Nip/Tuck: Season 2

Watching the second season of "Nip/Tuck" again reminded me of the show that I enjoyed so much in the mid-2000s. This season was long before the writing went very south and the premise of the show and its characters became a complete shell of the original series. One the eve of the final episode, one critic from "People" accurately remarked that "this show did not just jump the shark, it pole-vaulted the shark." Though season three was watchable, season two was arguably the final quality season before the show began its deep decline. The producers decided that viewers wanted raunchy and outlandish plotlines instead of the good, quality writing and character development that was apparent in the first two seasons.Season two starts with Julia finding out the truth about the paternity of Matt, the ramifications of which would dominate the entire season and even parts of later seasons. The character of Sean McNamara begins to show a much darker side as he feels betrayed by his best friend and wife. He also has to deal with Matt's behavioral issues including an affair with a much older woman. Meanwhile, the character of Christian Troy, for a time, shows a much softer side. He tries to help an ex-lover gain custody of a child that he initially believed was his. He also offers to help Liz, who is gay, to conceive a child and briefly dates a blind woman. This season also plants the seed for the Carver plotline which would consume season 3. This shows that the writers were clever enough to plan in advance, making the whole Carver storyline more plausible and well-thought out. Unfortunately, this cleverness did not pay off in season 3 with the revealing of the Carver's identity. But that's another review for another day.It was not just the whole plastic surgery premise that makes the season work, it is the dynamics and chemistry between the three main characters (Christian, Sean, and Julia) and revolving door of interesting recurring characters (Matt, Kimber, Mrs. Grubman, Gina) that help season two. This is something that was sorely lacking in the later seasons as the producers began to introduce more one-dimensional characters and devalue the long-term characters in order to garner higher ratings in the short term.

I never watched Nip/Tuck when it was on the air. My husband recommended that I watch a few episodes. I was hooked by the third episode. So I purchased Season 1 & Season 2. Both were excellent seasons. This show is never boring. There is drama, comedy , a storyline and a plot. There is also suspense and the characters are very entertaining. Most of the cast are very attractive. I would rate this PG-13 or R based on a lot of sexual talk and crude humor. There is mild nudity. Women and men’s butts can be seen. It is tasteful. When Christian and Sean give their clients breast augmentations there is no nipples being shown. In my opinion, the person watching this show would enjoy it more if they are very open minded. I mention this only because the show has transgender individuals, gay, lesbian, and bisexual characters in it. I guess the right wording would be liberal minded. There is also violence, murder, and a lot of blood. There are people lying, cheating, doing drugs and getting drunk. You can see people having sex but they cover their privates. There is profanity but it is mild. I really enjoyed both seasons and felt a connection to most of the characters. There are exceptional actors and actresses in this series. (I’m not a conservative or a liberal.) I am described by friends and family as open minded and compassionate. I am a parent to a 13 year old boy. From a parents point of view, I do not think this show is appropriate for him. On the other hand, my husband and I love Nip/Tuck. I just bought Seasons 3 & 4 and can’t wait to start watching them on our date nights!

Nip/Tuck is back for another season, so strap yourselves in for the ride. If you thought Season One was groundbreaking, wait till you find out what's in store in Season Two! I highly recommend watching Season One first, that way the convoluted warping of family and business relationships might make a little more sense. In Season Two, the morals get seedier, the surgeries more graphic, and the sin more cutting edge than ever.Sean has a mid-life crisis, his hands begin to shake and he almost botches a surgery. He gets in an auto accident and from that begins to do work with crash dummies who are real cadavers. He splits with Julia after learning Christian is Matt's biological father, the proceeds to have and affair with Kimber, AND the Kimber doll.Julia had to deal with her mother, Erica (played by classic actress Vanessa Redgrave), and learns that Christian slept with Erica. She and neighbor Susanna throw a puberty party for her eight-year-old daughter Annie. She tells Sean the news about Matt's biological father being Christian and Sean throws her out of the house. She discovers her life-coach, Ava Moore (played by Famke Janssen) is having an affair with her teenage son Matt. She gets a boobjob believing the change will somehow cure her lethargy. Finally, after crashing through her sliding glass door and requiring facial surgery, Julia has an epiphany while under anesthesia. She dreams of Ava, and Ava shows her what her life would have been like if she had married Christian instead of Sean.Christian, after discovering the baby Gina gave birth to isn't his biological child, decides that he loves the child anyway and wants to be a part of Wilbur's life. Until Wilbur's real dad shows up. Christian starts up an affair with blind patient Nastasha, but dumps Nastasha to get back together with Kimber. After Wilbur is taken away from both Christian and Gina by the courts, Gina discovers she has AIDS.Two of the episodes introduce us to the work of The Carver, a prominent figure in upcoming Season Three. The most powerful episode in this season has to be 'Rose And Raven Rosenberg', the story of a groundbreaking attempt to separate adult conjoined twins who share a brain. This episode stars real life conjoined twins Lori and Reba Schappell, but of course the surgical procedures are FX. The other two very moving episodes were #12 Julia McNamara in which Julia has her dream venture with Ava, and #16 Joan Rivers, the season finale, where Ava's big secret is let out of the bag, she's separated from her affair with Matt, and her own son dies. ESCOBAR is back!! He returns inside Sean's mind to give him strength to face The Carver. Guest star is Alec Baldwin!The surgeries are more graphic this season. Along with the fantastic conjoined twin surgery is a goopy eye implant, an experimental mutilation reversal, Mrs. Grubman's final lipo, a nose reconstruction after frostbite, a male boobjob, and The Carver's first strikes. Just as in Season One, get ready to have some gruesome visuals set appropriately to great music. Not since Michael Mann's 'Miami Vice' has a show been able to blend its visual and audio sensations as expertly as Nip/Tuck does.Yes, this is a dumb soap opera show, but I'm still addicted to it. As long as you get past some of the lame dialogue and frustratingly stupid things the characters do, you should be able to relax and just accept it for what it is; glitzy and cheesy entertainment. Enjoy!

As described.