Prime Video is paging Nurse Jackie for a sequel series with Edie Falco back as the troubled medical professional. Previously announced last year alongside a reboot of another Showtime success, Weeds, the new show has changed hands mid-development, leaving its original network behind for Amazon, per an exclusive report from Variety. Lionsgate Television will still serve as the studio bringing the series to life, with GLOW‘s Liz Flahive and Palm Royale‘s Abe Sylvia remaining on as writers and executive producers.
Nurse Jackie was originally part of a stable of cable smash hits for Showtime several years back, alongside Dexter, Shameless, Homeland, and the aforementioned Weeds. Beginning in 2009, it spanned seven seasons, following the day-to-day life of emergency room nurse Jackie Peyton, who struggles with work-life balance, the indifferent employees and bureaucratic red tape surrounding her at All Saints’ Hospital, and a crippling addiction to painkillers, among other personal dramas. It was an awards magnet during its run, scoring five Emmys and a boatload of other nominations, with one win for Falco as a lead actress in her first such role since The Sopranos. Although it holds a special place in Showtime’s recent history, the network was more content to pass on the sequel series as it eyes other new programming following its rebranding to Paramount+ with Showtime.
The new show will follow up with Jackie ten years after the series finale that left her at death’s door. Season 7’s ending saw Jackie suffer a near-fatal overdose as All Saints was wrapping up its final day of operation, and the official synopsis reveals that she’s still dealing with the consequences of her actions. She’s managed to get back on her feet despite losing her nursing license and is now facing a whole new set of challenges while trying to stay on the straight and narrow. However, her attempts at being and doing good are tested as she often finds it far easier and a lot more fun to be bad.
Will Any Other Original ‘Nurse Jackie’ Cast Members Return?
Currently, Falco is the only cast member attached to the Nurse Jackie sequel, though the series is still relatively early in development. The original series featured Eve Best, Peter Facinelli, Anna Deavere Smith, Betty Gilpin, Haaz Sleiman, Dominic Fumusa, and Paul Schulze. A return is certainly possible for the old cast in some capacity, with Emmy winner Merritt Wever especially standing out for the relationship her character Zoey shared with Jackie.
Although Nurse Jackie is moving on, the network formerly known as Showtime is still very much in the franchising business. In addition to the new Weeds series, multiple spinoffs are being conceived around one of its most popular recent series, Billions, and its old favorite, Dexter. Its few original series left are still going strong too, with Yellowjackets gearing up for its much-anticipated third season and The Chi recently being ordered for a seventh.
The Nurse Jackie sequel currently has no release date on Prime Video. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on the comedy-drama’s return as work continues in its new home.
via Collider