Showtime's medical comedy-drama Nurse Jackie has aired two seasons on BBC2, but Sky have swooped and outbid the BBC for the rights to season 3, which is currently airing in the US. Nurse Jackie will now be added to Sky Atlantic's exclusive line-up, which includes Game Of Thrones and Mad Men. This acquisition comes days after Sky likewise outbid E4 for the UK rights to Glee, which will air on Sky1 later this year.
Elaine Pyke, Director of Programmes, Sky Atlantic HD
"Sky Atlantic HD has already established itself as home to the most iconic, exceptional and talked about shows, and Nurse Jackie is the perfect new addition to our slate. It's sharp, witty and has an edge which we're sure our viewers will love. We look forwarding to welcoming Jackie's fans, old and new."I won't bother asking what you think about this, as I've asked that question too many times this year! Obviously it removes Nurse Jackie from the majority of British eyes, and squirrels it away on a Sky-only channel where I predict it'll struggle to get the 700,000 viewers it's capable of on terrestrial TV.
The upside is, if you have Sky Atlantic, the show will most likely be treated with greater respect—a regular, primetime slot that's promoted well. In contrast, BBC2 were airing Nurse Jackie around 11pm on Saturdays and, for awhile during season 2, only broadcast one new episode every fortnight.
So what's best? Sky Atlantic (less viewers, better treatment) or BBC (more viewers, worse treatment)? That's down to personal opinion, but I'm sure most British fans of the show will be annoyed they're expected to get Sky to see a TV show that was once freely accessible.
