Ep 2. Luck of the Drawing

Jackie Peyton, the flawed yet beloved main character of Nurse Jackie, returns for another season of intense drama and emotional highs and lows. The second episode of season five, titled "Luck of the Drawing," finds Jackie facing more challenges both in her personal life and on the job at All Saints Hospital.

At the beginning of the episode, Jackie is attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings and trying her best to stay sober. She's also still harboring feelings for her former lover and coworker, Dr. Cruz, who is now the chief of emergency medicine. To complicate matters further, she's just found out that another coworker, Eddie, has been sleeping with her teenage daughter, Grace. Jackie is torn between wanting to confront Eddie and protect her daughter, and not wanting to risk losing the person who has been her biggest source of support in her battle against addiction.

Meanwhile, Jackie is also dealing with a difficult patient at the hospital. Kevin, the father of Grace and divorced husband of Jackie, has been admitted to All Saints after injuring himself while trying to fix a leaky pipe. Jackie is tasked with being Kevin's nurse, and she quickly realizes that he is in worse shape than he's letting on. Kevin has been neglecting his health, and his high blood pressure has caused him to suffer a stroke. Jackie is determined to get Kevin the care he needs, even as he refuses to take his medication or listen to her advice.

As if all of this weren't enough, Jackie is also dealing with various hospital politics and power struggles. She butts heads with Cruz over a drug-addicted patient who needs a new heart, and she's also trying to navigate the fraught relationship between the hospital's administrators and the nursing staff.

Through it all, Edie Falco's performance as Jackie is powerful and captivating. She embodies the flawed yet deeply human character with nuance and complexity, making the audience feel both sympathy and frustration with her choices. The supporting cast is equally strong, with Merritt Wever as the quirky but competent Zoey and Anna Deavere Smith as the hard-nosed hospital administrator Gloria.

"Luck of the Drawing" is a tense and emotional episode that sets the stage for what promises to be another season of gripping storytelling. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a newcomer to the series, it's a must-watch for anyone who loves intense dramas with complex characters and intricate plotlines.