Watercooler: Was Rescue Me's Series Finale Hot or Not?

Smoke 'em if ya got 'em folks!

Last night, Rescue Merang its final alarm with an intensely fitting finale. By centering on the aftermath of Lou's death, we got a heaping load of the show's gallows humor and tough-guy heart, best displayed as the crew gathered to spread the red velvet "ashes" of their fallen Lieutenant. And while the finale was timed to coincide with the 10^th anniversary of 9/11, star Denis Leary and show creator Peter Tolan allowed the memory of that tragic day to simply shade their finale script than drive it. The closing scene at the memorial was a nice touch, when it could have been a heavy-handed nod in lesser hands.

However, we weren't so hot about the madcap moments spent on Janet's sudden labor. Yeah, it was nice to see things finally start to work out for the Gavin clan, but for a show that has always been so good at gritty realism, the world's fastest baby delivery seemed just a bit beyond, you know? Still, that brief stop in silliness isn't enough to dull our admiration for the finale's refusal to go all-out "happy ending," or for the show's seven-season dedication to the men and women who risk it all running into blazes as others run away from them. We may never see 62 Truck again, but it's nice to think that they're still together, busting each other's stones around the firehouse table and waiting to be the heroes this show has always saluted.

What did you think of the Rescue Me finale?

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