and wiping his dad’s ass a few mornings a week. Charles Durning, I heart you and your old cranky bladder. Sheila and Popa Bear are discussing his super sweet 83rd birthday party, and before Tommy comes in for his AM coffee fix, Sheila starts questioning Poppa Bear about Tommy. Sheila wants to know if these morning visits are just a favor or if they are a “thing.” I roll my eyes, because although I like Sheila she’s acting like a sixteen year old girl straight out of some Hilary Lohan movie. Finally, Tommy comes in, and Sheila gives him coffee in a fag-tastic travel mug. Tommy, of course is having none of it and takes this time to make a Brokeback Mountain joke, and just when you think that Brokeback Mountain jokes are no longer funny, Denis Leary slips one by you. For a firehouse that spends as much time comparing their latest ho-slayings as they do discussing their “feelings”, I find his objections to the travel mug a little over the top. But I laugh nonetheless. Score one: Team Leary.
YOU KNOW HOW I KNOW YOU’RE GAY? YOU DRINK COFFEE OUT OF A TRAVEL MUG.
Tommy is also on the prowl for some more information on ex-wife/ice queen Janet’s new boyfriend, to which Sheila amusingly refers to herself as not the only whore in the family.
On his way over to the firehouse Tommy spots Fat Lou smoking a cigar. Uh oh! That goes against there whole Ya-Ya Sisterhood oath against smoking. Lou’s going to have to put some money in the smoking kitty. After a ribbing from Sheila earlier this morning, when she correctly pointed out that her travel mug full of coffee was no more or less gay than having a smoking “kitty”, Tommy has been trying to subtly get the guys to start calling it a “can.” Apparently the other guys in the firehouse are a little more secure about their heterosexuality because they don’t pick up on Tommy’s new suggestions. They also oil each other down after every fire, which is weird.
Back to poor Lou, no sooner does he enter the firehouse with $50.00 to the kittycan looming over his head than he is cornered by the chief asking for a potential loan for the rising cost of living in his wife’s nursing home. Lou tries to find a way around it without having to tell the Chief that he doesn’t have any money because the hooker with the heart of gold stole his life savings last season. But instead he gives in and starts planning out a convenient and inconspicuous way to off the Chief’s wife to avoid the loan.
HMM… MAYBE SOME ARSENIC… THAT SHOULD GET RID OF HER…
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Comments (15)
The Gay-Probie storyline has been going on since at least season 2 (when I started watching) when the chief's gay son threw the gay party and Probie realized how much he loves the gays. Oh, and when Probie went to get his balls examined and popped a boner with the male doctor and not the female doctor.
I think he'll officially come out this season. I hope so, anyway. It would be refreshing to see a gay character on TV who isnt a flaming queen.
Also, this show has a reputation for GREAT fight scenes. My favourite was the lesbian smack-down with Sheila and the Amazon woman from last season. It ranked right up there with the Sydney/Francie fight from "Alias" season 2. This week's fight was frickin' sweet as well.
1 of 15 | Posted by nate
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Posted on June 12, 2006 12:53 PM
Probie also went crazy stalkerish after the fat girl broke it off with him last season.
2 of 15 | Posted by tvismylife
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Posted on June 12, 2006 1:17 PM
Nice recap, and yes this episode kicked ass. As an avid fan from the very first episode, let me help you out with a couple things from the past seasons.
First "Lou" is not really Lou. His character's name is Kenny. The guys call him "Lou" as short for Lieutenant.
The probie (Mike) is definitely not gay. In fact, there was a very funny storyline last season where he rescued a couple from a fire and they wanted to repay him with a threesome. He later ended up sleeping with the girl alone and the boyfriend went nuts. He later made peace with the boyfriend, who offered to take him in after he was kicked out by a girl he had been living with. They're having a great macho guy evening and all of a sudden the guy starts coming on to him and trying to prison rape him. I think probie Mike had to beat the guy's head in with a bat to get out of there. The reason his buddies were saying probie Mike needed to get laid is because his last relationship ended badly. He fell for a fat girl who he was first ashamed to be with because of her size. However, she lated dumped him because he was not smart enough for her and when she got tired of him as a boy toy she ended it. He ended up acting like a total stalker asshole.
While I type this, the Rescue Me theme "C'mon C'mon" by the Von Bondies just randomly starting playing from my iPod. I can't wait for tomorrow to see what happens next.
3 of 15 | Posted by JasonR
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Posted on June 12, 2006 1:17 PM
Another past-season point - Tommy's AA sponsor is also his cousin... a priest. I think his name is Mickey, but I could be wrong.
4 of 15 | Posted by KJ
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Posted on June 12, 2006 1:54 PM
I am also a an avid fan from the first episode. It just keeps getting better. Best. Fight. Ever. Tommy really beat the crap out of his brother. Can't wait to see what's in store tomorrow.
5 of 15 | Posted by Nikki
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Posted on June 12, 2006 2:10 PM
This show rocks! Random bit of trivia...the talkative girl who hooks up with Tommy is an actress on the soap "All My Children."
That fight was a jaw-dropper. Can't wait to see what happens next.
