S06.E10: Sidecars and Spermicide

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Jackie and Frank break up. Jackie realizes the only way she can continue to use drugs is by separating herself, from those closest to her. Carrie forgets Coop's 40th birthday. Zoey decides that she wants to be a nurse practitioner. The DEA's investigation continues.

 

 

Promo:

 

Clips (Showtime erroneously labeled these as clips for S06.E09 but they're definitely for S06.E10):

 

Edited June 9, 2014 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Tooch]

Oh, for the love of....

 

Jackie is still a really compelling character, but I'm not sure how I feel about her shift towards straight-up evil. Of course, Antoinette was a shit show of a sponsor, and never should have called her sponsee (is that what they're called?) who she knows damn well is using again for help with her sobriety. That was just ridiculous. But I still wrinkled my nose at Jackie manipulating her into drinking again and tricking her into rehab. I actually cheered when she called her the c-word, never has the word been deployed more accurately.

 

And I have had it up to motherf'n here with Akalitus not realizing what's up--she's been a nurse in a New York City hospital for what, 30 years? And she doesn't know that people in NA can't take Vicodin for a broken toe? Please.

 

I am actually kind of hoping Jackie is exposed and arrested by season's end. The DEA guy doesn't believe her rap for a second (at least I hope). Seeing her have some legal fallout would be pretty interesting.

[Boots]

Oh for the love of is right! Antoinette did choose to drink after 10 years, and she can leave rehab anytime she wants can't she? It was still messed up of Jackie, but, Antoinette was really getting way too over the line with her actions. I am back and forth on this one. Akalitus is what is pissing me off the most this season. What's wrong with you! Wake up lady! You are way too damn smart to be acting this way!! Of course the DEA agent is an addict and opened up to Jackie. UGH. 2 more episodes left. The sick part of me wants Antoinette to kill Eddie for turning her down and she knows how much that would screw up Jackie. Coop is cute, but still don't care. Still can't stand Carrie, and my favorite Zoey, has been kind of meh which sucks. Still a hell of a nurse though, and would make an awesome Doctor.

[Fisher King]

I knew Jackie was setting Antoinette up but it still repulsed me when it actually took place. A part of me completely understood Jackie wanting Antoinette out of her business. A should not have been so relentless and had no business threatening to go to Jackie's boss. I totally agree about the appropriate use of the "C" word. Jackie really can be all that and more.

 

I thought this was to be the finale but looks like there's 2 more episodes. Wasn't there only 10 eps last season?

_______________________

Edited June 9, 2014 by Fisher King

[LuciaMia]

Gotta agree, that was some lousy shit Jackie pulled on Antoinette.  Even tho A's persistent pursuit of Jackie was entering stalker territory; and was certainly the way J was presenting it to everyone else. And us, until it turned out that A was calling desperate to get help for herself.  (And really, a rejection by Eddie is enough to send someone spiraling back to using?  Just how good is he?)

I don't quite get Jackie's strategy.  Rehab isn't prison; once Antoinette sobers up she can leave whenever she wants; she didn't even sign herself in!  And in a day or so, she might rethink her 'you're toxic; I want nothing to do with you.." attitude.  Sure, she might worry that her story might sound a little crazy; but she's been sober for ten years, she's not some loon off the street.

***************

All of Jackie's behavior is starting to get more absurd.  She hears her daughter wants birth control.  So she flies off to Frank's job and accuse his sons, in front of the entire precinct? Uh, you couldn't try calling first?

**********

And great save, Akalitis, when the DEA agent asks why her urine sample was clean if she was taking the pain pills?  She just sits there like a lump. Instead of saying the logical lie of 'Oh, I changed my mind...felt I didn't need them"

 

And anybody else feel the Dea agent was just gassing Jackie about being a past user himself?

[Mindymoo]

I've known addicts to do a lot of terrible things in my life, in my family's life, but watching Jackie do that to Antoinette was pretty cringeworthy. You knew where it was going, and it made me scream "cunt" at the screen, which made it cathartic when Antoinette screamed it at her too. She's been going on having no redeeming characteristics whatsoever for some time now- I mean, come on, her nursing skills even seem lacking lately- but this just takes the cake. Getting someone ten years sober to drink just to get them into rehab and off of your back? Her behavior was out of line, but what Jackie did was just disgusting.

 

So, how is it that Jackie can so easily get her hands on birth control pills, which are by prescription only, a week before she takes her daughter to the gyno? Or are birth control pills now OTC in NYC? What was the point of that? Why not just tell her she was taking her to the doctor for the birth control? And wouldn't it be smarter to get a teenager put on Depo Provera, considering many of them are irresponsible and can forget to take their pills, and the shot is something that covers them for three months at a time?

