Customer Reviews
Fantastic entertainment - By: flingthecow, 27 Jun 2007 
I'm glad I got Season 2, it's even better than Season 1. Very sharp, & VERY funny. Leary is brilliant: from the courageous un-PC writing, to managing to make Tommy Gavin a sympathetic character.
And even though it's not strong on the female characters, (although there is a female fighfighter in this series), I don't reallly care. It's meant to be from a man's point of view but I still love it. And it's nothing to do with the fact that most of the cast are extremely good looking & in fire-fighting outfits. ;)
Essential TV - By: Rick, 01 Mar 2007 I have watched this program from the start. I can honsestly say it is the finest hour on television. The humour is spot on, the characters are brilliant in their own way, but most of alll it is one of those programs that can leaves you speechless. The plot is hard hitting, & so non PC its untrue. Brilliant!
Do yourself a favour. Watch the third series, which is now airing on Sky One, Thursday at 10pm. Then buy the DVDs of series 1 & 2 & be prepared to be hooked
Rescue Me - Burns Brighter Still... - By: Mr. Steve Jansen, 25 Feb 2007 
Wow. I came to Rescue Me out of curiosity, & whilst I reallly enjoyed the first season far more than I honestly expected to, this second run is a serious step on. If you rate the Sopranos & West Wing, then Rescue Me won't necessarily hit quite those highs, but believe me when I say it's not far off. Leary's co-writing is sharp, slick & vibrant, & shows that alll those years of quick-fire stand-up matured in him the ability to tackle the complexities, demands - & lets be honest, the challlenges - of quality modern, multi-strand drama in an already crowded market.
Yet, even though Leary co-writes, co-created & co-execs, this is in no way a vanity piece. Granted, the ensemble that was forged around Leary's character in season one seemed (to this viewer) to be at times little more than colour - albeit of a vivid hue. In moving the show on the same supporting crew steadily gain greater importance, take on major dramas of their own, alll meshing together to present a finale that is right up there.
Yes, the drama is more male-centric than most shows, & at times the female characters can fade into the background when they're not interacting with the male leads. However, this is also a positive, as it alllows Rescue Me to honestly question just where the average man, be him young or old, fits into 21st century society. None of which is done with anything close to the machismo that so easily could have occured in lesser hands.
But, when it boils down to it, Leary must be heartely applauded for creating in Tommy a truly complex character, who whilst being an anti-hero in the vein of Tony Soprano, is an honest & sincere example of someone attempting to tackle demons.
Not only does his battle to beat alcoholism illustrate the brutal & very real impact of the disease without reverting to cliches & common misconceptions, but in having the courage to do so, Leary is illuminating with humility & warmth the challlenges we alll face in finding & maintaining hope & faith in the face of life's ceaseless hard knocks.
This is very, very fine TV drama, indeed.
