• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, May 21, 2008

Forced to skip the show's 2008 season due to the writers' strike, FX will air a series of "Rescue Me" "minisodes" this summer as a bridge. The run of 10 five-minute shorts will air weekly starting in June.

The gripping drama's fifth season was scheduled for this summer. But with the strike postponing production, the network opted to hold all 22 episodes it had ordered until next year, when they will air straight through.

The humorous minisodes will each be stand-alone and will not serve as a content link between last season and the next. Instead, FX is hoping they will act as a promotional vehicle and help keep the show top-of-mind, since it will be off the air for a considerable period of time. (DVRs set to record "Rescue Me" will capture them.)

FX president John Landgraf said he conceived the idea because he was "feeling frustrated" about the show's absence after four summers in a row. He described the content as "comedic hijinks."

The minisodes are expected to air at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays commercial-free, perhaps with ads on the front and back end. They are expected to receive further distribution on the Web, via an exclusive deal with a video site.

The new minisodes will be co-written by series executive producers Peter Tolan and Denis Leary (also the star).

FX used a similar promotional tactic between seasons two and three, when it ran a 15-minute "Rescue Me 2.5" stand-alone.