Grid Effect

We’ve now seen three Rescue Me mini-episodes, and while they have varied in quality and humor (last night’s being their best effort to date), what’s been most shocking is that we’ve remembered to watch every single one without the reassurance of a DVR/Tivo. Sadly enough, this actually gives us a sense of accomplishment. If you happened to miss it, you can watch the mini-episode here.

While we enjoyed last night’s mini-episode, it seems to be that Leary, Peter Tolan and Evan Reilly are completely unaware of their fan base’s apathy towards their portrayal of women, which is a good and a bad thing. For one, they don’t seem to let outside influences dictate the direction of their series. Obviously this is a good thing. On the other hand, you can hardly read or watch anything pertaining to the series without it being some sort of complaint about the supposed rampant misogyny on the show, then you flip on a mini-episode and they’re bantering back and forth about the ass on a bartender or the lesbian women who patronize the bar that also won’t sleep with any of them. It is all very distracting. And besides, when that bartender finally did show up, she didn’t even look that good.

It’s fucking impossible to find a picture of the crew without Jack McGee, so there it is.

So while we certainly appreciate the effort and unconcern with the masses (this is the David Chase way, and we’re probably more apologetic for the series than others), it seems like they’re going out of their way to antagonize their audience. We’re waffling as to whether the audience is too sensitive or if the series creators are racist, homophobic chauvinists like everyone keeps telling us. It’s probably shades of gray, much like everything else. I mean, it is a series about fireman. I haven’t known many fireman throughout my lifetime, but I sincerely doubt it’s the most PC demo you’ll find around your given city/town/neighborhood.

Anyhow, we hope they stick to these sort of communal firehouse exchanges. As opposed to what we got last week in the Tommy Gavin-centric storyline that have dominated the series for the past two seasons. If you didn’t watch last week’s episode it basically consisted of Dennis Leary looking confused for five minutes. Next week it looks like they continue this favorable trend and go from proper male drinking quarters to steroids in baseball, which we’re actually on pins and needles in anticipation for.

Back later with something else.