I Have a Colt...I'm a Little Horse

I have a cold. A COLD! It sucks. I don't feel lousy enough to warrant crawling under the covers and sleeping for the next three days, just bad enough that everything I do feels like a chore. Man. I hate colds. The worst part is I always end up with a lingering cough that lasts for months. In fact, I think I was JUST getting rid of the cough from my last cold.

Oh well. It being Tuesday I was going to comment on "Rescue Me," and its very controversial "was it rape?" scene from last week, but I haven't the strength. Instead I will just direct you to many of the articles that have swept the Internets since the show aired.

What's Alan Watching? discusses the episode: "Raping the shark"

The Chicago Tribune's take

Philadelphia Daily News' Ellen Gray "'Rescue Me' has a problem with women"

The Boston Globe: "An amazing 'Rescue Me'"

Writer Peter Tolan makes the mistake of trying to explain the episode on the Television Without Pity Forums...

...and then talks about that mistake with the Los Angeles Time

C'mon C'mon

Don't forget, the season premiere of "Rescue Me" is tonight at 10pm on F/X.

And if you need another reminder, you can get that in this SFist post!

Tethered With Tears in Their Eyes

Just a reminder that tonight is the season finale of "Rescue Me." It was a nice reprieve from the glut of summer reality, but I have to say I'm kind of glad it's taking a break.

Last week's episode was wrenching. And even as it copped to the biggest cliches in the book (reverting to slow-mo and a playing a folksy, mournful song on the soundtrack as a tragedy played out) I have to admit, it worked. I cried my eyes out (and I immediately went and downloaded the song from iTunes.)

I think dropping tragedy-after-tragedy on the show's characters is the writers' attempt to justify loading the show with assholes. I suppose continuing to watch a show wherein all of the characters continue to be sexist, homophobic, racist jerks, and pay no price for their behavior, might get a little hard to take after a while. But it would probably be truer to life than "Rescue Me" is.

But then again, we're talking about a show where the main guy sees and talks to dead people, so I guess reality isn't what they're going for. Instead, it's all about those operatic highs and lows. Fighting those huge flames, and then going back to the banality of daily life.

I still think it's one of the best dramas on TV. And I'd miss it a lot more if "Nip/Tuck" wasn't coming back next week. Woo!

Rescue Me From the Boredom of a Wedneday Night!

Well, whaddya know. I'm actually going to recommend a show that's not a reality program! Rescue Me airs at 10 tonight on F/X. I think one's enjoyment of it will have a lot to do with one's tolerance for Denis Leary. I actually like him just fine, due in part to his former stint on a weekly series, The Job, which was woefully neglected and ultimately cancelled.

Anyhoo, the hour-long drama takes place in a New York City firehouse. Leary is a thoroughly screwed-up firefighting veteran in the midst of a divorce. His only comforts are booze, and a best friend that he talks to a lot. Problem is, he died during 9/11. If you're one of those people that won't watch an hourly drama unless it's on HBO, don't worry. There's plenty of cursing, sex, and violence to keep you interested. Gotta love F/X!