Nurse Jackie

It seems that Edie Falco is starring in a new successful television show. Her new show on Showtime, Nurse Jackie, appears to have such a rich, engaging plot that I can't see this show getting cancelled. Showtime seems to be hitting it rich with new television shows--watch out HBO. They're starting to get something right.

I give Edie Falco a lot of credit too. She just came over some type of cancer, which explains her short hair that she is growing back, and she's jumping right back onto the big screen. Television shows are hard to work; they're long hours and a lot of effort. I really hope this show survives because it's very interesting, and Edie Falco is just incredibly talented.

The premise of Nurse Jackie is the following: Nurse Jackie, played by Falco, is obviously a nurse in a hospital in New York City. She is hooked on pills (Vicodin) and has a family at home, a husband and two young daughters. She sleeps with a doctor in the hospital in order for him to write her perscriptions to keep up her habit. She has a biting personality, being brutally honest to patients and even hurting those who are disrespectful and undeserving of treatment, yet she does an incredible job as a nurse. She really knows what she's doing, she really cares about her job, and she puts in way too much time to give back to humanity.

Falco's new character is so different from the one she played on The Sopranos. The two characters are quite opposite: Instead of Tony doing the cheating, now Nurse Jackie is doing the cheating. Jackie's personality is much stronger and doesn't take bullshit. She's a lovable character even though she is so biting, flawed, and outspoken.



To be honest, I was feeling quite nervous that Edie Falco was starring in her own show. I didn't know if she had a strong enough fan base to hold enough viewers. However, the plot of the show is just so good that you don't even need to be drawn in just by her alone. They also have some really good actors on the show to compliment her, one of them being Edward Cullen's father from Twilight, Carlisle. I think it's funny that the actor plays an older, esteemed, and brilliant doctor in Twilight, but on the show he plays a young, goofy doctor who is just getting his feet wet. He's excellent comic relief for the show.

But, Nurse Jackie is dealing with some really controversial issues and topics. They have drug addiction and cheating. Eventually, we know it will blow up in her face, but it's just so riveting to watch the channels of addiction. They also have homosexual characters, which is also an interesting route to explore. The show has rich characters and plot lines, and even in the fourth week of its initial airing, I'm hooked. This show is very smart, and I hope it lasts a very long time. It has so much potential.

Many television shows either feel safe to plan them around the law/crime shows or hospitals. This program obviously centers around a hospital, but it's much different than other hospital dramas. I like that this show is so focused in its thirty minutes. There are no bullshit scenes and the plots are very realistic. Each episode really focuses on one (major) or two (minor) patients and how Jackie deals with them. I also like to see how they portray the chemistry between nurses and doctors because that power struggle isn't really depicted in other shows. Overall, it's very intelligent and very well performed.

If you're looking for a good show, watch Nurse Jackie. Showtime is really hitting it big with shows lately (like Weeds or Californication), so check this new one out. It's really something to brag about.

So what do you think of Nurse Jackie?