You can't say the FX network isn't daring.
With some of the most innovative series on television today — including Rescue Me, The Shield and the upcoming Dirt, which promises to be as uncompromising in its material as the other offerings — FX is the network to watch. Or not. Some of their material is not to everyone's taste.
Take the brazen Nip/Tuck. It's the story of two plastic surgeons, Christian and Sean, best friends since college, who are in practice together in Florida. Christian Troy (Julian McMahon) is a hot, narcissistic playboy who appears to have doggie-style sex every night. ("I thought we agreed," Sean screams at him, "No boob jobs for sex!").
One of his lastest conquests is his somewhat disturbed psychiatrist (Brooke Shields). Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) is a family man with three children, although for the moment, the daughter is never seen or mentioned. Reconciled with his wife (Jolie Richardson), the couple has a new baby born with ectrodactyly — which results in fused bones in the hands and feet — on whom Sean plans to performs a series of operations.
In its soap opera-ish first years, Sean was dismayed to learn that his son Matt isn't his son at all, but Christian's. Matt is a strange-looking boy whose appearance can remind people of Michael Jackson - I don't see it, but I've heard that stated. That's wierd because the actor, John Hensley, and Jackson share a common birthday. So if you were born on August 29th, you might be on the bizarre side, though I'm not sure that theory will really hold up.
Matt's done it all. He's tried to cut off his penis, he dated a sex change (a friend's mom) and later a blonde white supremacist who tried to bleach her face because she thought her mother had black blood in her family. Now he's joined Scientology. The side benefit is that he can hit on the reformed former porn star Kimber (Kelly Carlson), who has slept with both his daddies. Kimber rejected him at first, but after reuniting with former fiancee Christian — yes, he planned to settle down — only to be totally rejected after sex, she's decided to take Matt up on his offer. Film at 11. And film on Nip/Tuck means you get to see everyone's ass multiple times and possibly some very graphic, gross, bloody surgery. If you faint at the site of blood, this may not be your show.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
Fascinating Maria - you pulled me in to a show from which I would normally run away screaming. Super job, thanks!
2 - Silas Kain
I have to say I'm with you on the Twin Peaks comparison. That show was one of the best shows ever to air on television. Nip/Tuck is right up there as well. FX and its parent company (FOX) should be commended for the quality shows they're pumping out. Rescue Me, Nip/Tuck, Arrested Development, Prison Break and House are 5 of the best television shows to ever air.
3 - Janine Howard
Just for the record, Matt didn't try to cut off his penis. He tried to circumcise himself. Also, the last two years of the show centered heavily on the storyline involving "the carver". We were left with a cliffhanger last year showing that he is in fact still alive. This year has been a letdown so far (compared to the previous seasons). Hopefully, the writers will hook us with a great (cohesive) storyline soon. I mean, how many times can they repeat the same old "Christian is promiscuous" one....
4 - Maria
Thanks, Janine, for your clarification. I had my hands over my face during that whole Matt incident and then I guess I blocked it out. I deliberately didn't go into the carver thing in lieu of covering some of the newer storylines this season, though I almost added a picture of that mask. I am waiting for the carver to resurface. To be honest, I thought that whole business with their partner Dr. Quentin Costa was a little silly.
5 - David Christian Hamblin
Thank you Maria!
A fabulous review from a fabulous critic!
6 - L.J
Wow... i'aam an avid viewer of Nip/Tuck, but recently i havent been able to watch any of the shows...so reading this is so shocking...i've seen some of the commercials for this episode but...my God, i just really need to catch up...so if anyone can tell me where i can get this season or anything, i'm really desperate!!
7 - Maria
L.J., you can probably download them on one of the sites, but you'll have to do a google search as I'm not quite sure how to do that. I have a friend in Europe who does it all the time. Good luck. Maria