Image via Wikimedia
Nurse Jackie is back for another season of pill-popping, straight-talking, drug-whoring goodness. After premiering on Showtime (Dish Network Premium Channels 318-323) in 2009, Nurse Jackie became an instant hit. The show is a dark-humor-filled comedy drama about Jackie Peyton (played by Emmy award winner Edie Falco) who is dedicated to saving people’s lives in her work life, but slowly destroying her own. Jackie is addicted to pain pills, and she is hiding that fact from her family, coworkers, and friends, trying to cover her addiction with supposed “back pains”. The only person that knows about Jackie’s dirty little secret is Eddie (Paul Schulze), who is a hospital’s pharmacist, her drug supplier, and the man that Jackie is cheating on her husband with (I guess we can call that prostitution in return for drugs).
At the end of last season, Jackie’s husband Kevin (Dominic Fumusa) and her best friend Dr. Eleanor O’Hara (Eve Best) found out about Jackie’s addiction and confronted her about it. Before that happened, Jackie showed Dr. O’Hara an MRI of somebody else’s back and claimed it to be hers, so Dr. O’Hara prescribed her some percocet. That is just a glimpse of what Jackie does to satisfy her cravings. So, what will happen in Nurse Jackie’s third season?
Well, so far in the new season Jackie was able to wiggle her way out of this sticky situation by counterattacking her husband about not being a good father and not being able to manage money. She said she couldn’t sleep well and her body was falling apart, but she still denies being an addict. She put doubt and guilt into Kevin’s mind, which means he already lost this battle. At work, Dr. O’Hara couldn’t give up her friend, but requested to work separate shifts. So it seems that Jackie’s web of lies will continue for a little bit longer.
Edie Falco herself has a history of alcohol abuse, and although she put that behind her 20 years ago, I think that past is what makes her so brilliant in playing Jackie Peyton. Nurse Jackie is the kind of character that drives you crazy, and you want her to get caught in her lies, but in the same time you can’t help but enjoy her sneaky ways and sarcastic remarks. So although I can’t stand what she is doing ethically, I find myself cheering for her sometimes. And I definitely can’t help but come back for more.
