Nip/Tuck: Season 2, Episode 6: Bobbi Broderick Review
Bobbi Broderick
Original Airdate: July 27, 2004
Writers: Lynnie Greene & Richard Levine
Director: Michael M. Robin
The second season really gets cooking in this episode. Writers Greene and Levine, who have written some of my least favorite (but still good) episodes, pull together easily their best effort yet. Of course, on a soap like Nip/Tuck, it fits that this episode is all about secrets and lies. The biggest secret is Matt's parentage, which by the end of the episode, three people know. Others, like Mrs. Calderello's surgery, represent another degree of secrets and lies. But obviously the big ones that get the most coverage this week are the most devastating.
Following the death of her father, Liz aspires to be a mother. She refrained from doing it while her father was alive because she didn't want to have a child out of spite. Now, she's middle aged, a dangerous time to give birth. Despite the risks someone her age faces having a child, she feels it's worth it. They proceed to operate on a grossly overweight man. They're not doing lipo, but working on his ears. Liz makes a typical comment about how people can be so oblivious about their physical problems, which may place them in a harmful situation. This time it is hypocritical since she is forgoing the concerns of having a child at her age because she wants one badly.
Our patient of the week, Bobbie Broderick, seeks to have her stomach reshaped. Her sons have moved out of the house and she wants a job at Saks to fill her time Only problem is that the women competing for the job are as old as her sons are and they haven't had two kids. She hopes this procedure will improve her chances. When Sean presents the forms, she quickly signs them without reading them out of fear that one of the warnings will scare her away.
Ava and Julia continue meeting, this time for a run. The "life coach" extols the virtues of running on the mind, but Julia isn't accustomed to running long distances. Emotions, instead of endorphins are released. Julia tells Ava a little bit about the secret she's been keeping for 17 years. She doesn't say anything about Matt, but asks if Ava could help him because his grades have been declining.
In the break room, Christian offers his sperm to Liz. Liz is baffled considering that they don't get along (I see them more like Christian does, as the siblings who tease each other). Of course, Christian's eloquent sales pitch, "you or the toilet", isn't flattering. However, Liz still considers it. Many who are looking for sperm donors pay high prices for medical students. Liz has doctor sperm.
At Ava's house, Matt and Ava start drinking to celebrate his new treatment. Matt appears reluctant and defensive at first. She wants to earn his trust. Now we see what is underneath this seemingly self-assuring life coach. When Matt says he'll get "naked in his own truth" only if she'll get naked first, she takes off her shirt! To gain his trust, she has him take a picture of her for himself, trusting him not to show it to anyone. This tactic works as Matt reveals what he did to Cara. However, it works more because Ava is playing off Matt's clear attraction to her.
When Mrs. Calderello tried her new stove, it exploded, severely burning her lips. McNamara/Troy offer to help make new lips using the folds of her labia. This scares her. If her husband knew, he would never kiss her because he had never kissed them before. His culture looks down upon that act. Christian assures her that he won't know where it came from since it is just skin, but Sean isn't comfortable having her husband not know where her new lips came from.
As Ava is about to head to work, Matt hops into her car. At first, she is uncomfortable having him there, but he is able to get her to admit that she is attracted to him. She makes him another shocking offer: if he can get an 'A' in French, she will sleep with him. When he says it's impossible, she rebuts by saying that it'll be impossible for her to relieve his tension. Clearly, Ava is manipulative, but we have yet to see how deep that really goes.
While performing the lipo on Bobbi, Christian barges in asking why Mrs. Calderello was taken off the schedule. Sean tells him about his discomfort lying to her husband, but Christian calls out Sean for his sudden self-righteousness. Of course, it makes more sense for Christian to be more comfortable with a lie considering the massive one he shares now with Julia, but he still has a good point. Their business is lying. They make people something they aren't, be it breast implants, liposuction or skin grafts. Despite Sean's objections, Christian puts Mrs. Calderello back on the schedule.
