Maverick firefighter Tommy Gavin seems beyond rescue - transferred to a sleepy fire station where there is a swear box (quickly filled by him), grace before meals and call outs involving heads stuck in railings. Dependent on alcohol and drugs, he continues to hallucinate - Jesus and Mary Magdalen now joining those who haunt.
Raw, robust and vibrant, Season 2 does not disappoint - its flawed heroes so fine at their job but floundering elsewhere. Humour abounds, more so than before. Note the team's forced attendance on a sensitivity course after colleague Laura officially complains about a CERTAIN WORD used. Enjoy Steve and Mike (the station's Dumb and Dumber) struggling at Scrabble with words like GO and IT.
Such comedy lulls viewers into a false sense of security, the dramatic moments thus making even greater impact. Some are horrendous and genuinely upsetting, the finale culminating in an accumulation of grief.
Perhaps not everything quite works - as when the ghost of cousin Jimmy becomes physical. The depiction of Jesus and Mary may also jar for some (and certainly caused problems for the show when seeking a Catholic church to film in). Such reservations aside, the season is a triumph for all - not least Denis Leary, its star who also writes and produces. Bonuses include real firefighters' reactions - inaccuracies pinpointed but high praise abundant.
Full blooded fare, not for the squeamish - gritty and gripping, involving and memorable.
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You likely wouldn't have watched this if you weren't a follower of this series; after all, Season 2 jumps right into the fray with the same characters going ever deeper into their world of emotional goop. These are men (basically, except for the strong women leads who seem to provide much of the logical balance here) who are either tough guys from their childhoods to too idiotic to do much else other than work out and show up for work. But what catches you is that this is a brief portrayal of real life. Who hasn't known a Tommy or Franco or Chief who drinks too much, is too horny or thinks the world revolves around him because he's always right? Homophobic? Check! Refuse to change because you can bluff your way out of a Tyvek bag? Check! Think women are here to serve and that's just the way it should be? Check! Ignorance is bliss? Check! So naturally, the world has to show these folks a bit of reality, that the rolling ball has a kink in a corner and sometimes skews off course...the onset of Alzheimers, the love of your life making you realize she's really fed up and good luck finding someone else, the half brother and half sister entering your life from the blind side. All in all, Season 2 digs up another set of dramas that carry on the tradition of Season 1...in fact, this season seems to have settled down a bit as if to say, "okay, now that I've got your attention, let's get to it." Worth watching if you're a fan...
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