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RSS'nip/tuck' doth protest too much -- a review of the fifth season premiere
You know that old saying about the pot calling the kettle black?
That's kind of what I feel is happening on the fifth season premiere of nip/tuck (Tuesday at 10 p.m. on FX). Christian (Julian McMahon) and Sean (Dylan Walsh) have relocated their practice to Beverly Hills, where the desire for unnecessary plastic surgery runneth over.
There's only one problem -- no one knows who they are and having almost worked on Joan Rivers does not count as a celebrity endorsement. Enter publicist Fiona McNeil (Lauren Hutton) who convinces the boys to become technical advisors on Hearts 'n Scalpels, a fictional TV show about -- that's right -- plastic surgeons. Cute right? Actually not so much.
The show within a show gimmick rarely works (unless it's the telenovela on Ugly Betty) and it seems like the early episodes are going to be centered around this plot device. That's too bad. Sure Bradley Cooper is having a blast spoofing TV as Hearts 'n Scalpels' hunky, self-centered leading man Aidan Stone. And Oliver Platt is doing his neurotic best as the show's creator and executive producer. The problem is that nip/tuck isn't exactly rooted in realism so the show mocking Hearts 'n Scalpels seems a little silly. It would be one thing if they were in on the joke, but they don't seem to be.
And I have more than a little ennui about the show's over-the-top story lines. Craig Berko as a studio executive who manages stress by visiting a dominatrix (Tia Carrere, who is in the midst of a career renaissance) barely even catches my interest. In my opinion, that's the result of having too many plot lines that seemed to be for shock value only and didn't advance the characters. Nip/tuck is the show that cried shocking plot development.
This brings me to the other main problem with the show - its characters, particularly Christian, fail to evolve. How many times do we have to see him tear a woman apart (this week's victim is Daphne Zuniga)?
So I'm offering up full disclosure, I'll remind you that I fell out of love with nip/tuck around season 3 (the Famke Janssen story line sent me over the edge). So, in all honesty, I probably wasn't in the best frame of mind to fully embrace season five. But the fifth season premiere failed to win me back. Three stars.
After you watch the season premiere post your comments below. Also are you excited about the new season of nip/tuck and the move to Los Angeles? Or are you over the show? Talk about it below.
Could Tony really be evil?
Oh FOX how you toy with my emotions. The first preview of the seventh season of 24 has us all flummoxed. Could Tony, my beloved Tony, really have gone to the dark side? From the ads, it certainly seems like it. I can't believe it's true -- it must be a trick to make sure I tune into the seventh season premiere on January 13, 2008. And let me tell you something, it's a trick that totally worked.
What about you? Has it made you more excited for the seventh season? Do you think Tony could be evil (say it ain't so!) Talk about it below.
Highlights for October 29 and 30
When Bones first premiered two years ago I thought it was a fine show, perfectly serviceable but nothing to get too excited about. And I so didn't buy the chemistry between Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz. Deschanel was very wooden. I grew tired of her constant "I don't know what that means." And I think I was having some trouble moving on from Boreanaz's Angel days. But now I am so on the show's bandwagon. I love the rapport between Bones and Booth and the show really plays to Boreanaz's leading man strengths--he is effortlessly able to bring comedy to dramas. He is, quite simply, delightful to watch. This week (Tuesday, FOX, 8 p.m.), Halloween comes to the Jeffersonian which means more suggestive banter between the pair. They have become TV's new Mulder and Scully but I can't decide if I actually want them together romantically. How about you? Talk about it below.
And it's not Halloween without the annual airing of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Tuesday, ABC, 8 p.m.). I never get tired of watching this annual treat.
That's all for today. I'm back on Wednesday with thoughts on ER (how come nobody told me about Sam's much improved hair color?), Dirty Sexy Money and Cane and this week's Where Have I Seen Them Before (Michelle Dessler is alive, she's alive). Also coming this week a review of the 100th episode of Family Guy and much much more. Have a question? Seen a familiar face? Want to nominate a quote of the week. Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com.
Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal ®
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i agree bout tony its got me so excited for 24 this season
My husband and I both enjoy the show Bones. We watched the X-Files together, too. I hadn't thought of Booth and Brennan as the new Scully and Mulder, but it works for me :)
I am giving Nip/Tuck another chance this year. I was completely disgusted with last years stories and I agree with you about Christian, like he's all that! I'll check it out and if it doesn't work for me, I will finally give it up.
I watched the first 3 episodes of Bones in the first season, didn't like it and never went back. Now everyone says it's good and I think it's a bit to late to get into, maybe I'll Netflix it this summer.
Oh yeah, that 24 trailer has me Hot for Keifer! If this Tony thing is a trick, then it's doubly a treat. I'm tuning in this January for sure.
I hope Bones and Booth never actually get together. That tension is one of the best parts of the show and them actually getting together would likely spell the end for the show (it has happened so many times to so many shows). The comparison with Mulder and Scully is a good one that I had not considered ... Booth is a little more humorous than than Mulder was though.
I find myself opposite of amy on Bones. I wasn't a die hard fan but I watch it every week and enjoyed the show. Now however some of the writing is beginning to annoy me. The whole Cantaloup/honey dew melon mix up to set up lame jokes for some reason really bothered me this week. It goes to the Idea that truly smart well educated people could make a mistake like that. Who doesn't know the difference between Honey dew and cataloup? There are other examples but I can't think of another right now. I'll still watch the show, but keep the smart people smart. Also, I am submitting a preemtive quote of the week for next week from Bones, when a ricochet bounces off the door and hits booth in the Leg - BONES: (dressed as wonder woman) "Sorry, the Bullet Bounced off my Bracelet" . . . this may be a paraphrase as I'm doing it from memory
I should also slow down and type more accurately
I would buy Tony as being evil if it resulted in him having faked Michelle's death, too. With, say, Michelle remaining good anyway -- perhaps as a double-agent)? It'd be a nice make-do after Prison Break jumping the shark by killing off Sara -- at all, much less in such an unforgivably unoriginal (Seven) yet gruesome (Seven) way.
-- Rob
I love Bones and I do hope they hook up - but that doesn't have to lead straight to a relationship. I hope we atleast get a kiss this season
You like Sam's new hair color? I thought she looked better as a blonde. Usually I hate when they make a brunette go lighter and lighter ...
Bones has been one of my favorite shows from it's first episode.
Of course Tony is not evil - why would they do that to a beloved character? My prediction - the drug Tony planned on using that was injected into him instead was actually a sedative to give the appearance of death. He woke up soon after and snuck out of CTU, which should have been easy with the number of people who died after the gas attack. Looking to start over and grieve for Michelle by himself, he took the lessons of Jack Bauer to the extreme, namely the best way to solve a problem was to go outside the system, hence starting an operation to show the weakness of the U.S. computer system. Similar to Live Free or Die Hard. I have a feeling that Tony's motives are more patriotic, and I am sure he will try to recruit Jack. Then just like what we saw in the movie The Rock, the mercenaries will turn, looking to get paid, and Tony and Jack will join forces to stop the plan. I just hope that maybe we get the prequel season in 2009 showing Jack taking down the corrupt agents of CTU, and reintroducing us to everyone from Teri to Nina.