List of Rescue Me episodes (season 3)
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Episode summary for season 3 of the television series Rescue Me. The third season premiered on May 30, 2006.
[edit] Episode 1: Devil
- Original airdate: May 30, 2006
- Directed by: Peter Tolan
- Written by: Peter Tolan, Denis Leary
The season premiere Devil opens with a kind-hearted dialogue between Tommy and his youngest daughter, who asks the hard question of where her brother Connor went when he died. However, this moment is followed by Tommy awakening on the sofa, revealing that it was simply another dream.
Uncle Teddy has been imprisoned, pending trial, for murdering the man who killed Connor. Teddy is very upbeat and accepting of his plight, seeing it as more of a diet that is working for him. He also seems to be on good terms with the prison guards as he calls a guard by his name when he is finished with his visit with Tommy, saying, "God damn it Jerry, where the hell are my handcuffs! Jesus you're slow: I coulda killed another five people before you got in here."
After saving several animals from a burning apartment, the fire crew is alarmed at the new enforcement of an old rule forbidding smoking in the firehouse. This leads the crew to propose quitting smoking altogether for at least one month, "cold turkey", for a common pot of money. However, most of the crew is struggling with the lack of nicotine.
Tommy also finds out that his godson, Damien Keefe, is having sex with his science teacher. Attempting to confront this problem, as Tommy is under the impression that Damien's teacher looks like the teacher he had when he was young, Tommy finds out that the teacher Damien is seeing is actually very attractive. However, Tommy still tries to convince Damien that it would be best to forget about her, comparing banging his science teacher to masturbating to a picture of his grandmother.
Lou is in bad shape after losing all his savings in the confidence scam. He is visibly disintegrating, even so noticeably that other men in the fire crew are noticing it.
Tommy goes to see Janet to discuss the terms of their divorce, but Tommy brings up Connor's death and they get into an argument. Tommy breaks two porcelain vases and leaves.
Sean is now seeing Tommy's sister Maggie, but Maggie refuses to let Sean tell Tommy about it, and Sean feels guilty. Maggie also treats him like a pet, and insists that he quit smoking even though she is a heavy smoker.
Mike the Probie will soon finish his probationary tour and will become a fully qualified firefighter, but Tommy and Franco say that he'll always be "Probie" to them.
At the end of the episode, after Tommy's confrontation with Janet, Tommy attempts to save a little girl's life. She is declared dead by the paramedics at the scene, but the girl comes back to life after Tommy continues giving the girl CPR. The mother and the paramedics appear astonished, and the fire crew stares wide eyed in disbelief as Tommy lights up a cigarette. (Still, it remains unclear whether this was another fantasy sequence like the ghosts Tommy speaks to throughout the series).
It is also revealed that Tommy's younger brother, Johnny, is now seeing Janet.
The song at the end of the episode is "Devil" by the Stereophonics.
[edit] Episode 2: Discovery
- Original airdate: June 6, 2006
- Directed by: Peter Tolan
- Written by: Peter Tolan
Discovery begins with John Gavin Sr. preparing to celebrate his birthday later that night. He shares with Sheila some of his theories, believing that "Chink food and birthday cake" can solve any problem, and thus he will only have Chinese food and birthday cake at his celebration. He even goes as far as to say that "If chink food and birthday cake had been on the beaches of Normandy, World War Two woulda' been over". After a brief dialogue over whether or not using a coffee mug is gay and the wording of the "money can/kitty" Tommy leaves for work, only to see Lou smoking a fat cigar, which he promptly spits out after seeing Tommy.
Franco is getting ready to take the Lt. exam, hoping to get the job and make some more money. He shares some of his dreams for his daughter with Tommy. However, Tommy shoots it down by mentioning that there are blowjob contests in some private schools.
Lou is beginning to feel a form of social pressure from the rest of the crew as he hasn't told anyone that he has been the victim of a scam, becoming anxious whenever the subject turns to money. Afterwards, he then tries to break into his ex-wife's house to get back his father's gold watch to pawn for money, but cuts his hand badly on a broken window. However, he is still prompt, and has already reserved a table at a party for later in the night.
Garrity is thinking about telling Tommy that he is dating his sister. When he asks Franco what he thinks, Franco runs away from him; telling Sean that he doesn't even want to be involved in the discussion, that way he isn't a victim of crazed retribution.
At the party, Franco hooks up with a character (played by Susan Sarandon), who apparently looks like Garrity's mom. Tommy also finds himself being picked up by a younger girl, however she just can't seem to be quiet. Even while making out, she still keeps talking. Exasperated, Tommy searches the kitchen, finally finding some duct tape.
Later at Tommy's father's birthday, the Gavin family and friends gather around for the celebration. The birthday celebration is cut short however, by Tommy. As upon checking under the table after dropping his napkin, he sees Johnny and Janet holding hands, and realizes that Johnny is the one seeing Janet. The tension seems to build in Tommy as the sound becomes blurred and faded as his rage builds, finally erupting over the table and throwing Johnny to the ground. Tommy proceeds to throw Johnny back over the table and follow him outside where the beating continues. Tommy also throws Janet against a car hood, hurting her elbow, where Shiela tries to help but is pushed away by Janet. The final blow comes when Tommy throws Johnny through a car window and further knocks him into the street. Spitting on his brother's beaten body, Tommy storms off while the others are in a state of disbelief and gather around to help Johnny.
