What are the most-loved firefighter TV shows?

Firefighters are the everyday heroes that don’t receive enough credit for the life-saving work they sign up, and stand ready, for. Even if you manage to thank them, they will most likely let you know that it is all part of the job. It’s that kind of humility and sacrifice that makes many people want to become firefighters themselves.

Most of these heroes will experience significant danger at some point, maybe regularly on the job. In tribute, and to have a little fun, we decided to list some of the most-watched TV shows about firefighters. Each of these shows reveals something that relatable to most ‘on the job.’

Chicago Fire

Chicago Fire is an Emmy Award-winning series produced by Dick Wolf, of Law And Order fame. It first aired on October 10, 2012, and has managed to run for nine seasons, now signed for at least two more. 

Throughout the series, we explore the professional and personal lives of its heroes. FireHouse 51 of the Chicago Fire Department is made up of firefighters, paramedics, and rescue squad members. The companies we meet in this show include Ambulance 61, Battalion 25, Engine Company 51, Rescue Squad Company 81, and Truck Company 81. The show goes into detail about the operations of these units, making it an excellent way for people unaware of firefighters to get acquainted with the lifestyle.

The series covers the men and women of Firehouse 51 through their drama and disagreements, humanizing them in the process. Despite all of the problems they have with one another, they still come together and do their very best to serve their local community. The series has a collection of talented actors who perform their roles expertly, helping you to to appreciate the hardships these first responders face each day. 

9-1-1

Fox’s 911 is a recent series that started airing on January 3, 2018. The series focuses on various first responders in California. Not only will you see the firefighters in action, but a cast of dispatchers, paramedics, and police officers that work alongside them as well. At the moment, this show has four seasons, with the fourth one currently airing on television. 

The characters in the series go through some of the most fear-inducing disasters most people would not believe possible. Not that it’s surprising, since California does experience some of the harshest disasters, from forest fires to tsunamis. The aftermath of these situations is also shown and provides us with insight into how everyone is coping after the disaster has passed. 

The series has some great talent working behind it, with people like Ryan Murphy, Tim Minear, and Brad Falchuk at the helm. It has managed to capture all of the intense action that you would expect from real-life scenarios. 

Rescue Me

FX’s Rescue Me premiered on July 21, 2004, and after seven seasons, it concluded on September 7, 2011. The show aims to tell the story of a central firefighter as he and those around him struggle through the aftermath of the Twin Towers attacks on 9/11. 

Premiering just three years after the horrific events, Rescue Me earned critical acclaim and accolades for how it managed to handle some issues that can be found in firehouses, although it made it seem like firefighters are basically plagued by alcoholism, depression, homophobia, PTSD, grief, and loss after the bombings. It makes for great TV drama, but the dysfunction is off the charts.

Played by the utterly self-absorbed Denis Leary, the protagonist of this show is Tommy Gavin, a veteran firefighter in New York City. From the very beginning, we see that his daily life is filled with all sorts of trouble. Dealing with survivor’s guilt and PTSD due to the loss of his cousin and several colleagues on 9/11, Gaven battles constantly with alcoholism, self-medication, high-risk sexual behavior, etc. You are supposed to root for him, but man does he make it difficult to do that with his terrible choices.

While there is no doubt that he is sincere and brave when it comes to saving lives, Gavin’s depraved personality means that his relationships with those around him are not the best. As we continue to learn more about him through the series, we don’t really see him any more sympathetically…it’s obvious from the first episode that he holds such a jaded outlook on life. 

Rescue Me is a show everyone should watch if they are looking for an ego trip disguised as a firefighter show that somehow ran for seven seasons. In paying an odd form of tribute though, Leary’s heart is certainly in the right place: he is very involved with improving the lives of firefighters, and has been for decades. His Leary Firefighters’ Foundation has literally raised millions to help secure the safety and efficacy of firefighters across the nation, and for that, we applaud him.

