Nurse Jackie, Season 3

<3 <3 <3

Okay, she is a character actress, but more importantly she has character. The roles she chooses reflects courage, intelligence and talent. Despite her unique ordinariness, Falco has incredible range that allows her distinctive, dare I say good looks, to become transcendent. She is Carmella, the hypocrite with a passionate soul, a bi heart and the balls it takes to deal with Tony and the crew. She is also Jackie, deftly maneuvering through everyone's tragedy but her own. She is also the ironically vulnerable prison guard in Oz -- which was a fine show but too demanding for me to keep up with the unrelenting horrors of captivity. Ok, there wasn't enough Edie to keep me engaged. With that said, I have watched the first 4 or 5 episodes of the 3rd season and find myself sort of feeling this way again. Sure, Falco is in just about every scene, and she's forced to ape the same few expressions again and again.Jackie is always patiently put upon, jones ing or figuring out another way to justify her increasingly immoral behavior. Part of the problem is an excess of silly subplots and sidekicks that take away from the inner struggle that made the show so compelling before. I like some of the characters, but they've been reduced to clowns, suggesting only Jackie's drug fueled desperation is the most serious matter. Even death seems trumped by bloody gross outs or the hammy actors who began respectfully The doctor with Tourette's and two moms is too obnoxious and two demensional to do more than bog this thing down. The other women are apparently self-absorbed twits,though the young nurse is impossible not to like and I am disappointed her initial charm is squandered on a dumb romance, dubious plot twist and the faithless efforts to keep the momentum of the show going without the substance. Substance abuse, as it were, is a substantial issue, and twisting it with a capable , functional addict who knows better was an absolute stroke of genus, though the universal wisdom is that doctors an nurses are very vulnerable to drug abuse given access, knowledge and the emotionally draining, physically exhausting work they do. I am so disappointed to see the writers drop this ball as they have it all. A great story line, a fine actress, an adequate supporting cast and potentially a show much deeper and grittier than House--- who is, notably, a total mess who is not nurturing nor likable like Jackie. He's not nearly the dope fiend she is either. He's actually everything she isn't. That's why this show should not be stumbling. It's not to late to rebound. I will have to watch the rest to see here it can and should go. As a writer myself, I recognize that the writers have printed themselves into a corner here.the only way out is to do the most unlikely thing like send Jackie to rehab where she takes over or have her screw up so badly she cannot get around it anymore. Make her lose it all and start fresh. Jackie cannot be flat and right ow she is flat an wasted, in every sense. Edie Falco deserves better.

From Oz to The Sopranos and now Nurse Jackie. The three roles couldn't be more different, really showcasing Falco's superb acting skills. She really blossoms in this role as the best no-nonsense drug-addicted nurse in NYC. Great comedy, terrific drama, and very well acted. Download, watch, and enjoy!