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Masters of Sex 2.10 “Below the Belt” Review: “What is Wrong with Me?”

On Masters of Sex Bill Masters spends so long trying to ignore the past and listing off the things he either refuses to do (beg) or acknowledge as a potential reason behind his current condition (rejection) so even when he does admit there is a problem it is hard to feel sympathetic. There is something about Bill that draws Virginia to him even when he is pushing her away and it’s this push/pull that is compelling both to us an audience and the PR man who thinks Bill and Virginia would be great on TV. The back and forth between them continues to shift the power dynamic and Virginia is remarkably similar to Bill in how little of herself she gives up; even in the therapy session where she is admits deceit, she is still holding back anything that resembles her true feelings. Only giving snippets here and there when she is pressed and the psychologist can see through her defense mechanisms.

“Below the Belt” explores both those things physically below this item of clothing and confrontations that take things to an uncomfortable level; the success of these different storylines varies and it’s another case of an episode trying to address too much in one hour.

Starting where we left off last week with Bill and we get to see the rest of the post-confession conversation between Bill and Virginia while at her therapy/coming clean session. Virginia explains this isn’t an affair as an affair is primarily about sex and this isn’t happening right now (although Virginia doesn’t include those times Bill has recently ‘taken care of her,’ how very Bill Clinton of her). The doctor doesn’t not buy this for a second and neither do I; Virginia and Bill both recoil from the word ‘affair’ as it taints what they are doing, but it is clear that this goes way beyond the work even if curing Bill’s impotence is work related. In this scene we see Bill reiterate once again the importance of finding a cure without looking at the why, despite the fact that they are probably intrinsically linked. This would involve too much soul searching and as we know Bill is not so good at looking inward. Bill admits to being “broken” so this is something I guess and then explains how Virginia is the only one who can help him.

Circling back to this point at the end of the episode and after a huge blowout with his brother, Bill comes to the hotel room and admits everything to Virginia that he should have said to his brother and it appears that this unburdening has possibly solved the problem at hand (pun intended). Not sure how enticing the blood face marking and generally pulpiness of his face is, but I guess Virginia doesn’t have an issue with this. He really should clean up first, but bearing the outward signs of this fight is maybe Bill’s way of exhibiting manliness. That’s what a lot of this has to do with really and Bill considers not begging for pain to stop to be an exhibitor of being strong. It is incredibly fuzzy logic and a sign that Bill probably really needs to be in therapy to get beyond this particular sticking point. He taunts his brother into beating him by calling him weak and a coward in response to Frank’s assertion that the reason their family is broken can be traced back to alcohol.

Frank believes alcohol is why their father was a monster, Bill recollects things different stating that Frank Sr. only had one drink a night (like their mother’s one Tom Collins) and his despicable treatment of his family had nothing to do with alcohol. So who is right? Well Bill doesn’t know what the drink intake was after he left so they could both be right as Frank Sr. could have drank more in those later years. Bill is so convinced that his brother is stealing his story that he can’t admit his guilt in his presence, even if they had a variation of this conversation last week that didn’t end in a fist fight. Essie’s assertion earlier when she’s talking about Frank with Bill is an accurate take on this scenario “Everyone has their own version of everything that’s ever happened.”

The precarious financial situation continues as the power is shut off for a brief moment and Betty reinforces the point that they need to rent out more office space. The lobby looks majestic and with ice rinks and roller skating jokingly mentioned – Michael Sheen’s reaction to the roller skating question is hilarious and I’m glad we got to see a hint of his comedic side – but really it ends up as a boxing ring. Frank and Bill spar first with words and then with fists as Bill ignores Libby’s plea to “summon your better nature.”

Only in the safe haven of the hotel room can Bill admit that he is at fault; it’s not Bill’s fault for leaving home as he was forced out, but it is for pushing him in this manner. Bill asks “What is wrong with me?” and rather than getting an actual answer it is in this moment where things appear to be working for him. This could turn into a whole Freudian thing, but really what it comes down to is acknowledging how he feels complicit in abandoning his brother and this weight being lifted even if his question doesn’t come with an answer. Rejection played into the origin of his problem and this could easily go beyond what he saw as Virginia’s abandonment. It might also be a post fight adrenaline thing and I worry that Bill hasn’t really come to terms with anything as he’s only saying these things to Virginia.

