“Nurse Jackie”: Season Four is the best yet

(Top row: left to right) Dominic Fumusa as Kevin Peyton, Anna Deavere Smith as Gloria Akalitus, Bobby Cannavale as Dr. Mike Cruz, Paul Schulze as Eddie, (center row) Merritt Wever as Zoey, Peter Facinelli as Dr. Cooper, Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton, Stephen Wallem as Thor, (bottom row) Arjun Gupta as Sam, and Eve Best as Dr. O'Hara in "Nurse Jackie" - Showtime Photo

“Nurse Jackie,” one of the best prescriptions for drama and comedy on television is back – and Season Four is the best yet.

This half-hour show has always managed to pack plenty of drama, comedy and everything in between into each episode, and the sublime acting, writing and production of the series has reached an even higher level this season, which features many changes in store for the characters on the show.

Edie Falco stars as Jackie Peyton, the nurse who’s better at taking care of her patients than she is at managing her own life, and she’s facing rehab for her drug and alcohol addiction as this season begins.

There is also a change at the hospital where she works, All Saints, which has been bought by the multi-national corporation Quantum Bay.

This means a new director, Mike Cruz (Bobby Cannavale), is taking charge, which creates the inevitable results of job shifts and new directives at the hospital.