Nip/Tuck

Pilot

Season 1, Episode 1, Aired 7/22/03

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Episode Summary

Old friends Sean (the family man) and Christian (the playboy) are partners in a plastic surgery office. Their relationship is under fire after Christian operates on a Colombian drug lord who pays him in drug money. Sean's family life is also in upheaval, and he is headed for a mid-life crisis.moreless

9.2

EPISODE RATING: Superb

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Cast & Crew

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Dylan Walsh

Dr. Sean McNamara
Julian McMahon

Dr. Christian Troy
John Hensley

Matt McNamara

Fan Episode Reviews (18)

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Christian goes behind Seans back with a shadey patient.

9.5

"Superb"

By TheWetGoose, Apr 25, 2011 Report Abuse

Christian Troy and Sean McNamara run a successful plastic surgery practice. In the pilot episode, Christian accepts a large sum of money to makeover a suspected drug dealers face. Later on Christian learns the man is actually a pedophile. The patient bribes Sean to do more work on him while Christian is kidnapped and tortured by the father of the 6 year old girl that the patient molested. Meanwhile, the patient is killed by his brother during surgeory. To avoid losing their medical licences, the pair disposes of the body. This episode introduces a cast of excellent actors and exciting plotlines. There is little doubt that Nip/Tuck will continue to produce the same high caliber entertainment in the future.moreless

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This extended episode was quite a hooker, introducing the charachters you will come to love and hate, at the same time.

9.0

"Superb"

By Sacred-Snow, Dec 15, 2008 Report Abuse

This episode, like most episodes begins with the doctor asking 'what don't you like about yourself?' This pulls you right in. Following this, the writers lead you right into the charachters main traits:
Christian shows his promiscuous side.
Sean makes it clear he has family problems. His family is also introduced.
Christian also signs a client for the sole purpose of money.
And most importantly, the tensions surrounding the practice are not hidden. This set-up makes the show intantly addicting; all you want to do is watch more!
The story continues then to hold an actual plot, with Christian realizing what he had done by helping the man change his face. He is then forced with a gun to continue surgery, until his patient is shot. The main antagonist of season one is then introduced, and the partners' first big dilemna, a corpse, is brought up. In a sense, everything in season one rolls into motion from this episode, and all in an excellent manner. There is not much that could have been done to make the episode more worthwhile.moreless

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Con las ganas de algo más

8.9

"Great"

By napen, Aug 15, 2008 Report Abuse

Despus de amanecer con Lost deseaba algo de similar calidad. S, ya lo s, dificil. Nip/Tuck, cirujanos plsticos, no mucha ms informacin previa.
La nica actuacin sobresaliente me pareci la de la mujer del cirujano robot. La del hijo tambin vale la pena. Pero la historia me dej con ganas de ms. Los dos actores principales parecan estar demasiado preocupados en saber si el piloto servira de algo o si seguiran desempleados por otra tewmporada. Los personajes secundarios no estaban a la altura de las circunstancias.
Hasta ac no mucho para rescatar pero... le tengo fe. Espero que se vaya desarrollando la historia a medida que pasen los captulos. Espero...moreless

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Great pilot

9.0

"Superb"

By PabloExobar, Jul 21, 2008 Report Abuse

One of the better pilots out there. Had everything a pilot episode should have. Introduction of the characters, some character drama to develop them and finally a little action so we can start getting attached to them.

The concept of the show is a bit unclear to me at this point(each week a new patient)? Even if thats the case, I have a feeling this wont be just any other episodic show... nO, i think this show has a nice high concept storyline that's groundwork was settled in the episode.

Really enjoyed the main characters, especially the two guys, Sean and Christian. I loved the contrast between the two(Sean the familyman, Christian the playboy) and yet there's still a strong connection between them.

What might prove to be a wweak point in the show based on my experience with the pilot is Matt, Sean's son. I dont really see a teenager drama-storyline fitting into the show.

