We can’t help but be inspired by a creator and director who, five years after bringing his vision for a highly dramatic, mildly disturbing series about two plastic surgeons to television, clearly still has as much personal impact on the show as he did in 2003. The acknowledgement is even more notable given the slate of projects Murphy is juggling. Murphy ensures nip/tuck continues to leave viewers with mouths agape, this season upping the Hollywood factor for Drs. Sean McNamara and Christian Troy as they moved on to Rodeo Drive and became consultants on a sad state of a reality show. And when Murphy gets behind the lens, the plot often takes those wickedly subtle versus over-the-top turns we crave.

  • Fast Fact: FX has ordered an additional 19 episodes of nip/tuck, which will end its run in early 2011. Murphy will remain on through the end of the run.

Honorable Mentions:

Allen Coulter, Damages, FX Networks: When you direct the pilot of one of cable’s most compelling new series, people notice. The skill of seasoned director Coulter in pacing the overt action, allowing viewers to continually delude themselves into thinking they’ve got it figured out, earned him an Emmy nomination this year.

Dan Klores, Black Magic, ESPN: Klores’ savvy in putting the lens not only on the players and coaches of Historically Black Colleges and Universities but also on the social context in which they rose to prominence turned what could have been merely an informative documentary into one that resonated with viewers and members of Congress alike.

Steven Lawrence, Down the Barrel, ESPN: California surfer-cum-filmmaker Lawrence elevates the landscape of POV cinematography with his visually stunning doc, filmed in 16mm and hi-def, while bending stereotypes with his focus of four unique pro surfers.

Return to 2008 CableFAX Program Awards table of contents.

The Daily

Subscribe

Cable One Navigating a Storm

Cable One ’s stock dropping north of 40% on Friday was an indicator of how the company’s 1Q25 earnings call went after the bell Thursday. Revenue fell 5.9% YOY to $380.6 million, net income declined 93% to

Read the Full Issue
The Skinny is delivered on Tuesday and focuses on the cable profession. You'll stay in the know on the headlines, topics and special issues you value most. Sign Up

Calendar

Sep 11
2025 Faxies Awards Faxies Nominations Open! Final deadline: 4/4/25
Full Calendar

Jobs

Seeking an INDUSTRY JOB or hiring for one?
VIEW JOBS

In conjunction with our sister brand, Cynopsis, we are offering hiring managers a deep pool of media-savvy, skilled candidates at a range of experience levels and sectors. The result will be an even more robust industry job board, to help both employers and job seekers.

Contact Carley Ashley, [email protected], for more information about posting a job on the website and our Jobs newsletter, sent twice weekly to 85,000 media professionals.