Nip/Tuck: Pilot (1.1)

I never expect much from pilot episodes. While they always give a vague impression of what the show is like, they're generally average, with the writers and actors still working out the show, and trying to see what works and what doesn't. Nip/Tuck's pilot isn't like that. At all.

Despite being best friends, I loved seeing the complete differences Sean and Christian both have. My favorite scene depicting this was probably the intercut sex scenes at the start of the episode. While Christian was having amazing sex with Kimber with a variety of positions and coke snorting, Sean was just pumping away, with Julia clearly bored out of her mind, even reciting grocery lists in her head. In just that two-minute scene, we were given a clear image of both doctor's personalities.

Sean is a complete basket case in this episode. So consumed with his own issues, he's completely ignorant to the fact that both his wife and son are having real vanity issues. Ironically, both end up turning to Christian. Julia feels like a boob job may put the spark back into her marriage, and turns to Christian for an examination. With Matt, he's already given up on his father, and has begun to see Christian as his father figure. In Christian he sees the man he wants to be, and he knows that, unlike Sean, Christian wouldn't automatically say no to his wish for a circumcision.

I really liked how Sean's work is clearly bleeding into his family. If it were any other family, Matt and Julia's problems would just be ignored, and they'd just have to deal with it. But because Sean is a plastic surgeon, there is a way out for them.

The patient of the week was very disturbing. Silvio Perez was a terrifying man, even before he put on that Hannibal Lecter-style mask. His death scene was hilarious though, especially with all his fluids flying everywhere, and Liz screaming for help.

All the performances were great. Julian McMahon, straight from the first episode, managed to make Christian likable and charming, despite being shown as a complete jerk and a major player. I also loved Roma Maffia, who put in a believably snarky performance as Liz, who ridiculously isn't even a regular at this point in the series. Joely Richardson was probably the weak link in the cast though. She gets better, but her performance in this episode was pretty OTT and jittery, especially in the scene where she flushed Annie's gerbil down the toilet. But, like I said, she does get better.

My favorite scene in the episode was Christian attending the Botox party. It pretty much summed up the entire show. We have strikingly cool visuals, great music, enviable lead characters, sexy but dangerous women, terrifying bad guys, and some awesomely dark humor. And it's amazing that so much greatness is already present in just the first ever episode. A

Credits
Guest stars Raymond Cruz (Alejandro Perez); Geoffrey Rivas (Silvio Perez); Robert LaSardo (Escobar Gallardo); Ruth Williamson (Hedda Grubman); Kelsey Lynn Batelaan (Annie McNamara); Kelly Carlson (Kimber Henry); Ara Celi (Celia); Marlene Forte (Miss Michaels); Joanna Sanchez (Rosa); Roma Maffia (Dr. Liz Cruz)
Writer Ryan Murphy Director Ryan Murphy