Nurse Jackie - TV Fanatic

Nurse Jackie Season 4 Poster: Out of Control

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:52:53 EST

The third season of Nurse Jackie concluded with a pair of shocking revelations:

Kevin admitted to his wife that he cheated on her.
Jackie kicked him out as a result.

So, where will that leave the Showtime drama's title character? (Yes, it's a drama. Sorry, award show categorizations.) We won't know for certain until we return to All Saints on April 8, but the newly-released poster for season four sheds a bit of light on Jackie's frame of mind.

Or, perhaps we should say, a bit of darkness...

Showtime Announces Return Date for Nurse Jackie, The Big C and The Borgias

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:22:25 EST

Showtime President David Nevins took to the stage today at the Television Critics Association winter press tour and announced the return date for a trio of hits.

Nurse Jackie, The Big C and The Borgias will all premiere new seasons at 9 p.m., 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., respectively on April 8.

The Borgias Season 2 Promo

Regarding the former, Nevins added that the title character will finally start to suffer some "consequences" for her actions on season four; while Cathy will deal with her husband's heart attack on the new season of The Big C and on The Borgias, well... just watch the above preview.

Billie Joe Armstrong and Rosie Perez to Guest Star on Nurse Jackie

matt@tvfanatic.com (TV Fanatic Staff) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:45:24 EST

The diagnosis for Nurse Jackie season four guest stars is in, and all signs are positive.

Showtime announced today that Green Day frontman Bille Joe Armstrong and veteran actress Rosie Perez will both come on board the series in 2012. The latter will portray a patient named Jules, while it's unknown what role the singer will take on.

But in case you require proof of the casting, Executive Producer Richie Jackson Tweeted out this photo from a day on set during the shooting of the fourth season premiere:

Bobby Cannavale to Play Key Role on Season Four of Nurse Jackie

matt@tvfanatic.com (TV Fanatic Staff) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:56:55 EST

Bobby Cannavale is headed to Nurse Jackie, and that sounds like bad news for the show's title character.

According to a Showtime press release, the veteran actor - who earned an Emmy for his appearance on Will & Grace - will appear on 10 season four episodes as a hospital administrator. He'll be sent by the company that purchases All Saint’s Hospital and tasked with improving its efficiency and profitability. Hard to see him and Jackie getting along well, isn't it?

Production on season four kicks off in September and the series will return in 2012.

Nurse Jackie Season 4 Scoop: More Kelly, Less O'Hara

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:11:38 EST

For the third consecutive season, Nurse Jackie bid farewell without any major consequences befalling its title character. It's been a frustrating trend for a show that seems content with the status quo.

But executive producer Liz Brixius objects to that assessment - "She lost her marriage. Her job's in jeopardy. She's compromised everybody around her." - and tells viewers to be on the lookout for how two relationships affect Jackie next year:

Her friendship with O'Hara.
Her connection with Kelly.

"O'Hara bought a townhouse and she probably bought it for a reason," Brixius tells TV Guide, hinting that another relationship may take her focus away from her friend's addiction. "There's not going to be less O'Hara, but there is going to be less availability of O'Hara to Jackie."

As for Kelly, who admitted to Jackie that he's not the saint he has pretended to be...

"I will tell you that you don't know everything there is to know about Kelly Slater. Jackie is not smarter than he is. All we know is that he has successfully pulled the wool over everybody's eyes... He's a chameleon. He's working it. No matter who he's talking to, he's working in it. He's always got an answer — and that makes him dangerous."

Read the full interview now at TV Guide and sound off: What did you think of the finale?

Nurse Jackie Season Finale Review: Same Old, Same Old...

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:30:39 EST

Someday, Jackie Peyton might face consequences for her actions.

But that day did not take place after an affair on season one. Nor did it take place after she was outed as a drug addict on season two. As for this season three finale? Nope.

Same old story on ...Deaf Blind Tumor Pee-Test..., same lack of ramifications for a main character that has become utterly dislikable.

It would make sense for Jackie to kick Kevin out for his affair if she were blind to her own behavior. But moments earlier she had opened up to O'Hara about her shortcomings and had spent the last few weeks seemingly aware that she was headed down a dangerous path.

In her screwed up mind, wouldn't Kevin's infidelity actually be a welcome surprise? She could take full advantage of his guilt and pretty much act however she pleased for the foreseeable future. Then again, she does that anyway.

Jackie's reaction aside, my main problem with the show is how easily it lets its main character off. She sleeps around, she pops pills, she doesn't do anything about her troubled kids. And in response? Eddie continues to be her friend, O'Hara does little about her pal's habit and now Kevin comes crawling back.

Heck, Akalitus even tosses out Jackie's urine sample and assures us that nothing will really change for Jackie next season. The series is a cycle of solid acting, but no risk-taking or progress.

I'll end this review and this season on a positive note, though: it was a very nice moment when the hospital saved Coop by singing happy birthday after he was stood up.

What did everyone else think of the finale and the season in general? Do you find it as irritating as I do that so little ever actually happens to Jackie?

Nurse Jackie Review: "Batting Practice"

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 22:30:07 EST

For an episode titled "Batting Practice," Nurse Jackie didn't really hit any storylines out of the park this week.

Can anyone say the events on this installment left them anxious for next Monday's season finale? There's not exactly a lot of momentum heading into it.

Kevin seems to be on to his wife, but there's so little interaction between this couple that I can't pretend to be very invested in their relationship. I'd absolutely leave if I were Kevin, considering how generally unhappy both he and Jackie seem together.