The song at the end of this episode is "Bonnie Brae" by The Twilight Singers
[edit] Episode 3: Torture
- Original airdate: June 13, 2006
- Directed by: Jace Alexander.
- Written by: Evan Reilly
The entire firehouse seems to be on edge. Lou continues to fall in a downward spiral as he avoids his home life and becomes more and more irritable, turning to alcohol to solve his problems. The Chief is still struggling to pay for his wife's nursing home, and tensions are high between Tommy and Sean who continues to try to hide his relationship with Tommy's sister (Tatum O'Neal). Franco has been sleeping with Alicia (Susan Sarandon) and realizes he is sitting on a gold mine when she spoils him and his daughter with generous gifts. Alicia is definitely not like the rest of the women Franco beds, in more ways than one. Mike "The Probie" seriously considers applying for a transfer, and fills out all the necessary paperwork; the issue is finding the courage to turn it in. With Tommy's encouragement, Mrs. Turbody (Paige Turco) breaks off her relationship with Damian, but takes another path to satisfy her needs. When Tommy deletes an unheard voicemail message from Janet, the kids are left without a ride at school; Janet confronts him at the house and it is finally clear that their marriage is over.
[edit] Episode 4: Sparks
- Original airdate: June 20, 2006
- Directed by: Jace Alexander
- Written by: Peter Tolan & Denis Leary
After tending to an overturned bus and saving the lives of multiple children, the Reverend Al Sharpton publicly denounces the FDNY for ignoring the needs of the black community by choosing to rescue the bus on the way to help a black man with chest pains. The station, and the entire community are responding in interesting ways. Sean confronts Tommy about his relationship with Maggie and Tommy warns him that his sister is trouble and that he should finish it now. While Franco continues his relationship with Alicia, Tommy and Sheila's relationship takes an interesting turn when she says he should have a son for him, Tommy informs her that he will be making a "deposit" the next day at a sperm bank. This process is hindered by his affair with Mrs. Turbody. Chief Reilly takes the job at the bar, and finds it difficult and tiring. The guys at the house take advantage of his vulnerability by playing practical jokes on him by putting his chair in the road which is soon run down by a truck. After a bout of oral sex on the sofa, Mike 'The Probie' finds himself second guessing his relationship with his roommate, as they seem to be getting a bit "closer" than he knows how to handle. Lou continues his downward spiral and actually ponders suicide before turning to a surprisingly empathetic coworker. Tommy and Janet draw up the terms of their impending divorce and after a long discussion about divvying up possessions (including, infamously, a chaise lounge), Tommy takes out his anger on Janet, which ends up with Tommy raping Janet. In the aftermath, the two calmly finish up the proceedings as if nothing happened; Tommy leaves just seconds before Johnny pulls into the same spot, barging to the house to find a serene Janet reading a magazine on the same sofa which had just been sexually occupied.
(RUMOR: The rape scene (referred to by several outlets as the "Chaise Lounge Scene") has caused consternation, as Tommy has not yet been held accountable for his actions. However, in the next episode Janet vaguely promised "revenge" for this.)
[edit] Episode 5: Chlamydia
- Original airdate: June 27, 2006
- Directed by:
- Written by:
After the recap, the episode opens up with the crew at Tommy's apartment moving out all the things that Janet requested. After the crew leaves, Tommy is caught by Sheila staring at Connor's old catchers mit. Meanwhile Keelah and Alicia (Susan Sarandon) are playing in the park. Keelah asks if Alicia is going to stay as her mommy, but Alicia cannot give a definite answer.
In prison, Uncle Teddy puts several of the pictures he's received from possible wives under scrutiny, with none really impressing him or the other inmate that is judging. Later on, he finds a woman that he thinks is absolutely gorgeous and after listening to her viewpoint on society, he immediately asks her to marry him.
Eventually, Garrity confronts Maggie about her other relationships; and despite promising not to get upset, Sean tears off his robe and breaks up with Maggie. Later on, Sean also "breaks up" with Tommy because of the conflicting messages that Tommy gives to Sean.
Mike eventually makes his way into the chief's office and asks for another transfer form. The chief asks what happened to the first one, to which Mike replies that he "lost" it. The chief isn't surprised, saying that it happens a lot. Mike tries to explain to him that it's hard to just pick up and leave your friends, but the chief dismisses that as nonsense. Saying, "Yeah, they're your friends... until they get drunk one night and knock your face in. With friends like that, who needs friends."
Franco arrives home late from work, and panics when he finds that neither Keelah or Alicia are home. Franco goes into a panic, racing to Alicia's apartment only to be sent away by the desk clerk. Franco finds himself in a complete jam, as he cannot simply go to the police for their help due to the fact that Keelah shouldn't be in his care. Eventually, Alicia leaves Tommy a few words about possible visitation for Franco and Keelah; which enrages Franco to the point he destroys a trash can and a locker in the firehouse.
