Nip/Tuck Reinvents Itself in Season Five

Is it possible for a series to reinvent itself without compromising the key elements that could potentially cause the loss of millions of viewers? Going into season five, the producers of Nip/Tuck have gone out on a limb by making some major changes to the series that many felt was beginning to lose steam.

At the end of season four, Sean quit Troy/McNamara and headed to Los Angeles. Christian, knowing he couldn't imagine life without his best friend, followed Sean to LA and the two set off to make their mark in La La Land.

**Spoiler Alert**

Season five finds Sean and Christian in swanky new digs (complete with a basketball court in their office) and heading dangerously towards financial ruin since they have yet to land a patient since setting up shop. Plastic surgeons are everywhere in LA, making the competition tougher than they could have possibly imagined. Money is so tight, at one point a repo man comes to collect the office fish.

In the first episode of the season, Sean and Christian meet a publicist named Fiona (played by Lauren Hutton) who convinces them to hire her to get the word out about the new surgical talent in town and hopefully land clients -- especially the celebrity kind. She also helps them land a gig as medical consultants on a television series called Hearts and Scalpels. This incredibly cheesy series is in desperate need of their help and they negotiate a sweet deal (which includes the guys playing a small role in the series) that puts them back on the road to financial success. Alias fans should be delighted to see Bradley Cooper back on the small screen as the lead actor on Hearts and Scalpels.

When Christian's speaking role winds up on the cutting room floor (because of his balding, "chia pet" hair) in favor of a little more screen time for Sean, Christian's profound insecurities begin to play a pivotal role in setting the tone for the remainder of the season. For the first time in their relationship, Sean becomes the center of attention and object of desire when he is recognized by fans on the street as one of the doctors on the series. Before they know it, business is booming and life in LA is finally looking up.

The second episode brings Julia back to the canvas and she drops a major bombshell on Sean and Christian -- she has a serious love interest in her life and it's a woman (played by Portia de Rossi)!

This episode also finds Christian desperate to outshine Sean and make a name for himself in Tinseltown. He'll stoop to new lows by posing nude for a magazine (which has some hilarious consequences) and he then tries to date (and likely bed) an actress Sean has begun dating. By the end of the episode we see how far Christian is falling into depression and desperation when he beds two Marilyn Monroe lookalikes because he needs someone make him feel like a star.

After watching the first two episodes of the new season, it seems like the magic of the show is back and heading into new and exciting territory. I found myself laughing out loud many times, especially as the show poked fun at itself during much of the first episode. This is the show we all fell in love with four years ago.

Will Christian and Sean survive LA? Will the role reversal finally kill their relationship? Buckle-up folks, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

Season Five Celebrity Appearances
Rosie O'Donnell reprises her popular role as Dawn Budge in episode four. Along with Bradley Cooper and Lauren Hutton, other guest stars include: Paula Marshall, Daphne Zuniga, John Schneider, Tia Carrere, Craig Bierko, Oliver Platt, Christopher Gorham, Phyllis Diller and the return of Jessalyn Gilsig.