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I have a new TV obsession, and it’s on Showtime, of all places. Nurse Jackie! Starring Edie Falco, best known until this point as “Carmela” on HBO’s The Sopranos. This show is AWESOME.

I admit, when I first saw promos I wasn’t all that interested. But after the first episode aired (which I didn’t watch), there was a good buzz about this show. Reviewers seemed to like it. One evening, I caught the second episode on Showtime, and that was it — I was hooked. I quickly watched the first episode (and the third) on On Demand, and now I’m obsessed. The show is SO GOOD, and Edie Falco is AMAZING. I always thought she was great as Carmela Soprano but seriously – this performance blows that one away.

Here’s the home page for the show at Showtime’s web site – warning, page seems to be pretty messed up today. Here’s a summary page at Hulu which shows all the clips that are available online (including the entire first episode) – if Showtime’s site ever gets its shit together. If you have Showtime, you have GOT to watch this show. If you don’t have Showtime, but you have FiOS, check the On Demand menu for premium channel previews – sometimes Showtime makes episodes of their original shows available for free. You can also get the stuff that’s on Showtime’s site (a bunch of clips, the first episode, and behind-the-scenes stuff) for free on iTunes, just search for “Nurse Jackie.”

If you don’t want to read spoilers, stop reading now.

So what is it that makes this show work so well? I think it’s the unexpected twists and quirks that make it really interesting. Jackie is a nurse, and anyone whose been unfortunate enough to spend lots of time in a hospital can attest that nurses are just about the most angelic human beings on Earth. Patient, understanding, tireless…Jackie is all of those things, but she’s also flawed. She’s mean and impatient with doctors and other nurses, even though she’s always patient, professional, and understanding with her patients. She has a drug problem – a SERIOUS drug problem. For real – Jackie’s drug adventures make House‘s look like small-time stuff. She’s a vicodin/percocet/oxycontin fiend! Also, she’s having an affair with a co-worker, she steals from patients (only those who deserve it though), and her best friend is a (hilarious) doctor who doesn’t seem to give a shit about anyone.

It’s really surprising that the show is only a half hour. A lot happens in roughly 29 minutes and it’s all compelling. The characters are well defined and interesting, and I find myself really anticipating the next episode. I can’t wait to see what happens next! Some people will no doubt be turned off by Nurse Jackie. It’s a little intense for those who want to pretend that medical professionals are somehow above the fray and not susceptible to the human failings that the rest of us deal with. And it’s not a procedural like CSI or ER; the medical stuff is there, but it’s a backdrop to the human interactions, and not the main or even B plot. But if you give it a chance, it’s really worth it. Besides, what do you have to lose – it’s only a half hour!