If every hour of Rescue Me was as compelling as this week’s episode, it would be the best series on television. Denis Leary and Peter Tolan have always been skilled in the ways of fusing comedy and drama, but they took the game to new heights this week, finding an elusive rhythm that they had only flirted with in the past.

For one, the wordless opening sequence – filmed completely in slow motion – made for an appropriately captivating introduction to an episode that can best be described as an instant classic. That hypnotizing scene was relatively untethered to the rest of the plot, too, which is something this show has always been able to get away with, be it in the name of dramatic catharsis or unapologetic comedy. This week, it worked like something of a table-setter for what was to come.

The rest of the program was built around note-perfect scenes that made for an Emmy-worthy showcase of just how well-developed these characters have become over the years. Consider the moment wherein Mike fakes a crying spell to lure a beautiful nurse into consoling him, or Tommy’s face-off with Black Shawn that turns into a racial minefield, or even Lou’s reluctant submission to the wiles of Candy, his ex-prostitute ex-girlfriend who took him for everything he had. Each of those segments could have turned out to be stock fare – the kind of stuff that fills time between the really important scenes – but this week, everyone hits the right notes, and it works flawlessly.

Speaking of hitting notes, Garrity’s second foray into his Broadway self was an improvement over last week’s. Not only because it was even funnier, because it was, but because it actually gives a lot of insight into his character and his mental state. To hear him sing “how lovely to be a vegetable” is to learn a lot about how he feels about his life. Interesting, since he’s usually played as the court jester whilst conscious.

Watch "Disease" again—or for the first time—at the Showcase video centre, where it's streaming for a limited time.