Showtime has renewed its new comedy, Nurse Jackie starring Edie Falco after only one airing. The series premiere on Monday averaged 1.35 million viewers in two combined Monday runs (1 million in the first airing) and has Showtime touting those as record ratings for a series debut on the network.
Showtime doesn’t have a very high bar ratings-wise, and I think it’s likely very enamored with the cast and crew and may be considering the DVD sales as well. And it will likely get some buzz.
I have only seen the first episode, and I didn’t really think much of it (didn’t love it, didn’t hate it), but I knew instantly when Carmella finally had sex with Father Phil that the show would be critically heralded, and from what I’ve seen, it has been!
Leading into Nurse Jackie’s debut was the season premiere of Weeds, that garnered 1.2 million viewers. Coupled with Nurse Jackie, that led to Showtime’s best night of Nielsen ratings in its history.
i think i will have to oder Showtime to see this
The show wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. Hope it evolves better than Calafornication and Weeds did through.
I’ve been procrastinating watching the first ep (second one is also available), but people I trust told me NJ is definitely the most enjoyable show of the summer. Plus, I adore Edie Falco.
I’ll watch the first two eps tonight, but I’m sure (to judge by the promos) that I won’t suffer (which is rare in the context of summer TV).
Christopher – I don’t have showtime, yet I watch many of their in-house productions. The internet is a wonderous tool.
Considering that Showtime is a pay network, all a show has to do is show a pulse to survive there.
After a slew of medical shows that seemed to show doctors almost doing everything(they don’t) in a hospital, it was interesting see how one featuring a nurse as a main character would do.
I watched it last night and I went in to it thinking I wouldn’t like it. But what I surprise, I really did like it. Give it a chance – it will surprise you. What a wonderfully flawed character Nurse Jackie is.
tivouser, perhaps the reason it’s not for me (only based on the first ep, I haven’t checked out the second ep yet) is that I can get plenty of wonderfully flawed in real life. Normally on TV, the WONDERFULLY is emphasized over flawed, but it didn’t strike me that way in the premiere.
The only showtime show I watch is Dexter, i’m just waiting for another drama as good as this on the network
I watched both episodes of Nurse Jackie and LOVED IT!!!! I thought Edie Falco was excellent in the role and she makes a smooth transition from her Sopranos role. I was concerned about that because she will forever be Carmilla Soprano to most tv viewers and I myself wondered if I would accept her in any other role. First couple minutes of Nurse Jackie, I was Like Carmilla Who? That is how great Edie Falco is, she so immerses herself in this new role, she makes you forget about her previous iconic role. Nurse Jackie was actually better that I expected and I am thrilled that showtime has already renewed it!
This show didnt hook me but ill keep watching. definatley not as good as dexter
No doubt that Showtime see this show as a way of getting awards with Edie Falco, this is the type of show that critics and voters lap up.
Considering that Showtime has half of the number of subcribers compared to HBO, the fact that a number of their shows are breaking 1m is a good sign and I wouldn’t be surprised if Dexter breaks 2m.
HBO will always have the accolades since they have more money and subscribers and critics and award voters seem to have a built in love for HBO.
BTW, Isn’t Edie Falco the second or third person who has done a HBO show and now on Showtime.
DirecTv had a free preview on their 101 channel. I liked the show. Makes getting Showtime worthwhile.
I LOVE WEEDS…I Hope ya’ll Post the rating for True Blood season 2 this sunday YAYA on HBO
For me the only Showtime shows that I watch are Dexter and The Tudors.
Reviews I read ( nonprofessional, just regular guy and gal input ) was mixed. Some said just a slightly sexed up female House, unrealistic in depiction of addicted nurse ( she’d be up for review in a New York minute; while the more positive pointed out Edie Falco’s obvious talent and ability to pull mature, discriminating viewers and also a good point: Men can be dark lead characters and not women? I must say, I never forgot leggy Fiorentino in Last Seduction, Madchen Amick in her psycho-woman role against Spader, and even beautiful body and mind McGowan in the otherwise cheesy Lifetime/USA staple … not to mentuion Theron in Monster,and the schoolgirls in Carrie, and Mean Girls, and … Unlike the boring female leads on basic cable and network procedurals, it may be time for a female Tony Soprano and Dexter. God knows, they exist, and have since Cleopatra ( who was actually Cleopatra VI, I think, for history buffs.)
Speaking of the Tudors … Bloody Mary, anyone? Elizabeth Tudor? Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, whom only a dull axe could stop? OK, I’ll stop.