Falco distracts from 'Nurse Jackie'

Last Updated: 8:42 AM, March 22, 2010

Posted: 2:20 AM, March 22, 2010

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Linda Stasi

Tv Critic

"Nurse Jackie" Tonight at 10 on Showtime ½

Jackie, the world's most irresistibly gorgeous, naughty, nurse/man magnet is back to break more young men's hearts and spirits this season. And you'd have to be as big a pill-popper as Jackie is to believe it for one minute.

Look, I love Edie Falco -- and who doesn't? But to think that every man she meets falls dangerously in love with her character, Nurse Jackie -- thief, junkie, disloyal wife and big ho' who will have sex with anyone with a prescription pad -- is the stuff of high sci-fi.

But that's what we're asked to buy into every week. In case you didn't catch the first season, Falco plays a burnt-out, middle-aged nurse and mother who doesn't do anything to make herself appealing other than snort drugs and cut her hair shorter than Vin Diesel.

This season, her drug habit is worse, her personality is more unpleasant and her patience with the men who fantasize about her is shorter than her hair, and yet, they line up to die for her. Literally.

Fired pharmacist Eddie (Paul Schulze), who is a broken man now that Jackie won't shag him because he can't supply her with drugs any longer, is so heartbroken he overdoses when she won't return his texts. One of the first things he says when he comes out of a coma and sees her is, "You look great by the way." Not, "Am I dead?" Not, "I'm so sick." No. It's all about her gorgeousness.

Worse, in the opening scene, Jackie's gorgeous, younger husband, Kevin (Dominic Fumusa), stares down into her face as she lies on the beach. Kidding him, she says, "Sorry I'm married." He looks at her with lust and says, "Lucky guy!"

Then, there's young Dr. "Coop" (Peter Facinelli). He willingly humiliates himself in front of student nurse Zoey (Merritt Wever) by begging Jackie to attend "Hair" with him after he's killed himself to get forth row seats just to seduce her. "There is no 'us.' Go away," she seethes at him.

None of these men ever notice the hot nurses and female docs strewn about the hospital like loose change at the vending machine. Seriously.

The few plot lines that don't revolve around her sex appeal -- such as her older daughter becoming everything-aphobic, Eddie becoming crazy, and Dr. O'Hara (Eve Best) moving at warp speed on her self-destruction path -- are all so interesting, it makes you long for more.

Too bad it's come down to just a showboating thing with Falco, which is either the fault of the writers or the actress herself. And that's a real shame because it gets in the way of what is otherwise a very good show. I mean, the whole idea of a junkie, tough-talking, no-nonsense nurse is great. Too bad she fools around so much.

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Maxim

03/23/2010 6:11 AM

I agree with Stasi. However, Nurse Jackie sucks for so many reasons the least of which is that Falco is not pretty.
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angelsong1

03/23/2010 12:14 AM

I love this show. Edie was so cheated on and pushed to the side in the Sopranos its refreshing to she HER running the show. I think all on there are good actors, and I agree with you Tony Barrett, the show is pure entertainment, shes playing a part, she is an actress and that's what I want to see, if I want "reality" there are many horrible shows to choose from.

Give it a chance with an open mind and suspend disbelief, I think you'll enjoy it.......
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Amazins1

03/22/2010 9:32 PM

nurse jackie a man-eater? I'd rather bang the girl from that movie "Precious" than her......actually, no i wouldnt...not at all
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billybob

03/22/2010 5:20 PM

she is horrible looking
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bigmaxnosauce

03/22/2010 3:55 PM

In the words of Tiger Woods,

I want to make you sore!

Talking about you Linda not Edie
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BaJimini

03/22/2010 11:27 AM

For those into take-us-away entertainment, Nurse Jackie is a hoot. I, for one, think it's got to be pretty hard portraying someone you're most definitely not. Falco, in real life, can look as gorgeous as any other actress, if and when she wants. To me, she's nailed down just about everyone of the characters she's portrayed in the past. As Nurse Jackie, she's not trying to look good. Having many acquaintances in the hospital/medical world, this fictional TV series "ain't too far from the truth." Reality bites. But being able to laugh at a bit of exaggeration here and there does the body good.
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ShallowGraves

03/22/2010 11:16 AM

This show is nothing more than a middle age woman's fantasy.. I watched last season's DVD's and never bought that she was married to the guy who plays her husband. He barely looks 30, and she's nearly 50. Sure, the pharmacy guy makes sense at least his age is in the same decade.
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DiamondLil

03/22/2010 10:57 AM

I am a big Falco fan, and I also feel it's a little out of the ozone layer that all men would be so taken with her. I mean she has a gorgeous husband, a Doctor who has fallen coo coo crazy for her and the fired pharmacist all stalked out. She's not exactly the sex siren who would, to the blind eye, have all these men dropping at her feet. I just don't get it, although it's nice for a change to see a regular character getting all the attention, not the knock down gorgeous sexy maneater that usually gets to play this sort of role. When it's not all about Edie, the show is smart, it's well written and the supporting cast of characters doth make for a great half hour of television.