So here's my question: does someone like Bill, the drug dealer who claims to help clients by ensuring they hit rock bottom, actually exist in the real world?

If so, I'll consider Jackie's reaching out to him on "Rat Falls" an interesting development. If not, such a character is a rather lame plot device that signals what desperate shape Nurse Jackie is in as it tries to mix things up.

Even with Jackie scoring a new stash with Bill, though, the episode lacked any progress or cliffhanger. Bill claims people go to him when rehab and other attempts at getting clean fail.

But Jackie has no interest in getting clean. She just needs more pills. Bill may act strange and his profession may be shady, but the show hasn't given me any reason to believe he'll play any kind of role in Jackie's future aside from someone who feeds her habit.

Will she eventually hit rock bottom and actually get help? Maybe. But didn't the season two finale imply that would be the basis for season three? Instead, we're back to where we've always been.

Elsewhere, Akalitus wants to steal a statue of Mary and Coop's moms are getting a divorce. Okay. Not exactly mesmerizing storylines, are they? Heck, Zoey was scarcely even around this week.

I find myself getting more and more down on Nurse Jackie each week, which is a shame because the performances are wonderful and it seems like there are places the series could go. But it's content just teasing changes here and there without ever evolving into anything more than a showcase for Edie Falco, with a few funny lines uttered by those around her.

I'd love to be truly shocked by a development in the near future, wouldn't you?

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.