S07.E06: High Noon

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Jackie deals with the struggles of being clean. The staff gets increasingly upset over the potential closure of the hospital. Jackie, Dr. Prince and Akalitus are forced to run the ER without nurses when Zoey leads a walk-out.

 

Promo:

 

Clips:

 

[Primetimer]

A serious letter from a rational viewer.

Read the story

[dangwoodchucks]

Wow, another reason created for Jackie to be needed in the ER.

 

A nurse walkout because you want to keep the hospital open, yet you leave it unable to adequately care for patients. That's really showing them how necessary you are. And who's going to talk to the news people to publicize the issue when you've all been arrested?

 

Jackie seems so concerned about a druggie patient, yet what does she think happens to all those pills she's selling to drug dealers?

 

Why does Dr Monk sound like he's drunk all the time?

 

Forgot to add, Zoey looked really pretty this ep.

Edited May 18, 2015 by dangwoodchucks

[Mama No Life]

So is Carrie pregnant for real now that Coop's gone?  Or just a wuss? Way to overreact to the foot.

 

 Didn't really get how Jackie thought calling the cops was "keeping any surprises from happening"  so not sure about her license now.

 

Did Grace leave the phone on purpose so Jackie could hear her?

 

Oh, and Zoey freaking rocks.

[Blakeston]

 Didn't really get how Jackie thought calling the cops was "keeping any surprises from happening"  so not sure about her license now.

 

My take was that she called the cops to help make the strike a success. She knew the only way it would actually make a difference would be if the news cameras showed up - and she knew they'd only show up if the police were involved.

 

As much as I enjoyed the antics of Zoey and Thor in this episode - and as much as I love Zoey in general - goddamn were they stupid. The purpose of a strike is to paralyze management. You do it when you have a problem with management, so that they'll give you what you want. When you don't have a problem with management? It doesn't really make much sense.

 

I get that they were doing it for publicity, but without Jackie's help, it wouldn't have even gotten them that. They're awfully lucky Jackie thought to call the cops, because if they didn't, then the only good that would have come from their strike would have been a bunch of patients not getting the care they needed.

[OptimisticCynic]

I don't understand how all the nurses walking out making a hospital dysfunctional is somehow supposed to save it?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

You'd think that watching the ER try to function with only doctors would be interesting or funny or compelling or SOMETHING, but no.

[DiabLOL]

I would totally watch a Zoe spinoff show. I love her. 

 

I'll watch this to the bitter end but man has it been a huge disappointment. What is the point? Watching Jackie stealthnurse? Why? 

 

The new doctor has me missing Coop, that's how much I hate him. The iPhone scene made me roll my eyes so hard. 

[Mama No Life]

My take was that she called the cops to help make the strike a success. She knew the only way it would actually make a difference would be if the news cameras showed up - and she knew they'd only show up if the police were involved.

 

As much as I enjoyed the antics of Zoey and Thor in this episode - and as much as I love Zoey in general - goddamn were they stupid. The purpose of a strike is to paralyze management. You do it when you have a problem with management, so that they'll give you what you want. When you don't have a problem with management? It doesn't really make much sense.

 

I get that they were doing it for publicity, but without Jackie's help, it wouldn't have even gotten them that. They're awfully lucky Jackie thought to call the cops, because if they didn't, then the only good that would have come from their strike would have been a bunch of patients not getting the care they needed.

Yeah, I get why Jackie called the cops.  I was remembering that Norway dude told her that they needed no surprises or act outs  in order for her to get her license so I was surprised she made the choice to intensify the walkout when she knew Norway dude would be unhappy.  That look at the end they exchanged made me think no license for her....

[Blakeston]

Yeah, I get why Jackie called the cops.  I was remembering that Norway dude told her that they needed no surprises or act outs  in order for her to get her license so I was surprised she made the choice to intensify the walkout when she knew Norway dude would be unhappy.  That look at the end they exchanged made me think no license for her....

 

Jackie's plan seems to be to convince the Norwegians that she's helping them, while undermining them without them knowing. I certainly hope that moment at the end meant that he did realize it, because the more people who catch onto Jackie's manipulations, the better, as far as I'm concerned.

[The Solution]

^^^ No thanks, Jackie. I'm not as stupid as your co-workers. {To the spammer who got edited out.}

 

The "Fuck Norway" sign was the most amusing part of the episode.