The pilot was completetly stolen by the dynamics between Sean and Christian, so that is why when they didn't have shared screentime, the show slowed down a bit. Especially in the middle - it felt a bit dragged out. Had it been 45 minutes long as usual, this wouldn't have been a problem and the pilot could possible get a 10/10.

Loved the twist with the child molestor too, didn't see it coming at all. Very few pilots have twists like that(unfortunately) so it was breath of fresh air.

Overall great pilot that you should check out if you want a different take on a medical show.moreless

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Plastic Buffet

9.5

"Superb"

By maxpower03, Oct 03, 2007 Report Abuse

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 likeable 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.

Director: Ryan Murphy
Writer: Ryan Murphy
Rating: Amoreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- The McNamara home is located at 1657 Essex Way. Edit
- Featured Music: "Lonely" by Bebel Gilberto (Christian driving in his car during opening credits) "Paint It Black" by Rolling Stones (during Perez's face surgery) "Truth or Dare" by N.E.R.D (Christian botoxing girls at the suite) "Panoptica" by Nortec Collective (When Escobar tortures Christian) "A Perfect Lie" by Engine Room "Giddy Up" by Indo Edit
Notes
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- Raymond Cruz (Alejandro) also worked with Robert LaSardo (Escobar) in the 1991 movie Out For Justice. Edit
- Raymond Cruz (Alejandro) and Geoffrey Rivas (Silvio) also worked together in the 1993 movie Bound By Honor. Edit
- Raymond Cruz (Alejandro) and Joanna Sanchez (Rosa) also worked together in the 1996 movie Up Close And Personal. Edit
Quotes
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- Christian: (in Spanish) Mr. Perez, my partner thinks you have a body dysmorphic disorder. I do not. I don't think you hate your body… I think you're running. 4525 Collins is not a residence; it's the Eden Roc Hotel. I'm quite fond of the happy hour tapas there. (in English) You wanna talk about the real reason you breezed into town? And do me a favour, Mr. Perez, when you answer, drop the no hablo English bullshit. It doesn't add to my confusion about your predicament, it only highlights your own. I'm a doctor; what you tell me during consultation is confidential. Silvio Perez: I prefer to let my money talk. (He puts a large briefcase on the table) Christian: Nice alligator. (He opens the briefcase to show a lot of money) Silvio Perez: Twenty thousand dollars, according to your website. That's your fee. Christian: Funny isn't it? How certain things from Colombia have that pungent aroma that can stink up a room. Coffee, for instance, and of course there's the cartel money. Silvio Perez: I'm not Colombian. My brother and I, we are Argentinean. Christian: Mr. Perez, if you were Argentinean, I wouldn't have to recommend porcelain veneers. It's the only South American country with fluoride in the water. One last time, why are you running? Silvio Perez: I was with the boss' girl. Christian: Mr. Perez, you cad. Edit
- Miss Michaels: (to Sean, as she leaves) The next time you've got some little size four on your table, and you're giving her liposuction she really doesn't need, you think of my Joey and what you could have done for him. Shame on you. Edit
- Christian: You think a big change like this will be easy? It will not. You want a change? Great. Do the nip-and-tuck route. Subtle, almost imperceptible shifts. Isn't that what you recommend to all your patients? But don't delude yourself into thinking that you have the time or the patience for an entire life lift. We're not twenty-seven anymore, we're forty, and, brother, we're on the cusp of the American dream! Sean: It's not my dream anymore. Edit
Allusions
ADD ALLUSIONS
- Christian's boat is named "The Boatox". Botox is an anti-wrinkle drug. Edit
- Julia: Things, Dr. Spock did not write a chapter about. Dr. Benjamin Spock (1903-1998), an American paediatrician, wrote a best-selling book called The Common Sense Book Of Baby And Child Care (whose first edition was published in 1946) which is often seen as a parenting handbook. Edit
- Julia: You think I wanted to be some Stepford doctor's wife? This comes from the 1972 book "The Stepford Wives" by Ira Levin. In the book, the husbands of Stepford, Connecticut, have all their wives replaced by submissive, obedient, beautiful and perfect robots. Edit