Showtime TCA: Falco gets 'Nurse Jackie', 'L Word' spin-off announced

Edie Falco is coming back to premium cable. 04/30/2008 - Edie Falco - The Museum of Moving Image Honors Matt Blank and James Schamus - St. Regis Hotel - New York City, NY, USA © Sylvain Gaboury / PR Photos

04/30/2008 - Edie Falco - The Museum of Moving Image Honors Matt Blank and James Schamus - St. Regis Hotel - New York City, NY, USA © Sylvain Gaboury / PR PhotosShowtime has an intriguing series that stars Falco as a deeply flawed "good" work in progress; a nurse who has a penchant for snorting 16 milligrams of some red drug, flushes a really bad guy's severed ear in the ER toilet and has an occasonal quickie in the scrubs closet. It's a much deeper premise than that, as she wrestles with ethical and medical quandaries balancing work and a personal life.Enter "Nurse Jackie," (working title) the latest anticipated new Showtime announced that it ordered to series a pilot starring Edie Falco at the 2008 TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour here at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.The show will follow Falco's day-to-day life as a nurse with a drug problem. The series will begin production in the fall for a spring or possibly early summer 2009 debut."Conceptually, it isn't the most high-concept idea, but I don't think you have ever quite seen a nurse like this," Showtime entertainment president Robert Greenblatt addressed the critics. "It is not going to be case-driven.""Nothing is more thrilling for us than bringing Edie (Falco) to Showtime in this unique, quirky, touching comedy/drama," said Greenblatt. "If you suddenly found yourself in the hospital and fighting through our health care system, you would want no one other than Edie Falco by your side. This show will illuminate the complex and often heroic people who devote their lives to healing the sick while simultaneously trying to make sense of their own complicated personal lives."The pilot was written by Liz Brixius, Linda Wallem (The Comeback, That '70's Show), and Evan Dunsky. Wallem and Brixius are executive producers and show runners. Caryn Mandabach will serve as an executive producer. Richie Jackson will serve as co-executive producer.Also discussed was the spinoff of "The L Word" which is entering its final season. The "L Word" creator Ilene Chaikin will develop it, and it will star a character from the current series, though it has not yet been determined who. Any nominations?