This episode is made up of a number of small moments. It introduces Nurse Jackie (Edie Falco) and her supporting cast. It opens with Peter, a bike messenger who was in an accident. Jackie tries to tell Dr. Cooper that he might have a brain injury but the doctor doesn't listen to her. Peter dies. Jackie has to deal with his mother and his brothers. She gives Dr. Cooper a hard time about it and he grabs her breast and claims it is a condition that he has. Jackie also has to deal with Peter's girlfriend who is very pregnant and doesn't have any money.
Zoey, new to the hospital and the nursing profession, is assigned to Jackie. Zoey is very chatty. Jackie doesn't like chatty. Zoey throws up when she is handed a severed ear. The ear was brought in with a woman who was badly cut up. The ear belongs to the guy who cut her. He shows up later on hoping to get his ear sowed back on. He's a diplomat so charges aren't going to be pressed against him. Jackie flushes the ear down the toilet after she hears him go on about how the woman wanted to get cut.
Jackie is dedicated but far from perfect. She is taking medication without a prescription. She forges the bike messenger's name to facilitate donating his organs. She has back problems. Eddie, one of the pharmacists in the hospital, is getting her the drugs. She's also having an affair with him. His relationship status is unclear but Jackie is married.
Thoughts
I was amused to see that Eddie is played by Paul Schulze who played Father Intintola in Season 1 of the Sopranos. I thought he looked familiar but it wasn't until I looked through his credits that I was able to figure out what it was that had seen him in before.
I've been meaning to give this show a try for quite some time. I probably shouldn't be surprised that I enjoyed this episode. I like the fact that Jackie is flawed. Edie Falco is wonderful. I think she makes it work. I'm not sure that the show would work for me if there was a different actor in the lead role.
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