Television Review: Showtime Scores a Big Hit With Edie Falco Show "Nurse Jackie"
What better a way to make a splash on cable TV than to lure a former Sopranos star to headline a new program? This is exactly what Showtime did, flexing their muscles against rival HBO by nabbing Edie Falco, who's most famous for playing Carmela Soprano, to star in the new hospital dramedy "Nurse Jackie." While medical comedies and dramas are definitely "been there, done that", Showtime's new Monday night series offers a unique and refreshing look at life inside a hospital - from the viewpoint of a nurse.
Although she works at a Catholic hospital in the heart of New York, Jackie Peyton (Falco) is far from being a saint. In fact in one episode she quotes St. Augustine, who once said "Please God, make me good, but not just yet", which is more than fitting for the pill-popping nurse who enjoys dalliances with the pharmacist to keep her supply of drugs flowing, steals from the rich to give to the poor, and selectively punishes those who she believes have done wrong. Jackie is constantly crossing moral lines, but mostly with good intentions - well, except for her penchant for popping uppers and downers and cheating on her husband. She's smart, she's tough, and she won't take shit from anyone, but there's a softer side to Jackie, and as viewers we can see that she genuinely cares.
While Jackie carries the show as the title character, she's surrounded by a pretty good line-up in the show's cast. There's the stylish doctor friend in Dr. Eleanor O'Hara, the hardline administrator Gloria Akalitis, the cute but new young doctor "Coop" (Dr. Cooper), the naive and babbling nursing student Zoey, and two funny male nurses who both happen to be gay. Working in an ER, Jackie's patients come and go and mainly serve to showcase the cast's personalities and how even though they are often the most knowledgeable ones in the room, nurses often get ignored or pushed aside.
Another important person in the life of Jackie is Eddie the pharmacist played by Paul Schulze. If the name sounds familiar you probably are a Sopranos fan. Schulze played Father Phil in the popular HBO show and is truly a treat to see Falco rekindle the chemistry they had together yet again. While the barriers of priesthood and Tony Soprano didn't allow a full fledged romance to blossom in their last encounter on the screen this time they are lovers. Eddie the pharmacist also is the pipeline to the drugs that Jackie needs to get through the day and one wonders whether it is love or if she is sleeping with him just so she can get her fix of vicodin.
On the homefront, there's another cast of characters that add depth to both the show as a whole and to Jackie's character - her husband Kevin, and two daughters. Kevin cooks, cleans, and takes care of the girls. He knows absolutely nothing about Jackie's drug habit or her philandering, and as viewers we can't help but feel bad for him. Jackie lives a double life, playing the part of the loving mother and wife at home, and abandoning this life and persona the minute she slips off her wedding ring and enters the hospital each day. While at times she seems conflicted and knows what she is doing is wrong, she's not willing to give it up - just like Augustine.
The series has the makings of a big hit for Showtime for a lot reasons. It is well written, has a great cast, and people can relate to a flawed yet genuinely good lead character. It wasn't shocking at all to see that Showtime renewed the show for a second season just hours after the season premiere aired. The only thing lacking from the show is an additional 30 minutes as the episodes seem to breeze by in a blink of an eye. Odds are that "Nurse Jackie" will have a lot staying power and will attract big audience for many years to come.
Here is the pilot episode of the show:
