When “Nip/Tuck” made its debut in 2003, it broke cable-viewing records and instantly distinguished itself with its stylized look, tongue-in-cheek tone, gorgeous stars and fresh take on America’s obsession with beauty and youth. Those qualities earned it a Golden Globe for best drama, critical acclaim and water-cooler buzz that lasted for most of its first four seasons.

But when one of FX’s signature series quietly wrapped last week on the Paramount lot, it did so without the usual fanfare associated with the end of a noteworthy show. In part, the silent send-off was because TV viewers won’t see the “Nip/Tuck” finale, which finished shooting on June 12, for a long time, probably as late as 2011, making it tricky to publicize. Behind the scenes too, during the last week of production, there was an awkward sense that the end had already happened, since much of the crew had already moved to creator Ryan Murphy’s new Fox musical, “Glee,” last year, and Murphy himself was out of the country location-scouting for an upcoming movie.

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Judging the worthiness of new episodes of FX’s plastic-surgery black dramedy Nip/Tuck (returning at 10 p.m. Jan. 6) feels a little like watching a Mexican telenovela in order to learn the ropes of nuanced dramatic acting.

Truth be told, this show, FX’s most ludicrous contribution to primetime, has taken the guilty-pleasure genre and twisted it into such a succulent piece of silliness, it is hard to look away. It’s kinda like — no, exactly like — a rich lady strolling through Beverly Hills after ample dosings of Botox and collagen: Sickening, stomach-turning, and you hate yourself for looking.

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