It has been three years since the horrific events of September 11, 2001, and New York City firefighter Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary) still struggles with the loss of 60 of his brave brethren, including four from his own firehouse—one of them his best friend/cousin Jimmy Keefe (James McCaffrey). He has post-traumatic stress and a bit of survivor’s guilt. He can be brash and self-destructive, and is a relapsed alcoholic. Tommy and his wife Janet (Andrea Roth) are separated, but Tommy just moved into the house across the street. When he’s not bribing his children to tell him about Mommy’s new boyfriend, he does his own reconnaissance.
While his personal life may be a disaster, Tommy takes his position as a fireman seriously, and is good at his job. He and the other firefighters at Ladder Company 62 are like a family and look out for one another, while also busting each other for fun (as real family members do). As the series opens, the the fire crew includes the slightly-overweight Lieutenant Kenneth “Lou” Shea (John Scurti), who wears his heart on his sleeve; ladies man/player Lieutenant Franco Rivera (Daniel Sunjata); the dim-witted Sean Garrity (Steven Pasquale); and new Probie Mike Silletti (Mike Lombardi), whom the guys refer to as “New Mike”.
The series follows the lives of these characters inside the firehouse, as well as on-and-off the job. And with someone as messed up as Tommy, things get real interesting real fast! The series has this very unique tone. It will be laugh-out-loud funny one moment, and then that bell will ring and the guys head off to a serious life-and-death situation with flames blazing, and everyone doesn’t always come out unscathed. The series is not afraid to shock and surprise viewers by killing off characters or having them face serious consequences for their choices. This series is definitely a product of pre-Me Too era—I don’t think it would feel the same if it were made today. The series feels so much more natural and realistic than many of the cleansed shows we get today. Today every show seems to be worried about being politically correct, and this series is most certainly not—it is not worried about offending anyone. Tommy and the others are constantly dropping all kinds of inappropriate comments, slurs and insults that, while not necessarily meant as mean-spirited, would never fly in today’s climate. There is a hilarious episode in the second season where everyone must undergo sensitivity trailing, and it doesn’t really go as according to plan!
I had forgotten just how much I enjoyed this series until I sat down to re-watch it on this Blu-ray release. It is so superbly acted, and works both as a hilarious comedy but also as a tense, sometimes gut-wrenching drama. The pilot does a great job of hooking the viewer in, and after seven seasons, the series comes to a perfect heart-wrenching but also hilarious conclusion.
Mill Creek has brought the entire seven seasons of the series together for the first time on Blu-ray.
- Season 1 (2004, 13 episodes):
The first season finds Tommy and Janet splitting up, Tommy back on the bottle, and dealing with the ghosts of his past. Later, Tommy starts an affair with his cousin Jimmy’s widow, Sheila (Callie Thorne), who proves to be a bit crazy herself. Meanwhile, new Probie Mike joins the firehouse and gets hazed by the guys, Franco learns that his promiscuous ways may have resulted in a daughter, Lou deals with his feelings about 9/11 through poetry, and Ladder Company 62 gets its first female firefighter, Laura Miles (Diane Farr), which shakes things up. - Season 2 (2005, 13 episodes):
Tommy starts the season reassigned to a new firehouse in Staten Island, though it isn’t long before he’s back at Ladder Company 62. Meanwhile, Tommy and his brother Johnny (Dean Winters) discover some secrets about their father Michael (Charles Durning); Chief Jerry (Sidney Feinberg) deals with some personal issues at home; Laura and Franco become more than just co-workers, Lt. Shea gets swindled by a prostitute; and Tommy’s estranged sister Maggie (Tatum O’Neal) shows up. The season ends with a tragic event that sends Tommy spiraling once again. - Season 3 (2006, 13 episodes):
