Nurse Jackie - Premiere Party and Pilot Review

I think I bumped into Swoosie Kurtz's boob with my elbow last night. It was a crowded scene for the red carpet premiere of Showtime's next character-examination dramedy, Nurse Jackie, starring Edie Falco.

I was trying to make my way to the mini-burger station at the narrow reception hall of the Parker Meridien on W. 57^th street, and well... it happened. And as cool as Swoosie Kurtz is, it paled in comparison to the actual screening of the first two episodes of the half-hour show before the party.

Showtime has made its reputation on thought-provoking, central-character-driven shows that seek to shock, confuse and often entertain viewers. The likable serial killer, Dexter, has been thrilling and confounding audiences for four seasons now. The schizophrenic housewife on The United States of Tara led us to find compassion for four different characters in one incredible actress. Hell, even Jonathan Rhys Meyers is fairly likeable as a skinnier, prettier, Henry VIII.

The common thread has always been a keen eye for talent, and centering shows on the broad shoulders of unbelievable actors. Edie Falco is, in my opinion, their strongest draft choice yet. She went toe-to-toe with James Gandolfini for years on The Sopranos, and was as tough a presence as any of the other heavyweights on the celebrated show.

Her return to television is a welcome addition to the summer respite from the innocuous crap on network shows that has become the premium cable high season.

Her character, Jackie Peyton, is an E.R. Nurse at an active Manhattan hospital somewhere near Madison Square Park. The hospital drama is obviously one of the oldest forms of television vehicles, and the premise of doctors and nurses being as screwed up as their patients was efficiently explored in M.A.S.H. and E.R. Directed by the ridiculously awesome, Steve Buscemi, where Jackie diverges is its character-study feel of the protagonist, and it's focus not on the doctors, but on the unsung heroes of nursing.

Jackie has a back problem. She snorts Vicodin. She flushes body parts of scumbag pimps down toilets. She cheats on the husband and father of her two little girls. And in the words of her nursing student, Zoey (Merrit Wever), she is, "A Saint."

The likeable badguy. It's a hallmark of these Showtime/HBO ventures from Tony Soprano all the way down through Dexter. Except Jackie takes it a step further and isn't just the badguy we hate to love. Jackie Peyton is saint. She is extremely good at her job, and genuinely cares about caring for, and healing, her patients. But she is complicated.

The pilot introduces a stellar supporting cast as well. Peter Facinelli (who sat in front of me with his family) is the young hot-shot doc with impressive comedic timing. Eve Best is the other main E.R. M.D., playing Jackie's Manholo-wearing partner-in-crime, O'Hara. Rounding out the cast is fellow Soprano-alum, Paul Schulze, Haaz Sleiman and Anna Deavre Smith. All carry their weight, but they are but orbiting satellites to Falco's planetary skill.

It's hard to undersell how much I like Edie. And Jackie is a perfect fit for her steely resolve. Falco manages to combine the I've-seen-everything hardcore New York City nurse with a drug-addicted and vulnerable mother of two little girls into a convincing argument. Contradiction and humor follow her around like her dopey charge, Zoey. When Zoey begins to ask too many questions, Jackie volleys a perfect window into her character's ethos. "Quiet and mean. Those are my people." What a saint.

Nurse Jackie premieres this Monday, June 8^th at 10:30 pm, after Weeds.