Denis Leary, who stars as Tommy Gavin, and co-producer Peter Tolan have created a series that started off impressively in 2004, and truly has gotten better and more intense every year. The characters, by now, are fully rounded, even if most of them are, in their own ways, fully certifiable. And watching them, whether they're joking about genitalia or talking seriously about Ground Zero, is just wonderful.

This season begins with lots going on, but there's one element that soars above all others. Michael J. Fox guest stars as Dwight, the new boyfriend of Tommy's ex-wife, Janet -- and the scenes between the two of them are as full of sparks as the firefighting scenes. They're amazing together, expressing an instant mutual dislike. And as good as it is to have Rescue Me back, it's even better to have Fox around again.

Then there's the subplot about an author visiting the firehouse to research a book on 9/11 -- an excuse for many of the characters, including Tommy, to either verbalize or avoid their individual angst. At times, Rescue Me is one of the most dramatic shows on television. At other times, it's one of the funniest, and often makes me laugh out loud. Really laugh. And, really, out loud.

And then, finally, there are the women -- Andrea Roth as Janet, Callie Thorne and Gina Gershon as two of the women in Tommy's life, and plenty more. Put it this way: On this show, the fires aren't the hottest things around.

What a show. What a treat. And what a wait -- but it's over, finally. Dive in.