The third season is a tough one as it looks like Ladder Company 62 is going to split up. Meanwhile, thing get even messier for the Gavins when Janet starts sleeping with Johnny, Mike is no longer a Probie and starts a relationship with his male roommate, Franco starts dating older woman Alicia (Susan Sarandon) who has eyes on his daughter, and Lt. Shea moves in with Tommy and starts seeing a nun. There’s also a double-whammy of devastating events, leading up to an explosive finale. - Season 4 (2007, 13 episodes):
The season opens with Tommy and Sheila being investigated for arson and insurance fraud. Meanwhile, Tommy is dealing with another loss, and starts to lose his confidence in himself, Janet is experiencing postpartum depression, the Gavin family starts their own AA meeting, new firefighter Bart “Black Sean” Johnston (Larenz Tate) joins the company, and Jerry wants back into the field, but is stuck behind a desk. Guests this season include Jennifer Esposito as Nona, the volunteer firefighter who pulled Tommy out of the fire, and Gina Gershon as Valerie, a woman Tommy starts seeing. - Season 5 (2009, 22 episodes):
The fifth season opens with a journalist (Karina Lombard) following Ladder Company 62 to do a story for the tenth anniversary of 9/11. Meanwhile, Mike uses his insurance money to open a bar, which becomes the new after-hours hangout for the group. Janet starts seeing a pill-popping veteran in a wheelchair (Michael J. Fox), Black Shawn starts dating Tommy’s daughter Colleen (Natalie Distler), Sean gets a scary diagnosis, and Sheila’s son Damien (Michael Zegen) joins the firehouse as a Probie. Maura Tierney guest stars in the second half of the season as the mysterious Kelly, who even gets Janet and Sheila to team up against her! The season ends in another big cliffhanger. - Season 6 (2010, 10 episodes):
After a near-death experience, Tommy has a new lease on life, and vows to get clean, though his relationships are just as messed-up and complicated as ever. Meanwhile, it looks like the Ladder 62 Firehouse is going to be shut down due to budget cuts, and this leads to a power struggle between the two Battalion Chiefs, “Needles” Nelson (Adam Ferrara) and Sidney Feinberg (Jerry Adler). Also, Tommy gets jealous of Franco, who’s been helping Janet out while he’s in the hospital. And tragedy strikes while fighting a fire. - Season 7 (2011, 9 episodes):
The final season finds a reporter doing a hero piece about 9/11 and Jimmy, but Tommy is worried that the reporter is also digging for dirt for a story on the other firefighters, and wants to put a stop to it. Meanwhile, Janet wants Tommy to retire, Tommy writes letters to the other firefighters in case he dies in the line of duty, and Lou struggles with his diet. Plus there’s a wedding and a funeral. The final two episodes take viewers on a roller-coaster of emotions!
Mill Creek’s Blu-ray release looks and sounds great. For the most part, the picture looks excellent. There are some scenes in the pilot that get excessively grainy, but after that the picture looks quite crisp and clean. There is a noticeable uptick in quality when comparing it to the existing DVD releases. The audio track is also quite satisfying, providing clear dialogue, and nice ambiance throughout the run of the series. The bonus material all comes from the previous DVD releases. Most of the features are presented in 4:3 full frame or letterboxed format. Almost all of the features from the original DVDs have been ported over. However, several featurettes and deleted scenes from the second half of the fifth season were inexplicably dropped. Also missing are the 10 minisodes that were produced between the fourth and fith seasons, though these never appeared on any DVD releases. It is a shame that these were not included as there was likely room to add these onto the seventh season discs.
The packaging is a bit sturdier than some of the other recent Mill Creek Complete Series releases. The seasons are split across two thick multi-disc keepcases, with plastic tray pages for each disc. The first case holds seasons 1-4, while the second houses seasons 5-7. These cases are placed inside a cardboard box and covered with a clear plastic sleeve that slides over the top.
