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Masters of Sex 2.02 “Kyrie Eleison” Review: “You’re Not Your Worst Part”

Masters of Sex is interested in far more than the act that can lead to another life and “Kyrie Eleison” (Greek for “Lord, have mercy“) takes a look at the various life lessons that have been passed down from mother to daughter; stigma, loss and misunderstanding are all prevalent. While we already know so much about Bill’s own unhappy childhood and difficult relationship with his mother – so much more than he has ever shared with Libby – it is time to shine the spotlight on several of the other female characters. Part of this occurs through the teenage patient Rose and ethical quandary Bill finds himself in, but it’s also a lot more organic than every character interacting with Rose and spinning off this ‘case of the week.’

Bill is in a fight with Betty as she’s faking fertility treatments to keep her husband happy and Bill is not thrilled with his role in this charade. This is the second time Betty has blackmailed Bill while using the study as leverage – in season 1 she provided the brothel where Bill observed, now she holds the key to the funding – and despite threatening to tell Gene everything, Bill doesn’t want to jeopardize his new position in this manner. Betty keeps referring to his “dopey sex study” something Bill takes great offense to as this study could dramatically change how people view sex and the medical conditions that are currently referred to as “deviant behavior.”

Rose despairs because there is darkness inside her and she thinks sterilization is the only way to “fix” her problem; there are appearances to keep up as her mother wants her out and ready for cotillion. Once again the WASP way of sweeping everything under the carpet and the favors that come with a sizable donation look set to win this argument.* Greathouse already looks like he is going to be a problem as he completely misunderstands the point of the sex study and there’s clearly something going on between him and Bill’s new secretary Barbs (the amazing Betsy Brandt).

*It’s hard not to think of Dawson’s Creek and the reason Jen Lindlay was sent to live with her Grams; her parents caught her in bed with another boy at a similar age to when Rose was first caught. It’s a common tale of repressing sexuality in teens by sending them away and one that leads to far more shame. Basically don’t send your kids away for shit like this. It is not the cure.

It’s a ballsy move for Bill to go against orders this early in his job at Memorial, but Bill is not going to stand by and be told what is best for his patient just because privilege is at play. We rarely see Bill’s tender side and it often occurs when he has a patient who is being oppressed – in season 1 he helped a woman who had an abusive husband and he didn’t play by the segregation rules on a ward – here he sees what could be a hopeful future for Rose as long as she understands that “You’re not your worst part.” There is hope through understanding and this is why this sex study is so vital, so people stop calling others tramps and whores (sadly this still happens regardless of better understanding).

Betty has her own life lesson to impart on Rose and she’s been an eavesdropping bystander to the whole case; she also has her own experience when it comes to sterilization and she unsuccessfully attempted to reverse the procedure last season. Betty’s mother called her a tramp and a whore for as long as Betty could take before she snapped. Betty’s version of standing up for herself comes with dark consequences as she used the heel of her pump to strike her mother which resulted in blindness and a glass eye. Betty realizes that this might not be the best advice and she’s equally surprised when Rose mentions Bill’s words of wisdom. If only Bill would let others in beyond his patients and Virginia (on the rarest of occasions). No, Bill is more likely to let out his feelings when he is alone as we see when he emotionally reacts to what happened to Barton.

Shoe observations represent more than just a violent act for Betty as her expensive heel break when a past client bumps into her in the hospital corridor. Betty utters that $50 shoes are just as poorly made as $5 ones and despite her expensive furs (which she wears several of this week) there is always someone lurking to remind her of who she used to be. Betty mother was the first to call her these names and it is hard to escape something that ingrained, even when you’ve freed yourself from those ties.

Virginia is still facing dirty looks and unwanted attention as a result of the study and the one doctor who appeared to be different from the other multiple leery advances turns out to be the kind of guy Virginia accused him of being last week. Under the guise of finding out about their research techniques Virginia gives a detailed explanation of how Ulysses works to Dr Ditmer and he ends up getting more than just a little turned on by scientific terms like “vaginal sweating.” Yep the dude lets it all out and if it wasn’t so scuzzy then it might make for an interesting write up for the study. Instead Virginia is rightfully horrified at this encounter and then pissed when an elevator full of woman ignores her calls to hold it for her. If that sweater wasn’t so cute I would probably suggest Ginny burns her clothes to get the skeeze off.

There is one doctor who is not pursuing Virginia’s romantic attention; his horndog status is well publicized and he hits on patients and yet Dr. Austin Langham has no interest in Virginia. Austin like Virginia has had his private affairs aired publicly and the big difference here is that assumptions are being made about Gini and she’s either ostracized or leered at, whereas Austin can still hold a booze soaked party in his office and get a good attendance. Ah, those classic double standards (the Friday Night Lights season 1 episode “It’s Different for Girls” demonstrates this perfectly) and instead of refusing Austin’s offer to dance, I’m glad to see Virginia driving into the skid (to borrow Austin’s metaphor) and not hide herself away. I’m not sure I agree with his lone wolf analogy and it sounds like Austin has been getting more therapy, but this pairing as just friends is so utterly delightful.

Those who dislike Virginia extend beyond those who work there; Vivian Scully makes sure her opinions are well and truly heard by everyone within a 50 meter radius when she comes to get her broken arm checked out. Vivian is still reeling from her own family tragedy and Virginia’s attempt to act like BFFs riles her and she gets an emotional release by berating Virginia about Ethan. What this conversation does is give Virginia information, however limited that something has happened to Barton as he has taken a leave of absence, information that she imparts on Bill who in turn goes to see Vivian about what really happened. Even though Vivian doesn’t know and really doesn’t want to hear it most likely, Virginia helps her out even after she tells her that she will end up “old and ugly and alone.”

This brings me to my favorite relationship of the show; Virginia and Lillian. Masters of Sex creator Michelle Ashford spoke to Time last week and this quote really resonates:

“I think sometimes female friendships tend to be portrayed as either ‘We’re best friends and tell each other everything’ or ‘I did like you but now we want the same man, so I hate you.’ But the truth of female friendships is they are often as complicated as romantic relationships, sibling relationships, mother/daughter relationships — there’s competition between women, and envy, women can be both very judgmental and incredibly selfless in the love and support they offer one another. There are a million emotions under the sun that play out in female friendships, and I think we’re just committed to making the women (and their friendships) that we portray on our show as very specific.”

The Lillian/Virginia relationship is incredibly complicated and we see it in yet another light in “Kyrie Eleison” as Virginia takes on a motherly role with her boss. Lillian’s getting more and more words mixed up and Virginia is concerned this has something to do with her cancer (my booze theory was way off). Virginia takes charge and books an appointment with Lillian’s oncologist and the prognosis is not great; they are both fighters and so Virginia refuses to see this as a defeat. Virginia takes Lillian’s “every good fight begins with pizza” as another word mix up, far from it and I’m totally with Lillian.

Prior to this the pair have a bathroom chat (and anyone who read my My So-Called Life discussions knows how much I adore a TV bathroom chat) to do with the film Virginia wants Lillian to make rather than plain old pamphlets. Virginia goes a bit stage mom as she insists Lillian wears makeup to reduce the shine – “What does makeup have to do with medicine?” – with Lillian playing the part of reluctant daughter (this is good advice and something Richard Nixon will regret not knowing very soon in this timeline). It brings up their own mothers with Virginia describing a woman who had big dreams for herself and her daughter (and it sounds like mother did not get her own) and Lillian’s had a passion for bridge, or rather she killed herself off a bridge and it suddenly becomes clear why she is so guarded and driven. Hugely different experiences, but they are drawn together in this incredibly tender friendship that started in a combative place.

Bonding over tales of childhood occurs in the Masters house too; not between Libby and Bill (which really would be a shocking moment), but with the nanny Libby has hired to help with baby Johnny after Bill sent his mother packing. Coral lost her mother at a young age like Libby and Libby shares a whole lot about her fears regarding Bill’s distance and discomfort with the baby. There is a sisterly vibe as Libby takes Coral’s hand and what fun things they have planned. The atmosphere changes when Libby can’t find a solution to Johnny’s crying in her Dr. Benjamin Spock book and starts to fret. It’s compounded further by Bill’s arrival home and his inability to hide his annoyance at the loud crying. Swaddling is the solution, something Coral does and Bill is all “well, duh, I did tell you that.” Not helping, Bill.

The atmosphere changes and what started as gal pals shifts to a more traditional employer/employee definition in the most cringy way possible. Libby feels scolded and stupid for the swaddling incident and so she lashes out in an extremely passive aggressive manner as she patronizes Coral by pointing out how she pronounces things incorrectly. Libby uses the guise of being a team and having to present themselves in the same way, but no this is her exerting her power through her privilege and it’s pretty ugly. One other shift is that Libby is wearing a whole lot of pants – something she barely did last season – and there is still a strong feminine style with the choice of capri pants and soft color sweaters. Coral’s attire reflects her young age and has a school girl innocence to it, particularly the white ankle socks in the first photo. Race was briefly addressed last season, though in no kind of depth and while Libby has liberal views her jealousy and insecurities could provide their own conflicts in this area.

