MAIN Television Nip/Tuck

Season Recaps | Season 4 & Recaps | Season 5 Recaps | Season 6

Whatever else you any say about it — Nip/Tuck has gained a well-earned reputation as being at the cutting edge of black comedy.

Series creator Ryan Murphy swears that the medical cases featured on the show are "100 percent based on fact" and some of the plot lines are just strange enough to be true.

Since premiering in 2003, the FX series has gained massive popularity worldwide for its portrayal of the lives of its two central characters - Miami surgeons Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) and Christian Troy (Julian McMahon) along with the greed, lust and general weirdness that surround them.

In its first season, Nip/Tuck introduced us all to the central characters:

In addition to Christian and Sean, we were treated to the personality quirks of Sean's estranged wife, Julia (Joely Richardson, real-life daughter of Vanessa Redgrave) along with Sean and Julia's confused children, Matt (John Hensley) and Annie, (Kelsey Lynn Batelaan) Christian's girlfriend Kimber (Kelly Carlson), and tough-minded anesthesiologist Dr. Liz Cruz (Roma Maffia).

Season 2 shocked viewers by introducing a new character, Ava Moore (Famke Janssen), who had an affair with teenage Matt and was later revealed to be a transsexual.

Most shocking of all, The Carver first reared his ugly head as a masked lunatic-at-large who likes to disfigure victims by cutting a slash on either side of their mouths to look like a smile.

Who was he? Hint: Seasons 2 & 3 brought on a new regular, Quentin Costa (Bruno Campos) a plastic surgeon who relocates from Atlanta to Miami to join the practice and to eventually do verbal battle with Sean and Christian.

AND finally the revelation of the true identiy of The Carver ... It was Quentin — aided and abetted by the detective assigned to the case — Kit, his sister!

In the special two hour Season 3 finale we also learn of Quentin's anatomical incorrectness, just how psychotic he really was, and how he got that way. The parting shot was of Quentin and Kit sipping sangria in a far-away resort...but is that is that the last we'll see of them?

Season 4 - What caused most of the buzz (mostly negative) was the introduction of Michelle Landau (Sanaa Lathan) as the wife of a rich millionaire (Larry Hagman of "Dallas" fame). When Larry Hagman's character buys the firm out from under Troy/McNamara, it is Michelle who becomes the boss lady - just before revealing herself as a criminal kidney harvester working for the mysterious James (Jacqueline Bisset).

By most estimations, Michelle was by turns sympathetic, ruthless, and ultimately unbelievable or, in the words of Nip/Tuck fans everywhere, ... "Huh?"

But there were moments that kept everybody hanging on: Rosie O'Donnell's recurring role as a newly rich lottery winner intent on a complete makeover, while Brooke Shields sunk her teeth into a juicy role, that of a twisted psychiatrist obsessed with Christian.

There was also Mario Lopez in the famous shower scene with Christian at the gym. And, our favorite: Catherine Deneuve playing a French mistress who wishes to have her lover's ashes interred in her breast implants "so that he will always be close to my heart."

The big season finale saw the sudden end of Escobar (!) at the hands of his own wife... as Sean sells off his shares of the practice to Christian and Michelle, and Christian leaves Michelle to follow Sean to California. Meanwhile, what are the prospects for Matt and Kimber staying together? Will Sean and Christian stay in Hollywood? Will Michelle be back (with a better written role?)

Season 5 - Despite rumors that she wouldn't be returning, Joely Richardson was back - with a surprise - in steamy lesbian sex scenes with actress Portia de Rossi (currently the real life main squeeze of Ellen Degeneres.) .

Rosy O'Donnell also returned as lottery winner Dawn Budge. This season she became romantically involved with guest star Oliver Platt, the former West Wing star who will play the executive producer of "Hearts and Scalpels", a soap opera in which McNamera & Troy become creative consultants.

This season's evil temptress, Eden played by teen actress Anna Lynne McCord, first appeared in episode 3 and stuck around for the rest of the season to wreak havoc upon Sean, Christian and Julia.

The shocker of the season? From the beginning, all we knew for certain was that a major character was predicted to die, and it wasn't going to be pretty. With the finale that aired on February 19 (and talk about SHOCKERS - and a MAJOR CHARACTER!!) it's Sean who's been brutally stabbed by his insane ex-agent Colleen, played by Sharon Gless.

But wait....will Sean survive? Meanwhile, is Eden finally going to take her revenge on Julia, who has awoken from a coma to remember nothing of Eden's attempt on her life? WHAT NEXT???

Season 6 - Nip/Tuck's final episodes are now in production with the series slated to end on FX sometime in 2011.

Season 6 premiered on FX on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at 10 PM.

In the first episode wheelchair-bound Sean is recovering from crazy Colleen's attack, and takes time off to teach young plastic surgeons at a local university. Enter Raj, the 17-year-old wunderkind who, in several funny scenes, tries to teach Sean and Christian a thing or two about the art of plastic surgery.

Meanwhile, Christian is diagnosed with ...wait for it....breast cancer (yep, men get it, too).

Wait for future episodes as he continues to recover from his wounds by falling for Liz (yes, Liz) with rumors of wedding bells (yes, wedding bells) before the season is out. Also look forward to a return appearance by Anna Lynne McCord as (boo!! ... hiss!!) Eden Lord.

Then there's the imminent return of Mario Lopez. Is it true he's going to fall for Kimber this season? Stay glued ...

More about Nip/Tuck around the Web:

Nip/Tuck on FX - The official site featuring sneak previews, episode recaps, profiles of cast and crew, video clips, photo gallery, weekly blog, busy message board.

Nip/Tuck - TV.com - News & updates, episode recaps and spoilers, pictures, video clips, cast bios, and related forum.

niptuckfans.com - Huge fan site offering the latest news, episode guide, rerun schedule, pictures, video clips, screen savers, Winamp skins, e-cards, busy forum, chat.

Perfect Lie - A Nip/Tuck Fansite & Fan Listing - Picture galleries, episode guides, the latest news and updates, spoilers, and complete cast and character profiles both present and past.

Nip/Tuck Fanatic - Blogger on a mission, with almost daily insights along with news and updates, photo gallery, video clips, series soundtrack, related links.

Nip/Tuck Quotes - An extensive collection of notable quotes from all four seasons plus cast list and related links.

"Nip/Tuck" - From IMDb including Nip/Tuck quotes, plot summery, cast list, viewer comments.

also see -> Entourage | Sex in the City

also see in Health -> Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery

also see in Art & Culture -> Body Art