Frank’s return has helped repair one family connection, though he might not be happy with the how as Bill and his mother bond over their disdain for the 12-step program mocking certain aspects suggesting that accusations are dressed up as an apology. They refer to it as being like “policeman” and “amateur psychiatrists” using it to spin the past in the way that benefits them. There’s a clear divide here with Essie and Bill on one side and Frank on the other with an argument erupting while Frank is giving their mother stitches after she got involved in a car accident after having one drink. There is an element of projecting here and while I think Frank’s got a very real problem with alcohol, he might also be looking too hard for a solution as to why their family is so broken and landing at a shared alcoholism. Through his prism this is the answer; Bill and Essie feel very differently and while they both do drink I can’t see it being to the degree that Frank fears. Bill’s secrecy and impulsive decision making comes from a whole other place and that is this one of trying to do great things and make his mark on the scientific community as a whole.

Hubris is a strength for Bill as much as it is a weakness when it comes to their work and he feels challenged by Dr. Kaufman’s published study of which they are simply a footnote. Bill wants to be much more than this, he wants to be first and so he sets about doing this by seeking the advice of a PR guy. Shep Tally (played by episode director Adam Arkin) sees potential in Bill and Virginia for television throwing Bill completely. Virginia is very much into this idea of showing off their work to the world in this manner, for Bill TV does not have the same gravitas as a medical journal even if they would be reaching a much more substantial amount of people.

Elsewhere Libby continues to volunteer for CORE despite Bill’s reservations – Bill is put out as he has lost the stability of knowing Libby is at home preparing his dinner, instead she is getting lunch for other dudes, ugh Bill – and she’s striving to make a difference. She complains to Virginia that people think she’s just a bored housewife and she wants to show she is more than that. In a way she is just this and yet her desire for purpose makes so much sense, I just still get the sense that she would have picked any cause and this just happened to be the one in the building her husband works in.

Robert’s initial concerns about her coming to help with flyering seem genuine and I can understand why her presence could be an issue, but she’s just as stubborn as her husband can be and she goes regardless. Libby ends up being a help and so Robert doesn’t dissuade her from coming next time. Libby asks Virginia to lie to Bill for her (while fixing her tights with the classic clear nail polish trick) and Virginia agrees to this. Feelings of guilt are probably why and Virginia also notes potential flirting between Robert and Libby; if Libby has an affair this will surely ease her conscience of the ‘non-affair’ she is having with Bill.

One theme that runs through this episode is the notion of giving up and Betty* tells the story of a former customer and impotence sufferer who she ended up avoiding through a variety of excuses because she couldn’t stand the look of agony on his face coupled with a plea of why aren’t you fixing this? There is a similar expression on Bill’s face when an attempt at arousal almost hits the mark through a technique of withholding as he can look, but not touch. Virginia has tied Bill’s hands behind his back – her dress embellishment doubles as seduction tool – putting him in a submissive position, but as soon as she stops talking he loses what he had.

*In this scene Betty is wearing the stunning dress that is featured on the Masters of Style feature and I’ve been waiting all season to see this frock. It looks just as good on screen as it did in the behind the scenes segment.

There’s another submissive/dominant relationship going on and it is one that might not be quite hitting the mark. Austin is now working full time for Cal-o-Metric and after turning down Flo’s advances in the past she is now telling him that if he doesn’t do as she says then he will be fired. This is of course sexual harassment and while I get what they are going for the tone of these scenes is off. Quite often Austin has been the comic relief and so these scenes, particularly with the cat still have what seems like a light and jokey edge for something that shouldn’t be funny at all. Maybe I’m reading into it too much, but for me there is something troubling about this storyline.

A different kind of connection is made elsewhere between Lester and Barb with an overt discussion about giving as they talk about their dysfunctions. This meet cute doesn’t get off to a good start as Lester accidentally insults Barb regarding her religious beliefs. Later Lester apologizes and they acknowledge they both share in despair and giving up; maybe they should not give up together? It’s a little neat bringing these two characters together in this way, however I am all for them finding happiness and if it is with each other then I can’t argue with that.

