The Final Cut
Posted on March 6, 2010
Filed Under East meets West, Guest Columnist | Leave a Comment
By Susan Stackpole
“Tell me what you don’t like about yourself.”
The probing tagline from the provocative series, Nip/Tuck, marks the beginning and ending of a seven year era of scintillating television. Nip/Tuck documents the evolution of prestigious plastic surgeons, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy. Sean, the frustrated boy scout wannabe, often blames his self-loathing on pompous, playboy Christian, a cunning and charismatic loner, who is forthright about his self-aggrandizing agenda. Sean’s and Christian’s vulnerabilities and character flaws reveal the humanity behind the surgeons’ masks. Add into the mix wounded family members, dysfunctional relationships, succulent secrets, blatant sexual exploration, and a plethora of temptation in every flavor imaginable, and, voila, lightening in a bottle.
Nip/Tuck defines a new standard in compelling television with clever plotlines, stellar writing, brilliant acting, and a spectacularly creative team bringing the riveting show to life every week. Exotic storylines, some plucked from real life, enthrall viewers in the glamorous world of fame, wealth, money, and sex. Each episode offers viewers the opportunity to enter the dark void created by the pursuit of skin-deep beauty and pleasures of the flesh. Nip/Tuck pulls back the curtains of a beauty-obsessed culture to expose challenges of self love and acceptance. The show’s characters are all uniquely “damaged”, simply doing the best they can to make it through life, inevitably hurting themselves and those dearest to them in the process.
At first glance, Nip/Tuck woos the audience with intriguing and often bizarre storylines; though a closer inspection reveals the show’s core message is love. Nip/Tuck’s characters’ strong desire for love drives them to desperate measures. Love illuminates the characters’ flaws as they manipulate and reason their way through the illogical, encompassing death, birth, heartache, healing and everything in between. The characters’ humanity is ultimately endearing, and, despite unsavory actions and poor choices, their vulnerability becomes their lovability. The audience lives voyeuristically and vicariously through the Nip/Tuck characters, offering a deeper comprehension of the human condition and a fuller understanding of the power of love.
Nip/Tuck is an exhilarating study in human behavior, providing the opportunity to fully escape into a unique and fascinating world. It offers viewers the opportunity to recognize bits of self in the characters, and in learning to accept and love them, begin to accept and love others and ultimately self. Nip/Tuck’s final episode aired Wednesday, 3 March 2010. What becomes of Sean McNamara and Christian Troy? Nip/Tuck’s final scenes include the song, “All I Know” by Jimmy Webb. In the eloquent words of Mr. Webb, “I love you, and that’s all I know.”
About the Author:
Susan Stackpole, the celebrity coach™, helps people worldwide maximize their star power and live their best lives. Susan is also an entertainer, radio host, motivational speaker and youth mentor. For more information, please visit – http://www.susanstackpole.com
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