Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6972 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-01-29
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Formats: Box set, Dubbed, PAL
• Original language: English
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 4
• Running time: 551 minutes

Synopsis
In this acclaimed humorous drama, comedian Denis Leary plays Tommy Gavin, a New York fireman coping with the events of 9/11 and his own personal demons: drinking, a painful separation from his wife, and visions of his dead cousin. The other firefighters at 62 Truck aren't faring much better. Chief Reilly has a compulsive gambling addiction, ladies'-man Franco Rivera lives life fast and dangerous, and Lou Shea simmers with bottled-up frustrations. Series two opens with Gavin separated from his former crew and working in a Staten Island firehouse, where he tries to come to terms with his debilitating alcoholism. Adding the chaos of his life, he learns that his girlfriend, his cousin's widow, is pregnant. Leary and Emmy-winning Peter Tolan (THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW) write the gripping and darkly humorous show, which resonates with Leary's real life--his cousin, a firefighter, died in a tragic 1999 warehouse fire.

Customer Reviews

Essential TV
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 all it is one of those programs that can leaves you speechless. The plot is hard hitting, and 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 and 2 and be prepared to be hooked

Rescue Me - Burns Brighter Still...
Wow. I came to Rescue Me out of curiosity, and whilst I really enjoyed the first season far more than I honestly expected to, this second run is a serious step on. If you rate the Sopranos and 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 and vibrant, and shows that all those years of quick-fire stand-up matured in him the ability to tackle the complexities, demands - and lets be honest, the challenges - of quality modern, multi-strand drama in an already crowded market.

Yet, even though Leary co-writes, co-created and 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, all meshing together to present a finale that is right up there.

Yes, the drama is more male-centric than most shows, and 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 allows 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 and sincere example of someone attempting to tackle demons.

Not only does his battle to beat alcoholism illustrate the brutal and very real impact of the disease without reverting to cliches and common misconceptions, but in having the courage to do so, Leary is illuminating with humility and warmth the challenges we all face in finding and maintaining hope and faith in the face of life's ceaseless hard knocks.

This is very, very fine TV drama, indeed.

Fantastic Viewing
Love this gritty american drama about firefighters coping with their jobs during the aftermath of 911, fantastic writing and brilliant acting make it seem more realistic than usual firefighter dramas.
If you never saw the series on Sky 1 now is the time to get your hands on this masterpiece of TV, will be coming back to buy the rest of the series. Shame they are not showing season 4 in this country.