I am brokenhearted this week, I tell you, and it’s all because of Denis “Spelled Like Penis” Leary. JB and I finally watched the last show on Season 2 of Rescue Me, and now we have no more shows to watch until Season 3 goes into reruns on FX.

I really like watching entire seasons of a good show on DVD, you can dole them slowly to maximize your enjoyment, or make a shitload of popcorn and power through three or four at one sitting. We’ve been watching Rescue Me off and on for several weeks, and now I can’t believe we have to wait to see more of Tommy Gavin and his crew.

It’s funny, edgy, and dark, and Leary is a better actor than you ever would have guessed. The plot threads sometimes go a little wacky in that-non-premium-cable show sort of way, but it never suffers from taking itself too seriously. I love all of the characters and the side dramas, but the very best scenes of all (in my opinion) are the ones set in the firehouse, where the guys banter back and forth. The dialogue is vulgar and downright hilarious.

I like Rescue Me because it makes me laugh, but it’s been surprisingly emotional, too. The second-to-last show in the second season…well, I won’t give anything away, but I will confess I didn’t just tear up a little, I sobbed like it was the end of Old Yeller.

If you’ve been looking to fill the empty hole in your life that Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, and Deadwood left, give Rescue Me a shot. Even if you hated Leary’s manic cigarette-puffing MTV standup and misogynistic firefighters don’t really turn you on, I think there’s a good chance you’ll like it.

Link: On Amazon, Season One and Season Two; IMDB
Ballpark price: Each season’s collection: $36.99, or better yet, get them from Netflix!