Bill has already started using his new job as an excuse to avoid home and the affair they say isn’t an affair continues as the episode is bookended with trips to the hotel. The research is now taking a more psychological direction which will have implications on both a personal level and on a grand scale that could change how people see certain types of behavior. Bill still stands in the shadows making his excuses to his wife even as he tries to shine a light on what some consider to be a sinful act. You can still be your own worst enemy even when dishing out great advice like “you’re not your worst part.”

Tags: 2.02, Ane Crabtree, costume design, Kyrie Eleison, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen

Comments 3 Comments
Categories Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 2.01 “Parallax” Review: Going off Book

14 Jul

The big rain soaked grand gesture that ended season 1 of Masters of Sex is revisited in the form of flashback from both Bill and Virginia’s perspective throughout this premiere – the different points of view give the episode its title – and it is even followed by an equally rom-com like “What do we do now?” This question is incredibly loaded and neither Bill nor Virginia is very good at saying what they really mean; there is no scientific instrument than can speak for the (metaphorical) heart. Everything has been displaced and in this excellent first outing back we see pretty much every character clinging to the past while being deluded about the present. As with last year these reviews will be looking at Masters of Sex through the prism of costume design and how this plays a part in the overall narrative, as well as exploring other broader themes this show is addressing. Starting at the end of the episode, which in a sense is the beginning of this seasons time line as Bill and Virginia discuss the finer points of Freud’s “there are no accidents” philosophy – this is one occasion where they agree with Freud after debunking his female orgasm theory – and end up in their standard stalemate relationship position. Bill and Virginia work incredibly well together and are both rather intuitive when it comes to the work, not so much with saying how they really feel as one of them is always erecting walls to protect their heart. Bill was the one to lay it all out this time and then pulled the classic “oh you misunderstood what I was saying” after Virginia use word “affair” and how amazing he is for getting that she choose work over love. They can barely look at each other in this scene and they’re wearing their standard armor; Virginia’s high neckline/dark palette is her serious person wear and Bill’s immaculate suit and bow tie reflects his stiff exterior. Their versions of armor do get stripped away in the bedroom and this is the first time they have been intimate outside of a controlled environment and it is jarring seeing them engaging like this outside of blue robes and medical instruments. The quick cuts as they go from doorstep to bedroom and finally a longer sequence of them naked enhances how impulsive this moment is and they are both laid out bare both physically and emotionally. Bill’s inquisitive side comes into play as he checks Virginia’s pulse and the first mention of no medical equipment is uttered; it’s impossible for this pair to separate the study from intimacy. This is the barrier they have used in the past to justify what they are doing as science. Now comes the psychological side of sex and Virginia ponders how they will measure this kind of data. Ah the study and its ability to provide an excuse for ignoring what is really going on while confronting these feelings in equal measures; Virginia even refers to it as “like nuclear rain falling on us all.” That is some stark imagery. Virginia barely wears any color in this episode and the ones she does are relatively muted aside from the celadon scarf that gets commented on at the hotel (“you can call it green”) and this incredible floral kimono. Again this is a much different look to the blue robes worn during Virginia’s previous sexual encounters with Bill and while they have of course been intimate with each other prior to this, the different setting and personal details like this kimono show how this relationship enters a new phase only to be back where they started by the end of the premiere. The different versions of the phone call, one in which we see Bill with a post-sex hopeful glow as Virginia turns down Ethan and the other as we hear Ethan’s side and see Virginia choosing work over love (even if she was never really in love with Ethan) earn an “it’s complicated” relationship status update. If this episode had a sponsor it would be denial and the result of what denial can do is helpfully demonstrated by Dr. Austin Langham as he hides from his scorned wife in Dr. Lillian DePaul’s office – he interrupts Lillian and Virginia having their own conversation about denial – as she roams the halls with her kids in tow yelling about her unfaithful husband. I have to admit that I totally bought into Austin’s sincere sounding declaration that he was a changed man and was no longer the cheating hound dog he was last season. Instead he has actually been sleeping with his sister-in-law and his fear of the study being like a mummy’s curse wasn’t his downfall, his inability to keep it in his pants did that just fine. Virginia getting to hold yet another baby reluctantly combined with Lillian’s admonishing of Austin made this the comic relief this episode craved. It also raised the question of whether Virginia should have ratted out where Austin was as a sign of solidarity even though Austin is the one who is her friend, not his wife and this situation is even more problematic as Virginia is also currently sleeping with the husband of a friend (no I am never buying the “it’s for science” defense which is why the Bill/Libby/Virginia love triangle is so fascinating). In one other moment of hilarity Lizzy Caplan did get to show off her fantastic comic timing as she attempts to use the script given to her to sell the diet pills, improv is definitely more Virginia’s speed. While I’m on the subject of the Libby/Virginia friendship it is a good time to point out the stunning outfit Libby wears while on her trip to the hospital – inspired by Dior’s New Look – and there’s a couple of things that stand out to me here. First there’s light and dark; Virginia is in her standard dark tones and it’s not surprising considering the reaction from hospital employees that Virginia is doing all she can to not stand out. Libby is facing similar stares when out at functions and I’m not sure if she is aware of these disapproving looks or is she is using standard WASP protocol and pretending everything is fine, I suspect the latter. The color of this dress matches her son’s attire and it instantly made me think of how the Virgin Mary is often depicted wearing light blue and white. This is reflected later when Bill scoffs that their baby isn’t Jesus despite being a ‘miracle,’ no to Bill he is like a crying monster to be drowned out by records and thoughts of Virginia. If only he could see the above shot to make things even more jumbled in Bill’s mind. Pure horror movie POV as Bill contemplates entering dear, sweet Johnny’s room before opting for the record player. Libby later calls Bill a “baby magician” before realizing that his mother is the one with the baby skills beyond the hospital. Bill’s baby fear stems from his own troubled family history and he banishes his mother back to Ohio after spitting at her how he is sleeping with Virginia and that he has become both his father and her. Bill really needs therapy as these issues are not going away and it is unfortunate that Libby has to deal with both their crying child and her repressive husband. Libby asks for advice from Virginia with how to deal with Bill’s work situation and Virginia’s words of wisdom focus on Libby “most of all I would take care of myself, it’s all you can do” as Bill is not great when being pushed in a certain direction. Libby does some of the former, but really more of the latter and this calls for more stunning vintage garments including this blue alpaca coat. Libby is all poise at this event showing off what is under the above alpaca coat – a spectacular necklace and pale blue dress -as she tries to make things work, all while Bill is polishing off multiple martinis and snarking about her attempts to talk to Greathouse. Bill has his own chance meeting that helps him secure a new job and outlet for the study (more on that below). Tying Virginia and Libby together through floral print is not something I would have necessarily expected; Libby wears hers to maintain her social standing and to help Bill’s career through the only way she knows how and Virginia’s comes as personal and professional intersect in a new location. Libby and Virginia are of course linked through Bill and as their friendship developed prior to any Bill/Virginia sexy times it makes everything even more complicated. Libby is a sympathetic figure – which a lot of other shows with a difficult/brilliant man storyline have struggled with – and at the same time she isn’t painted as a weak 1950s housewife. There is real steely determination here and I worried when Masters of Sex first started that Libby would end up as nothing more than a pretty face with a nagging disposition so that you would will Bill and Virginia to be together. Instead we have a character who has strength and isn’t afraid to go against her husband’s wishes if she thinks it will help her family. That Bill has two women like this in his life who want to go to bat for him, despite his prickly and difficult nature is pretty astounding.

We know that when Bill lets his guard down there is a very caring side as he shows when he accompanies Barton to his electroshock therapy. When Barton pukes on him he barely blinks “it’s just a suit.” Bill can’t hide his disgust at this barbaric course of treatment and he uses science to try and convince Barton that he shouldn’t continue down this path.

