The Show
We would expect nothing less from the woman who brought Carmela Soprano to life.
Nurse Jackie is at times a shock-comedy, other times a gripping drama, owing largely to the complex title character at the center of it all. Jackie (Edie Falco) struggles to be a good mom, succeeds totally in her job as an angel of mercy to New York City's ill, but fails at just about every other aspect of her life. She manages to be sympathetic but not likable, thanks to her combative personality but also her addiction to prescription painkillers, which of course has led her into an illicit relationship with the hospital pharmacist.
The rich supporting cast of characters includes him, Jackie's co-workers, her saintly husband and inquisitive daughters, in addition to the parade of colorful patients. In Season Two, her drug problem is ultimately exposed, her best friend's famous ex returns, and the pretty-boy M.D. becomes a pseudo-celebrity after being named one of New York's best doctors. In short, it is one of the best-written, best-acted ensembles on TV.
The Picture
The 16:9 image proffers a newfound punch to the colors and level of clarity not evident in the original Showtime broadcasts, particularly noticeable in the shadows and in the immediacy of the faces. Blacks are strikingly deep, and the wild prints on Nurse Zoey's uniforms are even goofier at 1080p, with a bitrate often 35 megabits-per-second or above. There is an ever-so-slight video harshness, some mild streaking, but no doubt this is a serious step up from how most people have seen this show.
The Sound
Yes, Lionsgate has given us yet another TV show in DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround, but just because this disc is as multichannel as Blu-ray can be, that doesn't make it demo-worthy. The environments have their little touches, you know, maybe a car horn off to one side. And there's a fullness, a convincing presence of the hospital beyond whatever room we may be in, thanks to phones ringing, etc. The original music (as opposed to any pop songs) is aggressively mixed and remarkably clean, and dialogue legibility is never a problem.
The Extras
Star Falco and executive producers Linda Wallem, Liz Brixius and Richie Jackson come together to add audio commentary to three of the dozen episodes, with another two delivered by co-stars Eve Best and Peter Facinelli. Best and Facinelli are also profiled in well-produced interview segments. There's also about six minutes of bloopers and a music video of sorts for the Emmy-winning theme by Wendy & Lisa. All of the video extras are in HD.
Final Thoughts
Fittingly, I find Jackie's weekly misadventures addictive, and this well-packaged Blu-ray is a terrific way to catch up as we await our Season Three fix, due to begin at the end of next month.
Product Details
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