Mrs. Turbody (Paige Terco) has finally been arrested for child molestation, however, Tommy is scared by the rumor that she gave the kids, as well as himself, chlamydia. This fear causes him not to piss for the rest of the day, but he eventually lets it out and is relieved that there is no burning.
Thanks to a tip by Sheila, Tommy works out a way to run into Johnny's ex, Angie (played by Marisa Tomei). Setting out for a few drinks, Tommy tries to get a dinner date out of her, but she is hip to Tommy's scheme's and leaves him at the bar. However, she eventually warms up to the idea of messing with Johnny and Janet, and calls Tommy to see if he still wants to mess with them as well.
After the phone call however, Tommy begins having visions. One of Billy, another of the drunk driver that killed Connor, and then Connor himself. The vision of Connor is just too much for him to bear, and just as he pulls over he is already crying in grief.
[edit] Episode 6: Zombies
- Original airdate: July 11, 2006
- Directed by:
- Written by:
Zombies kicks off with Tommy brushing his teeth, he soon breaks into tears over the thought of Connor; but this moment is quickly interrupted by Lou, who tells Tommy he's thinking about taking a shit on the floor (in reference to Tommy's father being unable to hold his bladder).
A weekly street hockey game is being held on a local court between Tommy's team and another fire crew. The game has a friendly wager of 400 dollars riding on who wins or loses. A member of the opposing team, Rocco, is being shipped off to Iraq. After the game Tommy sets aside 200 dollars from his winnings as it is a parting gift for Rocco. The winnings prompt Tommy and the rest of the crew to look at the money resting in "The Kitty", and they decide to find away to spend the two grand in cash that has amassed.
Garrity had injured his leg during the game and needs something to take away the pain, but after being confused by Tommy, he doesn't know what pills to take, although he is explicitly told to take the brown pills.
Jerry arrives at the firehouse and informs the crew that people from headquarters are doing a porno search, the news causes the team to run rampant through the firehouse looking for porn. However, upon racing towards the jackpot (videos), they notice that Garrity has passed out on sleeping pills. Worried about the possible side effects of the sleeping pills, the crew drags him upstairs to the bunkroom, thinking that he'll be safe there for the rest of the day.
On a routine search of a burning building for bodies, Lou and Franco are stuck in a room that is quickly filling with smoke. Their situation prompts Tommy to break down a wall in order to get the two to safety. Afterwards, Lou is depressed, ashamed that he had screwed up so bad, and nearly cost Franco his life... not to mention his own, all because of a mistake.
Still caught up with his failure of the day, Lou goes to visit his Uncle who is dying of cancer. Lou's Uncle is very upbeat yet crude, but he knows how to bring someone's spirits up. Upon being faced with Lou's depressed state, he takes Lou to a restaurant downtown. Visiting a man named, Georgie; Lou's Uncle tells Lou of a time when he seemingly took a wrong turn in a burning building, but that wrong turn allowed him to save a kid. The kid he saved grew up to be Georgie, and it was all from a wrong turn, a mistake. It was a mistake that ended up saving a life, instead of ending one.
Foreshadowed by the crew's fears of sleep walking, Garrity does a hilarious over-the-top impression of what a sleep walker goes through. Randomly walking through a grocery store and insulting people while consuming the stores goods. He also scares a police officer with his zombie-like appearance and behavior. He also goes to Maggie's apartment and punches out the man there, causing Maggie to call him her new boyfriend. Arriving back at the firehouse with a bunny, Garrity passes out with the bunny on his chest.
Mike the probie calls his "roommate" to tell him that he's stuck working overtime to cover for Garrity, which disappoints the roommate, who was cooking dinner for them. Mike explains that he has to do it because he has no seniority and the crew won't let him out of it. His roommate tells him that this is why he needs to get into another firehouse. Mike says he won't be home till late, and they hang up, the roommate obviously annoyed. As his roommate puts down the phone, another guy rounds the corner into the kitchen of the apartment. Growing tired of being put off by Mike, his roommate suggests to the other guy that it's time for him to get what Mike isn't taking advantage of. The two move into each other's arms.
Angie calls Tommy to tell him that they are going out to dinner in order to further their secret-evil plan. Rehearsing kisses and groping, they manage to get the waitress's attention. Tommy and Angie begin going through their phases outside. And after their kiss, Tommy is called by Janet.
Janet is surprised with Johnny, as he is nothing like Tommy. Johnny is responsible, kind and prompt. But despite his stability, Janet craves the sexual intimacy that she had with Tommy. Prompting her to leave in the middle of the night, dressed in a trenchcoat, to return the crazed sexual experience Tommy had with her a few weeks ago. Angie calls back afterward to see if Janet knew about them. But Janet obviously knew nothing of Tommy's date with Johnny's ex. Thinking of who could really care about their date, the scene abruptly cuts to Sheila, who is destroying her house in a jealous rage.
[edit] Episode 7: Satisfaction
- Original airdate: July 18, 2006
- Directed by: Peter Tolan
- Written by: Peter Tolan, Denis Leary
The episode opens with Jerry arriving at the firehouse and finds out that the crew has been exiled from the building while people from headquarters are doing a porno search. Jerry becomes upset when he sees someone he knows is running the search. Jerry knocks the clipboard out of his hands and then gives him a lecture about how his men save lives and deserve to have access to porn on occasion. But in the end the search turns up nothing and the people from headquarters leave.
