After just completing its fourth season, "Nurse Jackie" asserts itself anew as the strongest of Showtime's wave of femme-centric series, a movement that began with the whimsical but trivial Mary Louise Parker-led "Weeds" and most recently includes the Laura Linney vehicle "The Big C" which just concluded a discouraging third season and has yet to be renewed.
At first it seemed unlikely that Emmy winner Edie Falco would be able to shed her indelible role as Carmela Soprano and emerge as a wholly fresh character. After only a few episodes, it became clear that Falco's range had only been hinted at on a show that in retrospect underutilized her talents and thus unwittingly set her up for a chance to shine at the center of a new ensemble series.
The show's creators wisely set up the initial premise that Falco's Jackie Peyton is a drug addict and thus her narcissistic, destructive behavior is framed at the start. That her arc has been remarkably consistent is testament not only to solid writing and directing, but the consistently powerful work of an ensemble that has gradually evolved over the years to include mainstays Peter Facinelli and Anna Deveare Smith as well as Brit Eve Best and season-long guest star Bobby Cannavale in a compelling but disciplined role.
This season not only saw Cannavale's officious administrator threaten to upend the endearingly eccentric work culture of the show, but also saw Peyton's marriage to the handsome, stoic Dominic Fumusa unravel. Did I mention Peyton finally made it to rehab, where she befriended a teenager named Charlie, astutely played by Cannavale's real life son Jake? Through all the events of the series, Falco holds the center with her arsenal of quips, denials, and steely determination.
Folding in guest stars is not always an easy task for an established series, as evidenced by the amusing but thankfully concise arc of Susan Sarandon on "The Big C". When it was announced that Rosie Perez would be joining "Jackie" this season, I feared her unsubtle persona would threaten the delicate balance of this remarkably consistent show. Relieved was I, then, when Perez was here and gone long before the season's potent climactic finale.
Whether Deavere Smith, Paul Shulze's Eddie and Dominic Fumusa will return is unclear, but what is likely is that whomever is added to the cast will be an astute ensemble player who is likely to augment the series, not detract from the work of Falco and her wonderful team.
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