I’ve always liked Denis Leary as an actor. I’d go so far as to say I like his TV and movie roles more than his stand-up comedy. The Ref, Wag the Dog, The Thomas Crown Affair, Recount and the underrated The Job stand out for me. Leary has tackled various characters, but none as complex as Tommy Gavin. Just when I think I’ve pegged the Gavin persona, Leary and the writers throw me for a loop.
As much as I would like to cover Garrity’s reunion with Maggie and Lou foolishly pouring his heart out to Candy, I’ll have to save those thoughts for another time. This week’s episode belonged to Tommy. You could argue all the installments are about him, and to an extent, you’d be correct. However, a new side to Tommy surfaced last night that warrants further discussion.
There have been many powerful scenes during five seasons of Rescue Me. Watching Tommy methodically wrap a dead girl in a blanket while the horrified crew looks on in the background ranks as one of the most uncomfortable. The decision to use a long take with the camera fixed on Tommy’s face was wise. Leary’s “let’s just get this over with” expression sells the scene. He feels nothing. His armor can’t be penetrated.
Matters escalate from there for Tommy. If the only way to feel any sort of emotion is to take a blowtorch to your leg, it may be time to see a shrink. He’s been there, done that. Therapy won’t help; he’s too far gone. I find it both ironic and sad that Tommy’s ghosts are capable of crying over loss, but Tommy isn’t. His father’s prophetic words ring true: “He’s dead inside.” Even Tommy can see it. Burning a hole in his thigh is his best solution. He’s always been a tortured man, but he seems to be creeping toward madness.
Sheila’s description of Tommy’s wound is on point. To paraphrase, she basically says it will never heal and if you touch it or prod it, it will open up again and again. That sums up Tommy Gavin perfectly. He is a walking, talking unhealed wound. He’s witnessed too much death. Cradling a bloody and dying Connor in his arms has rendered him impervious to all emotions. Pain. Joy. Solace. Even kinky sex with Sheila offers no relief. He’s desperately searching to feel anything in his spiraling downward life. Anything besides nothing at all.
The final scene in the pediatric cancer ward displays the dichotomy that is Tommy. Does he sit with the sick kids because he can handle it and wants to help? Or is it another test to determine whether or not he has an ounce of warmth left? Like with the dead girl at the beginning of the episode, Tommy is left alone, separate from the group, while they look on in admiration. He’s not one of them. Truthfully, he never has been. Does that make him a hero, or just another lost soul? I don’t have an answer. Neither does Tommy Gavin.
Clacked by Scott Tunstall 
on Jul 01, 2009 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
I don’t know where the show is going with this – and I like it. I like it very much.
I also like it that you didn’t mention what was before the opening credits. First the thing that was great, and then THAT crap. Seriously it’s getting annoying. I won’t even mention those two anymore, it’s just totally unneeded BS.
What you didn’t describe was Sheila basically describing to Tommy, the person who she knows is purposely hurting himself physically, just how much the wound will hurt in the process of sex – and thus getting exactly what she wants. This evil *expletive omitted* I really would love to see her feel some pain of her own sometime soon again just like in Season 3.
Anyway this turns out to be a great summer with “The Closer” and “Rescue Me”. If “Mad Men” were on I’d never even think about missing the regular season.
Last night’s show was powerful. Leary was awesome, you just couldn’t take your eyes off of him the whole night. To see him smile, genuinely, at the kids in the cancer ward was heartening. Finally a glimmer of something in him. I can’t imagine how it can end for Tommy Gavin..I think he is too far gone to be rescued. Who would be able to get through to him?
I had to come home and rewatch after reading your post. Here’s what I see happening with Tommy. He knows he’s an asshole. Overall, a blessed asshole. While I do think he is doing things to feel, I also think he’s doing things to make himself realize how fucked things COULD be.
When he was wrapping up the child, I imagined he was doing it as a parent. Realizing that another parent needed him to be strong and take the care of that kid that the parent wouldn’t be able to provide.
When he burned his leg, I imagined he was trying to understand what the people that he rescues go through. To understand just what it means to suffer a burn of epic proportions. Not to make himself suffer, or feel pain, but to realize just how lucky he is to be the rescuer and not the rescued.
Finally, the children with cancer – looking at them, smiling, playing with toys in the face of such incredible adversity. I imagined Tommy felt like a tool standing out there feeling sorry for himself with the others.
I think the things he’s doing are a backdoor way to heal. To stop taking things for granted and to stop feeling so sorry for himself when there is so much worse to be had. If he continues on this path, I think he just may be able to rescue himself.
Great observations. You may be right. I just feel Tommy is too damn selfish to truly care about others. He always seems to have his own agenda.
I agree with you on that. But I also think he is like a traditional romantic hero. There is so much more to him than the selfish cad, but he’s too damned afraid to show it. I hope that he is realizing the error of his ways. I also hope he takes his time doing so; didn’t they resign for two years? Last year’s non-drinking, walking on the path season didn’t work for me. I like him seriously conflicted.
I refuse to acknowledge season 4. Beyond bad. It has been renewed for a sixth season but that’s it for now. As far as this season goes, it doesn’t end until Sept. 8th, so Tommy has plenty of episodes left to make a turn for the better, or worse.
Nah trust me, the 6th Season order means apocalypse at the end of this season. For sure.