Nip/Tuck/Thoughts: Julia is back - Ugh

Everything was going along so well (well, after one episode at least), and then Julia had to show up.

I'm not pinning the fact that last night's Nip/Tuck was underwhelming on the shoulders of Joely Richardson (who had quit the show to spend time with her family last year, but now everything is apparently ok because she's back — good for her), but it's probably not completely a coincidence the show took a step back when she returned.

This one picked up right where we left off last week with Sean becoming the breakout star of "Hearts 'N Scalpels" and Christian being bitterly jealous.

I loved the fake scene on the show with Bradley Cooper's Aidan Stone, looking for a makeshift tourniquet ("Goddammit, it's casual Friday!") and ripping off his scrubs instead. I was also amused by the fake Marilyn Monroe in Christian's office (they ARE in Hollywood now after all) looking for a breast augmentation.

Still, there are a couple of things I'm not completely buying. I get that "Hearts" is supposed to be a "Grey's Anatomy"-type phenomenon ("Grey's" got a shout out last night after an awards ceremony), but I'm not completely buying that Sean, who's basically a glorified extra with maybe two or three lines each week, is the huge star they're making him out to be. I get that the storyline to make Sean have everything and Christian suffer for a bit (and I like seeing Sean happy), but it's a bit unrealistic.

I also didn't understand Christian's reaction. After being shut down by Fiona for having leaked Carly Summers' face lift, his response to get back at Sean was — to pose for Playgirl?! (I didn't even know that mag was still around) The stuff leading up to the photoshoot (I thought I was the only one that did nude push ups — and that's probably more than you wanted to know about me, but no one reads this, so whatever) and the shoot itself (leopard print underwear and Christian's inability to perform) were fine, the whole storyline was flawed because it didn't make that much sense.

In the end, all Christian managed to do was attract a gay clientele (in some funny segments), which Fiona told him would benefit the business. On the other hand, I AM enjoying Lauren Hutton as Fiona, and I'm setting the over-under at 1 1/2 weeks before Christian sleeps with her — and I'm taking the under.

Since the Playgirl shoot didn't work, Christian resorted to being Christian and sleeping with Kate, Sean's love interest/co-star, who he seemed to genuinely like and who had to have a bunch of skin removed as a result of a gastric bypass surgery she'd previously. I'm glad they seem to have resolved this little triangle within one episode after Christian backed off instead of dragging this out. Still, I'd much rather see Sean involved with Mistress Dark Pain (a relationship they teased in the season premiere) than the slightly lame Kate.

Speaking of slightly lame, Julia is back and gayer than ever. And apparently, she's into women that are hotter, younger versions of her (Portia di Rossi, pictured, left, with Richardson). I don't really understand where the writers are going with this, but I'm going to be patient, because I'm sure Portia di Rossi will have some sort of dark secret — and because she's pretty good and I generally like watching people that had anything to do with "Arrested Development". While it was encouraging that they didn't have Sean be too indignant or get too hung up on his ex-wife's sexuality, I felt they had the character take the sort of easy way out by having them use tired lesbian jokes.

So what'd you think of this episode? Was it a step back or step forward from the premiere? Did you miss Oliver Platt, Tia Carrerre or any of the other guest stars from the premiere? Finally, now that Julia's back, how (and when) do you think they'll re-introduce Matt and Kimber?