I did experience one minor playback issue. When selecting Play All on the season 1, disc 2 disc, it skips over episode 11, “Mom”. I was sent a replacement set and saw the same issue on that copy as well, so it looks like it is due to an authoring issue and not a manufacturing defect. This episode is still selectable from the disc menu for playback
What’s Included:
Episodes: (68:37:49)
- All 93 episodes of the series (7 seasons):
- Season 1 (2004) (13 episodes, 9:54:14)
Disc 1: “Guts”, “Gay”, “Kansas”, “DNA”, “Orphans”, “Revenge”, “Butterfly”
Disc 2: “Inches”, “Alarm”, “Immortal”, “Mom”, “Leaving”, “Sanctuary” - Season 2 (2005) (13 episodes, 9:51:28)
Disc 1: “Voicemail”, “Harmony”, “Balls”, “Twat”, “Sensitivity”, “Reunion”, “Shame”
Disc 2: “Believe”, “Rebirth”, “Brains”, “Bitch”, “Happy”, “Justice” - Season 3 (2006) (13 episodes, 9:54:13)
Disc 1: “Devil”, “Discovery”, “Torture”, “Sparks”, “Chlamydia”, “Zombies”, “Satisfaction”
Disc 2: “Karate”, “Pieces”, “Retards”, “Twilight”, “Hell”, “Beached” - Season 4 (2007) (13 episodes, 9:44:48)
Disc 1: “Babyface”, “Tuesday”, “Commitment”, “Pussified”, “Black”, “Balance”, “Seven”
Disc 2: “Solo”, “Animal”, “High”, “Cycle”, “Keefe”, “Yaz” - Season 5 (2009) (22 episodes, 15:29:52)
Disc 1: “Baptism”, “French”, “Wine”, “Jimmy”, “Sheila”, “Perspective”
Disc 2: “Play”, “Iceman”, “Thaw”, “Control”, “Mickey”, “Disease”
Disc 3: “Torch”, “Wheels”, “Initiation”, “Clean”, “Lesbos”, “Carrot”
Disc 4: “David”, “Zippo”, “Jump”, “Drink” - Season 6 (2010) (10 episodes, 7:00:39)
Disc 1: “Legacy”, “Change”, “Comeback”, “Breakout”, “Blackout”
Disc 2: “Sanctuary”, “Forgiven”, “Cowboy”, “Goodbye”, “A.D.D.” - Season 7 (2011) (9 episodes, 6:42:35)
Disc 1: “Mutha”, “Menses”, “Press”, “Brownies”, “Head”
Disc 2: “344”, “Jeter”, “Vows”, “Ashes”
- Season 1 (2004) (13 episodes, 9:54:14)
- 1080p Widescreen 1.78:1
- Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles: English SDH
Extras:
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The bonus features all come from the previous DVD releases. Most are presented in 4:3 full frame or letterboxed format.
- Season 1:
All of the bonus features from the original DVD release have been ported over, except for a second season sneak peek and an FX promo.- Guts Commentary with Denis Leary & Peter Tolan (44:44)
Series creators Denis Leary (“Tommy Gavin”) and Peter Tolan provide a fun and interesting commentary on the pilot. They share lots of behind-the-scenes stories about the cast, the locations, the script, and the shooting process. They also point out some Easter eggs. - Deleted Scenes (7:33) – 9 deleted scenes
- Sanctuary Commentary with Denis Leary & Peter Tolan (49:02)
Series creators Denis Leary and Peter Tolan provide another entertaining commentary on the season finale. - Gag Reel (6:53)
Fun with the cast as they flub their lines, deal with prop malfunctions, and more. - How It All Began (13:43)
The cast and crew talk about how the series came about, the cast, the writing, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with series creators Denis Leary & Peter Tolan, executive producer Jim Serpico, co-producer Tom Sellitti, and stars Michael Lombardi (“Mike Silletti”), Andrea Roth (“Janet Gavin”) & Callie Thorne (“Sheila”). - Authenticity (17:25)
The cast and crew talk about where the stories come from, preparing for their roles, the real dangers faced by firefighters, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with series creators Denis Leary & Peter Tolan, executive producer Jim Serpico, co-producer Tom Sellitti, and stars Daniel Sunjata (“Franco Rivera”), Michael Lombardi, Andrea Roth, Ed Sullivan (“Billy Warden”), Steven Pasquale (“Sean Garrity”), John Scurti (“Kenny Shea”), and Jack McGee (“Chief Jerry Keilly”). - The Cast (16:43)
The cast and crew share stories about the difficult process of casting the series. The cast members talk about their characters, and working with Denis Leary. Includes clips, and interviews with executive producer Jim Serpico, series creators Denis Leary & Peter Tolan, and stars Andrea Roth, Jack McGee, Steven Pasquale, Daniel Sunjata, Michael Lombardi, John Scurti, Callie Thorne & Ed Sullivan. - The Look (10:41)
The cast and creators talk about the immense scope of the production—shooting on location in New York City, block shooting like a film, the rapid shooting schedule, shooting in 24p, and more. Includes clips, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with series creators Denis Leary & Peter Tolan, executive producer Jim Serpico, stunt coordinator Danny Aiello III, co-producer Tom Sellitti, and stars John Scurti
- Guts Commentary with Denis Leary & Peter Tolan (44:44)
- Season 2:
All of the bonus features from the original DVD release have been ported over.- Gag Reel (6:33)
Lots of F-bombs and other cursing as the cast flub their lines and have fun on set. - Deleted Scenes:
- Voicemail Deleted Scenes (5:31)
4 deleted scenes. - Harmony Deleted Scenes (1:14) – 2 deleted scenes.
- Balls Deleted Scenes (1:24) – 2 deleted scenes.
