42 replies to this topic

[TWoP Mars]

From Sho.com:

In episode 102, Jackie and her husband, Kevin, become concerned that their older daughter Grace is suffering from anxiety disorder; hospital administrator Mrs. Akalitus drinks Jackie's Percocet-laced coffee.

Written By: Liz Brixius & Linda Wallem

Edited by TWoP Mars, Jun 15, 2009 @ 10:54 PM.

[CaliforniaSun]

Surprised no one has commented. I liked it a lot, and I'm curious/excited to see what path this show will take.

I was really shocked when that man punched Jackie in the face, and I loved how the situation ended up.

[Skylergirl]

I loved this episode, especially after Mrs. Akalitus took the "special" sweet 'n all. I also loved how she told off the irresponsible mother who put her kid in harms way for a better photograph.

[BlakeSpeare]

It was funny when Akalitus was high as a kite, but who the hell grabs sweetener out of someone's hand, especially when it's a rare commodity?

And I also find it hard to believe that a nursing student (or anyone at a hospital) wouldn't get fired if it turned out that they flushed a patient's body part down a toilet, preventing it from being re-attached.

[swivel35]

Hilarious. I haven't laughed that hard at a tv show in a bloody long time. Writers? Love your work.

[Wittgenstein]

This show doesn't so much push the envelope as try to fill it with (supposedly) edgy stuff.

It's conventional and crappy to the core.

[marsha]

Edie Falco is always a joy to watch but I do wish this show was an hour rather than 30 minutes. It would really help to flesh out the characters and not have to rely so much on bite-sized bits of info about them here and there.

The one thing I'm curious about is why Jackie takes off her wedding ring before she enters the hospital and then puts it on just before she's about to see her family again. I mean, I'm assuming people at work know she's married and has children. I really enjoy this show though.

[noregrets]

I missed the subtext of the British doctor (whom I am taking a real liking to) getting dressed in the back of the cab.

What was the point of that?

[mookiestarz]

The one thing I'm curious about is why Jackie takes off her wedding ring before she enters the hospital and then puts it on just before she's about to see her family again.

I've been waiting for this to be explained, as well. I could see that she might want to take it off because it could get in the way while she worked but it seems to be more than that. Doesn't her boyfriend know about her husband and kids?

[CaliforniaSun]

The one thing I'm curious about is why Jackie takes off her wedding ring before she enters the hospital and then puts it on just before she's about to see her family again.

I thought the point of that was to suggest that the people at the hospital do not know about her husband and children.

[Arline]

I was iffy about the first episode, but I am really growing to like this show. A couple of my closest friends are nurses, and I kinda want to watch the show with them and get their takes.

Yay, Edie Falco Jackie and bitchy O'Hara doctor woman! I find those characters to be pretty awesome so far.

[fadooski]

I loved Elenor's reaction to the restaurant being closed and then her horror at Jackie's joke about buying her a hot dog!

[selkie]

The ring could be just that she doesn't want to have to worry about it catching on something when she's got to hold onto a patient.

[Novus Questus]

Mrs Akalitus was brilliant. Simply brilliant.

[cimbriano]

I thought the Mrs. Akilatus story was kind of silly. I know that she said the vicodin should always be swallowed whole otherwise the high would be really potent, but I think it was overplayed.

[Backstagebear]

I thought it was establised in the first episode that the guy she has sex with for drugs (however it's dressed up) thinks she is single - that's how she maintains her supply.

He asked her out at the end of the first episode, and she "postponed" it.

It's not to avoid "catching it on something". That was made obvious by how her husband wanted to come see her at work and she (not for the first time) postponed that, too.

[Skylergirl]

I thought the Mrs. Akilatus story was kind of silly. I know that she said the vicodin should always be swallowed whole otherwise the high would be really potent, but I think it was overplayed.

Actually it was percocet, although the same may be true of vicodin. I know it is true of oxycontin, which is why so many people want it. Oxy is a time released form of percocet, so it stands to reason (and no I am not a nurse, I just have a chronic pain condition :( )

I am seriously loving this show. I was still laughing this morning at the sight of Mrs. Akilatus not being able to figure out how to get out of the room. The only thing that doesn't make sense is didn't the sweet 'n all taste funny? I think most drugs taste gross.

And she can take the package from someone as they established in episode one that she is the big boss.

[athousandclowns]

The ring could be just that she doesn't want to have to worry about it catching on something when she's got to hold onto a patient.

Then you would leave it at home, not in a pocket where it might fall out while screwing on a medication cart or have it drop into an open wound.
I do really like this show so far but they need some technical advice.
Nurses do NOT leave the hospital for meals like they do on soap operas.
Would snorting percocet make you all happy or on edge? I never knew that medication like that was snorted or put in drinks...