I’ve talked about how the theme of this episode is denial and Barton has this is droves as he tries to convince himself and Margaret that he can be ‘cured.’ Margaret sees through his sexual advances as soon as he wants to do it from behind pleading with him “there’s only a shred of me left that feels like a woman.” Margaret and Barton break my heart on every level in this episode – and have all but guaranteed repeat Emmy nominations for this time next year – as they both struggle with the reality of Barton’s sexuality. He so desperately wants to feel another way that his last resort is suicide and he is saved by his wife and daughter who have just returned from a shopping spree. Mother and daughter discuss the color of Vivian’s new top – she’s moving away from the pinks of last season as she has grown up and is talking about moving away – when they hear what they think is a thud from the basement window. Instead it is Barton’s hanging attempt and thankfully they reach him in time to save his life. Where the Scullys go from here is unclear, but they aren’t letting even those nearest to them in as Margaret makes excuses to Bill; a long distance phone call is the 50s version of a video call I guess. What dish of denial is Lillian cooking up with her medicine cabinet story? Am I wrong in inferring that alcohol might be behind this shiner? One thing that I love about Masters of Sex is that it doesn’t have just one great lady friendship, there are currently three – though Jane will be departing soon sadly – and each brings out a different richness. Lillian and Virginia call each other out on their BS, Lillian disapproves of the diet pills Virginia is hawking and Virginia quickly flips the tables when Lillian blames her black eye on an object and not a person. Lillian has trouble getting her words out which might add to my booze theory or it could be down to her illness which I fear will take this incredible character away from us. It’s all about being careful and not reckless, a position that sends Virginia down Bill Masters memory lane for the final time in “Parallax” (this title also sounds like a diet pill to be honest) as their guarded nature could be seen as being careful, but it is probably going to be far more detrimental in the long run. Lillian as ever is buttoned up and muted in her costuming. Yellow bag, coat, dress and jewelry is what I wanted from Jane’s brief appearance this season (Heléne Yorke is switching with Annaleigh Ashford as the actress with Broadway commitments this year) and I’m really going to miss this character’s ability to be honest without being hurtful. Jane wants Virginia to move to California as she thinks Virginia is deluding herself with the study and Bill. It’s colorful versus muted tones once again (Virginia’s collar is making me think of vicars and how she is trying to reject the sexual image people associate with her after the presentation) and Virginia also uses this opportunity to convince her friend that maybe she isn’t making the right choice either. Jane is following her dream and in a way Virginia is doing the same by putting her faith in Bill and their work. Betty is back! Welcome to another installment of denial as she still hasn’t told her husband that a) she is gay and b) she can’t have kids. Masters knows about both of these things and is pissed that he has been drawn into this mess again, but hey he also gets to restart the study and get a new job out of this association so let’s play nice Bill. Betty is also not thrilled to see Bill and the Pretzel King is oblivious to all of this. Oh, Greg Grunberg (and another Felicity alum getting discussed on both his former and current show). Betty wears red, which was a staple color during her brief, but memorable stint last season and her relationship with Bill is one of the many conflicts I am looking forward to them exploring this year. An excellent first episode back propelling the story forward while characters try to adjust to big changes while denying that anything is different despite the obvious shifts and upheavals. Incredible work from Ane Crabtree and her costume design team as they add another layer to the text through what the characters wear and how they wear it.

Tags: Ane Crabtree, Annaleigh Ashford, Caitlin Fitzgerald, costume design, Greg Grunberg, Helen Yorke, Julianne Nicholson, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen, Teddy Sears

Comments 7 Comments
Categories Masters of Sex, Review
Author Emma Fraser

Fantasy Costuming Masters of Sex: Vintage Inspired

7 Jul

As Masters of Sex is a period drama the costume design relies on vintage pieces and new garments that have been inspired/adapted by Ane Crabtree and her team (Crabtree’s Instagram has some great behind the scenes videos) to keep in line with the look of the late 1950s.* This edition of Fantasy Costuming is going to be a bit different from previous outings as I have selected garments from a variety of stores ranging from affordable to ‘one month’s rent’ and everything chosen is available to buy right now. Both 1950s and 1960s silhouettes (and especially the latter) have refused to be relegated to the past and each season seems to have a hint of these decades on the runway (much to my delight).

*Updated to include this behind the scenes video from Showtime and one revelation is how Crabtree makes everything.

http://youtu.be/NuOC9x5MMCU

The garments featured are reflections rather than something one of these characters might wear; an homage using current collections and inspired by the costuming from the first season. Virginia, Libby and Jane are the three women I will be looking at for wardrobe ideas as all three represent different aspects of this period.

Virginia’s wardrobe is dominated by subdued colors as she wants to be taken seriously and this means there’s a whole lot of black and grey. Color does slip in with red and green, plus bows and buttons are very much part of her look. One of my favorite aspects of 1950s style is how detailed necklines are and they often feature added embellishments/intricate collars.

The Rockabilly Your World top is one of several items from the vintage inspired ModCloth and the rounded collar/bow detail is so on point for Virginia.

Sticking with black and a similar neckline with a Carven dress that sits a lot higher (mid-thigh) than something Virginia would wear, but definitely shares in the essence of her serious work attire.

Grey is Virginia’s backup work power suit color (just throw a white coat over the top for extra Virginia Johnson confidence) and this knee-length Lanvin wool dress is all nipped in waist, keyhole detail and shoulder embellishment.

Time to inject some color and red is rather symbolical for a number of reasons; it reflects the passion that both Virginia and Bill are having a hard time reconciling with as each pushes the other away at various points during season 1. Red is a dominant color on the artwork for season 2 and it holds significance when Virginia wears it. Plus Lizzy Caplan looks stunning in any form of crimson (lip color included). This frock is from ModCloth and is appropriately called the Dance Floor Date dress.

One more Virginia item and Masters of Sex had me coveting all the coats last season. Coming from RED Valentino this stunning and super chic black woven coat has a hint of bowed femininity and an enduring quality. Virginia is both fashion forward for the time period and at the same time maintains a timeless look as a woman in the workplace.

Moving on with a couple of items that make me think of Jane. Jane’s dominant color matched her sunny disposition with a whole lot of yellow. Both the You Got the Upbeat blouse and Member of the Board heels are from ModCloth and are well suited to those who wear this shade all of the time and those who want to give it a go for the first time. Regulars to the site know I am a slight yellow clothes obsessive and so I’m always happy to have a reason to shop this color.

Libby is the most classically feminine of the women on Masters of Sex as she plays the traditional role of housewife and now mother. In season 1 Libby’s costuming reflects a wealthy lifestyle and even her loungewear/cooking/cleaning clothes are beautiful. This might see a shift in season 2 as she’s now dealing with a baby and their financial situation is far from secure. This beautiful cornflower jacquard skirt is from Topshop and matches the pastels and patterns Libby wears.

More soft color from Alice + Olivia and this works for both a Libby influence and her younger counterpart Vivian Scully (pink dominates her costuming). The floral lace detail is stunning and the classic A-line cut is perfectly Libby with a modern twist.

Libby doesn’t really do the whole monochrome thing; if she did this Tory Burch ‘Wilda‘ polka dot affair would be her speed as those dots aren’t actually white but rose pink.

Masters of Sex returns Sunday, July 13 so be sure to join us next week for all the costuming and narrative analysis.

Tags: Alice + Olivia, Ane Crabtree, Carven, costume design, Lanvin, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, ModCloth, pretty dresses, RED Valentino, Topshop, Tory Burch, Virginia Johnson

Comments 1 Comment
Categories Fantasy Costuming, Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 1.11 “Phallic Victories” Costume Review: Are You Good Enough?

9 Dec

Virginia Johnson pulls many people into her orbit; some describe her as being like “Technicolor” and with others there is a rapport through a conflicting personality type. Bill Masters and Lillian DePaul are part of the latter group and Virginia enhances their work by focusing on personal aspects beyond just science. It’s perhaps fitting then, that the episode closes with Virginia singing you “Don’t Know Me” (and yes that is Lizzy Caplan singing) as we still have barely scratched the surface with who Virginia really is, while closed off characters have revealed their innermost secrets and fears. We know what other people think of her and yet the inner life of Virginia Johnson is still a mystery.

Bill has his own fantasy version of Virginia in this episode, as he no longer has the real one to talk to after she quit last week and Bill is not the kind of person who will make the first move towards a reconciliation. Instead he has these imaginary chats where ‘Virginia’ points out the missteps that he is taking with this new presentation idea. She also reminds him that she was more than just a secretary; this is his projection of guilt. The lighting is dimmer in these moments and in the scene above her posture is emphasizing her chest and there’s a sultry, but disdainful quality to this look.

In reality this is how Virginia looks in the same attire, in Lillian’s office instead and it’s a lot less pouty and perky. There’s a relaxed quality to the Johnson/DePaul relationship even if Lillian is just as prickly as Bill ever was; it helps that there is no sexual tension.

Bill’s version of Virginia works on several levels; she acts as the voice of reason and she imparts a much needed confidence boost. ‘Virginia’ challenges his new presentation idea as he’s going to make a bold statement that he can’t back up with sufficient evidence and it’s a big claim; he’s going to state that size doesn’t matter. Bill’s reasoning is that he needs to keep people in the room so they hear the actual discoveries they have made and he’s afraid that if the work isn’t a success then he will have lost everything. ‘Virginia’ tells him that he is a “bigger man” than all of this and the real fear isn’t to do with size, “the fear is are you good enough?” Bill doesn’t think he is a bigger man and this loops back to his earlier comment to Libby that there is always something to prove.

