FX has decided to end their Rescue Me series after seven seasons and 93 episodes. The show will go out as it began; closely tied to the events of 9/11.
Rescue Me follows Denis Leary as a hard-living New York fireman who balances the challenges of his stressful job and crazy personal life. The series also features the talents of Diane Farr, Adam Ferrara, Mike Lombardi, James McCaffrey, Jack McGee, Tatum O’Neal, Steven Pasquale, Andrea Roth, John Scurti, Daniel Sunjata, Larenz Tate, Callie Thorne, and Dean Winters.
Though it’s still a high-profile show for FX, Rescue Me’s numbers aren’t nearly as strong as they once were. The first two seasons averaged about 2.7 million viewers per episode. The fifth season has been averaging about 1.4 million and 914,000 in the 18-49 demographic. Variety reports that’s a 38% decline from season four.
The drop in viewership likely comes as a result of the show being off the air for an extended period of time. There was a gap of 18 months between the end of season four and the start of season five, largely due to the writers strike. A series of webisodes were released in 2008 in an attempt to bridge the gap.
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In February, months before the premiere of year five, FX announced that Rescue Me had already been renewed for a sixth season of 18 episodes.
Of the early renewal, FX’s President and General Manager John Landgraf said, “Rescue Me is one of the very best series on television and a tentpole program for FX. We’re amazed by the quality of episodes for the upcoming fifth season, which are some of the best they’ve ever produced. I believe this show will continue to maintain a level of excellence for several years to come, and we’re thrilled to pick it up for a sixth season.”
Now that the network has seen the numbers for season five, it seems their enthusiasm has waned and have decided to make the next round the show’s last. But, instead of 18 episodes as previously planned, the final group of episodes has been increased to 19. The extra installment will presumably be used to cap off the series.
Rather than airing all 19 episodes together, the new plan is to break them up into two smaller seasons. Season six will air in 2010 while season seven will be held until 2011. Peter Tolan, the show’s co-creator, says the plan is to run the final episodes to coincide with the 10 year anniversary of 9/11.
Of the final episodes, Tolan told TV Guide that Maura Tierney, who’s featured prominently in next week’s season finale, may pop up for the final episodes. He said, “We loved working with her — that was kind of a big deal to get her… She’s got Parenthood, but I think we have a deal where we can use her for four episodes. And since we have that deal, we will take advantage of it.”
What do you think? Will you be sorry to see Tommy Gavin and the other characters go? How would you like to see the show end?
Image courtesy FX.
Yes the last two seasons we not as strong as the first three, but its the only reason I tune into the FX network, If rescue me would drop some of the old stuff like Gavins fling with Shelia and the on- off thing with his estranged wife and focus more on fire fighting issues there would be surge in viewing. That being said FX should consider the fact that a large number of people are wacthing the show via webcast to aviod the long comercail breaks that irriatate us all and try to brainwash us to buy crap we… Read more »
i was about to be highly pissed if tommy gavin would had really just layed there and died but i guess he will make it through this one too since we have two more seasons thank god!!!
OMG!! My husband & I LIVE for this show. How do we wnat it to end, that’s EASY. We DON’T!!!! Keep it going!!!!
Well tonight sure as Hell grabbed me! The last two seasons should be given more than ten episodes each
The show is awesome………It’s brillance surpasses many of it’s contempories……..Unfortunately in the entertainment business today, it’s all about money……Sad. Fox wouldn’t know if something good hit them………I will miss the show…..like many others…….My hope is that another network will pick up the series……..
I love Rescue Me! I watch every season. I hate to hear that it will end. Hopefully there will be another firefighter show that can be made after this. There just aren’t enough firefighter shows out there.
i think rescue me is one of the most amazing shows on today! its brilliant! i am very sad that it will be ending..
The first few seasons were awesome. They kept me laughing and on the edge of my seat. This last season, however, has been more of a soap opera as opposed to the Rescue Me of old. It seems that over half of each episode is spent focusing on Tommy and Sheila or Janet rather than firefighting or firestation life. As a firefighter, I much enjoyed the station bantor and the quick-witted sarcasm Rescue Me once possessed. If the writers brought that kind of entertainment back then the ratings would probably go back up. Sad to see it go, but at… Read more »
love the show. It just makes me crack up. Don’t want it to end! I am happy though i thought that tonight was the last episode and there was nothing to look for after this. Atleast we have till 2011.
i didnt even get to see seasons one and two i bought them cause i always wanted to to watch it but never got around too it and there i was hooked…..i have all the other seasons and i am truly disappointed the series will end in 2011 i hate this…..denis leary’s s rescue me is truly the last great t.v. show and when this series ends t.v. will die i will definatley never have another good show too watch….thanks alot fx….u have ruined the last good thing we had…..
Devoted fan of the show I am. The huge gaps between seasons is very annoying, as well as seasons being chopped up in sections and shown inconsistently. I love this show and am very involved with the story…at least it will end on its own terms, as opposed to abruptly.
@Oplyd Oleo: LOL! Must’ve had Monkees on the brain. Thanks for the note.
That should be series co-creator Peter TOLAN, not Peter Tork … although, come to think of it, maybe they **should** bring in Peter Tork as creative consultant. It could give the show a whole new lease on life…
The show no longer ‘grabs’ the audience. When Tommy and Janet’s marriage was breaking up, when they lost their son, when Tommy’s brother was killed, when Tommy almost died in a fire with Sheila–that’s when the show was powerful. I couldn’t wait to see the next episode. This season, every character seems like a paler version of its original self. They no longer live life with passion; they only dabble at it.
I find myself struggling to watch the show. I do other things while the show is on. I like the show, but… I don’t what it is about it. The same stuff over and over. I think it’s time to retire this one!