Tommy and Colleen are having a meeting with her school therapist. The therapist, Dr. Klien, is getting nowhere with Colleen, who leaves the room in a fit. Once Colleen is gone Tommy asks Dr. Klein about a sudden uncontrollable crying condition that Tommy has but is pretending that Colleen is the one who is experiencing it. Tommy rules out the doctor's suggestions of hormones and inability to express emotion and settles on the reason of survivor's guilt. Tommy asks for medication to fix it.
Meanwhile, the crew notices that the $1,850 that was in "the kitty" has been stolen. The crew later on finds out that Chief Peroli was the one that took the money and donated it to a cancer foundation. It angers the crew that the Chief went behind their backs and did that, but they all know it was for a good cause and can only wince as they realize their money is gone.
Mike the Probie and his roommate Chris are out at a bar, and Mike is chatting with a girl named Paula. Chris comes over and warns Mike not to do anything with Paula or else he's out of his house. Mike confronts Chris about some underwear he found under the bed, but Chris says it doesn't mean anything. Later, Mike and Paula are in bed, where Mike is apparently having performance challenges. Mike confesses to Paula that he's been living with Chris and getting oral sex from him, but he doesn't really think he's gay. Paula suggests that she can "fix" Mike.
Maggie and Sean are still trying to have a relationship. It seems that Maggie likes it when Sean is really aggressive so Sean roughs up some stranger on the street to impress Maggie. Later on Sean gets a little too cocky and ends up getting in a scuffle with a guy larger than him and a guy with mace.
After Tommy's date, Sheila takes out her frustration with Tommy. Using the pills she found in her son's room, she drugs Tommy and has sex with him. Venting her frustration with the fate she was dealt, she covers up what happened as one of Tommy's drunken tirades. Lou eventually wakes Tommy up and tells him he's grounded for a week, referring to the condition the apartment is in.
[edit] Episode 8: Karate
- Original airdate: July 25, 2006
- Directed by:
- Written by:Evan Reilly
The episode starts out in the basement of a collapsing building. Mike the Probie saves two firemen that are trapped in the blaze and gets some well earned respect from the entire crew. One of the saved firemen, Tommy's old friend John "Stack" Stackhouse, is critically injured. Later on, Tommy apologizes to Sheila for what he thinks was an alcohol-induced rage that he forgot. He also expresses confusion and regret to Mickey, but Mickey forgives him for this one slip.
At the annual hockey game between the FDNY and the NYPD, Tommy gets into a fight with another player as he is in the middle of a crying jag. The two talk it out after being ejected, and the policeman shares his own story of survivor's guilt. He tells Tommy that the only way he was able to deal with it was by drinking, which doesn't help Tommy. Mike also catches him crying, but Tommy pretends that he is crying because he heard Mike is leaving. Touched that Tommy cares so much about him leaving, Mike decides not to transfer.
Lou has had an epiphany. Candy, the con-artist that stole every last dime Lou had, is now behind bars. Feeling a sense of closure, Lou has decided to turn a new leaf and live his life in a much healthier and cleaner way. He even joined a health club and started taking yoga classes; to his surprise, his instructor's name is "Epiphany".
Franco meets a photographer named Natalie at a bar. They sleep together, but Franco feels like they "made love" and had a real connection. She discovers his daughter's room. Meanwhile, Uncle Teddy marries Ellie in a very strange ceremony in prison, finally making him eligible for conjugal visits.
Sean and Maggie are on their usual date. This time Maggie is trying to get Sean to fight a falafel vendor, but instead, Sean unintentionally asks Maggie to marry him. But Sean wants a traditional marriage, with flowers, people, music, and Elton John; while Maggie just wants to go down to city hall and get a marriage license. Humorously, as they both walk away, the vendor whom they had both dismissed as a foreigner who doesn't speak a word of English, laughs and says in a New York accent, "Poor bastard!" When Tommy finds out about the engagement, he asks Lou to bash his head in with a hammer.
Mike comes home to Chris' apartment, and Chris casually asks where he's been. Mike explains that he went to a bar for a beer with Tommy, but Chris sees through the lie. He is mad that Mike is sleeping with Paula, but Mike explains that he is not gay and "misses pussy." After a heated argument, Chris angrily tells Mike to get out of his house, and a very dejected Mike slowly makes his way towards the door.
Tommy and Angie get together, but Angie wants to sleep with Tommy in Janet's old bed. Tommy cannot bring himself to do it, which insults Angie. Even worse, Janet walks in at that moment wearing nothing but a trenchcoat and lingerie. Both women discover that Tommy is sleeping with them. As Angie and Janet storm off, Angie's stalker ex-boyfriend, Sebastian, kicks Tommy in the face, leaving him bleeding and defeated on the hallway floor.
[edit] Episode 9: Pieces
- Original airdate: August 1, 2006
- Directed by: Jace Alexander
- Written by: Peter Tolan, Denis Leary
The guys are at an apartment fire when they find a home garden of pot that has gone up in smoke. Before they know what's hit them, the guys get very, very high. While Chief rolls his eyes, the guys have a stoned conversation and wish for pizza. Garrity becomes paranoid thinking that a parking meter is trying to take his picture.
