I have to be honest, I resisted this show because of the relentless Falco-wanking. Her fans wanted to engrave her ten thousand Emmys as soon as the project was announced. But gotta say, I agree she's acting this morally ambiguous character up one wall and down another.

Just that short little scene in the chapel as she snorted the drug and gazed at the Virgin Mary statue was the sharpest, most compelling bit of acting I've seen all year. And I don't even know what the hell's going on with her!

I'm intrigued about why she's juggling so many balls and keeping so many secrets. Clearly it's all falling apart.

And enough good can't be said about this supporting cast, headed up by incredible, in-the-moment work by Merritt Wever. This cast is a SAG Ensemble nom waiting to happen.

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Glad you're a convert, Turtle! It really is an amazing show, and the supporting cast is beyond brilliant (Eve Best and Merritt Weaver are excellent). I would love a SAG ensemble nod for the cast (and a win wouldn't hurt either).

I know I was excited for an amazing actress like Edie Falco returning to television again, but I wasn't engaging in "Falco-wanking" about it or saying that she would win a ton of Emmys sight-unseen. If she wasn't worth the attention, I would have said so, but thankfully, she's worth all of the awards talk she's going to get for this role and then some. I wouldn't nominate the show's writing, but the directing, techs, Edie Falco, any of its supporting ensemble (like Eve Best, Haaz Sleiman, Merritt Wever), and Judith Ivey for guest actress would all be very worthy of Emmy nods next year. The one thing I liked about this episode was Jackie's lies starting to catch up to her. First the physical side effects of her drug use affecting her professional judgment and her personal relationships, and what looks like Zoey finding about her affair with Eddie next week and Coop discovering Jackie went against organ donors protocol. I was kind of hoping that Akalitus would get to adopt the newborn just to give Anna Deavere Smith a genuine storyline. The chapel scene was quite stunning, and I do like seeing Jackie's interactions with her kids.

Grade for "Nose Bleed": B

I tried to hate Falco but she's too good of an actress to just hate her. I'll wait with a hate when she starts winning awards. I love supporting characters so much. It's an ensemble show, that's for sure (with a one lead). SAG ensemble award would be a very deserved one. I don't mind Edie getting nods, but the awards should go to Toni Collette because she didn't win anything yet. After Toni completes awards-triplet (Emmy, Globe and Actor), I don't care who wins next.

Falco is dynamite to watch. I actually liked the way they shot this eppy; I have felt some of the episodes have had poor editing to them.

I am starting to enjoy all the characters. I enjoyed Akalitus sl tonight it gave the character some much needed depth.

I love the actress who plays the student nurse. Her character cracks me up

I knew Falco would be very good at comedy and she deserves all the kudos she gets for this show. It does look like her world is starting to crash around her, and even though we don't know the full reasoning behind some of her actions, she is still a delight to watch. I only hate the season is coming to an end pretty soon.

Episode Title: "Ring Finger"

Synopsis: With Coop threatening to expose Jackie for falsifying an organ donor's file, she takes drastic measures to keep abreast of his plans; Jackie asks for Dr. O'Hara's help when she can't remove her wedding ring prior to an assignation with Eddie; on the home front, Jackie and Grace take mother-daughter tap-dancing lessons.

Discuss.

I don't care what anyone says Edie Falco rocks! Week in and week out she owns this part.

This was great episode for Falco. Her life is crumbling. I never saw the angle they would take with Coop coming LOL

Her getting walked in on with Eddie. Heck, her telling Jacks all that happened cracked me up and then her with the hammer

I am actually loving the show. I like the writing, find characters fascinating, and feel as though the writers will take creative risks that keep viewers on their toes.

Edie Falco was flat-out incredible in this episode. The whole time watching this I was thinking, "Are you kidding me?" at the lengths Jackie was going through to maintain all of her lies. None of what she's doing now is going to end well. But she juggled everything going on in this episode like you wouldn't believe, vacillating from one extreme to the other like it's nothing at all. This is another tape submission possibility for Edie Falco. It's coming on late in the season, but I think there's enough context there to make it reasonably okay for voters seeing her and the show for the first time. This episode also had nice ensemble work from just about everyone (Anna Deveare Smith was missing, but other than that, some great scenes for Eve Best, Haaz Sleiman, Merritt Wever, Peter Facinelli, and Paul Schulze). The tap-dancing scenes with Grace were a nice and light balance to everything else that was going on here.

Grade for "Ring Finger": A

I enjoyed that tap dancing scene too and the interaction with the old gf of her husband. I mean the fact the little girl knew he mom dated Jackie's husband is going to lead somewhere. Notice how they were going to Dunkin Donouts??


I still maintain the writers are going for the Manhattan intellectual life vs her middle class Queen Catholicism life. I find this aspect of show intriguing.

Yeah I'm really feeling "Nurse Jackie," too. It's an excellent show that's way better than "Weeds." The writing is definitely more focused. I'd love to see NJ Emmy-nominated next year. But NJ will need Globe/SAG/TCA love outside of Falco to be competitive for multiple acting, writing, directing, series, etc. nominations.

Last night's episode had some great one-liners.

"Zoe! What makes you think I wanna talk about that with no shirt on???"

Many of you think she should be placed in comedy

I just feel she is playing more drama on show

Falco was dynamite once again on Nurse Jackie last night. She has so many great episodes to choose from for next year's Emmys, and "Ring Finger" was especially strong. I agree that the entire show should get recognized. The writing is focused and allows you to see so many complexities with Falco's Nurse Jackie. Merritt Wever was exceptional in this episode as well.

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Just chiming in once again to say that Edie knocks it out of the park every week, and Ring Finger should be her Emmy tape (unless the remaining two episodes of the season are phenomenal).

Also, what do you guys think of Merritt Weaver's chances? Assuming the television academy gives a lot of love to the show, she could very easily slip into the supporting race. . . right?

Next week's episode "Pill-O-Matix" is another good one. The ending is pretty amazing. Falco gives a good performance as usual, but "Ring Finger" is a better tape.

Missygal, I was thinking of asking the same thing about Merritt Weaver! Lord knows she deserves recognition...she is friggen hilarious. I love her so much. I am laughing nearly hysterically at least once an episode because of her. And of course Edie is phenomenal in every single episode too.

I actually think this entire ensemble is fantastic. I'm hoping for a SAG nom for them!

Merritt Weaver is great, but I really enjoy Eve Best...I think she's perfect as Dr. O'Hara.

Episode Title: "Pill-o-Matix"

Synopsis: Kevin buys a replacement for Jackie's destroyed wedding ring; the new automatic pill dispenser leads to the hospital downsizing Eddie; an injured movie critic is given the wrong dose of a painkiller and slips into a coma; Coop decides to break up with his new girlfriend after discovering an unexpected romantic connection; the parents of the baby Mrs. Akalitus has been caring for reappear; Dr. O'Hara suspects someone close to her mother was responsible for the woman slipping into a coma.

Guest Star: Victor Garber

Discuss.

I watched this episode on the on demand channel last week, and the ending has been a long time coming. I wasn't expecting it to happen the way it did, though.

Also, the baby Akalitus was caring for isn't even mentioned in the episode, and neither is Dr. O'Hara's suspicions about her mom. Where'd you get that info?

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What an ending! I am totally shocked. Did he follow her all way from Manhattan to Queens?

That said we are seeing Jackie totally spiral out of control because of her dependency.

I usually like Garber his character was annoying.