Nurse Jackie

Showtime just ordered a second season of its newest “quirky/awful protagonist” series House of Lies. Well, congrats, I suppose, to the writers and producers, the cast and crew, the executives and transpo guys.  You have a job for at least another year. And the network has what passes for a hit these days on television. But I wonder if this “quirky/awful protagonist” business—practically patented by Showtime with series like Weeds, Californication, and Nurse Jackie—is starting to fray around the edges, turning from something fresh and interesting into something curdled and coarse. Maybe it’s just over-exposure; these protagonists seem to be turning up everywhere, not just in these half hour cable “comedies” but in feature films as well. At what point do we go from thinking, “Wow, I’ve never seen a character like this before! As the lead! How delicious!” to thinking, “I just want to have a nice cup of tea and make it go away.”  For me, I think, that turning point has happened. I’m done. I love you, Don Cheadle—I love you even more, Kristen Bell—but I’m done. Continue reading →