To alleviate his frustration at being unable to have Ava, Matt pleasures himself outside her window while she undresses. Though Matt has some experience with women before, Ava is a completely different level. Many young guys find an older woman alluring, from Mrs. Robinson to Stifler's mom. On Nip/Tuck, they take this to a far darker place. Satisfying his infatuation, she's willing to give him sex for higher grades, but like many boys, he can't wait that long to satisfy his urges. He also can't see the two cops who destroy his fantasy. This obsession almost cost him dearly.
Christian bails him out and Matt expects a "boys will be boys" type attitude. Before this, Christian had always been one to let Matt do things that Sean never would. He took Matt to a porn party and a strip club last season. However, things have changed. Julia's revelation has brought about the paternal side of Christian. He certainly doesn't want to see his son's obsession label him as a sex offender for the rest of his life. What kind of second chance at fatherhood would that be? Unfortunately, Christian can't tell him the truth about why he's so concerned.
The next day Christian visits Ava at her home, addressing his concern about her relationship with Matt. Their conversation is professional until Christian asks that Matt see another professional regarding his problems. Matt's feelings for her don't scare her off, but rather turn her on. A disgusted Christian threatens to bring her to the authorities. Ava brings out the big guns and threatens to tell Sean that Matt isn't his son. His reference to knowing Christian and Sean for 17 years was a clear sign that Ava connected to what Julia said earlier. Knowing what she knows has earned her more leverage.
The bandages are ready to come off Mrs. Broderick. Her enthusiasm quickly dies when she sees her stomach dark purple and when Sean tells her that she may need a touch up procedure. Although she ignored the information when she signed off, she complains that Sean never informed her that this could happen. Like some people, Mrs. Broderick seems to think that plastic surgery has a near magical capability to fix her problem. Later, Bobbi Broderick interrupts Sean and Julia at dinner and publicly displays her dissatisfaction to a full crowd at a restaurant. This problem isn't going to go away easily, which leads to good drama.
Sean grows concerned about Christian. He finds Christian exerting himself too much on the treadmill and unfazed by the buxom women inhabiting the gym. Since Wilbur left, Christian has tried to repress his problems, although learning that he has a biological son has softened the overall blow. Sean recommends that Christian try to find a meaningful relationship, which is probably futile considering who he's recommending that to, but Sean does have a candidate: who else, but Ava. Before Sean leaves them alone, he mentions that Matt got an A in French. We know what this means for Matt, but Sean only sees it as an achievement a good indicator of Ava's results.
At the office, Christian tries to convince her to go with him instead of Matt, but she prefers the potential of youth. Before leaving, she extorts some botox out of him. It's amazing how Famke Janssen, an actress many have associated with Jean Grey from the X-Men movies, could make such a convincing turn into the "love to hate" realm. Her original appearance, looking back, seems to be the transitional piece; had we seen this side of Ava initially, we may have screamed that she was desperately avoiding type.
Mrs. Caldellero's surgery is an outstanding success. It is bizarre to imagine having that type of surgery and the ramifications that would result. She never told her husband where the skin for her new lips came from. Instead, she told him they got it from her knees. Despite his reservations, Sean doesn't intervene, which was the right call. Although it may be weird to kiss someone, especially her husband, with her new lips, this lie hurts no one. It is an extreme version of a little white lie, but what else do you expect on this show?
Alone in the break room, Liz talks to Christian about his earlier offer. Having her close friends turn her down, she accepts his. After having to keep his offspring a secret, having a known child serves as a way for Christian to openly enjoy fatherhood again. It also gives Liz the chance she wants, to feel life growing inside her.
After their night together, Matt eats some breakfast as Ava prepares to meet a morning client. Although Ava wanted to make Matt believe that he could trust her, she still had her own secrets. The first we find out at the end. Ava's secret son Adrian, completely naked, meets Matt and doesn't make any effort to cover up. With all her emphasis on trust and honesty, holding out that she has a kid certainly creates a lot of friction in that relationship. Plus, Adrian is clearly
This is where the second season really begins. The first few episodes were devoted to establishing the major characters, their situations and the problems their facing. The conflicts and complications are starting. Though some may complain that it took this long, the ride that results more than makes up for it.