Fantasy Virginia wears a variety of outfits including the grey that matches what the actual Virginia is wearing, the blue bathrobe of their most intimate moments and the green that Virginia wore a lot at the start of the season and then stopped doing so once they started sleeping together. The green sweater in the scene above was last worn in episode 3 “Standard Deviation,” the first episode Virginia wore a lab coat in. This was also the first time Virginia met Lillian and Lillian essentially gave her the brush off.

The only shared scene between the real Virginia and Bill happens in the last sequence of the episode as Virginia is singing “You Don’t Know Me” and the pair share an elevator ride as if they are strangers. Both make sly glances at the other while waiting in a big crowd, but other than that there is nothing.

Bill is isolated in all aspects of his life and this is no more apparent than at home. The shot prior to this one made it seem like Libby and Bill are in the same bed together as Libby asks questions about the mystery 23 times couple, a couple who we know to be Bill and Virginia. As with Margaret and Barton’s secret all the clues are there for Libby to work out who this really is and yet she seems blissfully unaware at this point as she poses the question of whether this couple fell in love. Bill’s only response is that this is outside the area of inquiry. We don’t do emotions here, even though we do really. Bill and Libby are worlds apart despite their close-ish proximity and Libby is trying to do everything in her power to make herself a valued part of Bill’s life.

This includes an offer of help at work and she can be his new “Virginia.” There is so much awkwardness in this episode between Libby and Bill as Libby tries everything to reach out to him. Libby tells him that he takes care of me followed by the super cringe line of “you feel good inside me.” Yep, that happens and I really feel for her. As with Margaret there’s only so much she can do for her husband as he’s thinking about someone else. The whole pregnancy is still not sitting well between them and they trade passive aggressive statements back and forth.

Libby’s character trajectory has been impressive; at first it seemed like she was going to be a simpering housewife who called her husband ‘Daddy’ and instead she has become so much more than that. Ultimately is it a fool’s errand that she keeps attempting to crack Bill? Possibly, but at least she isn’t passive. This episode also produced yet another female friendship to warm my heart with Jane and Libby hitting it off instantly.

The maternity wear is beautiful once again and while the peach attire is new, the outfit above is a repeat costume. Libby is luminescent in these scenes and it might be a kiss ass comment from the new wannabe Ethan, but she does have a smile in her voice. If I was Tyra I would call this ‘smalking.’

More maternity wear and as with a lot of the late 50s/early 60s women’s clothes a detailed collar is everything. Libby’s choice of office wear is less colorful than what we usually see her in (the peach was intended for a lunch date, not work) as if she is trying to tone down her look and not stand out.

Jane or VirJane as she is now known whenever Bill yells for her (and it’s a lot) is still rocking her ever present sunny shade of yellow.

And more yellow. Jane’s disposition is still upbeat despite Bill’s constant yelling and put downs because she doesn’t have every single one of his medical filing terms remembered. Jane is still seeking out Virginia’s advice in secret and while she’s not Virginia, Bill has lucked out getting Jane as his secretary and she has also been so vital to his study. Bill wants to show some of the film they shot, a factor that Jane isn’t all that comfortable with and she refers to as the “mine shaft footage.” The other film has of course been destroyed so there is no way Bill could use that.

This is the first episode in which Libby and Jane have shared a scene and I hope we will get to see this friendship blossom; both Caitlin Fitzgerald and Helén Yorke have been standouts this season so I’m glad to see them together. The pair go through the files to find viable candidates and it’s here they unknowingly stumble upon the Bill and Virginia’s data – it’s lucky that no names are included, but personal details like how many children they have and marital status could hint at who it was if they dug deep enough. Jane’s not all about yellow, her other color is blue and she tends to wear something with a darker hue when the stakes are higher and Bill’s presentation is incredibly important. It’s a dress with little to distract except for the collar detail and Jane’s costuming tends to have a feminine flourish even when it’s a slightly more reserved outfit.

“Well, having a dick doesn’t hurt.” Lillian utters this declaration after a disastrous 17-hour trip and a conference that is over by the time she arrives with Virginia. Lillian rails against the system and the Bill Masters of the world and believes she would be in a much better position if she had the right anatomy. Virginia argues that Bill only has the “rainmaker prerogative” not because he is a man, but because he is excellent at his job and has learned how to work the system. I mean it’s hard to argue that his gender hasn’t opened doors for him, and yet what I think Virginia is trying to tell Lillian is she has to work the angles and not look at the things that are holding her research back. Lillian has softened her appearance for the conference with her hair down, but her suit is still the stiff grey and it’s important on occasions like this to be comfortable in personal presentation.

So while they can’t schmooze out on the golf course there is an entirely different set of influential ears they can bend. Virginia knows how to work a room, she’s been in plenty of different social situations and her time on stage gives her confidence and presence. Virginia is essentially Lillian’s hype man, she does the intro and knows which buttons to press in terms of ego stroking and lets Lillian do the science part. This is Virginia’s “size doesn’t matter” speech, but instead of using false data she uses life experience. White gloves, pretty dresses and pearls give off an air of ‘ladies who lunch’ and yet their influence gives Lillian six advocates in six states, probably more than her presentation would have garnered. Especially if she opened with her gags.

Unlike the instant friendships between any of the Libby/Jane/Virginia combinations, the road to Virginia and Lillian has almost been as long as their 17-hour trip. It’s now hit a point where Lillian shares her deepest, darkest secret – she has cancer. Julianne Nicholson is devastating in her performance as she tells Virginia in a rather matter of fact way about her cancer history and the end that is closer than it should be at this age. Virginia at first mistakes Lillian’s wonder at the doctor’s wives as sadness that she hasn’t her own family; it’s quite the opposite as she ponders what could be achieved if all of those women pursued careers instead. Lillian is desperate for someone to continue her work and while this work is just hers, she needs someone who can take the reins from her when she falls. Lillian has been going at it alone and now she has a partner of sorts, Virginia has already been part of a team but her name will no longer be on that work. I wonder if this is sly nod to the title of this show which thanks to the pun only references one half of the partnership, but it is Virginia who is on everyone’s mind.

This includes the metaphorical dick measuring contest between Virginia’s current beau Ethan and her former husband George, who shows up just when it’s only Ethan looking after the kids. Like Libby, Ethan is a character that I dismissed in the first episode and his violent actions and jealous streak made him incredibly unappealing and he felt like another version of Joan’s husband Greg in Mad Men. I’m still wary of him and even though Virginia is making a go of it this time, I’m worried that if/when it goes sour he will lash out again. Ethan does handle himself with George though, he plays the doctor card and yes he does shave. We measure ourselves in a variety of ways and this competitive banter between George and Ethan is just another version of that. It’s not just the ladies that get fancy neck details and Ethan’s casual wear features a rather bold red, white and blue collar.

All George has is this past version of Virginia that he can brag about knowing and yet he has no access to her, yes he has memories but how much can memories get you? He brags about her singing and how she never does it anymore, as the last sequence proves this isn’t the case. It’s just a singing booth at the fair, but to Ethan and her kids it’s the world. This is a different version of Virginia and once again it does feel like we don’t know her. Lizzy Caplan is excellent in this role but it still feels like we are getting Virginia through the eyes of everyone else. Virginia is essentially the Masters of Sex hype man, she gets us in the tent and we get to learn about the inner lives of everyone else. What happens when we get to see who Virginia really is?

Tags: "Phallic Victories", 1.11, Ane Crabtree, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Helen Yorke, Julianne Nicholson, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen

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Categories Costuming, Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 1.08 Review: Do You See What I See?

18 Nov

So much about Masters of Sex is discussing what can’t be said in the public sphere; including the research that Bill and Virginia are conducting and many other personal matters. “Love and Marriage” explores the idea of perception as we delve further into the why of these characters and the relationships they have. Perceptions can be formed from a whole host of things including social status, race, gender and sexuality and these are all covered in this episode.

One of the reasons I find costuming such a fascinating topic to write about comes from the amount of information that can be derived from what a character wears and how this can influence both those around them and the audience. When it comes to the study there is no costuming (aside from the blue bathrobes) and all they are looking at is the data, but with everything else opinions can and are formed.

Virginia sticks to the dark colors that we have seen her in throughout the series so far and aside from two different bathrobes (at home and at work) and her lab coat in class, it’s all greys and darker tones this week. Virginia is trying to be taken seriously by Dr. Lillian DePaul and Dr. DePaul is pretty hard on Virginia with her passive aggressive comments about her capability. Experience dictates reaction and Dr. DePaul has faced opposition to get where she is. This doesn’t mean that Virginia has had it easy, far from it but they’ve taken very different paths to get to this place. You could chime in with female solidarity, but for Dr. DePaul she has had to leave her gender at the door to get this far and she doesn’t want Virginia to have it easy either. It doesn’t help that Virginia asks for her work with Dr. Masters to count as partial credit as Dr. DePaul reads this as Virginia asking for an easy grade.

