With a decade gone since the show first ended,Nurse Jackiestar Edie Falco addresses why now is a good time for the sequel show. Running for seven seasons across six years from 2009-2015, the series told the story of Falco’s Jackie Peyton, an emergency department nurse caught between her complicated relationships and addictions. With mostly positive praise across its original run,aNurse Jackiesequel showseries that Falco will lead and produce was confirmed to be in development in 2023.
As it nears a decade sinceNurse Jackie’s seventh and final season aired, Falco explained toScreen Rantwhy the time to revisit the character was perfect when she sat down to discuss her upcoming comedy,I’ll Be Right There. The star explained that current mental health crises and discussions around addiction make the series' themes and subject matter worth discussing so that people can learn through the media they consume. Check out Falco’s explanation below:
Oh, gosh, I feel like I should have a more pertinent answer for that. [Chuckles] I think we’re in danger, as a culture. People are largely unhappy, there’s a lot of mental health issues going around right now, and the use of drugs is an ever present topic. I don’t think there’s ever not a right time to be talking about it. It’s real, and it’s dangerous, and it’s heartbreaking. And I think Nurse Jackie did a fair amount of exploration of all that stuff, and I’m hoping that that’s what will, at least partially, continue. It’s in a lot of people’s lives, and I think they probably want — at least, from the comments I’ve heard, they’re finding some comfort in seeing it portrayed out in front of them, to realize they’re not the only ones going through whatever hell it is they’re going through in regard to opioids and the like.
Falco Is Right In Highlighting The PowerNurse Jackie’sStory Can Have
Series like Nurse Jackiecan shine a light on under-discussed societal problems.
Across its seven-season run, great care was taken in approachingNurse Jackie’s themes of addiction, with Falco and several other co-stars being open about drawing on their own battles with addiction to help inform them on how the series handled those elements. Jackie’s relationship with addiction was a constant pull between sobriety and falling off the wagon, withNurse Jackie’s series finale endingwith its lead on an ambiguous ending as she overdoses. Even with its comedic side, the series was celebrated for an unflinching exploration of addiction that held nothing back.
Furthermore,Nurse Jackieisn’t the only previously wrapped show focused on medical professionals who hope to explore what struggles the profession faces today. WithBill Lawrence growing more keen on revivingScrubs, he stated that he hopes a revival of the often sincere and thoughtful sitcom could provide insight into what doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff endure, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. With both shows' legacies and sustained popularity, using them to highlight real-world issues can make a difference.
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It is no surprise that many companies are looking for safe options to revive and recapture audiences' attention, but Falco’s answer as bothNurse Jackie’s leading star and producer does offer hope that the revival will be more than revisiting familiar characters. Falco’s previous honesty in how the series resonates with a troubling period in her life with how the series approaches its darker themes and revealing how personal the series is for her. Though a revival may override season 7’s powerful ending, it is safe to say that the answers to Jackie’s fate will be handled delicately.
Nurse Jackie
Cast
Nurse Jackie is a comedy-drama series that centers on the titular character who works at the E.R. for All Saint’s Hospital in New York City. The show explores the story of Jackie Peyton, a good-hearted nurse with a strong will but a troubled and tumultuous life involving substance abuse. Jackie fights to keep her Hospital fair and functional for staff and patients, all while trying to keep her head on straight.