Tommy goes to see John Stack, who lost his legs from an accident during a fire, but is still alive thanks to Mike. Tommy tries to console Deborah, Stack's wife and then tells her to leave and take a break. Stack is badly burned, his stumps are bleeding through the bandages. Tommy is spooked, staring at what might be his future.
Mike is moving out and fights with his roommate Chris who is angry that Mike is not committed to the idea of being gay. Chief goes to visit Jeanie who falls apart when he tells her she can stay because he was able to make enough money. One of the home attendants, Karlene, tells him that maybe he should start forgetting the visits if they upset him too much. Offended and angry, Chief tells her to get the hell out.
Franco wakes up to Natalie, the photographer, making him breakfast. She asks about his daughter and Franco explains that "she was here but now has a life a thousand times better than what I could have given her." Natalie never has Franco over to her place and he asks why, but she sidesteps the issue.
Lou drives up to the house on a new Harley Davidson. He starts talking to Tommy about leaving the house to do something else besides "burn up in a fire." Tommy gives Lou all the reasons he shouldn't go to Florida to work on a fishing boat, including the fact that alligators have been eating joggers "And when they're done with the joggers they'll come after the sedentary people." Johnny calls Tommy's phone and says he needs to talk, but Tommy won't respond and hangs up.
While helping Sheila change the oil in her car, Tommy explains that he believes the house is on the verge of breaking up. Tommy says he's not sure he can even do the job anymore if Franco and Lou leave. Sheila offers to take him away because she has all her widow money and they could live anywhere they wanted and watch the kids grow up. Tommy listens to her, but he walks away.
Garrity talks to Mr. Gavin (Tommy's father) to ask for approval to marry Maggie. Mr. Gavin explains that Maggie is a bloodsucking hell bitch, but he reluctantly gives Garrity his blessing and he affectionately names him "retard." Franco calls Natalie and she won't let him over and he demands to know what's going on. She says it's a guy, but not what he thinks. Colleen talks to Chief again about how he doesn't have to stop living in this world just because Jeannie has.
Chris comes to the house and tells Garrity that Mike is looking to transfer and that he is "playing for the other team. " Garrity thinks Chris means he literally is playing for another House's softball team and goes to confront Mike. When Mike says "it was only a few blowjobs" it takes Garrity a few moments to process what he said and then he freaks out. Lou walks in and then Franco, and they all quickly learn that Mike is gay. Mike then tells all the guys the story about how he got involved with Chris. The guys are freaking out as he gets to the part where Chris "would go down" on him. At first the guys start demanding that Mike can't shower with them, that they don't want to hear about his love life, and Mike gets up to leave. Tommy backs him up explaining that John Stack wouldn't be alive without Mike. When Tommy hugs and console Mike the guys bet ten bucks that "Mike is hard right now."
Franco meets Rich, Nat's brother and the other man who lives at her place. Rich is "a little slow." He's a big guy with thick glasses and a very deep voice. He wants to play checkers, but he moves for Franco and when he captures a checker he puts it in his mouth. When Franco tries to stop him and yells for Natalie, Rich tells Franco that if he tells Nat he will "kick his goddamn ass."
On the way back from dinner, Rich has what Nat calls "a kind of Tourettes thing" and he calls Franco "nigger." Franco explains he's Puerto Rican but Rich says it again, this time when a black man is walking by. A fight nearly breaks out but they make a quick exit.
Garrity gets new gear with the name "Gavin" on the back. Turns out he's taking Maggie's name, much to Tommy's horror. Johnny shows up at the house because he has something important to tell Tommy and it can't wait. The rest of the guys brace themselves for impending violence, but Tommy assures them he's okay. And then Johnny tells Tommy that Janet is pregnant. Tommy is shocked but Johnny is asking for his approval. Tommy begrudgingly gives him congratulations, and then wanders off behind an engine and looks like he's been kicked in the gut. The alarm goes off and the guys begin to scramble to the trucks, but Tommy can't move.
[edit] Episode 10: Retards
- Original airdate: August 8, 2006
- Directed by: Jace Alexander
- Written by: Evan Reilly
Tommy spends the night in the hospital at Stack's side, and is startled when the unconscious Stack begins to wake up. He looks at Tommy but closes his eyes when Deborah enters the room, confusing Tommy. Tommy calls Janet, wanting to meet up and talk about her pregnancy.
Sheila offers a new luxury pick-up truck to Tommy, saying that Damien wants a car and would be better off with Tommy's old pick-up. Tommy happily accepts the deal, but drives off in his new truck without paying much attention to Sheila. Tommy races his new pick-up to the firehouse to show it off to everyone, but it is stolen the moment that he leaves it unattended.
Meanwhile, Sean and Maggie are still planning their wedding, but it seems that Sean has taken on the role of the woman in the relationship - not only is he taking Maggie's last name, he is also picking out invitations and taking care of other wedding plans. Maggie just wants to get married in a bar.
