FX’s new drama “Nip/Tuck” is under scrutiny for being obscene and misinterpretting plastic surgery.
The series, which airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m., continues to gain bad press. Parents Television Council has launched a campaign against the drama due to its daring images and subject matter.
“We’re sending out mailings to our members so they can write to sponsors of the show about pulling their ads,” said PTC Administrative Assistant Ben Mozer.
Thousands of members wrote in to the sponsors. According to the PTC Web site, three sponsors have told the PTC that they no longer will advertise with the show. Capital One, also a sponsor, has reported they are reexamining the situation.
“Another goal is to take the show out of its timeslot. In the Mideast it comes on as early as eight,” said Mozer.
“Nip/Tuck” is about two Miami plastic surgeons. Dr. Christian Troy (Julian McMahon) is the sex-crazed surgeon with no conscience and Dr. Sean McNamara (Dylan Walsh) is going through a midlife crisis. Dr. McNamara is the surgeon with a heart of gold, but many problems with his wife, kids, and Troy.
There are constant images of sex, butts, breasts and blood, and the language is profane and sexual in nature. The PTC posts on their Web site descriptions of graphic images and of the explicit conversations.
One account of strong sexual content as described by the PTC takes place at a swinger party where Dr. Troy and his date Kimber are in attendance. A woman escorts Kimber to a couch where she kisses Kimber. She then places Kimber’s hand on her breast. Kimber removes the other woman’s top and we see the woman start kissing Kimber’s chest and the woman goes down to her knees. It is implied that they are about to engage in oral sex.
In one episode the PTC reported 5 “s-bombs,” 2 “a-bombs,” 1 “goshdarn-it” and “a female dog.” The PTC is not the only organization speaking out against the show. In an Associated Press article, plastic surgeons attacked “Nip/Tuck.”
Dr. Rod Rohrich, American Society of Plastic Surgeons president-elect, said in the article, “We think it’s an abomination of what real plastic surgeons and true patients do.” He is referring to the show’s representation of plastic surgeons as heartless and the patients as shallow. “I think about 20 patients have talked to me about how despicable it was…but of course, they watched,” Rohrich said.
Rohrich’s patients are not the only ones watching the show. According to Nielsen Media Research, “Nip/Tuck” was ranked 11th among cable shows for the week of Aug. 4th.