Instant Reaction: Nurse Jackie, “Chicken Soup” 6/22/09

It’s week three, and Showtime’s “Nurse Jackie” is starting to settle in a bit.  This week’s episode was a little less eventful (after the first two weeks it almost had to slow some), but it did pack some laughs.  The only major development plot-wise – Jackie’s lover, Eddie the pharmacist, may soon be replaced by a robot.  This is perhaps even more significant as a means of cutting off her drug supply.  The machine would basically account for each and every pill.

There was another development with Jackie’s daughter’s anxiety that could turn into a multi-episode arc.  Unfortunately it came to light through several minutes of characters talking about it and just one 30 second scene actually showing it.  Writing 101, dudes:  show don’t tell.  It means little to me at this point and came across as manipulative.

The self-contained hospital story of the week focused on an elderly couple and chicken soup this time.  It was probably the weakest of Jackie’s run thus far.  Not annoying, but certainly not engaging.  They chicken-fisted it.

The comedy came primarily during an exchange between Jackie and Coop (Peter Facinelli), whom is starting to define himself as the show’s funniest character.  Facinelli’s dimwitted yet enthusiastic doctor plays a nice counterpoint to the hard-nosed Jackie.