(S05E06) "The Vietnam vet in the corner? I mean, what'd he say? He drank 12 Budweisers and three fifths in two hours with one arm? I mean, that's hall of fame shit. That guy should still be out there drinking." -Tommy

You know what else is hall of fame shit? This episode of Rescue Me. It took 57 episodes to get to this point, but 9/11 has finally become the first, last, and only focus of the show. Sure, there are still some sub-plots weaved in and out of the main narrative, but it all comes back to 9/11. It's funny, it's sad, it's depressing, and just like Tommy's AA meetings, it kind of makes you want a drink. Or seven.

The entire plot that's been woven this season is just playing out so flawlessly, and it's led to some incredibly poignant moments. I had nothing but good things to say about Sheila's confession in last week's hour, and tonight's episode provided another list of great scenes. It feels like the whole show has been building up to moments like these.

Take Lou and Tommy's fight. How many times have you sat at the screen and wondered why Lou puts up with Tommy's crap? Granted, Lou trying to manufacture an emotional connection with Genevieve by telling her about Jimmy in the 9/11 footage was low, but let's be honest - Lou is rarely the lesser man when compared to Tommy. The entire scene was just one "I can't believe he finally said that" line after another. The ensuing name-calling fight afterward was the icing on the cake.

It all ties back to 9/11, though - blame Genevieve for picking at old wounds. Same goes for Franco and his conspiracy theories and Sean with his kidney cancer. It all ties back to 9/11, and never on this show have we had so many disparate plots with that one horrible thing in common.

Some other highlights from "Perspective" --

• Tommy and Janet fighting is like watching two lions in heat playing grab ass with each other. There's always this romantically charged factor laced through everything the two of them say or do to each other, and it's incredibly fun to watch.
• I'm loving the direction that Needles' character is taking. Even when he first appeared for good after Jerry's suicide, as a viewer, I never took him seriously. Looks like that's about to change.
• Hearing Genevieve's feelings about 9/11 was interesting, to say the least. I feel like "she just doesn't get it" glosses over the situation too easily, but I can't think of a better way to put it.
• When Franco told Sheila that he thought there were bombs in the towers, I thought she was gonna belt him. Regardless of what he believes, to say that to a widow? Lost a lot of respect for Franco in that scene. Sheila is right, though - it's become a hobby for him and that's sad.
• Because I can't resist - King of all Douche Bags, Shit of all Shits, Turdmaster General, Grand Sphincter, Prince of Anal Leakage, and Duke of Taint ... I think that's all of them.

The one scene that really stood out? When Tommy and Genevieve sat down in the restaurant overlooking Ground Zero. He ordered a drink, as he usually does, just to stare at it. Naturally, the conversation turned to Jimmy (Sheila told Genevieve that Tommy was haunted), and she asked the one question that only Tommy knows the answer to: what happens if you don't see Jimmy again? Doesn't matter because it's not gonna happen. Bottoms up. Something tells me we're going to start seeing some old faces again.