Mike is fed up with the gay jokes now aimed at him, so he puts in a transfer again, threatening to get his union representative involved if his transfer is denied because of his gay experimentation. Franco calls up Natalie and offers to give Rich a tour of the firehouse (he originally planned a Yankee game, but Rich is banned from the stadium after shouting racial slurs at Derek Jeter). Karlene asks Jerry if she wants to go to a Reggae club with her. They have a fun night together, and Karlene reveals that she is an illegal immigrant.
Tommy takes a cab to Janet's, but sees his stolen pick-up on the way. He takes the wheel from the driver, but cannot keep up with the car thief. Tommy and the Muslim cab driver then get into an argument about whether there should be 72 virgins awaiting someone in Heaven or 72 whores. When Tommy finally arrives, Janet admits that she is not sure who impregnated her - Tommy or Johnny. Either way, she wants to keep the baby, hoping it will help the family cope with the loss of Connor. She blames Tommy for not helping the family cope after Connor's death, and a heated argument breaks out. Johnny walks in on it, and punches out Tommy. Tommy slinks away, but quickly returns, asking for cab fare.
On the ride back, Jimmy appears and tells Tommy to move on with his life by marrying Sheila and moving away. Tommy is confused because Jimmy was angry when Tommy impregnated Sheila, but Jimmy moved on and saw it was for the best - he advises Tommy to do the same. The driver asks Tommy who he is talking to, and another argument breaks out. Tommy is dropped off at the firehouse that Mike wants to transfer to. Tommy does not want the crew to break up, so he sabotages Mike's transfer by telling the Chief that Mike is a coward (revealing that Mike may be a homosexual didn't work). Seeing a memorial to the firefighters of that firehouse who died on 9/11 depresses Tommy. When he is boarding the bus, Tommy sees a vision of Connor. He chases after him but loses sight, but ends up in front of a bar.
Franco takes Rich to the firehouse and introduces him to Mike and Sean. He asks them to watch Rich for a minute, which they of course fail to do. Rich wanders off and Franco is unable to find him. Luckily, he wandered back home, but tells Natalie that everyone at the firehouse called him a retard and made fun of him. As Natalie yells at Franco, Rich gives him a devious smile.
Tommy enters the bar and drinks whiskey that he cannot pay for. As he is about to be thrown out, he explains that he is a firefighter and proves it with scars and stories. He is not charged for the whiskey and is given a refill. Mickey later picks him up from the bar. He hits and yells at Tommy for relapsing.
Tommy visits Stack again. Deborah is crying and reveals that his hands need to be amputated. That night, Tommy tells Stack to stop fighting and let go. If he lives, his family will have to take care of him like a baby their entire lives, which will be a heavy burden on them and humiliating for him. Tommy promises to help out Stack's family in any way he can. The next morning, Stack dies.
[edit] Episode 11: Twilight
- Original airdate: August 15, 2006
- Directed by: John Fortenberry
- Written by: John Scurti
The crew rescues a man in a wheelchair who can only speak via computer from the top floor of an apartment. They are then sent to help a large woman who impaled her arm on a fence while trying to climb it. Tommy returns home to find a part of his kitchen blackened from a recently extinguished fire. Tommy's dad was making eggs and lost control. Tommy tells his father that living together is not working out, and mentions that he may be better off in a home. The mere mention of this makes Tommy's dad furious and he throws the fire extinguisher at Tommy.
In jail, Teddy is told that the other inmates are upset about him having it so easy, since he's considered a hero and also gets conjugal visits. The guard suggests that Teddy get a job while in jail, so he's at least working for what he earns. Teddy can't believe that his life inside is turning into life outside.
Franco asks the guys for advice. He thinks that Rich is out to get him in order to keep him away from Natalie. Mike says Rich is probably just scared that Franco might take Natalie away from him. Everyone is astonished that Mike seems to be right. Sean insists that he and Maggie be married in a church and she finally agrees.
Tommy comes home to find an attractive woman in his bathroom. It turns out that Lou slept with her, but to Tommy's surprise, she changes into a nun's uniform before she leaves the apartment. A confused Tommy demands answers from Lou. Lou says her name is Teresa and she is a "semi-nun." She is leaving the order and will be out by the end of the month, and she is adjusting to life outside the convent by going to places without her uniform (Lou met Teresa in the supermarket when she was in plain clothes). Tommy is offended by this on a religious level.
Jerry and Karlene have dinner together in his home, but when she begins to come on to him, he rebuffs her, saying that he is not ready. At work, Tommy gets a call from Sheila, who can't find Michael anywhere. Tommy and Lou go to look for him, and it hits Tommy that his father is probably visiting the cemetery. Michael is drunk and crying over his wife's grave, and tells Tommy that life is too short and everyone ends up dead no matter what they do. Tommy sees Jimmy and Connor's grave, feels sad, and assures his father that he won't put him in a home after all.
Jerry is nervous about performing with Karlene in bed, so he asks Tommy for Viagra. When Tommy and Sheila are picking out summer houses together, he asks her to swipe some Viagra from Damien, who has a stash in his room. Lou has an idea: his elderly uncle and Tommy's father should move in together. That way, they can keep an eye out on each other. Tommy is against it, but it's too late since Lou already told both parties and both are very much for it. Sean and Maggie go to a church to arrange their marriage, but Maggie is very rude and vulgar. The minister refuses to marry them and ends up banning them from getting married anywhere near the diocese.