- Twat Deleted Scenes (1:14) – 1 deleted scene.
- Sensitivity Deleted Scenes (2:04) – 3 deleted scenes.
- Shame Deleted Scenes (1:45) – 1 deleted scene.
- Believe Deleted Scenes (3:06) – 4 deleted scenes.
- Rebirth Deleted Scenes (2:24) – 2 deleted scenes.
- Brains Deleted Scenes (5:11) – 2 deleted scenes.
- Bitch Deleted Scenes (10:07) – 6 deleted scenes.
- Happy Deleted Scenes (9:10) – 6 deleted scenes.
- Justice Deleted Scenes (5:49) – 4 deleted scenes.
- Voicemail Deleted Scenes (5:31)
- The Second Season (9:03)
The cast and crew talk about how the writing, tone, and characters change in the second season, which gets a little more dramatic and focuses more on the characters and relationships. Includes interviews with series creators Denis Leary & Peter Tolan, co-producer Tom Sellitti, stunt coordinator Danny Aiello III, and stars Daniel Sunjata, Jack McGee, Dean Winters (“John Gavin”), John Scurti, Andrea Roth & Steven Pasquale. - Shooting in New York (10:23)
The cast and crew talk about the challenges and joys of filming on location in New York. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with series creators Denis Leary & Peter Tolan, location manager Eddy Collyns, location scouts Dan Cooley & Adam Carroll, asst. location manager Hilary Smith, co-producer Tom Sellitti, and star Michael Lombardi. - The Kitchen (4:49)
The cast talk about how the kitchen serves as the main social center of the firehouse. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with stars Denis Leary, Daniel Sunjata & Callie Thorne. - Writing For The Cast (9:30)
The cast and crew talk about writing for the characters. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with series creators Denis Leary & Peter Tolan, stunt coordinator Danny Aiello III, and stars John Scurti, Daniel Sunjata, Dean Winters, Callie Thorne, Steven Pasquale & Diane Farr (“Laura”). - Diane Farr Talks to the Real NYFD (21:54)
Actress Diane Farr asks real firefighters what they get wrong on the show, how they got involved in being background for the series, their careers, and more. Participants include Paul Martinowicz, Joseph O’Brien, Robert Cameron, David Ryan & Niels Jorgensen. - Real Life on the Set of Rescue Me (8:32)
Executive producers Tom Sellitti and Jim Serpico provide a humorous narration over this compilation of behind-the-scenes footage of the cast and crew.
- Gag Reel (6:33)
- Season 3:
All of the bonus features from the original DVD release have been ported over, except for a fourth season sneak peek.- Location Tour (10:07)
Location manager Eddy Collyns, production designer Andrew Bernard, and assistant location manager Robert Cavalluzzo talk about some of the New York locations used in the first three seasons. Sites include Tommy’s apartment in Harlem, a beach house in Bayville, Long Island, Firehouse 62 in Manhatten, Tommy’s home exterior, Janet’s house interior/Lou’s apartment, Chris’ apartment/Franco’s apartment, Jerry’s house, Sheila’s house, Uncle Teddy’s house, and Janet’s house. - Deleted Scenes:
- Devil Deleted Scenes (1:54) – 2 deleted scenes.
- Discovery Deleted Scenes (1:16) – 1 deleted scene.
- Sparks Deleted Scenes (1:32) – 1 deleted scene.
- Pieces Deleted Scenes (1:12) – 1 deleted scene.
- Retards Deleted Scenes (3:23) – 2 deleted scenes.
- Twilight Deleted Scenes (:55) – 1 deleted scene.
- Hell Deleted Scenes (6:48) – 4 deleted scenes.
- Beached Deleted Scenes (2:52) – 2 deleted scenes.