Edited May 18, 2015 by The Solution

[iMonrey]

 

I don't understand how all the nurses walking out making a hospital dysfunctional is somehow supposed to save it?

 

They're trying to create a public outcry to stop the deal from going through. Thor was trying to call TV stations but he wasn't getting through. They were obviously hoping their little picket line would get some media attention. It wasn't an attempt to cripple the hospital, it was an attempt to get attention from the media.

 

And yeah, the "Fuck Norway" sign was easily the best part of the episode.

[OptimisticCynic]

I just think the logic is stupid. Try to cause a public outcry by basically showing the community that the hospital wasn't running (or at least not to full capacity)? That's basically making the argument that the hospital is not worth saving because it is not functioning well. There are other ways to do it than have the nurses walk out jeopardizing medical care. Basically no loss to the community if there are no nurses working and it might as well be any building.

[rubinia]

I'm still confused about Grace. I *think* they're trying to make her look like she's made amends with Jackie and she's being supportive (explaining to Fiona that being unreliable was just part of Jackie's disease). But about being "unreliable"--surely the nature of nursing means that Jackie has had to cancel on them many times in the past for legit work reasons. Did Grace leave her phone on on purpose just to make Jackie feel horrible? Is she turning Fiona against her? In all honesty, I don't really care about the daughters anymore.

[Dobian]

I didn't get the point of the strike either.  It's not a management issue, it's a corporate takeover issue.  I would think that the local news media would already be sending reporters to the hospital to get their comments, some sound bites for the local news.  Why do you need to do a publicity stunt?  Jackie's redemption story is just so meh.  Stop dealing, stop using, stop lying, and stop manipulating.  There's your redemption story.  She hasn't done any of that yet.  I still don't buy into a Norwegian businessman having the clout to get someone's nursing license back.  What, is the board of nursing on the take from Norway?  Puhhhleeeaassse.

Edited May 19, 2015 by Dobian

[Blakeston]

I didn't get the point of the strike either.  It's not a management issue, it's a corporate takeover issue.  I would think that the local news media would already be sending reporters to the hospital to get their comments, some sound bites for the local news.  Why do you need to do a publicity stunt?

 

This. When St. Vincent's closed, it was a major news story. There was a significant movement to try to stop it from happening. Nurses striking wouldn't make much of a difference, media-wise - unless it involved the media saying, "Look at these idiot nurses!"

This is the equivalent of someone saying, "Someone's trying to take over my boss's company. I think I'll throw a brick through my boss's window - the media attention I'll get when I get into trouble will make all the difference!"

Edited May 19, 2015 by Blakeston

[rubinia]

Did it seem weird to anyone else that the ER was apparently deserted when Jackie came in super early for her shift?

[Fisher King]

I thought the entire episode was just weird, unlikely and very much just filler.

[PrincessSteel]

I was raised by an addict parent. The tap-dancing just cannot go on forever. Jackie will have to either get actively sober or die. So far she has been abstinent, but not truly sober.<br /><br />And if she doesn't actually die, she will wind up as one of the babbling semi-homeless people that Zoey and Gloria and Thor have to dodge on their way into the hospital.

[paramitch]

I loved this episode, honestly.

 

I thought it brought in a lot of the elements that really combine when this show works -- Jackie using the superb nursing skills that bring her to life (skills that I hope will end up being her true and most satisfying addiction), the warm, sweet character interactions, real and moving moments of Jackie attempting to both understand her addiction (I loved her overhearing Grace's comments about how her children see her), and her light and dark moments in a single scene (giving out the meds to the dealers/addicts while resisting the urge to take a free sniff -- a fantastic scene).

 

And then we had Zoey and Thor being awesome, Jackie being subversively helpful, then blatantly throwing in her lot with the hospital, and I was a happy camper. I also love the new doctor played by Shalhoub (who I have to state for the record is absolutely NOTHING like Monk, bears no resemblance to Monk, and is an utterly different character in every way so far). Shalhoub is such a good actor and is justifiably acclaimed for playing dozens of different roles -- I like this latest doc a lot -- he comes across as being totally believable (I come from a family of nurses with doc/nurse friends, some of whom have had addiction issues). 

