It's the final cut for 'Nip/Tuck'
HOLLYWOOD - When “Nip/Tuck’’ made its debut in 2003, it broke cable-viewing records and instantly distinguished itself with its stylized look, tongue-in-cheek tone, gorgeous stars, and fresh take on America’s obsession with beauty and youth.
But when the FX signature series quietly wrapped its sixth and final season earlier this month, it did so without the usual fanfare associated with the end of a noteworthy show. In part, the silent send-off was because TV viewers won’t see the “Nip/Tuck’’ finale for a long time, probably as late as 2011, making it tricky to publicize.
Behind the scenes, too, there was an awkward sense that the end already had happened, as much of the crew had already moved to creator Ryan Murphy’s new Fox musical series, “Glee,’’ and Murphy himself was out of the country scouting locations for an upcoming movie.
The “Nip/Tuck’’ finale will be the show’s 100th episode, a feat that FX wanted to reach with its top-rated show.
But if the actors had had their way, the show would have ended in the fourth season when it was still the No. 1 cable series among 18- to 49-year-olds, a ranking it held for its first four years, and the critics were still in its corner.
“I feel we’ve reached a creative impasse with regards to what we can do with this story,’’ said John Hensley, who played Matt. “I say that trying to be right-sized about this because I am very grateful for this opportunity. I just feel that we were a show that was very good and innovative at one point and we’ve gone the way of so many shows before us.’’
“Nip/Tuck’’ used hyper-real and shocking situations to examine the price people are willing to pay for physical beauty. It was centered on the unconditional brotherly love between two plastic surgeons, Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) and Christian Troy (Julian McMahon). Sean was the highly skilled surgeon who claimed he wanted to improve the world. Christian was the superficial ladies’ man who had more heart than he let on.
In the five seasons that have aired, the doctors have almost died several times, slept with dozens of women, broken up their partnership a few times, and dumped a dead body in the Florida Everglades. In the 19 new episodes, which probably will air over two seasons and may begin in January, the series will become even more operatic and dark.
“The same thing that bothers me about this show is really what was great about it,’’ said Walsh, taking a break in his trailer. “It . . . came about as an antidote to ‘ER,’ which was a great show but had such an earnest tone. . . . It didn’t include the irreverent things and wicked humor and over-the-top scenes of emotion.
“ ‘Nip/Tuck’ brought all that craziness. . . . Of course, the longer we went, the more ridiculous it was going to seem, but that was always our thing. It really wasn’t a great show. It was a great ride.’’
If there is a surprise to the way “Nip/Tuck’’ ends, it’s in its restrained quality.
“I’ve always thought the show should have been simpler than it was, so for me, it was nice to have a little less than what we’ve been expanding upon for the last number of years,’’ McMahon said. 