There is a severity to Dr. DePaul that is evident in the way she dresses and her costuming lacks any color, nor is it tailored to show off any kind of femininity. This reveals how little she wants to or can rely on her gender even though she specializes in female related medicine. Dr. DePaul is keeping her own secret and her research is a personal issues because she has Stage VI cancer; ultimately she has become her research in the same way that Bill and Virginia have become theirs – with very different outcomes of course. It makes the boredom that everyone is exhibiting at her presentation all the more painful and it shows why she has such a tight deadline for completing the work.

While I don’t see Lillian and Virginia becoming BFFs anytime soon, there is a new found respect garnered in this episode as Virginia aces the test and scores 100%. Virginia also shows that she has a backbone by calling Dr. DePaul out on her shit. The moment above where DePaul silently moves Virginia’s heels under her chair could have turned into a spectacle of pointing out Virginia’s flaws (as she did with her punctuality), instead she lets it slide.

Whenever Virginia wears grey it makes me think of Dr. DePaul and while this neckline and style is not something Dr. DePaul would wear it’s also signifies serious work attire.

In an entirely different look Virginia gets her kids to help her study for the big test and they ask her why she wants a degree? Virginia answers in a fanciful way that makes perfect sense because they’re kids and she invokes the idea of magic; “You still do your job, but when you have a degree people believe you know what you’re talking about.” Tessa’s response is pretty darling and totally spot on for how Virginia hopes it will improve perceptions of her “So people see you right from the start.” This is why going from secretary to researcher is so important because even though labels shouldn’t matter, they definitely do. It’s also really great to see Virginia’s career having a positive influence on her kids for once rather than being something that has her questioning her skills as a mother, especially when Henry beams when she gets an answer right. Education is empowering and it’s a shame that Bill is trying to sabotage Virginia’s efforts.

Wife is another label of course and for Margaret her role as wife has been about companionship, this is no longer enough for her. Margaret has experienced a sexual awakening and even though it’s over with Austin, she can’t go back to her routine with Barton. The outfit that she is wearing in the bar after her Austin breakup is decadent and is not what she would wear to go visit her aunt, Barton knows that she was going to be sleeping with someone else and their confrontation in the bathroom makes him openly weep. Both Allison Janney and Beau Bridges are terrific in these scenes as they try and come to terms with how external factors are altering what seemed to be a strong relationship – though a relationship built on a foundation of lies is always going to have its weak points.

This disconnect between Margaret and Barton is made even more awkward with the presence of Dale and Margaret can tell straight away that Dale is not a grad student – is it his clothes? How he talks? One thing Margaret hasn’t perceived yet as far as I can tell is that Barton is gay; all the clues are there including his insistence last week that he hasn’t slept with another woman, his disinterest in Margaret’s body when she is standing in front of him naked and this meeting with Dale. Instead she buys his story that Dale is his pimp for lady prostitutes. Barton doesn’t want his marriage to be over and he wants a solution to what he calls “this terrible habit” and he seeks out Masters’ help. It’s pretty painful to watch someone contemplating aversion therapy like this – and sadly Masters and Johnson did at one stage claim that homosexuality was curable – and it shows the desperation to avoid admitting to being a gay man in the late 1950s.

One Scully is having a better time in her relationship and rather than putting Ethan off with her morning routine of “Love and Marriage” (which is now stuck in my head, thanks show), Ethan has taken the next step with Vivian and purchased an engagement ring. Vivian looks like a girl playing make believe housewife as she prepares breakfast singing and so it’s surprising that Ethan takes this as his cue to ask the big question. As Ethan views the whole routine through a mirror it’s as if he’s watching a movie and not real life. Austin can’t understand why Ethan would do this to himself if he hasn’t got Vivian pregnant and Ethan thinks that a wife is the way to get ahead, he mentions that out of all of the presidents only one was a bachelor and no one remembers him – Austin does and it was James Buchanan. Austin has a pretty terrible attitude towards his wife now and thinks a vacuum cleaner that hovers can makes up for his dalliances, but he sure knows how to spin a story to get another woman into bed.

There are so many traditions when it comes to a proposal and Ethan is clueless about every single one, this includes how much you should spend on the ring (two months’ salary) and from Vivian’s perspective what kind of dress she should wear (tea length or floor length) and whether she should get a manicure as Ethan is taking her to a restaurant nicknamed ‘the hitching post.’ The proposal happens early, or rather it’s a non-proposal as Ethan doesn’t even answer the question and Vivian still says yes. There’s no getting down on one knee or grand gesture that he will be able to recount in years to come, instead a whole host of questions and a face of instant regret.

There’s an episode of Mad Men where Betty is nervous about inviting a salesman in while Don is out that makes me assume that inviting someone in while your husband is not at home wasn’t really the done thing – it’s only one example and of course Bill Masters is no Don Draper – but it still occurred to me during this Libby storyline and I’m not entirely sure what they are trying to say with this plot. Libby takes some dance advice off Walter (Libby has called him to fix her gutters but from her initial reaction she was surprised that he is black) and it feels like there is chemistry between the pair; is this because they have both lost someone or is it something more? Walter is also the one who takes Libby to the hospital after she faints and the doctor wrongly assumes that he is “her boy.” I’m interested to see if this develops any further and if they will be making any other nods to issues of race or whether it is just a way to introduce another Libby pregnancy story outside of the regular hospital she visits. Another assumption is that Walter took her to the nearest place but it could also have been a purposeful decision to avoid Bill’s workplace.

Like Libby, Jane is in yellow (and by now you know that this is the Jane standard). Jane was the first person to sign up for the study and once again thanks to a little coaxing from Virginia she agrees to be the first to try out the internal vagina camera. It feels like Virginia is subtly manipulation Jane which makes me a tad uneasy, but Jane does seem fine with it when she stops associating the film aspect with dirty movies and thinks of it like a hand model for science. Plus Jane comes up with the hilarious stage name Beav St. Marie. Valerie also gets in on the jokes as she tells Lester (the very nervous camera operator) that “vaginas don’t bite,” unless you’ve seen the movie Teeth of course.

Another day, another yellow outfit for Jane and she’s pretty comfortable in the environment of Bill’s office. This could be thanks to Virginia’s helpful tips including no stray paperclips ever and no mayo on Bill’s sandwiches (like Bill I’d also prefer it if there was a law against mayonnaise). Jane is responding to Austin in this moment and Austin wants back on the study and he no longer only wants Jane as a partner.

There’s something a little X-Files like about this scene as Masters goes on a secret mission to get a camera that will record their research.

The episode ends with Bill and Virginia in their blue robes watching the footage. There’s intimacy and not just because they are having sex, but because they are discovering these things together. This is the happiest we have ever seen Bill and his arousal isn’t because of what is on screen but because they are the first people that have seen this in the world. Something that was previously undocumented has been recorded and this result is everything that this study is about. Now if only some of the characters had the ability to show themselves to the world for the first time.

Tags: "Love and Marriage", Ane Crabtree, costume design, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen

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Categories Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 1.07 Review: How to Save a Life

11 Nov

Don’t worry this isn’t going to turn into a Fray sing-along (though I am sorry if it’s now stuck in your head, as it is in mine) but there is a lot of talk in this week’s Masters of Sex revolving around the idea of saving someone’s life and they all occur in secret. While certain storylines are bubbling to the surface, there is still much that is not being outwardly discussed. The same could be said for both the study and Virginia and Bill’s relationship; both are progressing and barriers are being broken but there are still lines that are constantly being redefined.

One huge development is that Bill and Virginia are now participating in the study with each other and the opening scene showed just how awkward this can be when it is pure science and no passion. Bill is still pretty clueless when it comes to the non-medical aspects of sex and when a couple he is treating mentions the Karma Sutra his world is blown wide open. Things do get better for Bill and Virginia as the episode progresses and there is a relaxed atmosphere in the scene above as Bill lets his bow tie hang loose; he’s becoming slightly less buttoned up.

There’s no need for either of them to wear their white coats now – in the first post sex scene they were both wearing them but now things have progressed beyond that. The dress Virginia is wearing is nothing out of the ordinary for her, but this episode does see the return of both burgundy and red to the wardrobe color palette that was mostly lacking last week. Bill offers to zip up her dress, but Virginia insists that she has got it, maybe to reduce the intimacy of this moment they just shared.

These are the blue robes we are familiar with, but this is the first time we have seen either Bill or Virginia in one and there is something vulnerable about this almost naked state. The build up to this scene has Bill and Virginia answering their questionnaires intercut with them getting undressed separately in a very practical manner, there’s no tearing off clothes here. Their answers are of course very different; Virginia lost her virginity at 15, Bill at 20. Virginia slept with both of her husband’s before they were married, Bill waited until after before he slept with Libby. Virginia thinks that she is different from most women as she can separate sex from love and this is where we hit a stumbling block as while I believe that Virginia thinks this to be the case we need more character depth from Virginia to really get to the bottom of this.

