Apostle

Apostle is a New York-based television production company established by stand-up comedian and actor Denis Leary and his business partner Jim Serpico. The company is associated primarily with scripted television and became best known for Rescue Me, a drama centered on a post-September 11 New York City firefighter and the personal and professional pressures affecting his colleagues. Leary co-created and starred in the series, while Apostle served as part of the production structure behind the program. The company’s body of work spans comedy, drama, and dramedy formats. Its listed productions include The Job, Rescue Me, Shorties Watchin’ Shorties, Canterbury’s Law, Maron, Sirens, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, and Benders. These projects cover workplace comedy, animation and short-form comedy, legal drama, autobiographical comedy, ensemble comedy, music-themed comedy, and sports-oriented comedy. The range reflects Apostle’s role as a creator-led production entity rather than a consumer-facing product brand. Rescue Me was Apostle’s defining production. The series followed members of a New York City Fire Department crew while exploring grief, survivor’s guilt, alcoholism, family conflict, friendship, and the long-term consequences of the September 11 attacks. Its subject matter and connection to Leary’s performance gave Apostle a recognizable profile in American television production. In June 2007, Apostle entered a three-year production agreement with Sony to develop at least eight new television programs. The agreement represented an expansion from producing individual shows toward a broader development relationship with a major entertainment company. The available reference material does not specify how many of the proposed programs reached production or provide later corporate information about Apostle’s ownership, headquarters beyond New York, financial performance, or current operating status.

Apostle was created in New York by comedian and actor Denis Leary and his business partner Jim Serpico. The company’s identity was closely tied to Leary’s work as a performer, writer, and television creator, and its projects concentrated on scripted programming rather than on theatrical film, music, or consumer products. The company’s earliest listed production is The Job, a television comedy that ran from 2001 to 2002. Apostle subsequently became associated with Shorties Watchin’ Shorties in 2004, a comedy program built around short stand-up clips and animated presentation. That same year, the company launched its most prominent project, Rescue Me. Running from 2004 to 2011, the series portrayed the lives of New York firefighters after the September 11 attacks, combining workplace drama with dark comedy and stories about personal trauma. Leary starred in the series, which became the central work associated with Apostle. Apostle expanded its television slate in the late 2000s. Canterbury’s Law, a legal drama, was listed among the company’s 2008 productions. In June 2007, Apostle also signed a three-year production deal with Sony under which it would develop at least eight new television shows. This arrangement positioned the company to pursue a larger pipeline of projects through a major studio and entertainment-distribution partner. The available reference does not identify all of the projects developed under the deal or establish how many ultimately aired. During the 2010s, Apostle’s listed productions continued to emphasize comedy and character-driven series. Maron ran from 2013 to 2016 and was followed in the company’s production record by Sirens, which ran from 2014 to 2015. The later slate included Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, broadcast from 2015 to 2016, and Benders, also listed as a 2015 production. Together, these programs show a focus on ensemble comedy, workplace settings, entertainment-industry themes, and distinctive creator or performer voices. The reference material does not provide a founding year, a separate corporate parent, ownership details, financial information, a complete list of officers, or a confirmed current operating status. It also does not document a formal rebrand, acquisition, bankruptcy, or closure. Apostle is therefore best characterized from the available evidence as a New York-based television production company whose most visible legacy is Rescue Me and whose documented production activity extends from the early 2000s through the mid-2010s.

• 2015

  Later comedy projects are listed

  [1]Apostle (production company)en.wikipedia.org

  Benders and Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll appear among Apostle’s later documented productions.

• 2013

  Maron begins

  [1]Apostle (production company)en.wikipedia.org

  Maron begins its listed Apostle-associated run, continuing the company’s work in creator-led comedy.

• 2011

  Rescue Me concludes

  [1]Apostle (production company)en.wikipedia.org

  The documented run of Rescue Me ends after seven years.

• 2007

  Sony production agreement

  [1]Apostle (production company)en.wikipedia.org

  Apostle signs a three-year production deal with Sony to create at least eight new television shows.

• 2004

  Rescue Me premieres

  [1]Apostle (production company)en.wikipedia.org

  Rescue Me begins its run, becoming Apostle’s best-known television production and the company’s signature association.

• 2001

  The Job begins

  [1]Apostle (production company)en.wikipedia.org

  The Job is listed as Apostle’s earliest documented production, running from 2001 to 2002.

A creator-led television production company focused on scripted comedy, drama, and dramedy, with a signature association with Denis Leary and the New York-set firefighter series Rescue Me.

• Television comedy series · 2001

  The Job

  The Job is listed as Apostle’s earliest documented television production. The comedy ran from 2001 to 2002 and predates the company’s best-known series, Rescue Me.

• Television comedy-drama series · 2004

  Rescue Me

  Rescue Me is Apostle’s signature production. The series follows New York firefighters dealing with the demands of emergency work and the personal consequences of the September 11 attacks. Its story combines dark comedy and drama, with Denis Leary serving as a central creative and acting figure. The show ran from 2004 through 2011.

• Comedy television series · 2004

  Shorties Watchin’ Shorties

  Shorties Watchin’ Shorties is listed among Apostle’s 2004 productions. The program is associated with short-form comedy and stand-up-oriented material, reflecting the company’s connection to Denis Leary and the wider comedy world.

• Legal drama television series · 2008

  Canterbury’s Law

  Canterbury’s Law is a legal drama listed among Apostle’s 2008 productions. The available reference identifies the title and year but does not provide further production or distribution details.

• Comedy television series · 2013

  Maron

  Maron is a comedy series listed as an Apostle production from 2013 to 2016. Its inclusion in the company’s slate continued Apostle’s emphasis on performer-led and character-focused television comedy.

• Comedy television series · 2014

  Sirens

  Sirens is listed among Apostle’s television productions and ran from 2014 to 2015. The available reference identifies it as part of the company’s mid-2010s scripted comedy slate.

• Comedy television series · 2015

  Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll

  Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll is a music-themed comedy series listed among Apostle’s productions from 2015 to 2016. It belongs to the company’s later period of performer- and entertainment-oriented scripted programming.

• Comedy television series · 2015

  Benders

  Benders is listed as a 2015 Apostle production. The available source identifies the title and production year but does not provide additional details about its format, distribution, or subsequent status.

• 2007

  Expansion through a Sony production agreementStrategy

  Background

  Apostle had established a television production identity through projects including The Job, Rescue Me, and Shorties Watchin’ Shorties.

  Action taken

  The company signed a three-year production deal with Sony to develop at least eight new television shows.

  Aftermath

  The agreement broadened Apostle’s documented development ambitions, although the available source does not state how many proposed shows reached production.

  Source

1. 1Apostle (production company)en.wikipedia.org