 

I even find myself weirdly shipping Shalhoub's character with Jackie, but then I think it's a bad idea even if he's really smart and self-aware in a lot of ways, because (1) it takes one to know one and he's probably heading for a tragic bender or something that will break my heart; (2) he's divorced 4 times; and (3) I just want Jackie to be anyone, anyone, anyone, other than enabler and stalker Eddie. 

 

But overall? I thought this was a great ep and surprisingly buoyant, funny and moving. Reminded me of "Nurse Jackie" in its best days. 

[Baltimore Betty]

I call bs on Thor volunteering to be arrested, he s very mindful of the fact he is a diabetic, (he did not want to do the hunger strike because of it) and now he decided to go to jail with no insulin?

 

"Fuck Norway" is still making me giggle hard!

[ShelleySue]

I don't understand how all the nurses walking out making a hospital dysfunctional is somehow supposed to save it?

 

 

I'm not sure about NY law, especially in the Nurse Jackie world, but it's possible that, assuming All Saints is not-for-profit, the sale of the property would have to be approved by the NY Attorney General's office.   So I thought that the purpose of the strike was to prove to the AG's office that the closing of the hospital would create some sort of shortage of health care/services.

[dangwoodchucks]

 

I thought it brought in a lot of the elements that really combine when this show works -- Jackie using the superb nursing skills that bring her to life (skills that I hope will end up being her true and most satisfying addiction), the warm, sweet character interactions, real and moving moments of Jackie attempting to both understand her addiction (I loved her overhearing Grace's comments about how her children see her), and her light and dark moments in a single scene (giving out the meds to the dealers/addicts while resisting the urge to take a free sniff -- a fantastic scene).

Jackie may enjoy being a nurse, but I'm not sure why she enjoys it. I don't believe it's just that she wants to help people because how can you reconcile that with her selling pain killers and benzos which will end up in the hands of addicts or kids. She's selling them for purely selfish reasons, not caring who they hurt. And self-righteously telling Gabe "No kids" doesn't make it ok, and doesn't mean he won't sell to kids. It's not heroin or crack, but a painkiller addiction can be pretty bad too. I'd like to see her confronted with the results of those drugs being put out there.

 

I think a God complex is what drives her to be a good nurse. Sure sometimes she intervenes and helps a patient without anyone else knowing, but she knows, it feeds her ego.

[Blakeston]

I'm not sure about NY law, especially in the Nurse Jackie world, but

it's possible that, assuming All Saints is not-for-profit, the sale of

the property would have to be approved by the NY Attorney General's

office. So I thought that the purpose of the strike was to prove to

the AG's office that the closing of the hospital would create some

sort of shortage of health care/services.

When Zoey and Thor were trying to decide whether or not to stage the

strike, they noted that the hospital was mostly empty - which helped

convince them it was a good idea. They seemed to want to do it at a

time they wouldn't be needed. So I don't think they were trying to

prove things would fall apart without them.

I'm starting to wonder if maybe the nurses do have a complaint

with the management of the hospital. Maybe management is involved in

the deal, and they're allowing the Norwegians to turn it into condos?

If that's the case, the writers have done a lousy job of explaining it

to us. You'd think if management was allowing this, the nurses would

actually complain to them at some point.

[iMonrey]

I think we may be over-thinking this. The strike and demonstration were simply an attempt to get media attention and nothing more. They wanted to get the news out there that one of the last hospitals in the area was about to shut down. They wanted people up in arms and complaining to their local politicians. They wanted that public outcry that would kill the deal. It wasn't about showing what would happen to the hospital without nurses and if the whole thing backfired on them, then they didn't think it through. Or the writers didn't. But the attempt here was to get TV cameras and reporters to come down and cover the strike and make the public at large aware of the hospital closing, not to point out the ineptitude of the hospital.

Edited May 22, 2015 by iMonrey

[paramitch]

Jackie may enjoy being a nurse, but I'm not sure why she enjoys it. I don't believe it's just that she wants to help people because how can you reconcile that with her selling pain killers and benzos which will end up in the hands of addicts or kids. She's selling them for purely selfish reasons, not caring who they hurt. And self-righteously telling Gabe "No kids" doesn't make it ok, and doesn't mean he won't sell to kids. It's not heroin or crack, but a painkiller addiction can be pretty bad too. I'd like to see her confronted with the results of those drugs being put out there.

