Your Entertainment Corner

<i>Nurse Jackie – “Nice Ladies” Review. The Best Laid Plans.

  • By

  • May 3, 2015

  • 8 mins to read

Season 7, Episode 4

Air Date: Sunday, May 3, 2015, 9 pm ET/PT on Showtime

Rating: ★★★★★

 

“Jackie’s not the first person in my life to profoundly disappoint me, Zoey. People like that, you just gotta let go of or you spend a lifetime trying to fix them, and ya can’t fix ‘em.” – Gloria Akalitus

Pitbull attorneys don’t come cheap, as Barry explains to Jackie and Eddie.

Jackie is a free woman, thanks to her silver tongued attorney Barry Wolfe (guest star Mark Feuerstein). Now all she needs to do is come up with the rest of the money she owes Barry so he’ll represent her at her “dismissal hearing.” But with her main squeeze Eddie (Paul Schulze) out of work after being unceremoniously dumped in last week’s episode, “Godfathering,” Jackie refuses his offer of help. Will Jackie be able to make enough money from Gabe (guest star Michael Esper) selling him the drugs she steals from Vivien (guest star Leslie Uggams)? Or will Jackie have to resort to other means to pay Barry the cash he requires to move forward with the lawsuit against Gloria (Anna Deavere Smith) and All Saints Hospital?

Jackie takes great pleasure in telling Gloria the criminal case against her is over, thinking she’ll be reassigned to the floor as a nurse. Not so, my fair addict; it’s not going to be that easy. What Jackie really wants to know during their heated conversation is whether she’ll have a job to go back to after the Norwegian developers buy All Saints and convert the hospital into “luxury condos.” The look on Gloria’s face when she hears this news is priceless. Shocked, much? Gloria thinks she knows everything but obviously, that’s not the case.

Firmly planted between the proverbial rock and hard place, Zoey finds it increasingly difficult to remain Jackie’s friend given all the restrictions Gloria puts on Jackie. Zoey tries her best to be a great monitor for Jackie but the exchange of words between them is like a sucker punch to Zoey’s gut. The disappointment on Zoey’s face is disheartening. Guess Jackie isn’t going to get one of Zoey’s sparkly stickers after all. I adore Weaver as Zoey. She brings a certain childlike quality to an otherwise intelligent and nurturing Zoey. I’m not crazy about the advice Gloria gives Zoey; she simply doesn’t understand Zoey and Jackie’s relationship.

Zoey tries to get out of her monitoring duties but Gloria lays down the law.

In spite of my adoration of Zoey, she irks me with what she tells Vivien’s daughter Charlane (guest star Tonya Pinkins) when she interrupts Jackie’s conversation with her. Not only is it discrediting to the hospital but it’s a slap to Jackie’s face. Who needs enemies with friends like that? Could it be Zoey is letting the power of her new status as head nurse go to her head? I love how Grace puts it, “When did you become an asshole?” Well said, Grace. Food for thought, Zoey. As an aside, it’s wonderful to see Grace and Jackie together again in a good place.

Coop (Peter Facinelli) asks Jackie a very interesting question—“Jackie, why are you here if you can’t do the thing you want to do so badly?” Although Jackie’s response makes sense, in a way, I don’t think what she tells Coop is part of her grand plan. Jackie is a user, plain and simple, and I don’t think she truly wants to get better. Jackie is all about not getting caught—always has been, always will be.

Jackie is a very clever woman; can you believe how she reaches out to Vivien? I thought my ears were deceiving me, though, with what Jackie tells her. I know Jackie has something up her sleeve—she always does—and the scene at the “Hasty Hills Retirement Community of Queens” proves me right. How ingenious!

Oh, Eddie. Why do you always make it so easy for Jackie?

Eddie loves Jackie and his support of her is admirable but he is nothing more than an enabler. “You did what you had to do.” Let’s face it, though; he’s been enabling Jackie for a long time. Just look at the new job he has—“a pharma babe,” as Jackie calls him. One or both of them is going to end up in big trouble; you can’t do what they’re doing and get away with it.

Other Observations

Carrie can say it anyway she wants but she just doesn’t want what Coop offers.

First, Carrie (Betty Gilpin) loses the baby and now she does something so reprehensible to Coop, I’m not sure I’m able to forgive her. Yes, she’s had a very rough time lately but Coop deserves better than how Carrie treats him. That said, Gilpin does a fabulous job in her scenes with Facinelli. She takes Carrie from ditzy blonde to adult as Carrie tries her best to let Coop down as easily as she can.

Overall

This season of Nurse Jackie is turning out to be one of its best with terrific acting, great dialogue, and exceptional directing. As a matter of fact, writer Abe Sylvia and director Keith Gordon do a stellar job with “Nice Ladies.” Jackie is facing even more problems than she had before. While she finds an alternate means of getting drugs to sell, Eddie unwittingly foils her plans with his bad temper. What is Jackie going to do now? As the final season of Nurse Jackie progresses, “Nice Ladies” begins to wrap up story lines. Hopefully, Carrie is right and Coop will realize what a nice thing she’s done for him. If you’ve read the news that Tony Shalhoub is joining the cast of Nurse Jackie, it’s a sure bet he’ll be in next week’s aptly titled episode, “Coop Out.”

So, what did you think of “Nice Ladies?” What’s Jackie going to do now that Eddie lost it on Gabe? How do you think Coop is going to handle Carrie’s rejection? Hit me up on Twitter @SeasideTV or leave your comments below.

 

Tune in to the final season of Nurse Jackie, Sundays at 9pm ET/PT, only on Showtime. Only eight episodes left!

Follow the show on Twitter, using hashtag #NurseJackie, and @SHO_Jackie and @SHO_PR. Like Nurse Jackie on Facebook, and stay up to date with the series on its official website.

You can also follow these cast members: Gloria @AnnaDeavereS, Thor @StephenWallem, Carrie @bettygilpin, Grace @RJerins, Fiona @mackieealadjem, and Coop @peterfacinell15 using hashtag #teamfacinelli.

All photos © 2015 Showtime Network, a wholly owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

 

Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!

Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!