 

The Akalitus stuff pisses me off. She is an old pro. She should know better.

 

The DEA agent stuff pisses me off. He should have a stronger bullshit detector than that. Considering he is an addict himself, he should be better sniffing out who is lying to him about what.

 

I felt bad for Thor with the movie thing. Or maybe I just hate Dr. Roman and her stupid, vapid face that much.

 

Hopefully Zoey will be at a university that won't require her to get a graduate degree instead of a masters degree to become a nurse practitioner, as most universities are now requiring by 2015. Nearly every university in my state has eliminated their masters NP program and are requiring a PHD now.

[hatchetgirl]

I think Jackie did it to totally undermine any potential story Antoinette can have. I was floored that she did that but it makes sense. Now how is she going to dig herself it with the DEA guy because I don't see that happening? akalitus is definitely losing it. I'm trying to figure out that angle. Dr Roman is an awful person and I loved Thor asking if she was raised by wolves.

[P3pp3rb1rd]

In the past, didn't Alkalitis have memory problems? Is it possible that her memory problems have been quietly developing into something more serious, and that's why she is not as mentally sharp as she should be about Jackie's lies and using? Maybe Alkalitis's mind is not able to see how certain events, "coincidences," and actions "add up".

[ElectricBoogaloo]

In the past, Jackie has done some shitty things but most of the time she only planned to directly hurt herself (like having Gloria run her foot over), even when the fallout affected other people. But deliberately encouraging Antoinette to fall off the wagon so she could sign her into rehab and be rid of her was just evil.

 

I was really hoping that Thor had bought Coop gay porn or something ridiculous. I still don't like Carrie (even if part of me understands not wanting to read group emails) and this episode did not improve matters. She is just so self centered. She forgets Coop's birthday and then lets Thor give her his thoughtful gift for Coop. I can't stand people like Carrie who have the time and money to be thoughtful but choose not to be.

 

Who did Jackie get to write a birth control prescription for Grace? I wish she had stressed all the diseases she could get without using a condom instead of leading with the 8% chance that she could get pregnant. I would have told Grace that if she is going to be squeamish about holding a condom in public, she probably isn't ready to actually have sex. I'm not saying she needs to wave them around or anything, but if you are mature enough to have sex then you need to be mature enough to handle the birth control part of it without being embarrassed.

[LuciaMia]

The only good things about this episode:

1. Zooey wanting to get into the NP program.*

 

2. Jackie and Antoinette took a cab to rehab.

 

(*Didn't Zooey say the deadline to apply was that night?  So  much for Jackie writing her that recommendation.)

[A Boston Gal]

OMG, you all are brilliant...fabulous observations, and I'm like the only person in the universe who didn't see Jackie's fake-out with Antoinette coming. I thought Jackie's plan was something like Mutually Assured Distruction, with Jackie planning to blackmail Antoinette in the future about falling off the wagon it if she didn't leave her alone. Kudos to all of you who figured out just what was going on.

 

Dr. Roman doesn't annoy me as much as I thought she would by now, only because I'm starting to sense she really cares for Coop in her own self-centered, goofy way. Just keep her away from patients. Maybe she could run the candy counter instead. Speaking of which, a new candy counter proprietor was on the job, and no comment on it from anyone on the All Saints staff? Ok, another easy come, easy go story line.

 

LuciaMia, I also think the DEA agent was lying about being an ex-addict, just to gage reactions. Whether it was only with Jackie, who knows? But probably so.

(I have to stop looking for too much logic on this show. It's giving me a headache!)

Edited June 10, 2014 by A Boston Gal

[marsha]

Well, with two episodes left I can only imagine (actually, I can't or maybe just won't bother) how TPTB will be wrapping up this season's story line.

 

I've faithfully watched this series since the first episode of Season One and all through her ups and downs this is truly the first time I have completely and utterly turned off Jackie. When she was walking away from checking Antoinette into Rehab with that self-satisfying shit eating grin on her face? Well, let's just say I completely agreed with what Antoinette said to her and what I mean is: toxic. Jackie is toxic. I really hope she gets caught by the DEA but if she does wouldn't she lose her nursing license and do time? Maybe it would be court ‘forced’ rehab and then jail time so if next year is the last year of the season it might be rehab and then jail time? Ah, who knows. I mean I’m not going to lie and as much as I’m turned off the character of Jackie (whilst at the same time loving Edie Falco’s layered performance) I’ll stick with the show until the end.

 

I’m in 100% agreement about Gloria. She was a complete professional and total hard ass when the series began and there is no way in hell she would be buying any of Jackie’s pretty transparent bullshit (not to mention actually giving her drugs!). If this is because it may be a symptom of an illness, well ok, but please let us (the viewers) know that. It just makes Gloria look like a big boob which she is far from being.