 

I think a God complex is what drives her to be a good nurse. Sure sometimes she intervenes and helps a patient without anyone else knowing, but she knows, it feeds her ego.

I don't agree. I think the show has gone out of its way to show us that Jackie at her absolute best is a superb nurse. And I do think this is something that satisfies her and defines her, although it's never been enough before now to keep her from using. But I also think part of her simply never believed that she was going to get caught, and I do agree with you that part of that is ego.

 

I don't think Jackie being a great nurse and Jackie being a selfish addict are mutually exclusive, however. She has done awful, awful, horrible things in the name of her addiction yet is utterly and selfishly blind about the tolls of those actions even now -- that's an addict for you. She lies to others and lies to herself as naturally as breathing. And I do think there are going to be consequences from the fact that she's continuing to deal drugs (which is grotesque and I really wish they hadn't gone there with that this season, especially not as a continuing "wacky" storyline). And don't even get me started on Eddie, who is pathetic and grotesque.

 

But I think if anything is going to save her from herself, it's not going to be her family, or romance, or even prison. It's going to be the fact that she has only one shot right now to ever be a nurse again, and that is I think the core of Jackie's very identity. Based on everything we've seen for 7 seasons, I buy that while she will lie, cheat and steal to keep using (even if it hurts herself or her family or her girls), but that she will stop using if it endangers the one thing at the core of her identity and self-awareness: being a nurse. Being "Nurse Jackie."

 

I think we may be over-thinking this. The strike and demonstration were simply an attempt to get media attention and nothing more. They wanted to get the news out there that one of the last hospitals in the area was about to shut down. They wanted people up in arms and complaining to their local politicians. They wanted that public outcry that would kill the deal. It wasn't about showing what would happen to the hospital without nurses and if the whole thing backfired on them, then they didn't think it through. Or the writers didn't. But the attempt here was to get TV cameras and reporters to come down and cover the strike and make the public at large aware of the hospital closing, not to point out the ineptitude of the hospital.

 

I agree -- I think the idea was to get further media attention (specifically, TV attention), and it worked. I also thought it was key that we saw the nurses checking in frequently to make sure everything was being handled okay upstairs. So from a fictional and silly standpoint, it worked for me (although it wouldn't have been so easy or harmless in real life). But on the show, on the very day of the New York Times piece, NYC will see brave nurses and medical professionals willing to be arrested in order to save the hospital from going condo. 

 

And I found myself the tiniest bit touched that Jackie stood publicly with them, losing her quick chance back at reinstating her nursing license. 

 

It's not War and Peace or anything, but I'm enjoying this season.

[qtpye]

There are two sides to Jackie.  The selfish addict who would sell her own mother to get high and the amazing nurse who only wants to help people any way she can.  Her nursing side is not totally selfless, it makes her feel power to be needed.  In fact, I would not be surprised if it gives her a type of high.   If Jackie is not a nurse then she will eventually become like the homeless nun from last season.  Of course, Eddie would probably let her crash at his place forever and supply her with drugs.  He seems to be totally obsessed with her.  I will not say it is love, because if he truly loved her, he would want her to be healthy.  Instead, he enables her habit because it keeps her in his life.

[bunnywithanaxe]

Actually, after thinking it over, one justification for the current storyline would be to underline the reality that an addict's assholeyness is not magically cured by the removal of the drug. In AA, they call it being a "dry drunk"-- when you lose your physical addiction to the drug, but have done little/ nothing to attend the psychological/ emotional/ spiritual damage that addiction has done.

So, I would disagree that there are two sides to Jackie-- pills didn't turn her into an asshole, it just fanned the flames of assholery that she already had. (and everyone does.) That is what made me grind my teeth at the namby pamby way they addressed "amends" in the season 3 rehab arch-- " taking inventory" is not just about making a list of dumb shit you did and people you need to apologize to, it's about recognizing counterproductive behavior that you are still acting out, drugs or no drugs.

Her nursing side is not totally selfless, it makes her feel power to be needed. In fact, I would not be surprised if it gives her a type of high.

Yeah, that's part of what I mean. Edited May 24, 2015 by bunnywithanaxe