It all went into her lips.

That (& the LL COOL J line) seemed too CLEVER for this show.
I was impressed.

I've read that this actor feels he's "TOO SERIOUS" for this show, so I enjoy seeing bad things happen for his character.

Thought bubble about "Swimsuit Season".

Its what I would just call "parenting"…
Its more creepy that in this age of nannies and daycare, that spending time with your own child needs a special term.

I don't view this show as cynically as This Reviewer, but you are certainly on to something about SHOWTIME™ shows that continue on loooooooooong past their freshness stamp.
That's a commonality between ALL SHOWTIME™ shows.
Still, my jaw hit the floor when Jackie so casually popped that pill.
I can almost buy that she…

I enjoy the snark (& I enjoy snarking!) of AV CLUB, but some shows deserve snark less than others.
For me, NURSE JACKIE's heart is in enough of the right place that the more ham-fisted, clumsily written scenes can be forgiven.

It DOES feel too soon, doesn't it?

It felt like we were being set up for a scene where Jen pays the guy off,
It didn't feel like it was MEANT to be sincere.

& Marc tipped the barista the hundred dollar bill at the end of the SPONSOR episode!

You've summed it up best!!!

Any other show, Jen's behavior would be a cue for the viewer to scream, "RUN! RUN!" at the screen.

We are forced into a caste system that is based on how closely we can mimic a photoshopped unreality.

I think that sense of "obligation" is exactly what makes him reject it.

I can barley take it when they show children in danger on this show - especially since they tend to play it for laffs; I would have to quit if they showed any kind of animal abuse.

I love Mandy.

I don't think she's faking, I think the actress is clever enough to show us flashes of MEAN Karen trapped inside NICE Karen.
It gives me a sense of how FRUSTRATING that must be… because I'm sure she still has her mean thoughts; she just can't form them into words or string them into sentences anymore.

I've been so impressed with the actress who plays Karen, because we can SEE little flashes in her eyes of MEAN Karen TRAPPED inside NICE Karen.

You are right, 3/4 into this season, this show turned a corner, reduced the "wackiness" and got real.

I don't think Frank even HAS a destination in mind.
He just doesn't want anyone else "controlling" him, but fucks himself over in the process of shirking the "shackles" of responsibility, expectations, etc.
Like Lip.