- Behind the Smoke (25:25)
Behind-the-scenes look at making season three. The cast and crew talk about each character’s journey this season, and the addition of Marissa Tomei to the cast. They also discuss the surprise reactions to and controversy surrounding the rape scenes (well, at least around the first one), and some of the surprising twists in the season. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with co-producer/writer Evan Reilly, co-creator/executive producer/writer Peter Tolan, executive producer Jim Serpico, producer Tom Sellitti, and stars Andrea Roth, Dean Winters, Callie Thorne, Daniel Sunjata, Steven Pasquale, Tatum O’Neal (“Maggie Gavin”), Michael Lombardi, John Scurti, and Jack McGee. - Rescue Me Comedy Short (13:23)
This short episode takes place between the second and third seasons. The guys make the front page of the paper and are going to be honored by the mayor, but they have trouble falling asleep due to a four-legged monster roaming the firehouse. - Being Denis Leary (2:49)
Tongue-in-cheek interview with Denis Leary’s stand-in, Erik-Anders Nilsson. - Going to the Gay Place (4:51)
Producer Tom Sellitti, co-creator/executive producer/writer Peter Tolan, and executive producer Jim Serpico talk about a prank where they delivered a fake script to the actors in which two of the characters fall in love this season. Also includes interviews with star Steven Pasquale and Sony Pictures executive director of publicity Karen Barragan, who had been let in on the joke. - The Bravest Traditions (6:10)
Real firefighters talk about some of the traditions of the job, including the firehouse pet, the fire pole, the red truck, and keeping the job in the family. - Fighting Fires in a Vertical City (5:29)
Real New York firefighters talk about the challenges of fighting fires in high-rise buildings and older brownstones. - Behind the Hose (8:36)
Collection of behind-the-scenes fun with the cast and crew. Includes the cast holding a large Boa constrictor, Daniel Sunjata talking about working with Susan Sarandon, constructing a larger bathroom for Denis Leary, a visit to craft services with John Scurti, and more. - Gag Reel (6:27)
Fun with the cast as they flub their lines, crack up, and have fun on set.
- Location Tour (10:07)
- Season 4:
All of the bonus features from the original DVD release have been ported over, except for some mini-episodes that were unrelated to Rescue Me.- Burned Out: Gag Reel (3:52)
More fun on set during the fourth season. - This is Not a Drill: Breaking Down Seven (11:50)
The cast and crew talk about bringing a tragic real-life event to life on the screen, and what effects were involved in creating the massive fire. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with writer/producer Evan Reilly, executive producer/director Peter Tolan, production designer Andrew Bernard, director Don Scardino, visual FX supervisor Chris Healer, stunt coordinator Danny Aiello III, and star Larenze Tate (“Bart”). - Deleted Scenes:
- Babyface Deleted Scenes (2:00) – 1 deleted scene.
- Pussified Deleted Scenes (:44) – 1 deleted scene.
- Black Deleted Scenes (4:37) – 3 deleted scenes.
- Balance Deleted Scenes (2:40) – 2 deleted scenes.
- Seven Deleted Scenes (6:48) – 3 deleted scenes.
- Solo Deleted Scenes (7:20) – 5 deleted scenes.
- Animal Deleted Scenes (3:23) – 3 deleted scenes.
- High Deleted Scenes (:41) – 1 deleted scene.
- Keefe Deleted Scenes (1:14) – 1 deleted scens.
- Yaz Deleted Scenes (1:50) – 2 deleted scenes.
- Welcome To The Set (13:52)
Fun behind-the-scenes footage with the cast and crew. The cast talk about what Denis is like, and enjoy watching Tommy get beat up on camera. John Scurti fakes a heart attack, talks about the long hours on set, and has some fun with balloons. Plus on-set pranks, and other hijinks. - Walking Thru Fire: Stories of Rescue Me Season 4 (29:52)
The cast and crew talk about the fourth season and the various storylines and conflicts for the characters. Topics include the writing process, the addition of Nona and how she affects Tommy, the portrayal of women on the show, deciding when to lose beloved characters, the addition of the new Jewish Chief and black probie, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with executive producer/director Peter Tolan, producer/writer Evan Reilly, producer Tom Sellitti, and stars Jennifer Esposito (“Nona”), Andrea Roth, Callie Thorne, Jack McGee, Tatum O’Neal, John Scurti, Daniel Sunjata, Sherri Saum (“Natalie”), and Larenze Tate. - Tools of the Trade (5:41)
Niels Jorgensen (“Nils”) gives viewers a look of some of the firehouse equipment and gear. - Captains (8:25)
The cast and crew talk about working with directors Jace Alexander and John Fortenberry, and the directing process. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with producer Tom Sellitti, producer/writer Evan Reilly, directors Jace Alexander & John Fortenberry, and star Callie Thorne. - Burning Embers: Gavin’s Girls (10:41)
A look at the females in Tommy’s life. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with and stars Andrea Roth, Olivia Crocicchia (“Katy Gavin”), Natalie Distler (“Colleen Gavin”), Callie Thorne, Jennifer Esposito, and Gina Gershon (“Valerie”). - Firehouse: Real Stories From America’s Bravest (35:30)
Real life firefighters share their own stories of their first fire, camaraderie around the firehouse, the fire department versus the police department, whether they’ve posed for a calendar, being a probie, coping with what they see on the job, meal time, moonlighting with a second job, how women are drawn to the uniform, and more.
