Wish Nurse Jackie a "Happy F**king Birthday"

Article first published as NURSE JACKIE Season 5 Premiere Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 94%

Showtime’s NURSE JACKIE is back, and it’s time to wish the titular character a “Happy F**king Birthday.” In the season premiere, set the day before Jackie’s (Edie Falco) anniversary of being born, things are falling apart. Jackie may be sober, but with her support system dwindling, and beset by negative thoughts and feelings, will she stay strong?

I’ll be honest, considering that “Happy F**king Birthday” picks up months later, I didn’t think that there was any way that Jackie would still be sober. I won’t spoil if she is or not, but the episode does a good job of keeping the viewer guessing, with circumstances providing a confusing gray area, until the end of the episode, in which there’s a near-perfect scene involving a ring box that says a lot of who this woman is and what point she is at in her life.

But before we get to that, it’s another day in the life of Jackie. Kevin (Dominic Fumusa) is doing everything he can to make things difficult for her, presumably as pay back for Jackie’s infidelity. They fight over the girls (Ruby Jerins and Mackenzie Aladjem), and he won’t even give his ex-wife a straight answer as to whether she can see the kids on her birthday.

I think this does contribute towards Jackie’s feelings when O’Hara (Eve Best) drops a big announcement concerning her infant. Jackie doesn’t feel her life as a mother is fair, and wants O’Hara in the same boat. It’s probably not all selfish, as Jackie genuinely needs her bestie’s support during this trying time. But there is definitely a little bit of jealousy when O’Hara gets to be there for her son and Jackie doesn’t have her daughters around.

To make matters worse, early in the episode Zoey (Merritt Wever) announces that she thinks it’s time to move out. I really love the dynamic between Zoey and Jackie, one of the strongest elements of the show, and I don’t feel like we’ve had nearly enough of them as roommates. Jackie is understandably happy about Zoey’s decision, as Zoey does get on her nerves, but I think, given Jackie’s present loneliness, she’ll be wishing Zoey lived with her again soon enough.

The question is, will Jackie speak up before it’s too late? She’s too late to salvage things with Kevin, which puts a cramp on her parenting style, and a serious damper on her love life. She’s too late to be a factor in O’Hara’s decision (which is a doozy, I promise). Will Zoey be yet another missed opportunity by Jackie?

My guess is, Eddie (Paul Schulze) will help fill the void in Jackie’s life. This is just a theory, based on small hints in the episode, but they seem to be on good terms, and she needs a friend.

Jackie isn’t a bad person and doesn’t deserve her unhappines. Yes, she has lied and cheated, but isn’t addiction a disease? Couldn’t Kevin be a little more understanding? And now that she has made efforts towards controlling her habit, she will continue to gain more sympathy. She has done bad things, undeniably, but that doesn’t make her a bad person.

We see some of the good things that Jackie does in “Happy F**king Birthday.” Akalitus (Anna Deavere Smith) has her job back, and that’s all thanks to Jackie. Jackie also manipulates a patient to purchase a very expensive, but badly needed, piece of equipment for the hospital. That is a noble need, even if it’s carried out in a method that’s a bit shady. Things like these help Jackie make up for the bad things she has done.

As usual, there are a couple of new characters joining NURSE JACKIE this season. One in particular Jackie gets off on the wrong foot with, of course. The new guy (Morris Chestnut, V) used to be in the army, but of course Jackie misjudges him in their first encounter, as his her pattern when someone else arrives at All Saints. Ah, well. I’m sure it’ll sort itself out as the season progresses.

There is no misjudging the other, Dr. Roman (Betty Gilpin, Ghost Town), though. She is all pretty looks and not much else, skating by and using her hot body to manipulate others. Even those who are not attracted to her, but instead desperate for approval, bend over backwards to please her. Which means Cooper (Peter Facinelli) and Zoey are wrapped around her fingers. She is definitely there to shake things up and cause trouble. Which is why I hope she lasts at least a little while, detestable as she is.

Roman does present an opportunity for Cooper to grow, though, which is a positive to her presence. Jackie pushes Cooper to act like an adult, and we’ll have to wait and see how well he will follow through on Jackie’s nudge.

Lastly, a former hospital staffer gets their job back (besides Akalitus, I mean). I cannot possibly say who and ruin anything, but I think most NURSE JACKIE fans will be pleasantly surprised and touched when, late in the half hour, the development occurs.

For those who love NURSE JACKIE, myself among them, “Happy F**king Birthday” is equal parts a way to catch us up on what has happened during the interim, and a glad return to a beloved favorite. The episode has serious developments, but is also an excellent example of a typically great installment.

I would not recommend missing NURSE JACKIE’s fifth season premiere, this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime.

Nurse Jackie - "...Deaf Blind Tumor Pee-Test"

     Showtime's Nurse Jackie's third season finale, named "...Deaf Blind Tumor Pee-Test," wraps up the year nicely, with a number of major developments. The biggest may be that Jackie's (Edie Falco) husband, Kevin (Dominic Fumusa) reveals he had an affair, and Jackie kicks him out of the house. But a number of other important events occur, too, such as Cooper (Peter Facinelli) getting left at the alter, and Akalitus (Anna Deavere Smith) deciding Jackie is important enough to deny HR a drug test. The statues return to the chapel at the hospital. Zoey (Merritt Wever) considers another man besides boyfriend Lenny (Lenny Jacobson).


