Much of Season 5 also follows Tommy's extended family—Cousin Mickey (Robert John Burke), Cousin Eddie (Terry Serpico), Uncle Teddy (Lenny Clarke) and Teddy's wife Ellie (Patti D'Arbanville)—as they all return to drinking after spending several months in AA. In the penultimate episode, the four are drinking with Tommy when an obviously drunk Ellie leaves to pick up a dog she and Teddy had adopted. Shortly after leaving, Ellie is shown running a red light and crashing her car. In the final episode, it is revealed that the crash was fatal. Teddy confronts his nephews and Tommy in the gang's bar, clearly pointing the finger of blame at Tommy. The cliffhanger for the next season is set after Teddy shoots Tommy twice in the shoulder during an after-hours party, apparently leaving Tommy to bleed to death. Teddy threatens to kill anyone who tries to leave and go for help...

Leading Role: Denis Leary,John Scurti,Mike Lombardi,Steven Pasquale,Daniel Sunjata,Andrea Roth,Callie Thorne,James McCaffrey,Jack McGee,Natalie Distler

Director: Denis Leary,Peter Tolan