Franco takes Rich out to eat and tells him that he likes Natalie a lot, and he asks Rich's permission to keep seeing her. Rich is flattered because no one ever asked his permission for anything. He approves. Sheila goes to the real estate agent's place and buys the house Tommy chose immediately, without even seeing the house in person or what the inside even looks like.
Lou catches Tommy looking over his finances, and realizes that he may be thinking about getting out of the FDNY, too. Tommy says that ever since Mike saved Stack, there is less need for veterans since the rookies are finally catching on and are becoming the new veterans. Mike needs help suppressing his possible homosexual urges after buying face cream, getting a pedicure, and having his "ass waxed." Tommy tells him to have sex with a girl immediately. Sean dumps Maggie. Teddy, exhausted from all the work he's been doing around the prison, has a conjugal visit with Ellie, but she is mad that he never asks her about her day. Teddy's life is becoming a normal married life, just in a prison.
Lou's uncle and Tommy's father move in together and are very happy. Mike sleeps with Paula, but when he asks what shampoo she uses, he sleeps with her again. Thanks to the Viagra, Jerry and Karla are having sex numerous times. However, Jerry suffers a heart attack. Since she will be fired and probably deported if her relationship with Jerry is discovered, Karlene leaves without calling 911 for him. Jerry collapses on the floor.
Johnny is on a stakeout with his partner late at night. When he steps out of the car for a cigarette, he is shot in the back three times by an unknown assailant.
[edit] Episode 12: Hell
- Original airdate: August 22, 2006
- Directed by:
- Written by:
The episode opens in the hospital as the doctors try to save Johnny. A sheet is placed over his face and it cuts to several family members receiving calls of his death and breaking down in tears.
The crew is concerned about Jerry not showing up to work and watch as Tommy walks in. Tommy tells the crew about his brother. The crew then goes to Jerry's house and finds him face down in the bedroom.
Lou and Tommy are at the funeral home picking out a casket for Johnny and making arrangements. They are both incensed at the cost of funerals as Lou answers a call that tells him about Jerry's heart attack. Tommy calls Jerry's son in Boston.
Franco's girlfriend Natalie sees a picture of Keela and notices they look extremely similar. She feels that Franco may be attracted to her because a part of him misses his daughter. She tells him to think about his relationships with both of them. Franco tells Natalie that he loves her, and she says that now that he knows his feelings about her, he must think about his daughter.
The police have a suspect who they believe killed Johnny. It turns out Johnny was going to testify at a trial against a powerful drug dealer, so he was marked for death. Johnny's partner arranges for Tommy to have 10 minutes alone in the interrogation room with the suspected killer, with no video cameras or anyone behind the two-way mirror. Tommy walks in to see a black teenager. Instead of beating him up, he asks how much the kid got paid. He says $8,000 and Tommy cannot believe his brother's life was only worth that much. Tommy throws whatever money he has on the table and says he would give everything he had if it only bought him a few moments to see his brother again. He tells the teen to get used to bending over for men.
When Tommy checks his answering machine, he finds that Johnny tried to call him to say that he loves Janet and still loves Tommy and wants to end their feud. At Johnny's wake, Tommy admits that he left Johnny a voice mail which basically said the same thing. When he and Janet retrieve the cell phone from the hospital, they discover that Johnny didn't hear the message. When Tommy talks to Johnny's body, Johnny's eyes open (another hallucination) and Tommy slams the coffin shut in shock.
Jerry wakes up, confused and panicked. His son is at his side, explaining about the heart attack. Jerry wants to leave the hospital immediately, but is far too weak and can barely breathe.
At the cemetery while burying Johnny, Tommy has numerous visions. He sees Jimmy, Billy, Stack, and Connor. Jimmy seems to be taking care of Connor. Suddenly, a mysterious woman shows up and Maggie and Tommy start signing to her. Sean picks up on this and starts signing as well. Turns out she is the long lost Gavin sister, Rosemary, whom Tommy's parents institutionalized long ago because of her deafness. Maggie, overcome with the fact that Sean knows sign language as well, grabs him and insists upon marrying him immediately. Since the family is there, as is a priest, Maggie and Sean are married amongst the tombstones.
The wake is held at Tommy's apartment and turns into a party with drinking and dancing. Sheila grabs Tommy and tells him that she bought the house. He agrees to leave the FDNY for her.
[edit] Episode 13: Beached (Season 3 Finale)
- Original airdate: August 29, 2006
- Directed by: Peter Tolan
- Written by: Peter Tolan and Denis Leary
Shiela calls Tommy, asking if he retired yet, but Tommy has not filled out the paper work. He arrives at the firehouse and experiences a lengthy flashback that takes place at least five years before the real time events of the show. He finds Chief Reilly yelling at a Probie Franco; he then enters the kitchen, where Jimmy Keefe is holding forth on the slim chances of the Boston Red Sox ever winning the World Series. Other members of the crew, including Billy Warren, argue about the issue, eventually yelling at a Probie Sean. In the final flashback, everyone congratulates Tommy upon hearing that Janet is pregnant with their third child.
