The TV Chick

When last we left our favorite sarcastic, quirky hospital crew, Nurse Jackie was passed out on the floor after taking a great deal of morphine. When we pick it up, Jackie is very tan, on vacation with her family and seems really happy. Kevin gives Jackie the ring he and Fiona picked out for her. She gives him a card (which is rare). Grace is still struggling with her anxiety issues, but Fiona is happy as ever and finds a dead animal skull on the beach and insists on sending it to Dr. O’Hara. Later, Dr. O’Hara very kindly offers to set up college funds for the girls with her inheritance money from her mother insisting that her and Fiona are kindred spirits.

After vacation, Jackie returns to the chaos she left. Akalitus has hired a new nurse. Remember Sam who was a temp at the end of last season and high on drugs? Yeah, he’s back. Supposedly he completed rehab and had many glowing recommendations. Mo-Mo’s gone….which makes me very sad, because he was fantastic. They don’t really address it too much other than that he was underpaid but besides Sam, all the regular crew are back.

Jackie is now stealing drugs from the pixus. There is a hilarious scene in the premiere where Akalitus asks her to show everyone how it works, and she steals a vial from underneath everyone’s eyes. Zoey talks to Akalitus about her “desk duty,” and the incident with the ear. Thor has his own problems, and struggles with diabetes during a procedure.

And Sam…I don’t really care much for Sam. (Maybe because Jackie doesn’t?) He believes he and Jackie are now kindred spirits because of Jackie’s drug problems, and offers to go to a meeting with her. She of course, rebuffs him and denies her addiction. I just think he isn’t as funny and doesn’t have as much personality as Mo-Mo did. I understand why he is there — eventually someone will find out about Jackie taking drugs — but I wish he was more of a developed character instead of being the temp who used to have a drug problem. I guess in time that could change.

Anyway, what Sam lacks, Zoey makes up in strides. She absolutely cracks me up. Ever since she found Jackie and Eddie sleeping together, she has sort of gotten closer to Jackie but in their own weird way…and I love it. I think Jackie is beginning to trust her more and truly care about her. Coop, pissed off at Jackie’s rejection (which happens in front of Zoey), files a formal complaint against her without any real substance to his claim. I don’t want to spoil too much but I will say at the end of the episode Andy comes back into the picture and does something extremely moronic to get Jackie’s attention.

I really enjoyed this premiere episode. I am sad Mo-Mo is gone (come back!) and could probably do without Sam, but I adore the show. What I think makes it so unique is that I really am rooting for Jackie and have been all along. She is messed up in so many ways but she is the heroine of the hospital. She is constantly saving lives and cutting corners to do so (sometimes not in the most legal way) so you want her to come out on top. Even when she is in the bathroom snorting whatever she can get her hands on, I want her to be okay. I adore her daughters. I think Grace’s struggles are quite interesting and I want to see what happens (I have wanted to since season 1 of course). I think that a show that can make you root for someone who does drugs and cheats on her husband, must be brilliant. This is a testament to the wonderful acting on the part of Edie Falco, and the entire cast. Even in the gross moments (someone got their fingers shot off in this episode), there is Zoey with her bunny scrubs, and her quick wit to lighten the mood.

I cannot wait to see more, and I will be writing up advance reviews of a bunch of the next episodes along with other coverage and video previews so be sure to check back. And tune in tonight at 10 pm to Showtime for the 2nd season premiere of Nurse Jackie.