September? What happened to this being a summer show? Where have I been?

'Nip/Tuck' stars get bonuses as 3rd season begins
Mon Jun 13, 2005 8:33 AM ET

By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The stars of FX's drama "Nip/Tuck" are getting bonuses just in time for the start of production on the Golden Globe-winning series' third season.

Sources said Julian McMahon and Dylan Walsh have each received a paycheck in the $280,000-$320,000 range, with FX providing most of the money and producer Warner Bros. Television contributing a small portion.

Both FX and WBTV declined comment on the matter Friday, while the actors' reps either declined comment or didn't return calls. Production on the third season begins Monday.

Talks between the actors, who are locked under multiyear deals, the network and the studio about a possible salary bump had been going on for months.

The lump-sum bonuses would beef up McMahon and Walsh's per-episode fees to more than $60,000, according to sources. Co-star Joely Richardson is also said to have received a bonus going into the third season, which starts production today.

While actors sign long-term series deals when they are cast in pilots, it is customary for the cast members on a hit show to renegotiate their deals after the first two seasons and receive a salary increase.

Getting bonus checks instead of per-episode fee bump increases is more unusual. Most recently, the principal cast members of ABC's red-hot freshman dramedy "Desperate Housewives" were each given a bonus reported to be about $250,000 four months into the run of the show.

Separately, Rhona Mitra is joining the cast of "Nip/Tuck" as a recurring character.

Details about her character are being kept under wraps, but sources said Mitra will play a gorgeous and tough New York detective who comes to Miami to investigate the attack against Dr. Christian Troy (McMahon).

Mitra most recently co-starred as Tara Wilson on the final season of David E. Kelley's legal drama for ABC "The Practice" and the first season of its spinoff, "Boston Legal."

Source: today.reuters.com

It really is. They should have just stuck with it either being a summer or normal airing series. I can't take this!

Big wigs just try to screw everything over.

I love Rhona Mitra. I liked her on Boston Legal - but so glad she'll be on Nip/Tuck this season!