- Burned Out: Gag Reel (3:52)
- Season 5:
Most of the bonus features from the original DVD releases have been ported over. Missing are several items from the second half of the season—the deleted scenes for three episodes, a 40-minute is “Dysfunctional Family Dinner” featurette, and a 15-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, “Setting the Backfires of Season 5”.- Deleted Scenes:
- French Deleted Scenes (2:44) – 2 deleted scenes.
- Wine Deleted Scenes (:41) – 1 deleted scene.
- Sheila Deleted Scenes (1:27) – 1 deleted scene.
- Perspective Deleted Scenes (2:27) – 1 deleted scene.
- Control Deleted Scenes (1:37) – 1 deleted scene.
- Mickey Deleted Scenes (2:47) – 1 deleted scene.
- Disease Deleted Scenes (3:40) – 3 deleted scenes.
- Drink Deleted Scenes (1:09) – 1 deleted scene.
- Walking Thru Fire: Surviving Season 5 (29:53)
The cast and crew talk about the show’s extended fifth season. Topics include remembering 9/11, returning from a long break, Tommy’s ghosts, casting Michael J. Fox, the new bar set, recapturing the magic of the earlier seasons, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with co-creator/executive producer/writer Peter Tolan, co-executive producer/writer Evan T. Reilly, co-executive producer Tom Sellitti, and stars Andrea Roth, Larenze Tate, Daniel Sunjata, and Michael Lombardi. - Danny Does Danger (7:34)
Go behind-the-scenes of some of the season’s big stunts with stunt coordinator Danny Aiello III, co-creator/executive producer/writer Peter Tolan, stuntman Chris Barnes, stunt double/assistant stunt coordinator Vince Cupone, and star Michael Lombardi. - Gag Reel (5:04)
More fun on the set with the cast.
- Deleted Scenes:
- Season 6:
All of the bonus features from the original DVD release have been ported over, except for some trailers.- Kicking the Tires and Mopping Up: An Attempt to Remember Season 6 (26:08)
Behind-the-scenes look at the sixth season. Topics include the season’s creepy opening, Tommy’s internal crisis about the afterlife, the relationship between Tommy and Janet, Franco’s odd relationship with the Gavins, Black Shawn’s role in the Gavin family, Damien’s role in the crew, Sheila’s craziness, Needles stepping up as the leader, facing mortality, and more. Includes interviews with co-creator/executive producer Peter Tolan, co-executive producer Evan T. Reilly, and stars Andrea Roth, Daniel Sunjata, Larenze Tate, Michael Zegen (“Damien Keefe”), Callie Thorne, Adam Ferrara (“Chief ‘Needles’ Nelson”) and John Scurti. - The Creator’s Last Call (21:57)
Co-creators Peter Tolan and Denis Leary sit down at a private club in Rye, NY to discuss the show’s seventh/final season. They talk about the dysfunctional Tommy Gavin and how he is based on real firefighters, Denis Leary’s willingness to look like a fool, the ending of the series, the ethnic slurs and inappropriate comments used on the series, how much of the story had been planned out from the start, favorite memories from the set, and more. - Burning the Actors at Both Ends (7:03)
Another fun gag reel. - Balls! (2:22)
Titled “A Moment of Eloquence with Denis Leary & Peter Tolan”, the co-creators provide an introduction to this rapid-fire montage of scenes with the characters mentioning body parts. - Denis & Lenny: A Match Made in Hell (4:36)
Gag reel featuring scenes between Denis Leary and Lenny Clark where the two actors are constantly ragging on one another.
- Kicking the Tires and Mopping Up: An Attempt to Remember Season 6 (26:08)
- Season 7:
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All of the final season bonus material appears on the sixth season discs.
Final Thoughts:
Rescue Me is an entertaining series that follows the dysfunctional lives of some New York City firefighters and their families. The cast is excellent, and do a great job of bringing these interesting characters to life in a way that feels realistic, but also makes you care about them. The series has a wonderful blend of comedy and drama that keeps the viewer on his toes. You will be laughing one moment, and then gutted the next. The series doesn’t worry about being politically correct, and this helps to add to the realism. Mill Creek’s Blu-ray provides excellent picture and sound, and also ports over almost all of the extensive bonus material from the original DVD releases.
