The typical ups and downs are still present here. Denis Leary as Tommy Gavin is actually better now than he was in the beginning as his character is slowly becoming alcohol free (Thinking back, is he completely dry in this season? I think he was.) The absence of the cigarette and booze diet hasn't relieved Tommy of his paranoia however. Instead of drunken stupors he wakes from hellish nightmares, and there is a lot to be scared of. On top of the threat of dying in a fire he is living with his wife, of which he is "separated", his oldest daughter has moved out to live with the lead singer of a rock band and he is left to care for the newborn child of the relationship his wife had with his now dead brother. Yeah, I am wondering how he is managing to stay sober as well.
On top of all this we were left at the end of last season with Tommy passed out after being drugged in a beachside house that was burning to the ground. This was due to Sheila, the wife of Tommy's dead cousin, who was drugging him with a cocktail that also included Viagra in order to get his dick hard so she could have his baby. Remember that, because the newborn, Sheila and the insurance money from the burned down house all come into play later on down the line. And here lies the problem.
"Rescue Me" has become something of a parody of itself. Everything I just told you, and more, comes into play in a therapy session as Tommy and his wife try to take another go at their marriage. The shrink thinks it's a joke, and that's actually what it has become. Fans invested in the series are sure be able to pass the time with the fourth season, but it is obvious from episode to episode they had no idea where they were going to go with the season when it started and I am not entirely sure if they did get anywhere by the time it was said and done. Outside of the loss of one character I truly enjoyed the season really had nothing going for it and doesn't leave me excited for much more.
The special features are typical for each "Rescue Me" release. None of them are all that great, but at least they are inventive and cheeky much like the show itself. And when it comes to special features that is something to actually enjoy. There are several deleted scenes (22), the always entertaining gag reel, a few featurettes you may actually enjoy and, as always, a look at some real firefighters. Putting together the package has never been the problem for this show. Unfortunately, this time around, it's the actual main product that suffers.
The fourth season of "Rescue Me" is nowhere near as good as its predecessors, but I have felt this show going downhill for the past couple of seasons the way "Nip/Tuck" seemed to fade away once they lost the intrigue of The Carver. Hopefully the fifth season will breathe new life into the series or I am afraid I may no longer be interested just as I have lost all interest in "Nip/Tuck".