349 replies to this topic

[Ms Snarkasm]

From BroadwayWorld.com:

On Monday, June 8th, at 10:30 PM ET/PT, SHOWTIME will premiere the new, half-hour dark comedy NURSE JACKIE, marking the triumphant return to premium television of Emmy® Award-winning actress Edie Falco. The series, inspired from the provocative journal of a real-life Manhattan ER nurse, is executive produced by Caryn Mandabach, John Melfi, Liz Brixius and Linda Wallem. <snip>

For audiences who might be yawned-out from typical medical shows, NURSE JACKIE isn't about unwittingly handsome doctors or bizarre medical conditions. It's not Seattle Grace or County General. It's All Saints, and we experience it through Jackie's point of view -- a blue-collar, subway-riding, working mom from Queens. "Nurses are heroes," says Brixius, "they're like firemen. Those are the stories we want to tell -- A fiercely protective nurse and mother whose life is complicated and full of double-standards." Wallem continues: "Jackie Peyton doesn't have magical powers or solve crimes. She is hard working and trying to make a living and is great at her job, but very flawed and very heroic."<snip>

A New York City emergency room is a melting pot where all walks of life come on the worst days of their lives to be treated. Working alongside Jackie at the All Saint's ER is a staff that is itself a microcosm of the city, equally dramatic, hilarious and flawed...<snip>

It's a high-wire act, juggling patients, doctors, an addiction to pain killers, and a picture-perfect family. Her husband, Kevin Peyton (Dominic Fumusa) and daughters Grace and Fiona (RUBY JERINS and DAISY TAHAN) experience Jackie as a focused and loving wife and mother. "She definitely has a bunch of different lives going on simultaneously but they're mutually exclusive," says Falco. "Somehow she's managing to keep them both going at a high rate of functionality. There's something psychotic about it, but completely intriguing and interesting to me."

NURSE JACKIE is at turns wicked, heartbreaking and funny. At its center is a character, compelled by her own sense of morality. As Brixius says, "If she didn't think what she was doing was justifiable, she wouldn't be doing it. Jackie is, among many things, a lapsed Catholic - who is faithful to her vision of right and wrong. She's proud, and she's smart. She's a little bit like 'Dirty Harry' if 'Dirty Harry' were a nurse...and a lady...in her forties."

Perhaps there will be a time when Jackie can break free of her secrets and addictions, but until that time, NURSE JACKIE offers a riveting glimpse inside the heart and soul of a functioning addict, a loving wife, mother, and a first-class nurse. Falco says, "Jackie is a force to be reckoned with...She gets done what needs to get done and doesn't let anyone or anything get in her way."

I am literally counting down the days until the show premieres. (But then again, I'd probably watch Edie Falco read from the phone book.)

Edited by Ms Snarkasm, May 13, 2009 @ 9:23 PM.

[Mindymoo]

I have been waiting for this show ever since I saw a preview for it after "United States of Tara." I also adore Edie Falco, and I hope this show is good enough for her. She is such a brilliant actress. I was pretty let down with Showtime after the crap that was "The Tudors" and how deplorable the quality of "Dexter" became, but if this is even half as good as USOT, my faith in Showtime may be coming back.

[SimoneS]

I have been searching for a thread on Nurse Jackie. Is it really a comedy? The promos look so good and Edie Falco is amazing. I can't wait for the premiere.

[Ms Snarkasm]

Yep, Simone, it's listed as a black comedy. And much to my great disappointment, it's only a 30 minute show. Like 'United States of Tara', the previews of 'Nurse Jackie' leave me pretty certain that being limited to only half an hour a week is going to leave me wanting.

[thispooiscold]

Did anyone see the premiere yet? It's up on Showtime On Demand if anyone's interested. I don't want to spoil anything, but I think it was provocative enough to keep me watching.

[braggtastic]

Is this a comedy? I just watched at showtime.com (1st issue up for free with curses dropped out) & I think I'd classify it as more of a drama. I'm definitely going to order showtime to watch this & Weeds over the summer.

