Review: Season Finale of Nurse Jackie, S3, E12 - "Deaf Blind Tumor Pee-Test"

Airdate: Monday, June 20, 2011, 10 pm ET/PT only on Showtime

Rating: ★★★★★

No way did I expect that cliffhanger! I knew something big was going to happen because all the promos said Kevin (Dominic Fumusa) was going to make a “jaw-dropping admission,” but I never saw this one coming. To be honest, with his burgeoning friendship with Eddie (Paul Schulze), I thought for sure he was going to tell Jackie he’s gay.

Grace (Ruby Jerins) and Fiona (Mackenzie Aldjem) have been having a difficult time coping with the problems their parents are having, so it comes as no surprise that Fiona gets caught lighting matches at school. With one child already in therapy, what’s next?

Review: Season Finale of Nurse Jackie, S3, E12 - "Deaf Blind Tumor Pee-Test" 1

Jackie (Edie Falco) pulls a fast one on the social worker (Anya Marlene) to keep David (Guthrie Nutter) from being sent home

“Deaf Blind Tumor Pee-Test” is not only the title of this episode, but also how Jackie describes the terrible day she’s having. For starters, there are two brothers, David Bonvino (Guthrie Nutter), who is blind and deaf, and John (Douglas Taurel), who were in a boiler explosion together. Again, Jackie demonstrates her softer, caring side when she writes in David’s palm to answer his questions about his brother, telling him John is ok when in reality, he’s headed to surgery to remove the pipe lodged in his stomach. Then there’s Mr. Digby (Danny Hoch), a man with some definite mental problems who insists he’s loaded with tumors, which sometimes like to play hide and seek. Digby is the only part of “Deaf Blind Tumor Pee-Test” that really gave me a chuckle. Checking his imaginary watch and threatening to leave set me off, but when Digby shakes his head, saying, “You see that? I’m having a seizure,” I really giggled. Oh, and Akalitus (Anna Deavere Smith) goes on a rampage, telling all the nurses they have to take urine tests today!

When Kelly (Gbenga Akinnagbe) first joined All Saints back in episode six, “When the Saints Go,” everyone thought he and Jackie wouldn’t get along. Now that Jackie knows he stole six of the Fentanyl patches, they have ormed a bond of sorts. So when Akalitus tells Jackie, “Failure to comply will be met with termination,” Jackie quickly tells Kelly, knowing he’s in the same rocky boat she’s in. Looks like this is the end of the road for Jackie as Akalitus finally catches up with her, and forces her to pee in a cup. What Akalitus does next shocked the hell out of me! She throws it in a trash can before she reaches HR, mumbling, “F*ck it.” This is so out of character for Akalitus that I’m still scratching my head over what could have made her done that.

Coop (Peter Facinelli) is flying high. Not only is it his wedding day, it’s his birthday too. But when Zoey (Merritt Wever) wishes him a happy birthday, he admonishes the other nurses in typical Coop fashion.

Review: Season Finale of Nurse Jackie, S3, E12 - "Deaf Blind Tumor Pee-Test" 2

Akalitus (Anna Deavere Smith) thanks Coop (Peter Facinelli) for getting her statues back

“Thank you Zoey. But don’t everyone say it all at once! I want today to be sprinkled with joy, so if you could spread it out a little — catch me in the hall, the elevator, wherever. And in case anyone’s wondering what I’m doing in scrubs, it’s in case a patient pukes on me.”

Review: Season Finale of Nurse Jackie, S3, E12 - "Deaf Blind Tumor Pee-Test" 3

Thor (Stephen Wallem) sings Ave Maria, while Coop (Peter Facinelli) and Eddie (Paul Schulze) listen as the Priest (Walter Hudson) reads his messages

Finally, it’s wedding time. I don’t think Akalitus could be any happier now that her statues are back, looking perfect with the strings of white lights positioned as a crown of thorns. And did anyone know Thor (Stephen Wallem) could sing like that!? What a beautiful rendition he does of “Ave Maria.” (Side note: Wallem was an After Dark Award-winning cabaret singer in Chicago before moving to New York to make his television debut on Nurse Jackie.) As expected by everyone but Coop, the bride is a no-show. I love how everyone rallies around Coop — Jackie comforting him, Zoey with her birthday present, Thor wheeling in a humungous birthday cake, and everyone singing “Happy Birthday.”

As if her day weren’t bad enough, Jackie gets a call from Kevin. When she doesn’t answer, Kevin calls Eddie telling him to find his wife. Neither one of them really wants to talk to Kevin thinking he’s going to freak out about their affair. Kevin unexpectedly comes to the hospital with the girls, who O’Hara (Eve Best) quickly scoops up. As Kevin and Jackie sit there, her on the defensive, waiting for the axe to fall, she doesn’t hear what she prepared herself for. Instead of telling her he knows about her and Eddie, he’s got his own shocking revelation. He’s having an affair! Given whom Jackie is and what she’s done, I am shocked to hear her tell him to pack his bags and leave!

Review: Season Finale of Nurse Jackie, S3, E12 - "Deaf Blind Tumor Pee-Test" 4

Kelly (Gbenga Akinnagbe), Sam (Arjun Gupta) and Lenny (Lenny Jacobson) waiting for Thor (Stephen Wallem) to wheel in Coop's birthday cake

As season finales go, “Deaf Blind Tumor Pee-Test” is rather lackluster — except for Kevin’s reveal. Season three was pretty good overall, so I’m disappointed with this finale. All season long, we’ve been waiting nervously for Jackie to get caught, so to have it end with the simple toss of the sample into a trash can was anticlimactic for me. I mean, why would Akalitus do that?! And isn’t it enough to have Grace in therapy—did they have to give Fiona problems as well? We all knew Coop’s wedding wasn’t going to happen, so wouldn’t it have been a nice twist for the bride to have actually shown up and stayed? And what about Zoey? With all the flirting she’s done this season, I thought there would be something about her relationship with Lenny (Lenny Jacobsen). I think the writers missed their mark with this episode. If you ask me, they took the easy way out. Thankfully, they have another season in which to redeem themselves.

Nurse Jackie returns for a fourth season next summer only on Showtime.

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Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!