Tommy and Dwight face off in "Rescue Me."

Tommy Gavin is held hostage for nearly seven minutes on this week’s “Rescue Me,” but as humiliating as that was for the king of the firehouse, the worst was yet to come.

In “Thaw,” Dwight (Michael J. Fox) returns to confront Tommy (Denis Leary) about his relationship with his wife, Janet, who just happens to be Dwight’s girlfriend. As the creepy, scary, wheelchair-bound junkie/alcoholic, Fox’s wild-eyed performance deserves at least Emmy consideration. Granted, Fox’s total airtime during the four-episode arc was limited, but Anthony Hopkins was on screen in “Silence of the Lambs” for just 16 minutes, proving that quality still trumps quantity.

The episode opens with the fall-out from Michael allowing Damian to accompany him into a burning building, where Damian is trapped and it’s up to Tommy to rescue him. Chief Needles asks for answers and Tommy takes the blame, leading to a showdown.

Needles tells Tommy why he is the boss, saying “not everyone can be Reggie Jackson, swinging for the fences. Someone has to be Billy Martin, because without Billy Martin, there’s anarchy.” I know the show is set in New York, but I’m a little surprised that devout Red Sox fan Leary would allow any analogy involving the despised Yankees …

Sean calls his mother to tell her about his kidney cancer and she stuns him by saying she knew something was amiss. “You never call me with any good news!” She agrees to join him in New York to help him but can’t help but to ask for any good news. “Do you at least have a new girlfriend?”

Janet visits Tommy and tells him about a letter she had received from their daughter — not hate mail, only “intense dislike mail” — in which she says she won’t be a part of the family unless her parents make up. This leads to wife telling husband that they can have relations with no strings attached. Being a guy, Tommy can’t turn down an offer like that.

But then Tommy is visited by Dwight, who takes exception when he learns Tommy is cheating with his wife. While Dwight gives Tommy a hand. Sean walks in and Tommy tells him that he’s checking a tire. Dwight tells Sean there may be a loose nut and Sean helpfully retrieves a ratchet.

Lou continues to train Franco for the big boxing tournament. While Needles and Franco says he’s ready, Lou is skeptical. To prove his point, he asks for the help of old pro Sonny who — despite being 368 years old with only one eye — proves that Rocco is not anywhere near ready for the ring.

Tommy visits Sheila, who expresses her appreciation for his having saved her son’s life, saying if he continues to keep Damian safe, that he will always have a safe place at her home.

Tommy returns to the bar, where he pours himself a drink and soon is visited by ghosts of his past, including his son who was killed by a drunk driver. Connor now is an adult who is a success at his job but a failure as a father, which, of course, hits close to home for Tommy.

The ghosts vanish with the arrival of Mike. Tommy tells Mike that he can quit the “retarded mentoring thing” with Damian, but Mike, for once, stands up for himself. Tommy takes a swing, but Mike knocks him to the ground and tells the old man to have another drink.

One of the reasons why “Rescue Me” is one of the best dramas on television is that you never know what to expect. Tommy having his butt kicked by Probie dramatically proves the point.

So what did you think of the episode? Are you going to miss Dwight? How is Tommy going to juggle his wife and his dead cousin’s wife? Will Franco ever be ready for the ring?