     Jackie forcing Kevin to move out of the house has nothing to do with his affair. Sure, she might be a bit jealous, but she carries on an affair for a long time with Eddie (Paul Schulze). Instead, Jackie is feeling trapped in her life, not able to do the things she wants, and having the walls close in on all sides. As her co-workers find out about her personal life, and everyone begins to suspect, if they don't already know, that Jackie has an addiction problem, one thing she can control, to get a bit of space for herself, is getting rid of her husband. Kevin's admission is merely a convenient excuse for Jackie to pull away, something she is already doing with him anyway. Whether she will eventually fix the marriage on Nurse Jackie or not is up in the air.

     It's interesting to see so many people becoming involved in Jackie's life, and by extension, her being involved in theirs. She has always maintained separate home and professional lives, but as her mistakes get bigger and bigger, she self-destructively ties the two worlds together tighter and tighter. Or maybe it's for the best. O'Hara (Eve Best) was Jackie's sole confidant, but Zoey has forced her way in, and Kelly (Gbenga Akinnagbe) has real potential, now that they have connected over a shared interests in drugs. But Jackie's growing feelings of compassion for her co-workers, even the ones she calls annoying, is best exemplified as she quietly urges Cooper's fiance to go into the hospital and marry him, though the unheard whispers are for naught.

     Akalitus stands up for Jackie by throwing away a pee test she is pretty sure Jackie will not pass. This is a testament to Jackie's place at the hospital. But it also confirms a speculation, for which the evidence continually strengthens, that Jackie's boss knows about the pills Jackie takes. Because they do not affect her job performance, Akalitus allows Jackie to get away with it. But that doesn't mean they go unnoticed. It also makes it likely that Akalitus knows Jackie is making progress, or trying to, on her own, or that O'Hara is helping her, and there is no sense making unnecessary waves for an issue already being handled. Somewhat.

     O'Hara crosses a few lines for Jackie in the past on Nurse Jackie, but none as big as her latest one. Seeing few other available, attractive options, O'Hara tells Jackie she will provide her with a supply of drugs. O'Hara will be trying to ween Jackie off of narcotics, and give her things that will harm her less than some other options, but O'Hara is still supplying her best friend with illegal substances. This is a huge risk, as it would cost O'Hara her career, if not her freedom, if anyone ever found out. But their friendship is incredibly strong, and O'Hara values Jackie above almost anything else in this world. It's a true sign of love, and probably the best thing O'Hara can do for Jackie under the circumstances, though it's also enabling.

     Cooper has been running from his moms' split, and going to extremes while doing so. His wedding to a girl he has been seeing only three weeks, which he began planning before their first date, is stupid and impulsive. He likely knows this, but cannot help himself, so strong is his craving for someone steady in his life. Someone that really loves him. He feels abandoned, and because Cooper tends to act out in large, childish ways, it's a move that makes sense to him. But the fact that his bride cannot go through with it is a smart decision for them both, because a marriage under these circumstances is not one that is destined to last very long.

     Zoey already has a good man, but she's about to let it fall apart if she's not careful. Even though Lenny has been nothing but faithful to her and she loves him, she is sometimes less than satisfied with what he offers. When an attractive cop shows interest, Zoey returns the flirts. It's a volatile situation, and should Lenny observe continued interaction between the two, considering how he reacts when encountering Zoey treating the man the first time, he may not stick around. Or, a better scenario would be that Lenny decides to fight for Zoey. She may not deserve him, but they do make a pretty cute couple.

     It should also be mentioned that Nurse Jackie has comedic timing and supporting characters down solid at this point. The series boasts one of the best ensembles on television. Besides the characters mentioned above, both Sam (Arjun Gupta) and Thor (Stephen Wallem) contribute to the overall tone with their one liners and reactions to various situations. Neither generally gets a whole, large story to themselves, but without their contributions, the show would be lacking that glimmer of greatness and heart that sets it above so many other series. Wonderful writing and acting, all around.

     In all the commotion going on in "...Deaf Blind Tumor Pee-Test," it may be easy to miss a really important occurrence. Jackie's younger daughter, Fiona (Mackenzie Aladjem), lights a fire at school. While it could be innocent mistake made by a curious child, it could also be a sign of deeper issues. Kevin brings up both Fiona's recent actions, as well as other daughter Grace's (Ruby Jerins) mental issues, as evidence that the couple is not doing a good job parenting. And he's right. Kids can sense things that are wrong with grownups, and their spats may be causing serious damage to their offspring. How long before Fiona has as many problems as Grace does?


     Nurse Jackie will return to Showtime next year for a fourth season.

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Article first published as TV Review: Nurse Jackie - "...Deaf Blind Tumor Pee-Test" on Blogcritics.