 

I think the paring of Jackie and Frank had a lot of potential and, in their early scenes especially, they had great chemistry the way in which she and Kevin never did. I have to say this about Kevin though: even though he is not the greatest of actors I find Dominic Fumusa absolutely delicious to gaze upon. I can’t quite put my finger on it … well, yes suppose I could but that’s another post (and perhaps website).

 

Also, I remember being surprised when it was stated that Jackie and Kevin were high school sweethearts as until then I always felt she was maybe ten years older than him. I think that may have been more about her having an ‘older’ imagine as Carmela Soprano that was still rather fresh in my mind. Did anyone else feel this way about Jackie and Kevin (I mean about her seeming more than a few years older than him)?

Edited June 10, 2014 by marsha

[A Boston Gal]

marsha, you are certainly not alone in seeing a huge age difference, as well as a lack of connection/chemistry between the two actors. Yes he's a cutie, but all wrong for the part, IMO. Then again, Edie Falco is so damn good at what she does that she almost performs miracles in the scenes they have together. Almost. But not quite.

[DangerousMinds]

I've worked in lots of medical settings, and I imagine it would have been easy for Jackie to grab a sample pack of birth control pills. Depo Provera can have a lot of unwanted side effects, so I would go with the pills too, at least to start. But yeah, having that discussion on the street instead of sitting down calmly at home to do so seemed ridiculous to me.

[sistergldnhair66]

Omg, just watched this episode and Jackie is spiraling fast. Pure evil move with Antoinette. While I watched her pop pills and A take her first drink I was waiting for Jackie to snap out of it, like a daydream.

I also think the DEA agent sensed something with Jackie and fed her some bull about his addict past to watch her reaction. Akalitis just sat there, I was hoping she would say she got the script but never took any, but if the DEA agent had her urine, why didn't he question Jackie on where her urine was?

I despise Carrie and felt so bad for Thor giving her his gift for Coop. He's such a teddy bear.

And GO Zoey! She is a great nurse. I'd love to be her BFF.

[LuciaMia]

"so if next year is the last year of the season it might be rehab and then jail time?"

**********************

Maybe they'll be trying to cash in on a little of that 'Orange is the New Black' popularity.

[iMonrey]

LOL if the series ends with Jackie in jail; Edie Falco will have come full circle having started out on Oz.

 

 

I knew Jackie was setting Antoinette up

 

I didn't, which makes me feel pretty stupid, because the whole time when they were at dinner talking about going into rehab I kept wondering how Jackie could possibly keep her job if she went to rehab and never mentioned anything about it to Gloria, or to Kevin or Grace or anyone else. I should have seen it coming.

[MsTree]

Where is everyone seeing this show before its actual air date??

[Mindymoo]

We are watching what my wife now calls "Nurse Jackass" On Demand a week early. They don't care about us burning through the episodes apparently.

[Fisher King]

Watching the early eps OnDemand  - Comcast.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Showtime does this with a lot of their shows. They've been doing it with Nurse Jackie and Californication for at least two seasons and they did it with the third season of the Borgias and this past season of House of Lies.

[Baltimore Betty]

 

 

 

 

I never hated Jackie, but what she did to Antoinette in this episode made me hate her. That was just one of the cruelest and worst things she has ever done to someone. I didn't even think Antoinette was too pushy. The only bad decisions she made were to call Gloria and to ask Jackie for help with her sobriety. However, I think calling Frank was utterly justified. He should not have confronted Jackie right away though.

 

The scene in which Jackie walked into the police station and just screamed at Frank in front of his colleagues was totally uncalled for as well. Didn't Jackie used to be more private? In the first few seasons, she never would have done that. If Frank is any smart, he will leave her for good now.

 

Thor was really sweet with Carrie. I must admit that she has grown on me this season, though I hoped to have her come clean about the present. I wonder where Carrie and Coop will end up now that Peter Facinelli is leaving the show after this season....they will have a real shortage of competent doctors.

 

Zoey is still the best part of the show. Maybe they should consider doing a spin-off?

Well, Jackie did exactly what addicts do, they manipulate people, lie, steal, cheat whatever it takes to make sure they can still get to their next high, rational thinking does not apply. In sobriety if it ever happens, I wonder if she ever gets thru the 12 steps or at least to the one where you have to apologize for your behavior while you were using. 

 

Edited June 12, 2014 by Baltimore Betty

[MsTree]

Thanks to all who have educated me about On Demand's early viewing. Only problem (for me) is that my cable company disables the fast-forward feature On Demand.

