Rescue Me – Season 5 Wraps Up

As Season 5 comes to a close this Tuesday it brings to a close what may be the shows best season yet.  This season was not without it’s dry spots, namely the continued on with Shelia, off with Janet, and vice versa; or sometimes off with both and on with a teacher or another power female role in someones life.  The  ever changing sex triangle of Tommy Gavin has just been played out and hopefully the season finale will put it to rest… at least for a while.

The high points of the season far out weigh the repetitive nature of the love life making it as I said before the best year to date.  Headlining the list is Michael J. Fox.

MJF’s character Dwight was the most original and colorful new character that Rescue Me has showcased since the “Jesus” apparition showed up in Tommy’s rundown bachelor pad and it’s revealed he enjoys bowling, booze and pot showing the depths of Tommy’s bizarre psyche.  Dwight was a comfortable change from Fox’s typical nice guy role, and he played it like a true junkie bastard.  For 60 minutes a week I believe Fox was a drunk nut in a wheelchair instead of Marty McFly.  Sadly his 5 episode stint was not long enough, maybe he will comeback into Janet’s life as a permanent thorn in Tommy’s side for next season, for now we can call this appearance the best guest role ever.

Following a distant second we have Black Shawn’s developing relationship with Colleen to keep Tommy on anti-anxiety pills until the Great Dwight’s return.  The addition of the relationship and putting Shawn in a major role put him neck and neck with Garrity as the funniest trooper of the firehouse.  As last season’s probie, Black Shawn quickly went from minor character to major player in the weekly episodes with the rest of the crew.  This season’s probie, Damian is an absolute disaster and hopefully next season holds a tragic end to his boring presence in Company 62.

The short reunion of Lou and Candy made for the retribution that is so rarely seen on the show.  Marrying her and finding the truth of her past only to take back what was his and play Robin Hood with the rest of her stolen inheritance.   The look on her face when her beans were spilled brought the show to a peaceful happy conclusion… that was until Uncle Teddy’s wife is killed in the final seconds.  That brings us to Tuesday’s season finale, where will that leave Tommy?

Broke?

On the outs with Janet or Shelia?

Suspended or fired?

I am sure the final episode will point us in some direction, but it will also leave us hanging until Season 6 next spring.