Nip/SUCK

It's not quite accurate to say that Nip/Tuck has "jumped the shark."

It's more like the show has driven off a cliff and burst into flames and now everyone involved is burning to death slowly and painfully. It's absolutely horrible but impossible to look away.

Although I suspect after last night's highly disappointing, downright laughable (and not in a good way), season finale many people will, in fact, look away. Ryan Murphy has probably killed his baby. Not that he cares, he's on to a film career where he can ruin other people's stories (the trailer for his probably disappointing first feature actually previewed during last night's episode, even though the film won't be released until next fall).

This season had one big driving force in The Carver but when the killer's identity was finally revealed it turned out to be the most obvious candidate. But that was less offensive than the cheap horror-movie theatrics that played out over the final half-hour, complete with hackneyed intercutting with the episode's B-story involving Matt and one more entirely-too-obvious Big Twist. There was none of the great trashy fun that elevated last season's ludicrous Famke Janssen/Alec Baldwin-driven finale.

That might be because, aside from The Carver (who popped in and out all season long), the season was a unfocused mess with a handful of great guilty pleasure moments overshadowed by terminal self-importance. That's always been Nip/Tuck's greatest problem. It's as if Melrose Place decided it was The Sopranos without realizing that the key to great human drama is to have characters who are recognizably human.

None of this is new, the show has been in a downward spiral ever since it premiered (it clearly peaked with the pilot), but things are getting truly ugly. The sad fact is much of season three was a bore. Despite the best efforts of the better cast members (most notably Joely Richardson and Julian McMahon), I don't think there was a single emotional moment that worked. But credible human drama was pretty much abandoned halfway through season two in favor of outrageous you-can't-do-that-on-television! moments. Unfortunately this season there wasn't enough trash to fill the void. Plotline after plotline fell flat: Matt's racist girlfriend, the bisexual new partner, Sean's romance with a mafia wife (a very poorly utilized Anne Heche), Julia opening a spa.

I know they probably won't but I think it's time to close up shop at McNamara/Troy. There's just nothing left. Last night's finale ended with another reconciliation between Sean and Julia. But now that the Carver is gone will anyone care?

The better question is should anyone care? And the answer is obvious.