'Rescue Me' minisodes to air on FX, Web

LOS ANGELES, June 2 (UPI) -- Sony Pictures Television said Monday it is producing 10 standalone so-called minisodes of the New York-set firefighter series "Rescue Me."

The five-minute shorts, starring Denis Leary and the rest of the "Rescue Me" crew, are to premiere Tuesday nights starting June 24 on FX.

They will be available online the day following the FX telecast at Crackle.com and via SPT's The Minisode Network on other online and mobile partners.

The fifth season of the TV series was postponed until next spring because of the Writers Guild of America strike, which was settled early this year.

"Fans of 'Rescue Me' have come to expect their favorite show to run during the summer, but because of the delay in production due to the writer's strike that wasn't a possibility," John Landgraf, president and general manager of FX Networks, said in a statement. "These minisodes are hysterical and will provide fans the opportunity to enjoy the characters they have come to love. The minisodes are designed to keep the series top-of-mind in preparation for next season's 22 consecutive episodes, which will be an unprecedented single-season run of a scripted series on basic cable."