[MyEyesSee]

My favorite part was "Thor" glaring menacingly at the violent guy and then reverting back to his less-than-threatening self. Hee!

[Crocodileguy1]

I thought the Mrs. Akilatus story was kind of silly. I know that she said the vicodin should always be swallowed whole otherwise the high would be really potent, but I think it was overplayed.

As someone who was prescribed Percocet after a surgery a few years ago, I found the portrayal quite close to what I felt taking the drug normally. If effects are heightened when crushed, then there is no doubt in my mind that that wasn't an "overplayed" vignette. I fell asleep standing up, and was completely incoherent after one pill taken orally as prescribed--I can't even imagine how ridiculous it would be all crushed up.

[hardy har]

As someone who was prescribed Percocet after a surgery a few years ago, I found the portrayal quite close to what I felt taking the drug normally. If effects are heightened when crushed, then there is no doubt in my mind that that wasn't an "overplayed" vignette. I fell asleep standing up, and was completely incoherent after one pill taken orally as prescribed--I can't even imagine how ridiculous it would be all crushed up.

True dat.

Plus, wouldn't Akilatus have ingested the equivalent of more than one Percocet? Jackie definitely crushed up more than 3 pills at the beginning of the episode.

[Milburn Stone]

This show doesn't so much push the envelope as try to fill it with (supposedly) edgy stuff.

It's conventional and crappy to the core.

As much as they "sold it" to me with the pilot, that's how much they didn't sell it to me with episode 2.

With the pilot, some here objected to the show not being a realistic portrayal of what a nurse would do. But with episode 2, nothing matched up with any recognizable human behavior.

Or maybe we just weren't in the mood this week.

Edited by Milburn Stone, Jun 16, 2009 @ 6:02 PM.

[gabbylee]

It seems like the writers want to show realism in the ER setting but they're not always getting it right. Being a nurse in a city hospital & working in the ER at times I can find plenty of problems. Why is Jackie the one to explain the boy's condition after surgery to his mother? This would never happen, where are the doctors that operated on him? She says that he's critical but stable & implies that he will eventually recover. There are plenty of things that could go wrong, brain damage being a big one.
Also she may be a smart nurse but you cannot always tell the doctors what they should do no matter how long you've worked there.
There are plenty of crazy things that happen in an ER but crushing percocet in your coffee, flushing a patients ear & then blaming it on a student all seem a bit much for one shift. And how is the pharmacist diverting his narcotics to give to his girlfriend. Maybe he'll end up losing his license over her.

[Jacob]

It's almost like it's not a documentary about nursing, but in fact a fictional narrative.

[Wittgenstein]

It's almost like it's not a documentary about nursing, but in fact a fictional narrative.

You still have to wonder where the writers got their poetic license from - it looks to me as if this show comes off the same production line as many television shows.

[Madmarsha]

As much as they "sold it" to me with the pilot, that's how much they didn't sell it to me with episode 2.

With the pilot, some here objected to the show not being a realistic portrayal of what a nurse would do. But with episode 2, nothing matched up with any recognizable human behavior

I'm right there with ya and altho this ...

It's almost like it's not a documentary about nursing, but in fact a fictional narrative

.. is true enough, something is making us having a problem with the "reality". Is it that it's off but not off enough that we're having trouble letting go of wanting to apply "real life" to it?

[Jacob]

looks to me as if this show comes off the same production line as many television shows.

I can't disagree. It's a television show, so that follows.

something is making us having a problem with the "reality". Is it that it's off but not off enough that we're having trouble letting go of wanting to apply "real life" to it?

Not sure what you mean by "us," but no, I'm not concerned about what stops you from enjoying the story you're being handed at all. If I were a vampire or space creature, I'd probably get upset about unimportant technical issues with stories about vampires or space creatures.

The rest of "us" are watching a story unfold and are interested to see where it's heading, rather than stopping by once a week to issue simple, absolute negativity, and issuing similarly content-free condemnations of anyone that disagrees or, for God's sake, enjoyed it.

Since I'm neither, I'm free to enjoy a well-told story without taking the specific content about specific vampires and specific space creatures personally, because I'm able to step out of the trap of being personally invested and see it as a story, first and foremost.

[missdavenport]

Jackie and her husband, Kevin, become concerned that their older daughter Grace is suffering from anxiety disorder

I watched the entire episode. (and with the exception of Jackie explaining the kid's condition after the surgery, really liked it) but I must have completely missed this bit. When did Jackie and her Husband worry about the daughter?

[Funyun]

Sometimes the synopsis' are off. It's probably going to be in next week's episode, but I can't confirm that, since I don't even remember the promo.

[Craptacular]

Yeah, that's a 3rd ep description.