Denis Leary and his Rescue Me co-producer Jim Serpico are trying to raise funds for Tom Putnam and Brenna Sanchez‘s documentary Burn.  According to Deadline, the film centers on Detroit firefighters who struggle “with the task of saving a city many have written off.”  Leary and Serpico are trying to finish financing the movie through the crowd-funding website Kickstarter and “are offering products and experiences to entice Kickstarter donors, including a Boardwalk Empire set visit and an autographed helmet signed by the Rescue Me cast.”  The filmmakers hope to release the film into the 2012 festival season to help raise public awareness about the work and sacrifice of firefighters in these times of sever budget cuts to basic services a developed country expects.

GM and Apple have provided grants to the production and “a portion of the film’s proceeds will go The Leary Firefighters Foundation to purchase equipment for the Detroit Fire Department.”  Click here to go fund the website.  Firefighters do one of the most dangerous and essential jobs and they deserve our support.

As part of the TCA Press Tour presentation for FX Networks, President and General Manager John Landgraf took some time to talk about the growth of their comedies – Wilfred, Louie, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League and Archer – the strength of their dramas – Sons of Anarchy, Justified and Rescue Me – their hopes for their new shows, including American Horror Story from Ryan Murphy, and what they are looking for, in the future.  Here are the most interesting points:

• In 2011, FX is on track to achieve the highest ratings in all measures, in the 17-year history of the channel, up 17% in adults 18-49 and 18% in total viewers in prime. They have also achieved their goal of programming original dramas and comedies, all year round.
• FX has ordered a Season 8 and 9 of the acclaimed hit comedy It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia with an option for a Season 10, making it the longest-running live-action comedy in basic cable history. In addition, FX Productions is entering into a three-year exclusive television overall deal with RCG – the production company run by Sunny creators/executive producers Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton.
• The full 13-episode third season of Archer will return in January 2012, with three episodes airing this Fall, behind the first three episodes of Season 7 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which premieres on September 15^th. The Season 3 premiere of The League will debut after Sunny on October 6^th.
• Wilfred was the highest-rated first season of a comedy ever on FX, leading them to renew it for a second season of 13 episodes, while Louie has also been renewed for third season of 13.
• American Horror Story, from Glee executive producers Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, is being established as a serialized saga that can go on for multiple years, with subsequent seasons either taking place in the past or in the present, depending on how the story unfolds.
• Powers (in the vein of David Fincher’s Seven or Zodiac),  based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming and starring Jason Patric, and Outlaw Country, a family drama set against the backdrop of Southern organized crime, are the next two drama pilots that FX will be looking at for possible pick-up

Hit the jump for more of what he had to say:

After seven seasons, the FX drama Rescue Me comes to a close with its series finale on September 7^th.  While showcasing all of the emotional ups and downs for the characters on the series, it always made a point to shine a light on the truly noble, life-and-death work that the firefighters of the FDNY do, on a daily basis.

At the FX portion of the TCA Press Tour, actor Denis Leary took some time to reflect on his time on the series and playing a role as complex and layered as Tommy Gavin. He also talked about stepping into the shoes of Captain George Stacy, father of Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) in The Amazing Spider-Man, he much he enjoyed working with his young co-stars, revealed that he will not have the walking stick that his character uses in the comics, and confirmed that he is signed on for the second and third film as well (The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was given a release date yesterday). Check out what he had to say after the jump:

Today FX announced the summer premiere dates for the all new seasons of Rescue Me starring Denis Leary and Louie, starring the hilarious comedian Louis C.K. In addition, the series premiere of the new comedy Wilfred starring Elijah Wood has also been revealed. On June 23rd, Wilfred will premiere its 13-episode first season at 10/9c followed closely by Louie at 10:30/9:30c which will have a 13-episode second season run. If you haven’t seen the trailer for the Elijah Wood comedy, you can check it out here. I know I’ll be tuning in. As for Louie, the first season was spectacular, and I can’t wait for more. But if straight-up comedy isn’t your bag, FX will bring back their long-running series Rescue Me for its seventh and final season starting on July 12th at 10/9c. Should be a great summer on FX.

Amazon’s Gold Box Deal of the Day is any season of Rescue Me for $14.99 (which is 70% off the regular price).  Like all Gold Box Deal’s, it’s only good for today.  Here are the links: Rescue Me: The Complete First Season, Rescue Me: The Complete Second Season, Rescue Me: The Complete Third Season, Rescue Me: The Complete Fourth Season, Rescue Me: The Complete Fifth Season, and Rescue Me: The Complete Sixth Season.

Rescue Me’s sixth season (we’ve been allotted the first four episodes) kicks off as any fan of the show would expect it to – with Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary) lying on the barroom floor where we last saw him.  Bleeding out from multiple gunshot wounds inflicted by his Uncle Teddy (Lenny Clarke).  I don’t think I’m really ruining anything here by giving up this piece of information – Tommy doesn’t die.  Or at least, he doesn’t stay dead. Within the opening moments of the show, Tommy goes to an otherworldly place that may be heaven, or more likely, somewhere else, and is soon brought back.  It’s what he sees and feels during his flatlining moments that fuel much of these opening episodes.  More after the jump: