Thank You, Julian McMahon

The heartbreaking hits just keep on coming.

On Twitter, the news broke that actor Julian McMahon passed away at the age of 56, after a private battle with cancer. McMahon's passing occurred on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, coming one day before another legendary name, Michael Madsen, left this world. McMahon's fans are many, and I am definitely included in that group. However, in my case, it's not only fandom, but gratitude. Immense gratitude.

Gather 'round, because I have a story to tell.

Once upon a time, I was very selective with what I watched on TV. Plain and simple, if it wasn't comedy, sports, animated, or horror, I washed my hands of it. I wanted to laugh, I wanted to be excited, and I wanted attempts to be scared (I didn't scare easily, still don't). I hated soap operas. I hated nighttime dramas because nine out of ten of them were soap-ish. Wasn't in to crime dramas or mysteries, either. I first watched McMahon on Charmed as Cole Turner, and that was a hell of a role for him. And yes, I watched OG Charmed, because it qualifies in my itinerary at that time. So yeah, comedy, sports, horror, animation. That was it.

And then, in 2003, this show premiered:

I remember when I saw the promo for Nip/Tuck. Julian McMahon appeared on the promo. Honestly, that was all I needed. Seeing McMahon had me reliving watching him during the fourth season of Charmed while I was also watching that year's (2002) Stanley Cup Playoffs. So yeah, I was in. Didn't care what the show was about. So I tuned in to Nip/Tuck's premiere on July 22, 2003, and I never looked back. Yeah, that's right. I watched a nighttime drama--the very genre I washed my hands of for my entire life.

The series aired for six seasons on FX, and was my Tuesday night religion. McMahon and Dylan Walsh were the two main co-stars, playing Miami-based plastic surgeons for the prestigious McNamara/Troy facility. McMahon played the latter half of that duo, the skirt-chasing Dr. Christian Troy, working alongside longtime best friend Dr. Sean McNamara (Walsh). The series was a huge hit and featured a cast that included Joely Richardson (yes, from that legendary family), John Hensley, Roma Maffia (who worked with McMahon on Profiler) and Kelly Carlson, and was created by Ryan Murphy.

McMahon played the hell out of this, and that's an understatement. That show forever changed what I watch and how I watch TV. It made me a huge Ryan Murphy fan, because I now watch damn near everything with his name on it: Glee, Scream Queens, American Horror Story, and the 9-1-1 franchise, which will included the upcoming Nashville series this fall. The show reached a point where if anyone from Nip/Tuck is on something else, I watch it. And I pretty much watch a lot of good dramas now on TV, on various networks. As those who read my stuff know, I'm watching a soap now as well! You may have heard of it; it's called Beyond the Gates.

My reasons for loving Nip/Tuck are many, but #1 on that list is Julian McMahon. My reasons for expanding my TV horizons are many, but #1 on that list is Julian McMahon. I have still yet to see his appearance as villainous Doctor Doom in the Fantastic Four films, but I have seen him as Vice President Stanton on Red, and I watched McMahon as Jess LaCroix on FBI: Most Wanted. When I heard about McMahon's passing, one of the many things I thought: "I had just watched him on The Residence." The Residence was mystery series that hit Netflix, with Uzo Oduba in the lead role. Regarding McMahon, he played Australian PM Stephen Roos--a fictional character, but very based on McMahon's real life, as his father was a former Australian PM. The entire series hit Netflix on March 20, 2025, and now serves as McMahon's final role.

All I can say regarding Julian McMahon is, "Thank you." Thank you for bringing so much to the table. Thank you for causing my horizons to be broadened. And thank you for making Tuesdays at 10PM very awesome for six years on FX.