This is where the final scene comes into play and it’s the classic reflection shot as we see Virginia staring intently at the bed that she just shared with Bill. He is off to meet Libby, something that Virginia encouraged earlier in the episode but now she has been left alone. Up until this point it has seemed like the Bill/Virginia attraction has been from one direction, but something has changed thanks a not-so awkward and in fact really pretty hot sexual encounter between Virginia and Bill. Bill is reinvigorated, but Virginia is left contemplating alone. What we need here is to understand more about who Virginia is as everything so far has been pretty much surface level and mostly from observations of others. Lizzy Caplan has been excellent so far so I hope they get to delve deeper as this is the one thing this show really needs. Other than the lab coat this is also the first time that Virginia has worn white and this generally represents purity, it’s an interesting costume choice to come after a scene like this.

I’ve buried the lede somewhat but Libby asks Ethan for help conceiving because it will help save her life. This is a bold and rather grand statement but Libby believes that if she has a baby with Bill then they will share in loving something together. A shared passion is lacking and this has been obvious from the first episode. Libby performs the function of 1950s housewife because effectively that’s what she is and she thinks a baby will bring her closer to Bill and fill the void in her life. Libby in incredibly glamorous and her Grace Kelly stylings are on show throughout the episode. This is where a comparison could be drawn between Masters of Sex and Mad Men, but it’s hardly surprising that Grace Kelly is a recognizable influence considering her star power at this time, just listen to how the car salesman tries to use Kelly’s look as a selling point.

The Grace Kelly influence can been seen with both drunk and hungover Libby and Libby’s clothes tend to fall into two camps – Grace Kelly glamour and housewife chic. It’s why I found it so amusing that she mentioned getting dressed to make dinner as she needed to get out of her clothes for the world to see into her home attire. See I do this, but it involves pajama pants or sweats. Not as decadent as what Libby likely has in mind. In the scene above she does the opposite and swaps her regular Household magazine reading wardrobe for something with a flash of fancy.

I just got stuck in a black hole of cover archive photos of Household magazine and it’s mesmerizing. Who knew there are so many ways to improve your house on the cheap?! Unlike today’s magazines bylines don’t clutter the cover image – I’m somewhat of a magazine enthusiast so I find this kind of thing fascinating.

The ad that catches Libby’s eye is for Lord Harry gin, which as far as my internet research can tell me is a made up brand and therefore this is a fabricated ad – excellent work from the prop department because this looks all kinds of real. If you google Lord Harry and alcohol you will find Harry Potter suggested cocktails instead.

Libby comes to see Virginia looking amazing despite her hangover – giant sunglasses are perfect for this kind of occasion – and she wants to discuss her sex life with Virginia. Ethan has already dropped a giant foreshadowing anvil saying that Bill and Virginia would never end up together and while they’re doing what they’re doing for science (at the moment) it’s clear that Virginia feels guilty about the impact on Libby. Libby and Bill haven’t been hot and heavy in the entire time we have seen them, but this doesn’t mean that Virginia won’t draw the line and stop their participation until Bill has tended to matters at home.

Bill sets about this task like gangbusters and this is the most intimate and passionate that we have seen this couple; it feels incredibly spontaneous even though we are fully aware of why Masters is taking the lead. When Libby puts her jacket around Bill it’s a sweet and tender moment, but both Libby and Bill are lying to each other. Libby needs to have sex with Bill so it doesn’t look like she has immaculately conceived and Bill just wants to sleep with Virginia again. Even though it’s sex through deception I’m glad we finally got to see some intimacy between this pair.

Talking of intimacy Margaret Scully is back in red after her experience with Austin last week and she feels truly alive; she compares what she has with him to giving birth and getting married. It’s that much of a life changing experience and she’s another person who credits someone with saving her life this week. For Austin this is a big ‘holy shit what have I got myself into’ moment as he used this original encounter with Margaret to get over his own performance problem.

Austin is still going to therapy and still thinks it’s all bullshit even though his therapist nails it when he says that Austin talks about women as being types rather than people. Austin’s metaphor about Margaret being like the high striker is all over the place and the therapist uses this as another way to show that Austin basically equates women with being objects. When Austin is at Margaret’s house he plays dress up in Barton’s glasses and sits in his chair which feels somewhat childlike. Later Margaret gives him milk which he claims hasn’t happened to him since he was 10. There is so much Freudian stuff going on in these scenes.

What Margaret really wants is a reaction from her husband and to understand why Barton doesn’t want her physically. Barton of course all but spells it out to Margaret by overtly stipulating that he hasn’t been with another woman. Margaret thinks it’s something to do with her and it’s a heartbreaking scene that underlines how hard it was being gay in this period. By denying who Barton is, he is also hurting his wife. As with Bill and Virginia’s bathrobe scene there is vulnerability here, but in this case it’s matched by a daily routine that becomes too much for Margaret as she demands the truth. Barton is the one character this week whose life really was in danger and he is saved by Dale after he is set upon for waiting in a cruising spot. This is all kept hush hush with only Bill knowing the truth about why Barton didn’t want to go to hospital.

As I suggested last week, Jane would be the perfect secretary for Bill and this is a conclusion that Virginia comes to after Bill fires the previous two candidates. One of his complaints is that they couldn’t spell ‘anesthesia’ which is obviously a ridiculous stipulation and it’s hilarious that Virginia has prepped Jane to show off this spelling skill. In a show as serious as this I am glad that there are characters like Jane who provide moments of levity and once again she is wearing the bold yellow that has become her signature color. Jane is a good secretary and while Masters thinks she’s only adequate, I think she is pretty exceptional as she is one of the only open and honest people on Masters of Sex. Granted we still only know a little bit about her, but she doesn’t possess the same buttoned up quality as the majority of these characters.

Tags: "All Together Now, 1.07, 1950s fashion, Ane Crabtree, costume design, Grace Kelly, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen

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Categories Costuming, Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 1.05 “Catherine” Review: What You Can’t See

28 Oct

Throughout “Catherine” there are multiple discussions about what you can and can’t influence; how some things can’t be measured by science no matter how hard you try. This starts off in a jovial manner as Bill informs a couple that lying together to get pregnant includes something a little bit extra. It turns into something devastating in the second half of the episode as science and faith don’t provide an easy answer as to why bad things happen. This is probably the strongest Masters of Sex episode so far and we get further insight into what drives Masters (and to a lesser extent Virginia).

The study has progressed to couples once again and Virginia and Bill have very different ideas of what they need from participants; Virginia believes that attraction despite not being a quantifiable factor needs to be taken into account. In the study there is more equal footing between Virginia and Bill and it’s not just the lab coat as Master’s condescension is limited. Dr Langham proves both of them right when he fails to get an erection for either the woman that he is attracted to or the complete stranger who he rejects. This is one of example of something going wrong for a reason that can’t clearly be defined as Dr Langham claims that this has never happened before (of course) and then he screams at the heavens “Why won’t my dick work?”

As things are going to get substantially heavier I thought we might need this fun shot of Virginia and Bill visiting Dr Langham to tell him the study is back on. Virginia looks thrilled, whereas Masters has his standard professional face on.

As the study is back on this means the return of Jane (!) and once again she is wearing yellow. This color is all about joy and Dr. Langham is particularly glad that he gets to spend time with her again though random biological (non) movements impact this excitement.

Jane also gets to point out what an idiot Ethan is being with his treatment of Vivian as she tells him to think about how Vivian feels (this is a novel approach for Ethan when it comes to women). Jane also knows what different color roses means and she helps him because he is clearly clueless and I think that Jane might have dated a lot of Ethan types in the past so she knows how to see through his BS. It’s not quite the J pin she wore a few weeks ago but Jane is wearing yet another fetching broach to brighten up her work wear.

It’s hard to talk about pregnant Libby shopping for maternity evening gowns with what follows but this scene is important as it shows just how strong the thread of denial is with Master’s mother Essie. It mirrors their conversation from last week when Libby asked Essie about Bill’s father and adds to this notion of self-delusion that Bill brings up later. Libby wonders whether Bill is sleep walking because he is anxious about becoming a father and she wants to know why he slept walked as a child. Essie’s response is rather telling as she recounts that “it was always something darling.” This is clearly not what Bill thinks about his childhood sleep walking adventures. Maternity clothes like the ones that are being modeled for them in this department store is a new concept as Essie describes how when she was pregnant you went away at month five and came back at month ten.

Bill has his chance to confront his mother but only after he has completed the hardest surgery of his life – removing his dead child from his wife – and it’s not surprising to see him looking this disheveled with his bow time hanging around his neck. It is a confrontation that has been brewing his whole life as he talks about their combined self delusion and wishful thinking, referring to it as “our sickness.” Bill is normally all about the facts and figures but the sickness he mentions “infects everything, everyone” and isn’t something that science can prove (though therapy could be a real big help). This is probably why Bill has such a strong desire to control everything around him and when he loses this he really doesn’t have the capacity to respond.

