If you haven’t yet heard of it, Nip/Tuck is the show that’s being rumored to have put FX on the map. (Gee, I thought it was all those Buffy and M*A*S*H reruns.) Nip/Tuck is a show about two plastic surgeons in Miami, it is a self-proclaimed "disturbingly perfect new drama." Its promos feature one-liners such as "Tell me what you don’t like about yourself"; "Truth is only skin deep"; and "When you quit striving for perfection, you might as well be dead". Really, these are the recurring themes of the show.

The show explores the ethical issues of cosmetic surgery. It explores issues of perfectionism and the attainment of dreams. But mostly, it shows a lot of "dirty dirty" and graphic surgery scenes. This show is not for the faint of heart.

Julian McMahon (Profiler) plays the sex- and money-addicted Dr. Christian Troy. He’s a pretty boy struggling with what little ethics he has. Dylan Walsh (We Were Soldiers) plays his business partner, the devoted husband and father, Dr. Sean McNamara. He’s got more ethics and self-righteousness than the Pope. Joely Richardson (101 Dalmations), daughter of Vanessa Redgrave and director Tony Richardson, plays Dr.
McNamara’s wife, Julia. The McNamaras’ son, Matt, is played by John Hensley (The Sopranos). Roma Maffia (Profiler) plays Liz Winters, the doctors’ anesthesiologist.

These are the main players. Christian is a playboy, but he’s hot for Sean’s faithful wife, Julia. Sean wouldn’t circumcise his son, Matt, because he considered it a "vanity" surgery, so Matt circumcises himself. And did I mention that there are all sorts of head cases coming into the office? Really, the show is very engaging.

This is the show for those of us who can’t afford Skinemax or HBO. It’s cable television at its most unbelievable and raunchy. The show has been rampantly criticized by the medical community for its portrayal of unethical doctors. I suppose there are no unethical doctors? Besides, it’s a drama! It doesn’t claim to be a documentary. The show is a good fix for those of us who enjoy medical dramas, soap operas, and a little soft core.