Finale of Nurse Jackie - What's In Store for Season 2?
What's worse: a nurse Jackie who is stoned on painkillers, or withdrawing from them?
This seems to be the dichotomy of the Jackie we see in most episodes of Nurse Jackie - the drug-addict who's somehow still managing to keep it all together - and the opiate-craving, agitated and unraveling Jackie we see in the finale.
By the finale of season one, which aired last night on Showtime, Jackie's world of addiction, lies, secrets and adultery has imploded.
Her boyfriend/hospital pharmacist/opiate-supplier, Eddie, has been replaced by an automated pharmacy machine that's accessed only with a password and tracks every pill it dispenses, and who it dispenses the medication to. Jackie's control over her secret drug addiction: Gone.
Soon after, Eddie (who recently surprised Jackie with a "1-year anniversary" gift), finds out Jackie's married, and stops by her husband Kevin's bar for a few drinks. Hours later, a drunk and uncontrollable Eddie shows up at the hospital and confronts Jackie - and we still don't know what, if anything, he told Kevin. Jackie's control over her secret love affair (and possibly, her family life): Gone.
Cut to an uncharacteristically frantic Jackie pacing the hospital bathroom, digging deep into her pockets for pills that aren't there. For the first time all season, her go-to pick-me-ups at the hospital - Eddie and her painkillers - have vanished, and a desperate Jackie downs three vials of morphine while lying on the floor of an empty hospital room.
That's how the finale ends: With a stoned Jackie lying on the floor - exactly how season one opened. Clearly, not much on a positive note has changed with Nurse Jackie. Jackie's world has officially collapsed. But what we don't know is how Jackie will pick up the pieces. Could season two be a turnaround? Could next season feature a nurse Jackie trying to get sober and succeeding?
Considering its Showtime, I'm going to have to say no. Showtime is characteristic for its dark humor - it's sex, drugs and dysfunctional characters. On the other hand, her affair is clearly over, and I have to wonder how she'll mange to keep her addiction going much longer without getting caught. (Even an obviously high temp nurse whom Jackie confronted for being high, fired back, "It takes one to know one.")
I see the potential for good things to come, and for us to eventually be able to erase the words "drug-addicted" and "adulterous" before "Nurse Jackie" - but things look like they might get worse before they get better.
The Star-Ledger had a great interview with Nurse Jackie's producers, Liz Brixius and Linda Wallem, where they reflect on the first season and offer teasers for season two. You can read the full article here, but I found this part interesting: Writer Alan Sepinwall asks the producers, "Something that's come up with a lot of my readers is about the logistics and the reasons behind Jackie keeping her family a secret from the folks at the hospital. How does she do this? [...]
"Wallem: [...] from our own experience of not being sober, what you do is you compartmentalize with your lies. It fuels the drama. You like to keep things separate. Season two, it's going to be a little harder for her to do that.
"Brixius: It's not particularly original for us to say it, but if you build a better mousetrap, you get a smarter mouse. It's fun to watch Jackie navigate her own contraption."
Jackie's mousetrap has definitely snapped. The question is whether Jackie will leave the trap behind and start anew, or simply try to wiggle herself out of it. Let us know what you think.