When “Rescue Me” premiered in 2004, it seemed to capture something about the continuing impact of 9/11 that had been missing from dramatic television. Born in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks and out of star and co-creator Denis Leary's fascination with firefighters, Rescue Me now begins a nine-episode final run that will conclude, fittingly enough, close to the 10th anniversary of that national catastrophe.
The final season focuses on Veteran Firefighter Tommy Gavin dealing with his 9/11 sightings along with the hatred he has for the civilians, politicians, and journalists making money off the memory of 9/11. The network later shifted the timeslot to Wednesdays, moving the season premiere to July 13 and the finale to September 7, 2011.
Meanwhile, Callie Thorne says to the PEOPLE, she can more than hold her own with the guys. But when the cast filmed the final season, the gang of tough guys softened up.
"The final days of Rescue Me were terrible," she says. "There were a lot of tears. Especially when people heard, 'That's a series wrap on Denis Leary.' A lot of the guys got really choked up."
FX announced on August 28, 2009,[citation needed] that it would end the series in 2011 after seven seasons and 93 episodes. The final episode is scheduled to air September 7, 2011.
