Rescue Me began as a poignant, honest look inside the life of a post 9-11 NYC firefighter, but those days have gone up in smoke. Denis Leary’s pet project has officially become a prime-time guilty pleasure soap opera. This season is already full of incestuous romantic relationships- Tommy Gavin’s co-worker is dating his sister, his wife is sleeping with his brother, not to mention his ongoing relationship with his “sister-in-law”- that leave us wondering if there is anyone in New York City that Tommy Gavin is not related to. This season also tackles the seriously overdone storyline of female school teacher seducing young male student (anyone remember the first season of Dawson’s Creek?), but they complicate the situation by adding his uncle as a competitor for attention from the hot young teacher.

The show has already begun introducing big name guest stars. Tommy’s sister is played by the delightfully trashy Tatum O’Neal, and this season adds timeless sex-symbol Susan Sarandon as Franco’s new love interest, and upcoming appearances by Marisa Tomei. Combined with the millionaire uncle in jail for murder, the best friend left destitute by a scheming porn star, and hints that “probee” will be coming out of the closet this season, and you start to wonder how the boys of Ladder 62 will ever find time to even rescue a cat out of a tree.

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