The breakthrough at the end of “Below the Belt” could be temporary or if Bill is willing to look deeper beyond just the desire to find a cure, then perhaps he will be prepared to respond to his own “what is wrong with me?” conundrum. When Masters of Sex focuses on Bill and Virginia the narrative feels like there is a strong narrative, as soon as it goes elsewhere it becomes a bit of sprawling mess and I hope in the last two episodes these elements are reconciled. Performances remain as strong as ever, as do the costumes which I continue to draw inspiration from.

Tags: "Below the Belt", 2.10, Ane Crabtree, costume design, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen

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Categories Masters of Sex, Review
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 2.09 “Story of My Life” Review: “Victim and Narrator”

8 Sep

Early in this episode of Masters of Sex we see Virginia looking into a mirror using the technique of saying “no” to something that has occurred in the past and while it is far less horrific than what Barbara experienced, it informs who Virginia is now. Despite Virginia’s duplicity during the actual therapy sessions as she poses as Barbara the lines get a little blurred as Virginia injects some of her recent personal experiences into the Barbara tale she is passing off as her own. There is a certain duality to many of the plot points in “Story of My Life” as characters confront their past and try to reconcile it with their current transgressions.

When Lester explains his interaction with Kitty, the prostitute Bill has hired to help with Lester’s impotence he does so from a point of reference he finds comfortable using terms that relate to fiction while he discusses a real issue he is uncomfortable talking about. Lester describes himself as “victim and narrator” and Masters of Sex is dealing with a variety of these two roles as characters learn to stand in their truth while these decisions reverberate and impact those in their vicinity.

Starting with the woman who doesn’t read instructions and Virginia’s desire to fix Barbara’s sexual dysfunction with a psychological approach. Bill and Virginia differ in strategy when it comes to Barbara’s treatment as Bill wants to use the expertise they have in abundance pertaining to the physical side of sex. Barbara does of course have deep trauma relating to her first sexual experience which took place with her brother when she was 12 and her anguish is deeply rooted in this. Virginia is right in suggesting that they need to consider the mental to fix the physical, however she goes about it in completely the wrong manner. In this respect Virginia and Bill are like Jack Shephard and John Locke on Lost, but instead of science and faith acting as opposites they differ from a body/mind perspective. They are arguing the same thing, just taking it from very different angles when really the best approach is a combination of the two rather than vehemently on one side.

At the end of the last episode Virginia posed as Barbara during a session with the best psychologist in town, Dr. Lloyd Madden and this terrible idea continues this week as Virginia attempts to solve Barb’s issues through the methods she witnesses while pretending to be Barbara. To the doctors credit he does question the validity of this story, suggesting that it sounds as if it happened to someone else as there is a lack of association. Virginia notes this is a coping mechanism and later in another appointment she brings in her own experiences as she mentions Lillian’s (*sob* I really miss you Lillian) disapproval at her relations with a married man. This opens up a whole other can of worms as Libby’s role is brought into question with Virginia considering Libby’s position as the wife and her friend for the first time in a long time; the work and their affair can no longer be used as a reasonable excuse.

So not only does Virginia act as a conduit for Barbs, but she is also confronting her own very complicated situation with Bill. Virginia passes on the technique of speaking for the past version of herself to Barbs, but it’s not as simple as saying “no” to a mirror. This is a case of not fully understanding the ramifications because while Virginia’s imagined version of Barbs simply tells her brother no, the real one is still in contact with her brother Paul. Barbs takes Virginia’s advice literally and discusses what happened in the past with the real Paul. Paul shifts the blame onto his sister, suggesting she was the one who instigated everything and Barbs takes this as what happened as a new memory has been jogged. This is why Barbara really should be seeing a qualified professional rather than someone who is incredibly unprepared for the variables of a past experience like this. Virginia is trying to help, but you can’t fix someone by acting as a proxy in this manner.

In a later conversation Virginia responds to this and her feelings of guilt about Libby by rejecting Libby’s declaration that Virginia has courage. Instead Virginia points out the reason she demanded a job at Memorial is because she has a false sense of entitlement and that she doesn’t consider the consequences. This conversation is fraught as Libby is holding Virginia up as a bastion of bravery and Virginia just feels like a fraud.

