I am – Hercules!!


Season five of FX’s NYFD comedy-soap hourlong “Rescue Me” returns Tuesday night following a 19-month hiatus. Have series masterminds Peter Tolan and Denis Leary put the time to good use?

You bet, though some may not grow fully reminded of the show’s greatness until a few episodes in.

A few notes on 5.1, titled “Baptism”:

* The season kicks off with the funeral for Tommy’s dad. Tommy attends in a bright orange shirt.

* An out-of-focus Gina Gershon can be glimpsed in the teaser. We see a lot more of her later.

* There’s a first-act discussion of whether a man, given the choice, should prefer the loss of a testicle over the loss of an eye.

* Michael J. Fox turns up for one scene as Tommy’s twitchy new rival for Tommy’s stunning ex-wife.

* The crew talks Mike out of spending his inheritance on cancer research and into spending it on a bar.

* Tommy’s hot older daughter is now secretly sharing a bed with Tommy’s co-worker Black Shawn.

* Chief Feinberg keeps acting all gay around Tommy.

* Maura Tierney (“ER”) and Karina Lombard (“The 4400”) don’t turn up until episode two, which is when things really start to heat up.

FX liked season five so much, it has already ordered a sixth season.

Entertainment Weekly gives it an “A” and says:

… This series is officially on fire now. …

USA Today gives it four stars (out of four) and says:

… for those who were disappointed in the show's uneven fourth season, the best news is that, at least in the nine episodes previewed, Rescue Me is more consistent, more focused and more fun, with better stories for all of its characters. …

The Los Angeles Times says:

… In recent months, star Denis Leary and his co-creator/producer Peter Tolan have repeatedly promised a different show, one less bleak and heavy-footed than Season 4, and on this they most certainly deliver. Where once "Rescue Me" wallowed in the endless dark nights of its characters' shattered souls, it is now so lighthearted it occasionally borders on glib.…

The San Francisco Chronicle says:

… races out of the gate as confidently brilliant as ever before, wildly mixing emotions along the way. …

The Boston Herald says:

… If there’s a weakness in its fifth season, it’s “Rescue Me’s” tendency to tell a familiar joke. Sheila (Callie Thorne) becomes a volunteer big sister in a bit that crosses two episodes in two scenes and drops with an obvious punch line. Tommy boils because Janet’s new boyfriend Dwight (Michael J. Fox) won’t stand to shake his hand and gets a predictable comeuppance. But as “Rescue Me” launches its fifth and longest season, Tommy’s struggles for sobriety, sanity and maybe even salvation have never been more gripping to watch.

The Boston Globe says:

… returns to its former glory after an unfortunate fourth-season slump. …

Variety says:

… Make room on the DVR, as the FX original comes back like a house afire.…

The Hollywood Reporter says:

… After more than a year away, "Rescue Me" is still a compelling drama, full of strong writing and skillful acting, but it's the show's mix of redemption and ruin that genuinely sets it apart from the pack. …

“Cupid”: 10 p.m. Tuesday. ABC.
“Rescue Me”: 10 p.m. Tuesday. FX.

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