Score: 9/10
Following the death of her father, Liz aspires to be a mother. She refrained from doing it while her father was alive because she didn't want to have a child out of spite. Now, she's middle aged, a dangerous time to give birth. Despite the risks someone her age faces having a child, she feels it's worth it. They proceed to operate on a grossly overweight man. They're not doing lipo, but working on his ears. Liz makes a typical comment about how people can be so oblivious about their physical problems, which may place them in a harmful situation. This time it is hypocritical since she is forgoing the concerns of having a child at her age because she wants one badly.
Our patient of the week, Bobbie Broderick, seeks to have her stomach reshaped. Her sons have moved out of the house and she wants a job at Saks to fill her time Only problem is that the women competing for the job are as old as her sons are and they haven't had two kids. She hopes this procedure will improve her chances. When Sean presents the forms, she quickly signs them without reading them out of fear that one of the warnings will scare her away.
Ava and Julia continue meeting, this time for a run. The "life coach" extols the virtues of running on the mind, but Julia isn't accustomed to running long distances. Emotions, instead of endorphins are released. Julia tells Ava a little bit about the secret she's been keeping for 17 years. She doesn't say anything about Matt, but asks if Ava could help him because his grades have been declining.
In the break room, Christian offers his sperm to Liz. Liz is baffled considering that they don't get along (I see them more like Christian does, as the siblings who tease each other). Of course, Christian's eloquent sales pitch, "you or the toilet", isn't flattering. However, Liz still considers it. Many who are looking for sperm donors pay high prices for medical students. Liz has doctor sperm.
At Ava's house, Matt and Ava start drinking to celebrate his new treatment. Matt appears reluctant and defensive at first. She wants to earn his trust. Now we see what is underneath this seemingly self-assuring life coach. When Matt says he'll get "naked in his own truth" only if she'll get naked first, she takes off her shirt! To gain his trust, she has him take a picture of her for himself, trusting him not to show it to anyone. This tactic works as Matt reveals what he did to Cara. However, it works more because Ava is playing off Matt's clear attraction to her.
When Mrs. Calderello tried her new stove, it exploded, severely burning her lips. McNamara/Troy offer to help make new lips using the folds of her labia. This scares her. If her husband knew, he would never kiss her because he had never kissed them before. His culture looks down upon that act. Christian assures her that he won't know where it came from since it is just skin, but Sean isn't comfortable having her husband not know where her new lips came from.
As Ava is about to head to work, Matt hops into her car. At first, she is uncomfortable having him there, but he is able to get her to admit that she is attracted to him. She makes him another shocking offer: if he can get an 'A' in French, she will sleep with him. When he says it's impossible, she rebuts by saying that it'll be impossible for her to relieve his tension. Clearly, Ava is manipulative, but we have yet to see how deep that really goes.
While performing the lipo on Bobbi, Christian barges in asking why Mrs. Calderello was taken off the schedule. Sean tells him about his discomfort lying to her husband, but Christian calls out Sean for his sudden self-righteousness. Of course, it makes more sense for Christian to be more comfortable with a lie considering the massive one he shares now with Julia, but he still has a good point. Their business is lying. They make people something they aren't, be it breast implants, liposuction or skin grafts. Despite Sean's objections, Christian puts Mrs. Calderello back on the schedule.
To alleviate his frustration at being unable to have Ava, Matt pleasures himself outside her window while she undresses. Though Matt has some experience with women before, Ava is a completely different level. Many young guys find an older woman alluring, from Mrs. Robinson to Stifler's mom. On Nip/Tuck, they take this to a far darker place. Satisfying his infatuation, she's willing to give him sex for higher grades, but like many boys, he can't wait that long to satisfy his urges. He also can't see the two cops who destroy his fantasy. This obsession almost cost him dearly.