Edie Falco is so great. Love her haircut, love her. The supporting players are promising as well, especially the female doctor.

[cyn00]

The first episode is on Boxee, for those that have it. I loved this show in the first five minutes.

(edited: doh! Just saw the post about it being up at showtime.com)

Edited by cyn00, May 30, 2009 @ 11:39 PM.

[cyberducks]

This looks really interesting - the last time I had the same gut feeling about a Showtime drama was when Dexter was starting.

[fadooski]

I just saw the first episode online and I liked it! It was a good pilot. I was worried that maybe a half-hour format mightn't be enough but that wasn't a problem. Very pleased.

[selkie]

Had a sense that they were having to cram a little too much into the pilot, but overall I liked it. Edie Falco is still an amzing actress, and the other nurses seemed like interesting supporting characters.

[MizStaken]

Just curious as to if the writers actually talked to any nurses before writing this. This show is realistic in some areas, totally off in others. I really need to go work at that hospital because it seems the nurses have a lot of downtime.

[janeway452]

Just caught this first episode on Netflix. I want more Nurse Jackie! Good move by Showtime to show it like this. Just like drug dealers to give a free sample and then you're hooked!

I've got a real problem with TWOP classifying this as a "comedy," or was it Showtime? Sure there were humerous overtones, maybe call it a dramedy (sp?), but unless they were going for funny ha ha, the arrogant doctor not listening to Jackie causing the patient to die, or her predicament ("What do you call a nurse with back pain? Unemployed.") of having chronic back pain, this is much more drama. Scrubs is a comedy. This may be considered a black comedy, but maybe only because it's a half hour show.

I absolutely love this show, Edie Falco is absolutely wonderful. This really ought to be a one hour show.

[Snark Shark]

Besides all of the other places already mentioned, it's even (legally) up on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=FGyWMdCWUrc

Haven't watched yet, but I think I will be doing so.

[Princess Lucky]

I love Edie Falco, Facinelli is always a welcome presence on any tv show and I have liked the actor who plays the pharmacist for many years.

That said, I liked the show but I didn't love it. I will definitely watch more episodes but I'm not embracing it 100% just yet, something appears to be missing. Plus, it has way too many stereotypical characters, including Jackie herself (experienced nurse who knows more than the doctors, young hotshot doctor, sassy gay male nurse, British serious doctor who doesn't get emotionally attached to patients, mild-mannered pharmacist who prescribes pills to his significant other, token silent husband etc). However, those characters are peppered with strange traits and the writing is really above average, as are the performances. So I'm sticking with it.

Also, I want to put myself in the camp of those who think the tone of the show doesn't mesh with the duration of its episodes. It really should be an 1-hour show.

[80sGirl]

Haven't seen the show yet (we live in Italy and don't get satellite) but hope to see it this summer when we move to the States. Edie Falco I've only seen in The Soprano's but look forward to watching her stretch her wings. Is this a summer replacement? Or can I hope that it will be on past September??

The best news of this show for me is Eve Best!! I LOVE her. Mind you, our only experience with her was a few years ago, we saw her in "A Moon For The Misbegotten" in London. My heavens ... she was luminescent on that stage. Spoke to her briefly afterward, a lovely lady. So happy to have another chance to see her act.

[Pixel]

Just curious as to if the writers actually talked to any nurses before writing this. This show is realistic in some areas, totally off in others. I really need to go work at that hospital because it seems the nurses have a lot of downtime.

Yeah, I had a problem with a lot of stuff in the show regarding sterotypes, etc. I didn't like it much, but I always remind myself that pilots are often the weakest episode of any series because they have so much ground to cover.

[Novus Questus]

I just watched it online and am really excited about it, but am looking forward to my step-mom's reaction. She's a long time nurse and in management now, but did a lot of work in the ER.

[ParkerSister]

I watched the first ep. I want to thank TWoP for letting me know this was a comedy.

