Hmm, another new episode of RESCUE ME, another new Tommy? This is getting to be a habit.
Following last week’s night of passion with Janet (Andrea Roth), Tommy (Denis Leary) woke up early and burned some eggs. But what really bothered me was him wearing a Boston Bruins shirt – that’s just something no true New Yorker would be caught dead wearing! Tommy should have been wearing a N.Y. Rangers sweater, but this is a case of Massachusetts-born co-creator Leary throwing his weight around and allowing his own sensibilities to compromise the character. Something else that seemed out of character at first blush? Tommy actually wanted to talk about last night! But of course Janet didn’t. Then Tommy forced the issue. She admitted that she was assuming this meant they were starting over, all “happy, happy sunshine.” He confessed that the sex just happened, but maybe it was the beginning a “recom…commitment…thing.” Surprisingly, she was willing to give it one more shot. (Apparently the memories of the late Connor that were conjured last week were damn powerful.) But this was The Last Time. If it crashes and burns, or if it’s just another one of his empty promises, it will be the last hurtful thing he ever does to her. Janet’s one caveat: zero contact with Sheila. She called him turning to Sheila an emotional betrayal, like a dagger to her heart.
Meanwhile, downtown, Needles (Adam Ferrara) joined Sid as he appealed to his old buddy “Dickey Bird” to get the house reopened. No sale. “It’s done, Sid,” Dickey declared. “Your house closed, and I’m not discussing it any further.” Needles freaked out, and went nuclear: He told Dickey that he has video of the save at the school for the deaf, which he will post on YouTube. Next thing we know, the house is reopened! But it wasn’t all joy in Mudville. When Sid tried to imply he had a part in getting the house reopened, Damien (Michael Zegen) mouthed off, “No thanks to you.” Sid took exception, noting that when Needles turned the argument into extortion, they lost all political clout downtown.
A call interrupted the escalating pissing match, and when the boys arrived at the engulfed building, Damien saved a baby. “I don’t even like babies,” he marveled. Meanwhile, Lou (John Scurti) was having trouble breathing – not to mention standing, let alone helping an old lady out of the building. He preactically needed to be saved himself! Franco (Daniel Sunjata) told him how to translate that baby save into getting over on babes. Which was convenient, because Damien had a date with Penny (Deanna Russo) that night. Turned out he didn’t need any war stories, because she was even randier than he was. But not, as it turned out, more…um, excited. Their “romance” only lasted 12 seconds. “That was fast,” she sighed. Then Damien recounted how one of his teachers molested him in high school. Since he was a virgin, she was willing to forgive and forget – as long as he did better next time. And he did: It lasted 16 seconds!
Sean (Steven Pasquale) tried to convince Mike (Mike Lombardi) to take the dying Pat to visit a bunch of his old saves, who should remember him fondly. The first “alumnus” they looked up was a diner owner who never forgot his name. But then the victory lap devolved into a bad joke: The subsequent saves turned out to be crackhead who went on to kill his old lady and kid, and the next old man damned Pat for supposedly leaving the man’s wife to die. But the height depth of black humor was reached when Pat died in the passenger seat of the car, on their way to their next stop.
Tommy’s next stop was Sheila’s (Callie Thorne) place; she seemed to take it well, gruffly trying to send him away under the pretense that a break-up was her idea. “All ya ever did was disappoint me,” she snarled. “I am bigger than this,” he countered. “You used me,” she charged, claiming the relationship was all about him. He never took her anywhere or bought her anything, “and the sex sucked.” Tommy was aghast as she claimed Mickey is a fabulous kisser. So Tommy kissed her. And then they tumbled onto the couch. Did anyone not see the next part coming? Mickey (Robert John Burke) came in, and boy, was he angry! A furious Tommy blamed Sheila for pressing his buttons just as he was almost out the door. Tommy rushed home, afraid Mickey would blab to Janet. When he got home, he found a scene of domestic bliss, with Janet and Colleen (Natalie Distler) preparing dinner. Everything seemed fine, and Tommy thought he was home-free. Then Mickey showed up! Hmm, another pseudo cliff-hanger ending? This is getting to be a habit.
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