Christian bails him out and Matt expects a "boys will be boys" type attitude. Before this, Christian had always been one to let Matt do things that Sean never would. He took Matt to a porn party and a strip club last season. However, things have changed. Julia's revelation has brought about the paternal side of Christian. He certainly doesn't want to see his son's obsession label him as a sex offender for the rest of his life. What kind of second chance at fatherhood would that be? Unfortunately, Christian can't tell him the truth about why he's so concerned.
The next day Christian visits Ava at her home, addressing his concern about her relationship with Matt. Their conversation is professional until Christian asks that Matt see another professional regarding his problems. Matt's feelings for her don't scare her off, but rather turn her on. A disgusted Christian threatens to bring her to the authorities. Ava brings out the big guns and threatens to tell Sean that Matt isn't his son. His reference to knowing Christian and Sean for 17 years was a clear sign that Ava connected to what Julia said earlier. Knowing what she knows has earned her more leverage.
The bandages are ready to come off Mrs. Broderick. Her enthusiasm quickly dies when she sees her stomach dark purple and when Sean tells her that she may need a touch up procedure. Although she ignored the information when she signed off, she complains that Sean never informed her that this could happen. Like some people, Mrs. Broderick seems to think that plastic surgery has a near magical capability to fix her problem. Later, Bobbi Broderick interrupts Sean and Julia at dinner and publicly displays her dissatisfaction to a full crowd at a restaurant. This problem isn't going to go away easily, which leads to good drama.
Sean grows concerned about Christian. He finds Christian exerting himself too much on the treadmill and unfazed by the buxom women inhabiting the gym. Since Wilbur left, Christian has tried to repress his problems, although learning that he has a biological son has softened the overall blow. Sean recommends that Christian try to find a meaningful relationship, which is probably futile considering who he's recommending that to, but Sean does have a candidate: who else, but Ava. Before Sean leaves them alone, he mentions that Matt got an A in French. We know what this means for Matt, but Sean only sees it as an achievement a good indicator of Ava's results.
At the office, Christian tries to convince her to go with him instead of Matt, but she prefers the potential of youth. Before leaving, she extorts some botox out of him. It's amazing how Famke Janssen, an actress many have associated with Jean Grey from the X-Men movies, could make such a convincing turn into the "love to hate" realm. Her original appearance, looking back, seems to be the transitional piece; had we seen this side of Ava initially, we may have screamed that she was desperately avoiding type.
Mrs. Caldellero's surgery is an outstanding success. It is bizarre to imagine having that type of surgery and the ramifications that would result. She never told her husband where the skin for her new lips came from. Instead, she told him they got it from her knees. Despite his reservations, Sean doesn't intervene, which was the right call. Although it may be weird to kiss someone, especially her husband, with her new lips, this lie hurts no one. It is an extreme version of a little white lie, but what else do you expect on this show?
Alone in the break room, Liz talks to Christian about his earlier offer. Having her close friends turn her down, she accepts his. After having to keep his offspring a secret, having a known child serves as a way for Christian to openly enjoy fatherhood again. It also gives Liz the chance she wants, to feel life growing inside her.
After their night together, Matt eats some breakfast as Ava prepares to meet a morning client. Although Ava wanted to make Matt believe that he could trust her, she still had her own secrets. The first we find out at the end. Ava's secret son Adrian, completely naked, meets Matt and doesn't make any effort to cover up. With all her emphasis on trust and honesty, holding out that she has a kid certainly creates a lot of friction in that relationship. Plus, Adrian is clearly
This is where the second season really begins. The first few episodes were devoted to establishing the major characters, their situations and the problems their facing. The conflicts and complications are starting. Though some may complain that it took this long, the ride that results more than makes up for it.
Score: 9/10
posted by Matt @ 2:10 AM
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