We also know that Bill is a man of science and so God doesn’t factor into his process and it’s interesting to hear his mother say “If God wasn’t invented for time like this, then why invent him at all.”

Bill tells Libby they won’t be trying for another baby because they can’t go through this again, but he is also denying Libby any say in the matter. Libby brushes him off and over the last few weeks Libby has become a solid character whose main fault is trying to be the perfect wife and mother. Caitlin Fitzgerald gives a stunning performance as she conveys the heartbreak at losing their baby and she looks so utterly drained the following day as she wraps the coat that is now too big for her around herself. She almost blends into the hospital walls as her pale color costuming palette that is normally a point of light is now a source of sorrow.

It feels cruel to talk about how radiant Libby looks at the Scully’s party and the color of this gown enhances the horror of the blood that Bill sees when Libby stands up to go to the bathroom. The dress also resembles a wedding cake as it is grand and opulent in design and despite having a life with privilege no amount of money and expertise can prevent something like this from occurring. It’s hard for both Bill and Libby to understand the reasons behind this miscarriage as Bill demands a scientific reason and Libby questions why this has been taken away from them when it was so hard to conceive in the first place.

The shock of blood also features in the Ethan/Vivian relationship as he doesn’t realize that she is a virgin until he sees the blood on the sheets. Ethan plays an interesting role in this episode as he gets himself into as predicament with his bosses daughter (the Provost is encouraging this union). Vivian once again wears pink and this time it has an orange detail to try and show that she isn’t just a young girl. Ethan definitely thought that she was more worldly when it comes to bedroom related matters.

At her parent’s anniversary party she is very much the young girl in her pink dress and pearls.

Margaret Scully (Allison Janney!) is in red and as it’s her party it’s her prerogative to stand out and this contrasts with her daughter in youthful pink. In this scene Margaret and Libby are giving Vivian advice with what to do about Ethan, considering the distance that exists between these women and their husbands they might not have all the answers; they tell Vivian that you have to make them love you. Vivian’s declaration to Ethan that they can just have fun seems to work as Ethan tells Virginia later that Vivian is his girlfriend.

Virginia’s story is in the background this week as she spends the episode struggling with balancing work and family life; she breaks down in front of Ethan after Henry has almost run away and tells him that her attempts are “not good enough.” Ethan’s motivations with offering to hang out with Henry seem pretty genuine as does his offer of friendship to Virginia, but considering his behavior last week and how obsessed he has been it is hard to fully trust him. I am impressed with how they are developing this character from lovesick jerk to a complex figure that might not be “the worst” as I have said several times on Twitter.

When you cry like that in front of someone it can be very intimate and Virginia is on the receiving end of an emotionally vulnerable moment as Bill tries not to break down in front of her. This is something that Bill needs to do as he is so tightly wound and he needs to release this emotion. There are still barriers as he makes Virginia close her eyes before he lets out a sound of anguish that is totally devastating as he clutches hold of her hand in his office. Virginia wears dark colors throughout the episode and this red stands out as a sign of her strength and in this moment Masters needs someone to hold onto. Libby tells Virginia about the one time that Bill fell apart (after his father died) and gets to the heart of the matter with Bill wanting to stay in control of everything including how much someone knows him.

This is the second time that Bill infers that it was something non-scientific that made this happen; his negative feelings towards having a child are the thing that caused this. Virginia is the face of reason in this moment as she reminds him that thoughts are not that powerful and sometimes bad things do just happen.

For more Masters of Sex coverage head here.

Tags: "Catherine", 1.05, Ane Crabtree, costume design, Masters of Sex

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Categories Costuming, Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex: Fantasy, Reality and Confronting the Past

21 Oct

Confronting the past and looking to the future are big themes in Masters of Sex’s puntastic named episode “Thank You For Coming” as we learn more about the past relationships that have shaped both Masters and Johnson. In terms of color and costuming red and pink are repeated throughout this episode offering up different interpretations of sex and love.

Virginia spends the episode as the object of desire of three very different men; her ex-husband George, Ethan and Bill Masters himself. Two of these men have experienced the passion with Virginia that one of her signature colors represents, while the other has only his scientific data as an attempt to understand this side of his assistant. Red is one of the colors that Virginia wears with frequency and for her it’s all about passion and strong emotions.

Another repeated style point for Virginia is that both her dresses and blouses tend to have bow details around the collar. While the Peter Pan collar is probably a more indicative style from this period, Virginia’s bows show that she is more fashion forward and less traditional than someone like Libby Masters.

Virginia tends to navigate towards darker color and she dresses head to toe in black for the Masters’ dinner party. This might come across as a somber choice for a lighthearted setting. Instead it reflects Virginia’s music club past where dark colors are the norm and not seen as mourning attire.

Here’s another look at Virginia’s dinner party costuming including the pillbox hat and it is one black veil and some sparkles away from Janet Snakehole territory. There is not much else to say about Virginia’s costume in the photo above, but it is an excellent example of the epic bitch face that she utilizes more than once this week as she has to deal with unwanted advances from both Ethan and her ex-husband George. It’s not surprising that Virginia has perfected this expression with all the shit she has to put up with in her personal life.

Virginia isn’t the only one in black at the dinner party and Masters’ mother Essie adds some flare with a red bow and collar detail with matching red earrings. Conflict arises at this dinner party when Virginia asks for a story about Bill as a child and what his mother perceives to be a cute story is just another painful reminder to Bill that his father was abusive to him. Part of his own concerns about becoming a father is linked to the fear he will repeat the same mistakes.

This is where the color red comes into play once again as Bill’s mother is no longer wearing the black clothes she has favored since his father died four years prior. It is a sign of her independence and she is finally no longer feeling the effects of the strict control of her husband. It is clearly still having a huge impact on Bill and it goes a long way to explain why he is so rigid. It also contrasts with the nurturing pink tones of Libby beautiful maternity clothes in the same scene and Libby represents all that is pure to Bill. This in itself is incredibly problematic and there is no way that Libby can be the perfect wife and mother that Bill expects her to be. At this point the facade is there even if he is developing strong feelings for Libby’s opposite; Virginia. Bill is putting all the women in his life into boxes but he should realize that you can’t reduce a person to a simple list of attributes. There is much that can’t be measured by science and study.

Here is Libby in a Peter Pan collar maternity dress reflecting Libby’s traditional role as wife, host and mother-to-be. While Libby might not be the most interesting character on this show, Caitlin Fitzgerald injects a warmth and charm particularly with her scenes with Virginia and I wonder whether their friendship will withstand Masters’ growing feelings for Virginia.

This is the first time that Libby has worn anything dark so far on Masters of Sex and the embellished white collar gives it a touch of femininity and keeps it in line with her other costuming despite the color. Libby is a woman of means and her accessories reflect this; the pearl necklace in the photo above and the fur shawl that we see her wear earlier in the episode. It’s not surprising that Bill’s mother misinterprets her husband’s actions and she is so reductive when it comes to her thoughts on men; she thinks that men run away from regret and disappointment but Bill proves this theory wrong as he attempts to confront his feelings about his father (thanks to a well timed patient), whereas Essie is the one who is running away from her past.

It’s a rare sight to see Bill Masters in day wear that doesn’t involve a bow tie or scrubs, so it is a treat to see him in this blue sweater sans bow tie at home. Despite the relaxed nature of his collar, Bill is anything but as he questions why Libby is trying to set up Virginia with Ethan. Bill gets very defensive and he suggests they would be terrible together – something that we as the audience know to be true – it comes across as more than this as he has feelings for Virginia. One thing that did pleasantly surprise me was how Masters’ mother reacted to Virginia’s two divorces; instead of seeing it as a negative she is receptive to Virginia’s family set up.

Talking of Ethan, he is still having a hard time coming to terms with Virginia’s rejection and despite sleeping his way through the hospital staff he still can’t get over her especially as he has put her up on a Technicolor pedestal – Virginia’s daughter Tessa knows what the what is as she instantly takes a dislike to Ethan. Enter Vivian and if Ethan is going to sleep with anyone the daughter of the Provost is probably the last person he should be doing it with. Luckily for him he is saved by a phone call from the hospital (not so lucky for the woman who is labor and has a drunken doctor) and things don’t go too far. Vivian is wearing both pink and red in the seduction scene representing both her innocence and sexuality.

Vivian looks incredibly young the next day in her candy striper uniform as Ethan is incredibly sorry for his actions the night before. It turns into a sweet and sad scene and Ethan is clearly a mess. The story that Vivian tells of Ethan’s kindness at her Sweet 16 contrast with what we have seen of him so far and I wonder if we will see more of this good person that she describes. Ethan doesn’t even remember this interaction when he first meets her earlier in the episode and he’s worried that she is another forgotten woman that he has slept with. It is entirely possible that he is just as self-centered as he first appeared but this episode shows more character growth for Ethan than the previous three episodes combined. I also really like the contrasting pattern with Vivian’s stripes and Ethan’s check shirt.

