Nurse Jackie

nurse jackie edie falco showtime

Nurse Jackie Edie Falco Showtime
 

Let me preface this review by saying that I never watched more than 5 minutes of any episode of The Sopranos, so I don’t know Edie Falco that well, aside from her comedic turn on 30 Rock.  So I didn’t know what to expect when I tuned into the first 6 episodes of Showtime’s latest, Nurse Jackie.  I was in for a great surprise, and now I’m tempted to go back and marathon The Sopranos just so I can get my Falco fill while I wait for Episode 7!

Falco plays the title role of Jackie, a cynical, jaded New York hospital nurse with a little pill addiction.  She is smart, funny, angry, sad, sick of her job, in love with her job, a good teacher, a bad teacher, and a little bit crazy all rolled into one.  Surrounded by an eclectic cast – her best friend is a snarky British doctor that hates all patients, her protégé is a shy girl basically right off the farm.  Her partner in crime at work is a man called Mo Mo for short (another nurse, who shares her general apathy for the job), who is constantly trying to run from Thor, the other male nurse with a crush on him.  Peter Facinelli, who is one of my all time favorites and who never seems to age, is playing the role of his career (participation in Twilight movies not-withstanding), and was the true standout for me in a cast of brilliant people that includes Paul Schulze (Chapelle on 24) doing what he does best:  being a subtly put-upon man.

I was shocked and thrilled by the way the show goes from funny to heart-warming or gut wrenching in a matter of minutes. Showtime continues to bring us winners, and this is no different.  Check it out Monday after Weeds!

 

 

Nurse Jackie Series Premiere – Monday, June 8th at 10:30PM EST