It's been almost a year since McNamara/Troy closed up shop in Miami and packed their bags for Los Angeles, in search of a better life. Following up on a season where just about every loose thread from the world of Nip/Tuck got answered might seem like a daunting task, but look at it this way: after two seasons of some of the best stuff on TV, Nip/Tuck returned for a third time to mixed reviews because of the season long focus on The Carver. For the most part, the show returned to its roots in season four, but overall it was clear that the FX drama needed its own face lift. Starting from scratch in a city where you can order a pizza and a boob-job at the same time seemed like a perfect fit. Fans of the show can rest assured that it is. I've screened the first two episodes of the new season and creator Ryan Murphy has continued to provide us with a show that indulges all our guilty pleasures.

Gallery: Nip/Tuck - Season Five

The obvious assumption is that it only makes sense for a show that focuses on the desire to reinvent yourself to go ahead and try to change its image. However, don't expect to see a wildly different show. Visually, Nip/Tuck looks the same. Blink your eyes and you wouldn't even notice the swanky new office or the fancy Malibu beach apartments. A casual viewer might even think the practice is still in Miami.

A few minutes into the premiere episode, and it becomes very clear that Sean and Christian are far from home though. It's been two months and they haven't had one patient. No lipo. No tummy tucks. Not even a single boob-job. After a midnight romp, trolling the nightclub scene for potential customers, Sean and Christian learn the hard Hollywood lesson: it's not what you've done. It's who you've done. Celebrity status is what matters and with the help of a public relations guru (Lauren Hutton as the first of many guest stars this season), the duo become medical advisers on a hot new show... about plastic surgery.

Sound familiar? In an overused, but still hilariously entertaining twist, the doctors become involved with a new TV drama called Hearts and Scalpels. Producers, consultants, the occasional line... it's cheese in a can and then some. It's well done though. The clichés are played out flawlessly and you can't help but laugh at the self-reflexive tone that Ryan Murphy has adopted. It's funny because we saw some of the same things they're making fun of in early episodes of Nip/Tuck. It's a fresh take that just proves they're willing to let go of the more serious themes and completely embrace the absurdity that being in Hollywood provides.

Long time fans of the show need not worry about the cast being broken up. Liz and Nurse Linda made the jump to the west coast and it isn't long before Julia, Annie, Connor, Matt, Kimber, and their new daughter Jenna come knocking too. As you would expect, the show belongs to Julian McMahon and Dylan Walsh though. It's fantastic to see the two characters these actors have created over four seasons just get destroyed and then have to adjust to this new harsh lifestyle. The city itself is a character and watching it devour Sean and Christian and change their perspectives by the end of the premiere episode is wonderful.

Overall, I think fans are really going to be excited about this season. It's different but not so much that it'll scare people away. The air of celebrity that surrounds the show now makes it far more enticing to watch and the moral dilemmas that are presented as Sean and Christian try to figure out the best way to market themselves will enrage and delight you at the same time.

Nip/Tuck premieres next Tuesday, October 30th at 10:00PM on FX.