Circling back to Virginia (and her well practiced disdain face) I posed the question last week about Virginia and the lab coat – whether she would carry on wearing it when the study moved from the brothel back to the hospital and I am glad to see that she is. This puts her on the same level as Bill during their out of hours study even if he is the only one of the pair that has an MD.

More red for Virginia as she looks on at her ex-husband George with another silent expression of WTF as George turns up as a volunteer for the study. Virginia has already expressed how she is barely keeping everything together and it is the wistful notion that Virginia is magical that backs up Mama Masters’ assertion that men are running towards pleasure; these men don’t see Virginia’s personal struggle just the ecstasy that they might feel when they are in her presence.

For more Masters of Sex coverage head here.

Tags: "Thanks for Coming", 1.04, Ane Crabtree, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex

Comments 2 Comments
Categories Costuming, Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex: Lab Coats and Laundry

15 Oct

The third episode of Masters of Sex involved hiding in the shadows both in a literal and figurative sense as characters were confronted with reality; some chose to continue down a path of reluctant acceptance of their situation whereas others tried to use this new found knowledge to help their progression in professional and personal matters. Ane Crabtree’s costume design continues to reflect this evolution and there is one piece of clothing that becomes central to how Virginia views her role at the hospital and with the external study work.

In the first session Virginia is performing her role as Dr. Master’s assistant and while I am in love with her pinstripe round neck dress, it’s pretty clear they are operating on different levels. At the study Master’s is slightly more affable to Virginia, but his prickly demeanor is in full force when he is talking to her at the hospital. He asks her to pick up a lab coat for a new doctor and when he gives Virginia a similar laundry based task at the end of the episode Virginia challenges this request. Master’s flaunts his experience and tells Virginia when she has as much experience as he does then she will be able to give him menial tasks. This is him asserting his authority and reaffirming their positions.

The new doctor is Dr. Lillian DePaul and much to Virginia’s surprise she is a woman. Virginia thinks there is something inspiring about Dr DePaul even if all of the other secretaries mean girl it up with remarks about how she has no feminine qualities and how she’s never getting near their lady parts. Dr DePaul isn’t exactly warm and welcoming to Virginia as she treats Virginia as any of the other doctors would be asking her to get her coffee. No new bestie for Virginia. This is the second role for Julianne Nicholson where she is playing a pioneering woman in a field dominated by men – in Boardwalk Empire she plays Esther Randolph, an Assistant Attorney General. This interaction with Dr DePaul has a big influence on Virginia’s costuming as the next session at the brothel sees Virginia wearing a lab coat.

This puts Virginia on equal footing with Masters from a visual perspective and even though he mentions she is taking liberties he doesn’t ask her to remove her new coat.

This is from the last night they visit the brothel for data and after a bit of coercion (Scully is someone living in the shadows) they will return the study to the hospital. Will Virginia continue to war the lab coat now they are back on hospital grounds?

Virginia has the bedside manner that Masters lacks and she uses this in several scenes with Libby Masters. This slate grey dress is possibly the most conservative of Virginia’s costumes so far (not that any of them are all that provocative). The button detail combined with the white collar gives it a serious tone and there’s something almost priestly about her look when she comes and sits with Libby. Later on Virginia shows further mercy as she is the one who tells Libby the truth about who is the one with fertility issues as she can’t stand to see Libby blaming herself for something that isn’t her fault.

Another discussion puts Virginia in the role of truth teller as she tries to convince Betty that lying to the Pretzel King isn’t her only option. Betty turns the tables on Virginia and suggests that Masters is in love with her. Betty suggests that they are both just as stuck by circumstance and that Virginia is no better as she is also hitching her wagon to a man. It’s a sad scene and we once again get to see Betty in her trademark red, a color she has worn throughout these three episodes.

This shot of Betty is before her surgery and shows the repeated red palette and on this occasion she is the one who uses the threat of public embarrassment against Masters at the hospital. Everyone is hitching their wagons to someone in this episode and using whatever means to get what they want with varying degrees of success. Masters agrees to do the surgery but it is too late and so Betty must live a lie to get the life she thinks that she wants. I’m not sure if this is the last we will see of Betty now that both her story and the brothel have served their purpose but I’m so glad they took the “hooker with a heart of gold” story and spun it into something so much more than that.

While I sadly can’t show you the full range of costuming from the brothel (too many nipples) this snapshot reveals the variety of colors and patterns the women of this house wear. It’s all about bathrobes and there’s a splash of leopard print and bright, bold colors. From this shot it looks like the most fun, but it’s all a facade and some of their research reveals the depressing truth why some of these women are here. Dottie is still wearing the heavy framed glasses that Masters gave her last week and she wouldn’t look out of place with this look today.

Libby’s costuming is all about pastel colors and delicate prints, once again showing how here role is completely different to all of the other women on Masters of Sex. One similarity she does share with the women at the brothel is that she is being treated as a scientific specimen but unlike those candidates her medical condition is being withheld from her. Even when Libby is sobbing she is still in light shades, whereas Virginia wears a lot of dark purple this week heavily telegraphing their contrasting characteristics. The friendship between Libby and Virginia is strong at the moment and I wonder how Libby’s pregnancy might change this.

So far I have spent all of this discussion looking at the women of Masters of Sex but I couldn’t leave out this flashback shot of Bill Masters where he looks optimistic and less buttoned up; the longer, less controlled hairstyle and jaunty bow tie will do that. Yes Bill Masters even makes patterned bow ties look rigid.

For more Masters of Sex coverage head here.

Tags: "Standard Deviation", Ane Crabtree, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Virginia Johnson

Comments 11 Comments
Categories Costuming, Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex: Costumes and Color

10 Oct

Two episodes into Masters of Sex and TV Ate My Wardrobe is already obsessed with the 1950s stylings that costume designer Ane Crabtree has created. Each main character already has a signature look and this helps to inform the audience about the background of each of the women that we will focus on today.

We briefly discussed Virginia’s outfits from the pilot last week and noted the use of dark colors with greens and reds featuring prominently and this was repeated once again in episode 2. While Virginia doesn’t have a lot of spare cash this doesn’t mean that her wardrobe has to reflect this in an overt manner and her outfits are well put together even when she is running for the bus. Virginia hasn’t always worked in an office and her experience working in a music club means that her clothes are slightly edgier in terms of these darker tones that other women in the secretary pool don’t seem to wear. Virginia wants to be taken seriously by Masters, but her look doesn’t alienate her from the women at the brothel who Masters is having a hard time associating with.

The black sweater/red checkered skirt is my favorite of Virginia’s ensembles so far and it’s belted at the waist to accentuate her tiny figure, but it also shows off her hips at the same time. This helps with the 1950s swagger that we have seen countless times on Mad Men with Joan. As with Mad Men the costuming is authentic right down to the underwear which means girdles and pointy bras.

Jane is younger and less worldly than Virginia and so far she’s been dressed in bright blues and yellows to match her smiley demeanor. I particularly adore the “J” broach on the outfit above. Jane might be young but she’s also savvy, she knows how to handle horny doctors as she leaves them befuddled by reading them a passage from Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex. She doesn’t fall for Dr. Langham’s attempts to sleep with her outside the study.

It’s not only her costuming that brightens a scene and I hope Jane gets to remain this optimistic and as sunny as her yellow cardigan.

It’s a very different story for Betty, Masters inside ‘man’ at the brothel but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to strive for bigger things. Betty’s clothes feature a lot of bold patterns like leopard print and red is a dominant color throughout. It’s not surprising to see Betty in revealing attire when she is at home and her clothes aren’t as form fitting as the other women on this show. Both Betty and Virginia wear a lot red signifying that they are both aware of their sexuality. Virginia tends to wear darker tones that edge towards maroon whereas Betty’s red clothes look cheap by comparison – this isn’t surprising as they no doubt are.

When Betty comes to the hospital her clothes are still not as tailored as the other receptionists or secretaries and so she still looks somewhat out of place in this world and the dress that Betty is wearing in the shot above is probably the most like something I have hanging in my wardrobe. I’m really happy with how Betty is more than just your friendly neighborhood prostitute and that she poses a challenge to Masters as much as she helps him.

At the other end of the spectrum is Libby Masters; a woman of means who doesn’t have to work and her costuming is the most feminine that we have seen so far. Floral patterns and a pastel color palette is all part Libby’s wardrobe and it’s in stark contrast to Virginia. This was evident at the big fancy party in the pilot and as I mentioned last week there is a clear difference in how each woman views their own sexuality and their clothing reflects this difference.

Costuming in early episodes helps to differentiate characters and I’m looking forward to seeing how each of these women evolves as the season progresses.

Tags: 1950s, Ane Crabtree, costuming, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex

Comments 4 Comments
Categories Costuming, Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

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Masters of Sex: Lab Coats and Laundry

Masters of Sex: Costumes and Color

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