bettycjung 1/24/18. Just finished watching the entire 7 seasons of Nurse Jackie. Wow. What a series! This is probably one of the best medical drama series I have seen, even though it is called a dramedy. Did not exactly liked the ending, but it was right for the series. Rather than call this Nurse Jackie, perhaps, they should have called it Jackie Peyton Addict, RN. The entire series was basically about a female addict who was a great nurse, despite her addiction and how she used drugs to deal with her hectic life. It is a well-done cautionary tale of how drug addiction ruins lives of those addicted and those who try to love and help them. Wonderful casting, great screenwriting and realistic depictions of emergency room medicine. Falco was excellent as Nurse Jackie and I am surprised she did not win more awards for her realistic portrayal of a high-functioning junkie until she wasn't. The 7 seasons just flew by. Catch this when you can.

qui_j The premise of this show is a study of addiction in a Nurse who can function while still being an addict. The focus is supposed to be on the characters and their interaction with one another. The problem is that it's set in a hospital where the medical situations are totally implausible and unbelievable. Many of the things that the nurse does in the series would just not be possible in a hospital. She knows more than the doctors, speaks to people like she's in charge etc. While I'm all for strong female leads in series, they have to be put in believable situations, not constantly living in a fantasy world. This departure from reality gets worse as the series progresses. If attention had been paid to detail, and maybe the show had a medical consultant to advise on the situations, it might have a bit more credibility.

kateharrah Where to start?This intelligent, half-hour Showtime offering has its comic moments, but trust me, this is NOT a comedy."Nurse Jackie," a brilliant ensemble series, is worth your time and attention, for several reasons.1. EDIE FALCO. Need I say more?2. Some of the best writing to be found. Dialogues ring true; situations are (mainly) plausible.3. Incredibly accurate portrayals of both ER life and addiction. As a nurse myself, I can say this is the most on-point show created in terms of authenticity.4. Highly entertaining comic relief from the talented Merrit Wever. The show would not shine as brightly without her. Watch her superb physicality in some of her scenes. Wever is a gem! She deserved that Emmy. 5. Although some episodes/plot arcs were a bit tedious, overall this series is lean and taut.After a tremendous finale (truly perfect, by my reckoning), I felt somewhat emotionally overwhelmed and in need of some discussion with others. But I live in Asia, and nobody I know watches it. So I lurked on a few forums...The most astute observation I came across said this: Jackie's primary addiction was to nursing; her secondary addiction--drugs--only facilitated (in her mind, at least) her ability to pursue nursing, albeit in an obsessive, all-encompassing way.I've encountered nurses like this. I feel it has something to do with entering a profession that is under-validated, undervalued, and less visible than MDs, that finds some nurses becoming too intensely identified with their roles as healers/martyrs/unsung "saints." (Jackie was oft called a saint, and it was an important thread throughout).But here's the kicker: (IMO) This is NOT a learned reaction stemming from their "secondary" roles to MDs; rather, it is a career (and life) CHOICE and DECISION (albeit unconsciously, in most cases) to pursue the saint//martyr role from the beginning. I've seen this choice played out with many nurses and EMTs. Looking at Jackie's obsession through this lens makes me truly appreciate the nuanced writing and acting that brings this subtlety to light.Commit to this engaging series and just muddle through the occasional sub-par bits. It's truly worth it. And watch it with another/others if you can. You might just need some "talk therapy" when it's all over!

The Couchpotatoes Drugs, drugs, drugs! Interesting and funny show/drama about a drug addicted nurse. You can easily recognize the drug addict that you know in real life. Always coming up with excuses, or trying to fool everybody just to get their next fix. The constant lying to their entourage and themselves just to hide their addiction. Then trying to stop their drug habit but relapsing over and over again. People trying to help but not really understanding how an addict thinks and behaves. Edie Falco puts down a very good performance. The other characters are all very well played. Normally I do not like hospital series but this one is the exception. Watch this series and you could get addicted to it.