However, her unabashed honesty makes it easier to understand her – though her comment may initially seem mean in and of itself, it’s also refreshing to hear someone identify themselves in a less-than-rosy light. Those are my people,” we know that she’s both utterly serious, and, again, using her numerous defense mechanisms against getting too close to others. 13 when Jackie says “I don’t like chatty, I don’t do chatty. 11 refers to the hospital administrator as the “Wicked Witch,” we, as readers, know that it’s ok to laugh – these moments of brevity serve to contrast the potential darkness of Jackie’s demons and the life-or-death hospital environment.Īdditionally, the dialogue gives us a sense of how these characters see themselves, as well as the world they live in. The dialogue itself truly creates the comedic tone here though these are doctors and nurses dealing with serious, life-threatening situations, their sarcasm and dry wit clearly help them get through the day. Other characters are similarly anointed with telling introductions (Mo-Mo’s flamboyance, O’Hara always watching Jackie’s back, Zoey babbling on and on about nursing, etc), all of which tell us a great deal about who these people are, often in the space of a single line of dialogue. As such, despite her addiction and her constant sarcasm, we recognize the humanity and the good heart within. Throughout this episode, the reader is shown that Jackie’s capacity for caring and her knowledge of medicine are unparalleled by anyone else in the story. Before he’s even said a word, we can tell that “Coop” is pretty smarmy, something that’s later supported by his actions throughout the series.ĭespite Coop’s distracted attitude, Jackie realizes that her patient is in need of help – and tries to save his life. Cooper, for instance, known throughout the series as rather self-absorbed, enters the operating room on his Bluetooth, and winks at both Jackie and the patient. Other regulars are introduced in similarly illuminating ways. Why is she on her back? – Jackie answers that question immediately, describing a herniated disc – the cause of pain that will ultimately bring on an addiction that plagues her through numerous seasons of the show.Īdditionally, Jackie’s initial voiceover within the first page mentions that “people with the greatest capacity for good are the ones with the greatest capacity for evil.” The initial page of the pilot, without even showing Jackie interacting with anyone, clearly lays out two of the major themes that persist through the entire show: addiction, and the balance between good and evil. Jackie herself is acerbic she’s introduced on her back, quoting TS Eliot. First and foremost, character introductions give us a clear sense of who these people are. Most importantly, as in any great television series, the characters truly stand out here. As such, each individual act includes an escalation in both action and character, in which we learn something new about the people whose lives we are following. The overall structure of the pilot holds true to classic television format although the script is a cable script and doesn’t have commercials, it still functions within the classic 5-act structure. The pilot script is a fantastic example of a comedy that focuses on characters in difficult situations who must make life-or-death decisions, without losing sight of the humanity in its leads. Nurse Jackie tells the story of a painkiller-addicted nurse, whose daily life forms the backbone of this dark comedy. The pilot is written by Liz Brixius & Linda Wallem and Evan Dunsky. To examine some of these elements, we are breaking down the pilot episode of Nurse Jackie, Showtime’s popular series starring Edie Falco. Without full development of these vital components, even the best of ideas can easily fall apart. When writing any television pilot, it’s important to pay close attention to format, structure, pacing, and character. In my ongoing commitment to bring you guys more information on writing for television, I’m happy to host this guest blog from industry veterans Sandra Leviton (FX, Paradigm, Under The Stairs Entertainment) & Miranda Sajdak (Practical Pictures, ABC Family, Adult Swim) and the new Script Chix Pilot Launch Contest…
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |