The Nurse tells the story of a nurse, Pernille, who uncovers the dark secrets of her brilliant colleague at her new workplace. The Danish series is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
In Falster, 2012, a man named Arne is admitted to Nykøbing Falster Hospital, where he dies mysteriously. The doctors believe that he killed himself, but Arne’s brother does not agree with them.
In 2014, Pernille moves to Falster with her daughter and starts working at Nykøbing Falster Hospital as a nurse. She is trained by a nurse named Christina, who is considered to be the best nurse, as she is extremely skilled.
Just like everyone else, Pernille is instantly impressed by Christina. However, the more time she spends with Christina, the more she realizes that Christina is not what she seems to be.
Patients who seem to be fine suddenly die of cardiac arrests in their ward, and Pernille believes that Christina has something to do with these deaths. Can Pernille make others see what she has come to know about the star nurse?
Performances
Fanny Louise Bernth delivers a great performance as Pernille. As her character’s attitude towards Christina changes over time, one can almost see the stars in her eyes when she admires Christina, which is in stark contrast to the doubt that replaces that admiration later on.
Josephine Park as Christina seems like a nice and competent nurse, but from the very beginning, it is obvious to the audience that there is something off about her. Park does not let the audience like Christina and is able to hint at the fact that Christina is anything but harmless, even when Pernille admires her.
Positives
The plot of the show is quite interesting. When a nurse in the ER, who has access to all kinds of medicines, is a serial killer, it is so hard to identify the crime in the first place, and implicating them then becomes a far-fetched thing.
After a point, it is obvious who is responsible for the deaths, yet there is suspense. The show’s focus then shifts to catching the murderer red-handed to prevent more deaths, but the show does not lose its thrill.
It is interesting to see how hard it can be for one person to stick to their beliefs and point out the obvious problems that no one wants to acknowledge. Pernille is constantly made to believe that she is wrong about Christina, and it takes a lot of strength for her to tell herself that she is not losing her mind.
Every episode of the show depicts a different stage of Pernille’s relationship with Christina. Every stage is explored well and is clear due to the way the story has been divided into different episodes. Interestingly, in the end, Pernille is as alone as she was on her first day, but she is definitely more confident.
For the most part, the story is told from Pernille’s perspective. The cinematography and the direction will constantly make the audience uneasy; like Pernille, they will always be made to feel like something is amiss.
Negatives
Christina’s motives behind the murders are never made clear. Pernille and Niels speculate, but that’s just how far the show goes. The audience never truly understands Christina’s character.
The show sets a slow pace, and it is comfortable for the most part, but in the last episode, the pace at which the plot develops constantly breaks the tension that is created so carefully.
Verdict
The Nurse is based on a true story, but even if the audience knows how the story ends, they will be interested in it throughout the show. It takes time to tell every part of it without making it lose its thrill. Overall, it is a well-made crime drama.
The Nurse
Director: Kasper Barfoed
Date Created: 2023-04-27 21:39
3.5
Also Read: The Nurse summary and ending explained