Station 19

Station 19 is a spin-off series of the massively successful Grey’s Anatomy and premiered on March 22, 2018. While the show did have a lot to live up to, it has managed to do a solid enough job to receive four seasons so far. The series has some excellent talent like Shondaland and Shonda Rhimes in its cast that have made the show pop off the ground.  

With a name like Station 19, it should be obvious that this series focuses on the lives of brave firefighters of Fire Station 19. Similar to its parent series, the show is set right in the heart of Seattle. 

Everyone in the station has their daily life reflected, from the Captain running the whole operation to the rookies on the team. These firefighters are shown going through ups and downs while facing disasters that plague the city. 

Since the series is a spin-off show of Grey’s Anatomy, we do have guest appearances of characters from Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, such as Dr. Mrerdith Grey, Dr. Maggie Pierce, and Dr. Andrew DeLuca. 

Third Watch

Third Watch is one of the older series we are placing on this list, but it is a classic show among the firefighter shows. Third Watch initially premiered on September 23, 1999, and ran for six seasons on NBC until its final episode on May 6, 2005. 

Since this era of television is a bit more different, with around two dozen episodes each season, that amounts to 132 episodes to binge on. The series is currently available on places like Amazon Prime if you want to watch it. 

The series was formerly supposed to revolve around paramedics and cops, with the producer having worked on ER and held personal experience as a cop. However, it eventually expanded to include a cast of firefighters as the series went on. The show was named Third Watch due to a very particular element of the show’s setting. Every single character on the show works between the 3 pm to 11 pm shift, hence the reason why the show is called Third Watch. 

With Third Watch’s third season having premiered shortly after the events of 9/11, the season opener has real-life interviews of FDNY and NYPD responders who were called in during the events to assist with the rescue efforts.

9-1-1: Lone Star

9-1-1 is a massively popular show that has managed to earn a spin-off series. 9-1-1: Lone Star is a spin-off series that first premiered on January 19, 2020. The show has managed to prove itself to be just as popular as its parent series. While the series has only recently premiered and has its second season premiering this year, it has proven to be just as popular among fans. 

With tragedy having occurred at Firehouse 126 in Austin, Texas, Captain Owen Strand relocates with his son to help them rebuild their station from the ground up. It’s not the first time that Own has had to rebuild a fire station. His experience comes from having dealt with similar problems as a lone survivor of his station in Manhattan after the terrible events of 9/11. 

As time passes by, Strand manages to gather a team of qualified professionals that include a 911 call operator, chief paramedic, and an entire ensemble of new and experienced firefighters, with one of them including his son. 

Right out the gates, we are already being presented with both professional and personal demons that Stand deals with constantly. 

Tacoma FD

While most of the shows on this list are serious on the subject matter of firefighters and first responders in general, this next one is a bit more different. Tacoma FD takes on a more comedic spin on its narrative and delivery for a series about firefighting. 

The show was created by Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme from the Broken Lizard comedy group. The jokes are immediate as you learn the names of their characters, Chief McConky and Captain Penisi. While most other shows go through dramatic moments that would move even the most cold-hearted person around, this show unfolds differently. 

Instead of a series about firefighters dealing with the dangers of the job and personal life, we get a lighter side of their lives. The firefighters in this show have far more free time compared to the other shows. That is due to them being located in one of the wettest locations in the US. Tacoma.

With them barely having any fires to put out since the environment is handling it for them, these firefighters need to find other things to keep their time occupied. It usually devolves into everyone getting into troublesome situations and general mischief. 

Even with the number of antics these characters get into, the creators wanted to ensure that their characters still maintain a semblance of professionalism. Heffernan is from a family of firefighters, and many of the episodes are inspired based on authentic experiences  from his family members.   

Conclusion

Each of these shows has something to offer in the way of firefighting. Not only do you see the way heroes operate on a daily, but the personal trials and tribulations they undergo each day. It reveals the humanity these heroes have and the dangers they place themselves under.