'The Nurse' Episode 4 Review: Pernille gets stuck in the night shift's maze of death

In the dark hallways of the hospital, will Pernille find out the truth?
UPDATED APR 27, 2023
Fanny Louise Bernth in The Nurse (IMDb)
Fanny Louise Bernth in The Nurse (IMDb)

Spoilers for 'The Nurse' Episode 4 ahead.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA : We follow Pernille Kurzmann Larsen (Fanny Louise Bernth), who begins as a new nurse at Nykbing Falster Hospital in Denmark, at the start of this Netflix series. Here, she meets Jennifer Park's character, Christina Aistrup Hansen. The latter is the emergency department's nursing superstar. Christina frequently intervenes to save those who experience cardiac arrest. However, Pernille swiftly surmises that the initial cardiac arrest may have been caused by Christina herself who loves attention. But why doesn't anyone else ask these questions? Is it even possible to prove it?

A genuine account of one of Scandinavia's most well-known criminal prosecutions, 'The Nurse' on Netflix is based on Kristian Corfixen's novel of the same name. The Danish nurse who was found guilty of attempting to kill four patients is the inspiration for the series. Danish police launch an investigation after hearing that a serial killer nurse is on the loose at Nykbing Falster Hospital, which rapidly results in the staff alleging that it might be one of their own.

READ MORE

'The Nurse' Episode 1 Review: Two sides of the war zone called hospital

'The Nurse' Episode 3 Review: Pernille's suspicions are confirmed as Christina roams free

The night shift is a death maze

The last episode of 'The Nurse' is a tense one as Pernille decides to unravel the truth and find the evidence to prove Christina murdered all the patients. The script is written brilliantly which helps keep the viewers on edge as they see Pernille literally run from one patient to another, wondering and hoping that they're alive while she simultaneously gathers evidence against her co-worker. The stakes get even higher when Pernille fights to keep her patients alive but some die anyway because she is too late as she scrambles from bed to bed. She also feels Christina is onto her. Even though she's trying her best to hold herself together, she seems to fall apart after one of her patients passes away. In the dark hallways of the hospital, will Pernille find out the truth?

'The Nurse' has some great storytelling

The four "chapters" of the series are well done, and adhere to the beats of a conventional made-for-TV movie "based on real events." There is no plot point that catches us off guard with its originality or late-in-the-day plot twist or character that skews the story. So don't anticipate the narrative to be unusual or to have characters that are out of the norm.

The cadence and setting are very different from 'The Good Nurse' (which, let's be honest, we didn't like all that much either). 'The Nurse' is significantly more "realistic" than American medical dramas. It works as an extended, docu-style TV film, and features more likeable characters who, certainly convey a lot during their onscreen time. The only thing you are left to wonder as the credits roll is whether this "true life story" required (or had earned) an experimental style to drive home the reality of the horrifying murders.

'The Nurse' is streaming on Netflix

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Emma Roberts will star in a Peacock series loosely based on the 2009 rom-com starring Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson.
7 hours ago
Before 'Industry' Season 4 finale, which premieres one hour earlier than usual, HBO announces a major update on the future of the hit TV show.
8 hours ago
Netflix dropped major updates on 'The Boroughs', the Duffer Brothers‘ supernatural mystery series, created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews.
9 hours ago
'Game of Thrones' star will be the main antagonist in the 'God of War' (2018) game and in the upcoming series on Prime Video.
10 hours ago
The Crave-HBO Max series 'Heated Rivalry' now gives its viewers a chance to stay at the cottage as the feverish wait for Season 2 continues.
11 hours ago
With Season 2 underway, ‘Paradise’ deepens its post-apocalyptic narrative while viewers wait to learn whether Hulu will renew the series for Season 3.
12 hours ago
Taylor Sheridan’s next ‘Tulsa King’ chapter is moving forward, with new details emerging ahead of filming for the highly anticipated series.
12 hours ago
AMC chief Dan McDermott shared a promising update on the future of ‘Dark Winds,’ as the acclaimed thriller continues to gain momentum.
13 hours ago
CBS’ new series ‘CIA’ follows mismatched agents tackling covert threats, with a surprise cameo from ‘FBI’ star Jeremy Sisto.
14 hours ago
The ‘Scrubs’ revival brings back beloved doctors, leaves out key originals, and introduces fresh faces to a changed Sacred Heart.
14 hours ago