MovieChat Forums > Nurse Jackie (2009) Discussion > Do People Actually Like Jackie?

Do People Actually Like Jackie?

posted 9 years ago by LallaKing
37 replies | jump to latest

And if so, why?

I have no idea what to do with this character. She lies, she manipulates, she cheats, she steals - she does everything you would expect out of an antagonist. The bad guy. But she isn't an antagonist. You're supposed to root for the main character of a show, you're supposed to support them ... at the very least, you should like them. I don't. I genuinely do not like Jackie, and the only reason I have stuck around this long is because I care about most of the other characters.

Am I missing something? Has something happened in the past that forgives all her present actions?

Don't think of yourself as ugly. Think of yourself as a beautiful monkey.

[–] OhNooos 9 years ago

I'm not sure if you're supposed to like this character or not, which makes for an interesting show. Breaking Bad is the same way, although I think that one came later. I can feel sympathy for Jackie and there are times that I like and admire her, but too often I'm really angry about her behavior and keep wishing she wouldn't do what she was doing. By the end, I think I had accepted that she was not likely to change. She's interesting.

[–] liscarkat (18418) 6 years ago

"You're supposed to root for the main character of a show, you're supposed to support them ... at the very least, you should like them...am I missing something?"

Yes, you are missing something. In fiction, there's no requirement for you to root for, support, or like the main character. You need only find her story interesting enough to keep following. Jackie is a mostly unlikable person, but her story is interesting and entertaining.