6 of 15 | Posted by ATCmurph
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Posted on June 12, 2006 7:00 PM
Can't believe they didn't put a stop to things before it went that far. Tommy's brother is a cop and you cannot assault a cop. It will all be covered up of course.
I don't think Probie is gay. They've been throwing him into ackward situations since Season 1. There was the guy he rescued who seemed gay but had a girlfriend in Season 1. Last season he had two bad relationships: the mother/daughter sitch and then the fat bulimic. He got a gun and went to kill that last girl. Glad he's moved past that, but Probie is stupid and kind of a loser.
Have they mentioned the girl who tranferred out of the house last season? She moved and everything to get away from Franco.
I'm not at all surprised Tommy went apeshit. That is how he gets down. Tommy is always over the top what with his long slow slide into insanity. We've only seen two of his ghosts so far: his son and his cousin.
That teacher that Sheila's son is dating looks an awful lot like Tommy's long-lost sister from last season. Would they please higher a redhead or something?
7 of 15 | Posted by Lady J
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Posted on June 12, 2006 10:24 PM
The good quote of the night goes to the blonde Tommy took back to her place. Something along the lines of I told my daddy I want to get by on my own so he pays 2200 a month for my apartment while I pay 300.
From what the Probie was talking about with his buddy it sounds like his buddy wants to pull together a all gay firehouse.
The ending fight was the proverbial taken behind the woodshed beating.
8 of 15 | Posted by wandernview
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Posted on June 12, 2006 10:37 PM
I liked Crazy Taty's quote about Cherry's being for Virgins and Slot Machines. "And so you see any of those around here?!?!"
"I’m not Puerto Rican myself, but I am a little insulted by the self-hating internal racism that Franco portrays. So are the lovely Puerto Rican women who clean my house and do my laundry." --That was Awesome!
I believe his cousin is an ex-priest.
Probie is an idiot, but I am also glad they got rid of the gun crazy subplot. I forgot he beat up that guy with a baseball bat too! He he definately has a dark side that can snap. Unlike Sean who is just dumb for laughs.
I liked seeing the more human side of Franco last year in his relationship with that girl firefighter and his daughter (that actor is very good and I saw him totally nude on Broadway in Take Me Out, LUCKY ME!), so I look forward to his interaction with the amazing Susan Sarandon.
The internal voice of Denis Leary is all over this show, but they definately incorporate the characteristics of the actual actors. Poor sweet Charlie Durnning! Bless his white Irish ass! But when Tommy realizes that his brother is bangin' his wife, I felt so much empathy for him that I wanted to dive across that table and wail on Johnny!
9 of 15 | Posted by GatahBaby
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Posted on June 13, 2006 6:58 AM
i am so glad tvgasm finally decided to look beyond the laguna beach/hills....and finally take on this show. THANK YOU! I have been a fan from the start. The show is funny,sad,deep...just cool. The show is ranked up there (in my opinion) w/"24" and "the shield". Once you get to know the characters, you love it. Tommy's brother deserved to have his ass kicked; and his brother knew it. Anyone notice sister tatum (who is my new fave character) just watching and drinking her cocktail? Dad was still eatting his cake too. Kinda like a normal family fight. Brutal? yes. part of the shows "charm". I look forward to tuesday nights now like i used to look forward to monday nights.
10 of 15 | Posted by Deb-So-Bored
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Posted on June 13, 2006 8:31 AM
LOVE THIS SHOW! Best show on TV. Great re-cap too. I am so glad Tommy beat the crap out of his brother. He deserves it, especially after everything Tommy has been through this last year with losing his son. I always liked the brother, but now I just cant stand him or Janet! She makes me sick! Team Tommy
11 of 15 | Posted by lill2441
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Posted on June 13, 2006 11:16 AM
It's amazing that a person could find it within themselves to hurt their sibling so badly. Different rules for different pairings I guess. As a woman several years older than my only brother, I have always had a motherly undertone in my regard for my brother. I can barely lift my hand to him in a fury, let alone throw him across a room or bash his head through a window.
I loved this show from that first episode that ends with Tommy leaving the beach at sunrise followed by all his ghosts. Including the little kids in their pj's and the cat.
12 of 15 | Posted by Lady J
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Posted on June 13, 2006 2:38 PM
Just finished watching tonight's episode....I TOLD YOU PROBIE WAS GAY! YAY!
13 of 15 | Posted by nate
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Posted on June 13, 2006 11:06 PM
Score one for Umnata. I didn't see that coming at all... He definitely needs to put in for the transfer. That house is not gay-friendly. Remember the guy that replaced Tommy last season and turned up in the drag club? And the chief's own son is gay and he will barely acknowledge him.
14 of 15 | Posted by Lady J
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Posted on June 14, 2006 6:20 AM
Hey you guys (nate and Lady J), lucky I watched last night already, but be careful of spoilers for those who haven't seen it yet. So, with that said, I'll be vague in my comments. I'm still not convinced he's gay. Maybe just stressed out and in need of comfort/closeness? Nah, that was pretty gay.
15 of 15 | Posted by JasonR
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Posted on June 14, 2006 8:12 AM