Top 30 TV Shows of 2012 : No 24 Nurse Jackie

By lou On 20 December 2012 In End of Year Lists

In its fourth season Nurse Jackie did something quite rare in TV – it managed to recover from a really disappointing previous season and finally show just how good it could be.

I enjoyed the show when it first aired but S2 and especially S3 saw a real drop in quality. Jackie just became deeply unlikeable, always finding her way out of impossible situations by becoming more of an asshole – not someone you could actually root for and care about.

I was pretty close to not watching S4 at all until I read a few reviews which proclaimed the show was not only good again but dealing with its biggest problems. They were right.

What I loved about this season is how Jackie finally became accountable for her actions, she finally faced the consequences of how her behaviour and drug addiction had screwed up her young daughters and helped wreck her marriage and friendships.

Once Jackie truly realised she needed helped it became a much better show. I really liked how the nurses started to bond more and unite against the new administration. I liked Jackie’s friendship with Charlie and her battle with Doctor Cruz. Possibly my favourite moment though was her reunion with daughter Grace, it felt earned and it capped off a terrific season.