This June one of the most bizarre, twisted, and controversial television shows
to date is coming to DVD. The startling new drama that debuted on FX over the
past year will now be available to experience over and over again. Nip/Tuck;
a sexually energized and highly explicit show, while definitely not one for
the kiddies, will guarantee everyone else a great time. The set for the first
season contains all 13 original episodes as well as a fairly decent amount of
extras for such a quick release (in respect to its original airdate).
I had some reservations about reviewing this set, as I had never watched the
show when it first aired, and I did not think it would be anything I would enjoy.
I’m not much for dramas if there’s no space travel or aliens involved.
However, after watching the first few episodes I was reeled in like a fish on
a lure. And what a lure. Most people would consider the fact I watched all the
episodes in under two days obsessive, however, I simply attribute it to the
shows wildly intriguing stories and plethora of gorgeous women. What drew me
in and impressed me the most, beyond the story, was the pace, and surprising
depth of the show. Aside from following two plastic surgeons through their days,
Nip/Tuck delves into deeper family problems, gender and sexual
identity issues, and personal identity crises. The show is successful in intertwining
its viewers both with the characters, as well as the stories. Dealing with the
issues brought up in the show can be very real for some, and despite the show’s
core of living with changing superficial appearances; it does dive into the
ugly aspects of life. What’s appealing about it also is that the show
doesn’t rely on separate week to week events. As with many dramas, the
story is a constant continuation of the previous week, and sometimes from a
number of weeks before. There are many minor recurring characters having a dramatic
impact on the rest of the show. Overall, there is quite a stable character base
that allows the show to go in many directions all at once.
Nip/Tuck, for the most part, takes place in the private plastic
surgery office of McNamara/Troy, where surgeons Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh)
and Christian Troy (Julian McMahon) transform people’s bodies into works
of art…kind of. Some of you may remember Walsh from the movie Congo,
where he was an ape-toting linguistic nerd. Well, he’s since lost the
bushy hair, and is much more interesting in this role. His counterpart, Julian
McMahon, in the character of Christian Troy is also a very convincing persona.
You’ll understand further when you watch. He fits the role well, and is
reminiscent of the Miami Vice façade, trading in Don
Johnson’s Ferrari Testerosa for a Lamborghini. Of course, perhaps this
is due to the fact that Nip/Tuck also takes place in the steamy
southern locale of Miami, Florida. Sunshine, pretty ladies, expensive cars,
drug lords, and ritzy businessmen are all part of the game again.
Flanking the doctors in this modern day Miami soap-operatic drama is a number
of others whom are equally as caught up in the stories as the rest. Dr. McNamara’s
son, Matt (John Hensley) is your typical high school student seeking his sexual
identity (an interesting sub-plot). Joely Richardson portrays Mrs. McNamara,
a stay at home mom who is desperately seeking to reinvent herself. Some other
major characters include Grace Santiago (Valerie Cruz), the office’s case
psychologist, and the surgeon’s chief nurse Liz (Roma Maffia).
As I said before, an advantage to the storytelling in Nip/Tuck
is the continuing storyline. While this does in a sense detract from having
memorable single episodes that stand out, the show does a fairly good job of
making every episode equally as titillating as the one before; always making
you come back for more. An interesting point to note is that the episode titles
are not your normal run of the mill titles; they are simply names of patients
within the story. This kind of makes it hard to identify single stand out episodes
but in the end, I don’t think that’s even necessary. I don’t
think any of the episodes truly stand out as spectacular on their own, except
maybe the season’s finale. All I know is that I began this short twisted
journey filled with doubts, and ended eagerly anticipating season two.
The special features included in this five-disc set are fairly decent. I think
they are pretty standard given the context of the set, but good nonetheless.
Here are some details:
-Giving Drama A Facelift: Explore behind the scenes of this brand new drama.
Writers, producers, and cast talk about the new show, and all the boundaries
it pushes and even crosses. An interesting one-time watch.
-Realistic Expectation: The Practice of Plastic Surgery: Real plastic surgeons
share many statistics, as well as their opinions about the actual practice of
plastic surgery in the United States. The stats are staggering. Maybe watch
this if you’re interested in seeing how many boob jobs have been done
in the past 5 years.
-Are They Real or Fake?: The Miraculous Make-Up Effects of Nip/Tuck:
This was an interesting view. From watching the show it’s easy to see
how many special effects are necessary. When you’re getting the tour of
the make-up pieces they look pretty fake, however when you see them in the show
you’ll be surprised, as well as disgusted. Give this a look I guess.
-Severed Parts Gag Reel: I’m always a fan of gag reels. This one is decent.
My favorite part was the end when Julian McMahon parodies Monty Python’s
Life Of Brian. I always suggest you watch gag reels.
-Other special features include “A Perfect Lie” music video (the
show’s theme), and teaser trailers.
On the whole, the first season of Nip/Tuck will keep you
thoroughly entertained through all 13 of its episodes. With such sexual tenacity
and twisted appeal, the show easily draws you in and it keeps you wanting nothing
but the next episode. The characters in the show are quite believable and viewers
will likely find themselves attached to at least one of them. With an astounding
array of special effects in the plastic surgery arena (sorry guys, no car chases
and explosions here) the show takes on a surprisingly realistic feel. And the
fact that it was not on network television allows it much more leeway in language,
story, and effects. I really don’t think I’ve seen as many breasts
and blood in a television show before. Ever. If you missed the boat on Nip/Tuck
when it originally aired late last year, now is your chance to hop
aboard and see what all the talk was about. I’d suggest it for almost
anyone, except maybe the squeamish. But if you can bear a little blood, the
story will suck you in. You need not worry though because this is only season
one. If you’ve never seen it you’re not too far behind. So go out
and pick this set up when you can. I can guarantee you'll be eager for Season
Two.
Season Episodes Score: A
Special Features Score: B-
Overall DVD Score: B+(ish)
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