Could their tumultuous marriage even be contributing to their daughter's anxiety? Grace might be far more relaxed without so much tension in the house.

That would be my prediction for the finale: Kevin asks for a divorce and Jackie falls completely back on the wagon again.

Then again, it's not like she's truly off. Gulping down her daughter's meds was a new low, really, one that finally caused O'Hara to jump in and make an unusual offer: I'll detox you myself via whatever pills you need to get clean. I don't think it will work. I don't think Jackie even wants it to work.

As for other developments on the episode:

That was a nice moment for Coop. He's my favorite character, but he can also come across as a caricature. So it was nice to hear his Best Man chat with Eddie and have him admit to his shortcomings. It humanized him.
Seriously, Zoey, do you not realize how awesome Lenny is?!? The guy may be out to lunch - or desert, to be more specific, considering his candy intake - but I promise you'll never find a man who loves you as much as he does.
Akalitus may be the biggest waste of a character on television. She's just such a blatant attempt to bring levity to a serious show and none of her storylines ever feel realistic or interesting.

So, as we head into the season finale, where do you stand on Nurse Jackie? Are Kelly's admission, Coop's wedding and Kevin's impending explosion enough to keep you intrigued?

Nurse Jackie Review: "Fuck The Lemurs"

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 22:30:21 EST

A trio of outstanding performances highlighted this episode of Nurse Jackie.

I gave up expecting any storyline development on this show awhile ago, mostly watching it these days for the humor of Zoey and Coop. But their one-liners weren't the reason "Fuck The Lemurs" was probably my favorite installment of the season.

Instead, all credit goes to Edie Falco, Eve Best and Ruby Jerins.

The Emmy-winning former Sopranos star has been fantastic in this role since the series premiere, of course, but she displayed an especially vulnerable side this week. It's grown pretty easy to dislike Jackie over the past few episodes, as she lies to friends, continues to pop pills and displays few redeeming qualities all around.

But it took a crisis at home and at the hospital for her to finally break.

Falco reminded us that she's playing a legitimately troubled woman when she struggled to deal with Grace's anxiety, confronted O'Hara and then listened as O'Hara explained that she's known all along about her friend's problem. That latter was one of the best scenes in show history.

O'Hara made perfect sense as she told Jackie that she never said a word because she held out hope that, someday, her friend would seek assistance and she didn't want to burn Jackie's final bridge in case that day ever arrived.

Jackie was stunned to hear those words, shocked that her secret was out, but maybe even more shocked that someone cared so much. It's something I wished the show would address: how did Jackie get this way? She is unquestionably loved by both O'Hara and by Kevin. Does she really not see that?

Elsewhere, who could be anything but moved by Grace's speech at the end? Her anxiety issues received more screen time on season two than they have on season three, making the move to medication here seem a bit random. But I don't want to nitpick. Jerins nailed the final scene with Falco.

I'll take a lack of action or movement any Monday night when I'm treated to stellar performances that hold my attention as these did so well. What did everyone else think of the episode?

Nurse Jackie Review: "Have You Met Miss Jones?"

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Mon, 23 May 2011 22:30:47 EST

Nurse Jackie raised a number of questions this week:

1. What will rock bottom look like for Jackie? Events on "Have You Met Miss Jones?" made it clear that Jackie is growing more desperate than ever. She sent all of her underlings out on pharmacy runs this week, but the mixing of those medicines won't equal the high she got off Oxy and everything else.

It was interesting to note her moment of vulnerability with Eddie, as she admitted to missing the rush of pill popping. She really is far more honest with her ex-lover than she is with her husband or best friend.

2. How much money does O'Hara make?!? I know doctors rake it in, but she has a car service; she eats at expensive restaurants everyday; she lives in New York City; and she can still afford an entire townhouse?!? I'm in the wrong profession. As a TV critic, splurging takes place when I go with Starbuck's over Dunkin Donuts.

3. Is Kevin lying? In our interview with Dominic Fumusa, the actor said his character will get a lot darker on the final few episodes of season three. Combined that with us never seeing a pinball machine and with Kevin's suspicions lately and I'm calling it: no way is he delivering the item to Montauk. Dude is definitely up to something.

4. Who will get married first: Zoey and Lenny, or Coop and his Facebook date? I kid... mostly. But let's hope Zoey finally stops testing Lenny and starts to realize the guy is pretty darn awesome.

As for Coop, he's consistently my favorite part of the series. His blissfully ignorant schtick might get old for some, but come on: did you really not crack up when he he cheered to "dudeville?" Or are you not actually hoping he does find true love at some point, with his high school sweetheart, the pretty patient from this week or elsewhere?

Not a bad episode all around, though I keep on waiting for Jackie to suffer consequences from her action that involve more than just the honking of a handful of angry motorists.

Showtime Announces Fate of United States of Tara and Nurse Jackie

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Mon, 23 May 2011 14:19:20 EST

Showtime is putting an end to its current Monday night lineup.

The network announced today that United States of Tara has been canceled, while Nurse Jackie has been renewed for a fourth season.

The former series is enjoying a fantastic season, but having already seen the finale, I can safely say it's an ideal conclusion to the story of Tara, Max and company. It's hard to see where the show could have gone in the future.

Conversely, I've been down on Nurse Jackie throughout my third season reviews. It's a program that scarcely takes risks and rarely follows through with any kind of consequences for its characters.

Unlike Tara, it's easy to see where Jackie might go next. It's just not anywhere interesting.