[A Boston Gal]

MsTree, they do that to all of us, so please don't feel singled out ;). Yeah, it sucks, especially with commecials programs, like "Cosmos"....I swear, they put more commercials in the "On Demand" version than the regular ones. Or at least it seems that way.

[DangerousMinds]

My cable company does the same with on demand programming - except that this show is on Showtime, so there are no commercial breaks.

[Tara Ariano]

I wrote about how Jackie scumbagged Antoinette. OH, JACKIE.

[dangwoodchucks]

 

I also think the DEA agent sensed something with Jackie and fed her some bull about his addict past to watch her reaction. Akalitis just sat there, I was hoping she would say she got the script but never took any, but if the DEA agent had her urine, why didn't he question Jackie on where her urine was?

 

That's a good question about Jackie's urine. When Jackie told Akalitus that she was honest to the DEA agent, I thought Akalitus would assume that meant Jackie told him about the pills A had been giving Jackie for her foot, and would mention that to him herself.

 

Jackie should have talked to Kevin before helping their 15-year-old daughter get birth control pills. She didn't even mention that they aren't effective right away. Can you imagine how livid Jackie would be if Kevin had basically approved of their daughter having sex by getting her birth control without Jackie knowing? I would have guessed Grace would have asked Mia for help in this area rather than Zoey, but it was probably just a plot point so Jackie would find out. What she did to Antoinette, the birth control pill thing, the way she went after Frank in front of his coworkers, I'm really starting to hate Jackie. I was saying "Run, Frank, run" when she was bitching at him.

 

I've got Fios and normally the next episode is available on demand the week before its air date, but for the past few weeks, they haven't been showing up until a day or two before.

Edited June 16, 2014 by dangwoodchucks

[The Solution]

I made an analogy between Nurse Jackie and The Sopranos once before, and now I think Jackie is following the same arc that Tony did. At the beginning of The Sopranos, Tony was a lovable gangster who was both funny and good at his job. Over time, the viewers got to see him for the monster he truly was. Likewise, Jackie started off Nurse Jackie as a lovable drug addict who was both funny and good at her job. Now we're beginning to see Jackie as the monster she is.

 

I would even bet that Nurse Jackie ends the same way I believe The Sopranos ended, with Jackie skating out of yet another difficulty, never learning anything, never becoming a better person, just going on and on and on and on.

 

That being said, what Jackie did to Antoinette reminds me of something I would do to a foe myself. I am a horrible person.

[helloagain]

I have Fios and I can FF through these episodes.  I also just realized that these were available On Demand yesterday. 

 

I also did not see Jackie doing that to Antoinette, so I have to say, that was the first time ever during this series that my mouth dropped open.  I personally did not like Antoinette so I wasn't too upset about it but it was an extremely f'd up thing to do. Loved that Antoinette called her a cunt though.

[qtpye]

Did it feel like the show was trying to make us side with Jackie during the deception?  I know Antoinette was not not a good sponsor, but she went from kind of a cool lady to crazy stalker.  I think the show was trying to make us feel she had no life of her own and was gloaming on to Jackie. It was even kind of pathetic how getting dumped by Eddie (really?...he is not anything that great) was what caused her to drink after so many years.  This is particularly true, since it has been implied many times that Eddie is into Jackie.  To clarify...I kind of like Antoinette in the beginning but i feel tptb sort purposely messed up the character.  whatever the reason, I still felt bad for her betrayal.

 

I think Jackie is an attractive woman, but I can not figure out why the heck the drug dealer would want to go to a wedding with her.  Most ladies can hardly get their steadies to go to weddings, as a lot of people find them boring, particularly if you do not know anyone.  It is really befuddling since the last time they met, Jackie used his girlfriend's credit card to buy Gracie a dress.

[LuciaMia]

"went from kind of a cool lady to crazy stalker."

***********

That was certainly the impression Jackie was trying to give everybody, in a way to protect herself from what she was afraid Antoinette might say.  But then we found that the bulk of A's phone messages were her desperate calls to keep herself from falling off the wagon.

[LotusFlower]

Jackie should have talked to Kevin before helping their 15-year-old daughter get birth control pills.....Can you imagine how livid Jackie would be if Kevin had basically approved of their daughter having sex by getting her birth control without Jackie knowing?

 .

Even with married parents, the father is more often than not kept out of this loop! Jackie did the right thing here. She arranged a gyno visit for the next week, and because Grace was asking about birth control and also hanging around with Frank's teenage son - she acted fast to make sure Grace had protection before the next week's appt. Talking to Kevin about it wasn't as urgent as what she did. And while I agree that divorced co-parents need to make important decisions together, frankly, I think this is one subject matter that doesn't need the dad.