I like the concept of the show, i.e. focusing on a brassy, smart medic, with a secret drug problem due to a physical ailment. I've always enjoyed shows with original concepts.

[Loey]

I don't get Showtime, so I won't be watching this. But I hope it lasts so they keep playing the commercial featuring Jackie Blue.

Love me some Ozark Mountain Daredevils.

[Featherhat]

I like the concept of the show, i.e. focusing on a brassy, smart medic, with a secret drug problem due to a physical ailment. I've always enjoyed shows with original concepts.

Heee.

[OptimisticCynic]

The best news of this show for me is Eve Best!! I LOVE her. Mind you, our only experience with her was a few years ago, we saw her in "A Moon For The Misbegotten" in London. My heavens ... she was luminescent on that stage. Spoke to her briefly afterward, a lovely lady. So happy to have another chance to see her act.

I saw her when she took the production to New York. Agreed - fantastic. I was disappointed she didn't win a Tony for that performance.

She was also wonderful in "The Homecoming."

Edited by OptimisticCynic, Jun 4, 2009 @ 10:44 AM.

[Joan Van Snark]

Ehhh. Watched the premiere on On Demand. Love Edie, but I find she is almost TOO abrasive here to be likeable. It wasn't TERRIBLE (not quite), but nothing I'm dying to see more of? Kind of funny that Carm finally got to make it with Father Intintola, though!

[Madmarsha]

I loved it. I had thought, tho, that in addition to the drugs (which I had thought were going to be more recreational than self-medicating) that she was also going to turn out to be one of those nurse mercy killers.

[Wittgenstein]

The best things about the show were the casting - it was astute to cast Schulze finally getting off on more than a 'whiff' of Falco's sexuality, Eve Best fleshed out a caricature and Falco was (of course) first rate as Nurse Jackie.

Otherwise, I found the writing heavy handed and self important when it wasn't being obvious or cliched.

Hopefully, it gets better.

[Joisgreat97]

I like the concept of the show, i.e. focusing on a brassy, smart medic, with a secret drug problem due to a physical ailment. I've always enjoyed shows with original concepts.

I seriously just lol irl!

I didn't love the premiere. Maybe it'll get better over time. NBC is coming out with a drama about nurses, and TNT is as well, so I'll be on the look out for those.

[janeway452]

I just re-watched this and (I know that I have to get over this) I cannot comprehend how TWOP would classify this in the "Sitcom and Other Yukky Stuff." Even Netflix classed it as a dramedy. Sure there are funny parts, but just not feeling like a comedy to me and "black" comedy doesn't feel right either. Oh, well...I guess there probably have been other classifications that seemed wrong to some.

[Featherhat]

I just re-watched this and (I know that I have to get over this) I cannot comprehend how TWOP would classify this in the "Sitcom and Other Yukky Stuff." Even Netflix classed it as a dramedy. Sure there are funny parts, but just not feeling like a comedy to me and "black" comedy doesn't feel right either. Oh, well...I guess there probably have been other classifications that seemed wrong to some.

True but Showtime is classing it as a comedy, as it still does with Weeds even though that has got more and more pure half hour drama over the years. And "United States of Tara" isn't exactly hilarious, more drama than anything.

[janeway452]

I wonder if it has something to do with it being only a half hour. I didn't realize that Weeds was a half hour too. Can you remember there being any other half hour dramas? But if you think of it, comedies have always been only a half hour. I never gave it much thought before this. Maybe it's time to be innovative and Showtime could be the forerunner and maybe is without really planning to--half hour dramas or dramedies. I tried watching Weeds but couldn't get beyond 15 minutes. I'm anxious to see USOT, but will have to wait until it comes out on DVD. We are and networks are so accustomed to 1 hour dramas and 1/2 hour sitcoms. Showtime you can be first!

[CoveredInGaston]

Hello to the old thread! When does Nurse Jackie come back for season 4?

[Fisher King]

Monday, April 8 is the premiere date.
Cannot wait. It's going to be great.