The crew discovers the imminent arrival of Chief Reilly's replacement, Chief Pecher. While Tommy, Lou and Franco are busy making fun of the Chief's name (they choose to think it is pronounced "Pecker") he walks in (played by series co-creator Peter Tolan.) After assuring the crew that he's heard all the variations on his name before, Pecher goes up to his new office only to find Sean and Maggie having sex on his desk. Instead of getting angry, the Chief apologizes, grabs the magazine he's looking for and quickly exits, leaving Sean and Maggie to carry on. It transpires that Maggie becomes very turned on by such public displays of affection, and finds the sex less satisfying at home.
Janet and the kids pay a visit to Tommy's apartment, where Janet and Tommy discuss Janet's pregnancy. Tommy is convinced the baby is his and claims he has "stronger sperm" than Johnny. Janet wants to make sure the baby will be taken care of and thinks it will be for the best to move the family back in together. Tommy is not so sure, but he agrees to do whatever he can for her. He tells Janet he still loves her, and she says, "If only you'd've said that a million times before" but then concedes that it is too late for them.
Franco is busy studying for his Lieutenant's exam with the help of Rich. He is distracted, and admits to Natalie that he thinks he is wasting his time bothering to take the exam because he is only doing it for Keela's sake, but she is gone. Natalie urges him not only to take the exam, for himself if nothing else, but also to go see his daughter. Amazingly, it appears that Rich is an idiot savant and has memorized the entire exam textbook.
Mike, who is still seriously considering transferring to another firehouse to escape the ridicule over his sexuality, is invited to take part in a threesome with the brother/sister couple he met while out clubbing with Sean the week before. He participates, but soon realizes that he is not bisexual after all (though he doesn't say what his preference is). Back at the firehouse, he describes the experience to the rest of the crew, only to face more jokes and jibes about his sexual experiences. Mike gets angry and blurts out that he is indeed transferring out.
Lou and Teresa meet up with Lou's cousin (played by Artie Lange) at the docks so they can see the boat where Lou could potentially be retiring to. They don't even make it on board before Lou realizes that he suffers from heavy sea sickness; the movement of the dock is enough for him.
Back at the firehouse, Tommy sneaks into Chief Pecher's office looking for a retirement form. Tommy goes back downstairs where Franco and Sean are urging Chief Reilly, who has shown up at the firehouse disoriented and wearing a hospital gown and insisting he must get back to work, to go back to the hospital.
Franco goes to take the Lieutenant's exam, and deliberately tanks it. He completes only half the test. He then decides to go see Keela, who is staying at Alicia's lavish home, with a nanny and all. The nanny, a black man, doesn't help Franco with his feelings of parental inferiority. Keela actually assures Franco that he "did the best he could" with her, borrowing a favorite phrase of Alicia's. Franco then learns that Alicia is sending Keela to a private school in Paris; Keela is in fact leaving in ten minutes. Franco says goodbye to his daughter and quickly exits.
Tommy goes down to FDNY HQ with every intention of dropping off his retirement form, but keeps running into firefighters he knows; Tommy being Tommy, of course lies to them all about what he's doing down at headquarters and ultimately does not drop off the form. Sheila calls him again, and Tommy tells her he's at HQ. Ecstatic, Sheila invites Tommy to spend the weekend at their new beach house, assuring him that all the furniture was on the way and the place was just about ready for them. Tommy agrees to the weekend, but mentions nothing about his reluctance to actually retire.
While coming back from a run, Tommy tells the truck to stop at the FDNY memorial at Ground Zero. The crew all get out, and stare at the memorial, all stating their disbelief that it's been five years since the World Trade Center attacks. Lou then admits that he is not cut out for boats, and isn't going anywhere. Franco concedes that he blew the Lieutenant's exam and isn't going anywhere, either. Mike states that he's still transferring out, but Sean insists that he isn't, and Mike agrees. Throughout all of this, Tommy remains silent, and as the rest of the crew returns to the truck, Tommy contemplates the 9/11 Memorial. As the scene fades, the camera pans out to show Ground Zero, five years on.
Tommy arrives at the beach house as Sheila is finishing preparing dinner. They begin to eat, and Tommy tells Sheila that he has decided not to retire. As Sheila's expression changes and her face darkens with anger, Tommy explains how his crew isn't splitting up after all, and he needs to be with them. On top of that, he isn't even planning on staying the night with her. Sheila says nothing, before declaring that she needs a glass of wine and offers to top off Tommy's drink. Sheila goes into the kitchen and again puts a "roofie" into the drink. She returns to the dinner table and they finish eating in silence. Afterwards, they retire to the living room, where Tommy promptly passes out on the couch.
Sheila loses it and begins to rant and rave, throwing objects around, including a lit lamp, which bursts into flames. The fire quickly spreads, and Sheila begins to panic. She runs outside to her car and calls 911, but is too incoherent for the dispatcher, who hangs up on her. Inside, the fire has spread at a rapid rate, and Tommy comes to. Semi-conscious, he begins crawling around on the floor to escape the flames and smoke, but passes out. Sheila runs back inside to try and drag him out, but Tommy is too heavy for her. The heat and smoke overcomes her, and she also passes out. The episode ends with Sheila's neighbors standing outside the house as the fire consumes the entire place.
