‘Nip/Tuck’: Disturbingly Perfect or Just Disturbing
...y to his name, Christian is an unethical, arrogant, ladies man who’s goal is to pack the most pleasure possible into every aspect of his life. His only concerns are wine, women, cars, and the almighty dollar. He does whatever it takes to get what he wants and has no reservations about how. Sean, on the other hand, is not. He is content with the successful practice, and going home to his beautiful wife and two children. He is a man who truly cares for his patient’s wellbeing, not just the fame and money. He is the heart, soul, and conscience of the practice. However, upon closer inspection, there is a deeper meaning to their lives. Christian constantly deals with issues arising with his lifestyle. He is forced to deal with the demons in his childhood, and questions his choices. He is also realizing there is nothing of substance beneath his image and seems to envy what Sean has. Sean is also unhappy with his life. He uses his practice to escape from his spiteful wife and his defiant teenage son. Julia, his wife, has come to resent giving up her dreams of becoming a doctor herself. She finds herself a lonely housewife left to support the practice and to raise their children. Their son, Matt, is six months from graduating high school and faces many pressures at school. He has changed his physical appearance for a girlfriend, and is also getting into trouble at school, due to home issues. Even plastic surgeons thought it was too much. In Survey: Cosmetic Doctors Give Poor Ratings To Their TV Peers, Raine, Dr. Talmage (2004) of Hinsdale Hospital, Hinsdale, IL is quoted “It’s so ridiculous, it’s a parody. But as a parody I like it.” The story lines have been everything from comical to controversial. One scene was of Christian’s car being vandalized, while his blind girlfriend sat inside. Another was of thirty day detention for Matt being overlooked for a free face lift. The show has also dealt with topics such as infidelity, Julia discovering Matt is really Christian’s son, not Sean’s. One of the more controversial episodes was of a woman claiming the stigmata; she came to Troy/McNamara with the intention of getting the wounds of Jesus on her wrists sutured closed. While in recovery, she develops the same wounds on her feet. Later in the episode she confides in Christian and Sean it was a hoax set up by a nun who did not want the Catholic diocese to cancel her program. The characters questioned their faith several times during the show and came to the conclusion there was ‘nothing left to believe in.’ The show tends to be on the graphic side, and the Parents Television Council objects to not having fair warning about the show’s content before it begins. However, there are several me...