Nurse Jackie recap Season 7 Episode 6 “High Noon” – Bring on the angry Viking princess

Nurse Jackie recap Season 7 Episode 6 “High Noon” (original airdate May 17, 2015) We get a bit of a psychedelic start to this episode, where Jackie plunges (literally) into her fridge chasing the only item in it — a bottle of pills. It was a craving dream and the start of her insomnia, which brings her to All Saints three hours early. There she finds a very hung over Dr. Prince. But he seems to have the cure for both of them.

Jackie (Edie Falco) and Prince (Tony Shalhoub) share some one-on-one time while rehydrating (true nurse style) compliments of two IVs in the ER. “The best cure for a hang over,” Prince says, as he drags on one of those electronic cigs. “I never got into pills — too clean,” he tells Jackie of his vice.

But it’s the cleanliness of “all that magic in one tiny little packet” that attracts her, Jackie shares. Now she has turned to work to help her overcome her cravings.

Looks like the The New York Times picked up on Jackie’s story lead as Thor (Stephen Wallem) and Zoey (Merritt Wever) start their day reviewing an article on the hospital’s potential closing. Zoey spots the annoying Norwegian developer/PR guy and yells across the ER, “Hey you. People need hospitals, not condos!”

Jackie tries to tone her down, siding with the condo prick telling Zoey it’s not his fault. The old Jackie certainly wouldn’t see it that way, Zoey reminds, and questions her motives.

Jackie checks in with the condo guy wondering how he’s doing with getting her nursing license reinstated. He claims he’s working on it and shares that whoever leaked the article it really doesn’t matter, as they’ve increased their pace in getting the project underway. “We can’t have anymore outbursts,” he tells Jackie, referring to Zoey as the “angry Viking princess.” Precious.

Thor observes Jackie talking to him and calls her out on it. She’s upfront with Thor and tells how he’s helping her get her nursing license back, but suggests that since Thor is the union rep that he enage the union to create much more noise around the situation. Thor takes the cue and mobilizes his nursing peeps.

“If you want to fight the hospital closing, you have my support,” Thor tells Zoey, while bandaging a patient with cellulitis. That gets her wheels spinning so she starts spit-balling ideas … hunger strike (nah, Thor’s diabetic). But Carrie (Betty Gilpin) walks in, takes one look at the guy with cellulitis and feels the urge to vomit. That’s all it took. What would doctors do without nurses! Zoey wants to do it now, when the ER is fairly quiet.

“It’s high noon, mother fuckers. And I am walking,” a geeked-out Zoey enthuses. She turns to Jackie and says, “if it gets critical in here call me.”

“In response to the unjust condo deal threatening this hospital, nurses are walking out,” Zoey announces to the staff. She grabs Thor’s hand and walks out and the others follow. Akalitus warns not to walk out, but that falls to deaf ears. “An ER with only doctors,” she ponders. “God help us.”

Meanwhile a passed-out addict is rolled in on a shopping cart — it looks like he over did it on heroin. Carrie and Jackie come in to assist, but Akalitus reminds Jackie of the suspension rules still being in play. “There are no fucking nurses,” Jackie counters. She doesn’t wait for her to respond and runs to get the necessary medication to treat him. They give him two snorts up the nose of that “come alive” drug they administer now to heroin addicts and the guy pops up and takes off. He doesn’t get to far and is handcuffed to a bed, giving Jackie some time to help coach him.

Outside Zoey’s unplanned walkout is garnering criticism for lacking a plan. Although she had an ill attempt at getting up on her soap box (well, the crate collapsed), Zoey does rally the nurses and gains their confidence. “If we want to save our patients, we have to first save our hospital.”

“If we stir up enough community outrage, we can still block this deal,” Zoey shouts.

Inside a trauma victim arrives and Akalitus (Anna Deavere Smith) is still unwilling to allow Jackie to assist, so much so she even tries to get an IV running for one patient on her own. With Gloria distracted and Jackie’s requests to help falling on Akalitus’ deaf ears, Jackie snaps on some gloves and runs into the trauma case to assist Prince and Carrie. Mission accomplished. Good time for a selfie, Prince tells, and the trio quietly celebrate with a photo.

As a result of the walkout, Jackie needs to cancel her plans with her girls. Grace throws her phone on the bed believing it’s disconnected, but Jackie overhears Mackenzie’s disappointment.

“You’re going to have to get use to it, mom’s unreliable,” Grace (Ruby Jerins) tells her. “But it’s OK, you have me. I’m always going to be here for you.”

“Maybe she’ll get better,” Mackenzie offers.

“No it’s part of her sickness,” Grace tells.

Ouch, that hurt. Jackie needs some air after that one.

Carrie and Prince are exhausted, as the day has been far more work than they are use to. Carrie’s got a date already (OK, didn’t Coop just leave like yesterday!?) and starts second guessing herself, thinking maybe it’s just too soon. “Date like you’re afraid to die alone,” Prince coaches. He would know, as he’s been divorced four times.

Outside Jackie tells Zoey that just because she’s not outside with them, doesn’t mean she doesn’t agree with what they are doing. Zoey thinks otherwise and goes back to her cheers. So Jackie shows her support by calling the cops, telling Thor that’s the way to make some noise and get the press to come. And so they come. A cop tells Zoey that they need a permit to be out striking and if they quietly disburse it won’t be a problem. But the Viking princess has her mojo going and takes the bullhorn out of the cop’s car, jumps up on the hood (no one saw that one coming from Zoey) and proceeds to rally the group. “People of New York. Save All Saints. Save All Saints.” Yep, she’s arrested and gets escorted to the police van, where she stops to advise Jackie: “As your nurse monitor you can’t afford to get arrested again.” Then it’s Thor’s turn. Once Akalitus catches wind of what’s going on, she joins the cause: “Hell if I’m going to let the entire staff go to jail without me.” That leaves Jackie alone on the sidewalk long enough for the Norwegian to see.

But that’s short lived as Jackie spots the addict making a quick exit out of All Saints. She follows him and eventually watches him buy a baggie and snort it immediately. Intrigued, she charges over. NO — she’s not racing to satisfy her craving?? She pulls from her pocket an overdose pen and gives instructions to the dealer in the event he would OD again, and gives the guy a few extras in case some of his friends’ need them too. As a token of appreciation, the addict extends a line to Jackie. She stares long and hard at it, and turns to her phone and calls Grace.

“I know that I can be a little flaky at times and sometimes I don’t even know what’s going to happen next, and that’s scary at times,” Jackie tells her, while looking back over her shoulder at the lingering temptation. “I can only imagine how scary that can be for you.”

But then Jackie stops talking and takes in the sounds of the snorting behind her. Run Jackie, run! She doesn’t.

“Mom are you there?” Grace asks.

My stomach turns, waiting to be disappointed. She’s definitely thinking about it …

“Yeah, I’m hear honey,” and it looks like she’s going to walk away. That was a big step Nurse Jackie fans!! Let’s hope she keeps walking.