Review: FX's 'Nip/Tuck' dazzles with Lady Cha Cha parts and new digs

By April MacIntyre Oct 26, 2007, 16:56 GMT

Oliver Platt - can you say EMMY for Freddie!!!! © Scott Alan / Photorazzi

To the strains of “The Best is Yet to Come,” the dazzling work of the art department on FX’s hit series, “Nip/Tuck” debuts in the opening shots of the show that dares to lay bare the human ego in its fragile state, and the need for superficial self-improvement, whether warranted or not.

“At Forty, you gotta go all out,” says Christian to always apprehensive Sean, as they both revel in their stainless steel and high end sleek new “sinkhole” in image conscious Lala-land.

The boys are back in town; Hills that is, swimmin’ pools and movie stars.  

Sean and Christian have closed up shop in Miami and reinvented themselves in Beverly Hills, all in search of new beginnings and fame and fortune. 

One problem: Their ravishing, expensive office is short of paying clients to foot the big bills.

“You guys are in over your heads,” admonishes Lizzie.  “You gotta go out and get it…get some tits while you’re at it…this is Los Angeles for God’s sake!”

The most comely and tortured plastic surgeons on the planet are off to a great start in the new season. Creator Ryan Murphy listened to his fans and returned to its sex and repartee roots in season four, providing a much needed face-lift.

I've seen the first two episodes of the new season and Murphy has continued to paint a show that indulges all our guilty pleasures. 

What fun the first two shows are.

Murphy cast a brilliant supporting line up of guest stars.  Oliver Platt as an effeminate and affected producer/director who is struggling with his awful “Hearts N’ Scapels”, the clever Jennifer Coolidge as a ditzy actress in the “Hearts” show, the fantastic Craig Bierko (Max Baer in “Cinderella Man”) as a slimeball Hollywood mogul with a penchant for Dominatrix abuse, and the cagey Lauren Hutton as a Machiavellian publicist with great boobs who conveniently meets the two doctors who are trolling for patients in a club; their chance meet segues the financially strapped Sean and Christian into a whole new ballgame as tv medical consultants. 

The Hollywood film business clichés are scripted flawlessly.  “I’m getting tits like a girl,” moans Oliver Platt’s Freddie character as he surveys a carb-laden craft service table.

Christian and Sean share a real life surgery for juicing the story line of “Hearts N’ Scapels” in a bid for their share of production credits and on screen time.

“I’d watch a show with pussy-lips on it," says Platt’s character, salivating at their story pitch.

Of course the pussy-lips story gets scripted, and provides Jennifer Coolidge’s character to muse her line’s veracity, and settles on the network sanctioned “Lady Cha Cha parts,” the approved verbiage for the labia transplant that restores her mangled pucker.

I could go on, but fans will hate me for divulging any more delicious twists, turns and scenarios that Sean and Christian find themselves in.

If you are offended by language, sex, or adult situations, or have roaming impressionable children about, this show isn’t for you.

For grown-ups, “Nip/Tuck” an impending wind-fall of great television to anticipate.

Nip/Tuck premieres next Tuesday, October 30th at 10:00PM on FX.