One of the strengths of Rescue Me is the way that it portrays a very engaging and likeable group of guys in realistic personal and professional situations, and this week’s episode made that abundantly clear. It begins with Sheila, the proud mother, taking pictures of Damien, the nervous but cocksure son, at his first day on the job with 62 Truck – a momentous occasion considering their family’s firefighting lineage. But it’s one that soon devolves into a wistfully hilarious rattling off of favourite hazing techniques amongst the crew (Jumper Seat, San Quentin, and The Bald and the Beautiful ranking amongst the favourites). The janitorial-themed initiation that follows is vintage Rescue Me. We also learn that Mike is still getting initiated despite having been a full-time member of the team for several years. Nice touch.

Garrity made a soft return to the house this week, as well, ready to “live that bitch to the fullest,” inspiring his fellow firefighters with a post-hospital vision of an omniscient Jessica Alba in the sky. His influence was felt throughout the episode, with the guys running into a fire after being ordered by Needles to evacuate, and perhaps even in the scene wherein Tommy attacks a grinning politician at a memorial for a fireman who lost his life in the 9/11 attacks. (Though Tommy may well have attacked him regardless, and alcohol was obviously a distinguishing factor.)

Sheila, for her part, has a lot to do with why Tommy is comfortable with drinking again to begin with, and her performance this week reminded viewers why she her scenes have gone from superfluous filler early in the season to fascinating character study (beginning with the episode that bore her name). Her sex scene this week was disturbingly funny.

All told, "Initiation" offered fairly little in the way of plot and character development, but made for a great example of why this show is so fun to watch. Check it out again—or for the first time—at the Showcase video centre, where it's streaming for a limited time.