Rescue Me: Seven

Wow... that was some cold open, huh? Arguably the best the show has had yet. Barely any spoken words and set to some eerie song. Babies being thrown out windows, bodies piled up on the sidewalk, and seven children who didn't make it. Even Lou said it was one of the worst infernos he'd ever seen. The entire sequence was just very powerful. I even got a little choked up. So does someone want to explain to me how an episode that started off so good ended so flat?

Don't get me wrong, I still loved it. That goes without saying. But I've gone from enjoying the beginning of this season immensely to riding the bandwagon with everyone else. These episodes just haven't been what I'm used to.

As with any episode, there were some stellar moments. Lou breaking up with Theresa ("I ate all the edible panties.") and then making amends with Cousin Mike. Sean telling Mike the truth about the fire. Troy ripping down the "Tommy shrine." Franco seeing Keela and Alicia. All good stuff but it just doesn't make the whole episode. I suppose it's better than seeing Janet over and over again. I'm getting sick of her now. Plus she keeps giving the kid Benadryl, Jameson's, and who knows what else. He's going to be sleeping permanently if she keeps it up.

Fortunately, even though it's slow coming, there's plenty to look forward to... I think. Speaking of Franco, it seems like he's having doubts now about Natalie. She just seems too invested in her brother Richie and I think Franco honestly might see a future with Alicia and his daughter. So who will he choose?

I'm glad we finally found out where Maggie is (drunk in Montreal), but more so because it brought Cousin Mickey back into the fold. He's got some plan for Maggie and Uncle Teddy to combat their alcoholism. I can only imagine what he's got in store.

You can tell not much happened. The thoughts are a little sparse this time around although I suppose that final scene definitely warrants some discussion. Johnny's ghost finally made his second appearance to Tommy, and this time he had something to say. Kill the baby because he's doomed to a lousy life no matter how you slice it. The scary thing is that I think Tommy actually considered his dead brother's request, especially after his talk with Mick about God's plan. Ending the baby's life now could save him from something far worse later on. Whether he believed it or not, Tommy still held that kid over the East River. My personal belief is that he didn't drop the kid (give him a name already), but it did cut to black and this time it was a bit more ambiguous than when Jerry shot himself. I mean... I didn't hear a splash or anything like that.

I keep saying that I have faith in Leary, hoping that something huge will develop. Well... I've got six episodes left for that to happen.