Libby is searching for purpose and for once something she has said is being taken seriously after Robert came to her about what she witnessed last week. Unfortunately Libby didn’t see enough and Robert demonstrates how Libby will be ripped apart on the stand if she lies about what she saw; her testimony will be detrimental rather than helpful. Libby wants to do something and after her sister-in-law Pauline has told a charming anecdote about how she ended up with Frank – Libby’s Bill story is clinical and devoid of any personality – followed by the tale of how she offered an ultimatum regarding his drinking this is just the push Libby needs. Pauline could be describing Libby when she mentions how people thought she was a “ninny” and the laugh you could always count on; no one thought she was capable of standing up for herself and she claims that rather than saving Frank’s life, she was actually saving her own. Libby is striving for meaning and I hope that she isn’t simply going to act as a tourist in the CORE movement. This is probably why the first task Robert gives her is to go on a sandwich run to see how she responds and whether this is more than a fad for a bored housewife looking for excitement.

Bill’s brother Frank is still in St. Louis dragging up a whole lot of resentment and what looks like a happy family reunion dinner turns into passive aggressive needling about fondue and alcoholism. Frank gets Bill to go to an AA meeting by dressing it up as something else, which immediately puts Bill’s back up. It’s important to Frank as he’s getting his chip for his sober birthday and he wants to reintroduce himself to his big brother. Bill takes umbrage at Frank’s tale as he thinks he is reappropriating what happened to Bill and making it his story. To Bill, Frank is the golden child, the one who his father gave his name to – it is unusual that Frank Sr. didn’t give his name to his first born – but everything Bill knows about this situation only comes from while he was still at home and he missed a lot of Frank’s formative years. It is likely that if his father was an asshole to him then the pattern would have repeated when Bill left.

To believe that Frank is taking Bill’s story rather than Frank experiencing this brutish behavior himself is easier on Bill than to think of the alternative and we get to see some rare Bill tears as he acknowledges that he wouldn’t have left if he knew it would happen to his younger brother too. Not that Bill had a choice about leaving home; he didn’t do so of his own volition. Frank points out that they both escaped in their own way with one over the wall and one under while also saying that their father left Bill and Bill left Frank Jr. Bill can’t be blamed for leaving his brother initially although he really could have reached out to him since his father died and the tension between this pair isn’t going to be resolved easily; too much time has passed for it to be a simple hug it out resolution. It’s also worth noting that in the shot above, they are framed by the alcohol in Bill’s office and Frank hints on several occasions that he is concerned with his mothers drinking and Virginia points out in the hotel room that she is usually playing catch up with Bill on the drinking front. Also for all the similarities I am glad to see that Frank’s costuming is not a mirror of Bill’s and the bow tie is definitely still the Bill signature (I’m very into the polka dot number from this week that you can see below).

In her excellent essay Libby Hill discusses how the MTV reality show Catfish resonates with other recent fictional material demonstrating how truths that are presented by a false narrator can reveal so much more than when characters are saying these words as themselves. Using the episode “Fight” as one example Hill points out that Bill and Virginia share far more in this set up of fake husband and wife than they have previously done so in the past and it has opened themselves up to where they are now. Bill doesn’t want to discuss the past as he doesn’t think there is anything that can be done about something that has already occurred; it can’t be changed. What happened in the past can have a direct influence on the present despite how much he protests this isn’t the case and in this hotel room Bill and Virginia have gone from using the guise of a fake marriage to unburden their soul to saying the unspeakable with no playacting involved. Prior to this final scene Bill has not been able to reveal his own dysfunction using the excuse of wanting to pleasure Virginia or that he has just been intimate with Libby.

The tipping point has been reached as Virginia notes that what goes on in this hotel room hasn’t been about the study in years and all they are doing is lying to each other and to Libby. Bill’s surprising confession about his recent impotence brings it back to the work as Bill has taken on Lester’s observation that to explore something like impotence needs more than just a prostitute and the person experiencing this condition. It’s an important moment as Bill is acknowledging his own shortcomings even if it is out of fear of losing what he has with Virginia; it still comes with a massive dent to his pride. Though really how long was he going to hide this from her and even if Lester had managed to get an erection with Kitty this wouldn’t have necessarily been the magic cure for Bill.

Intimacy can come in a host of forms and by just admitting to this issue Bill has taken the next big step in how intimate he is with Virginia. Virginia is also partial to closing herself off and her guarded heart is exposed as she acknowledges Libby’s role in all of this as the woman who is completely oblivious to what is going on between her husband and her friend. Earlier Pauline mentions how it is embarrassing how much she missed with Frank and his drinking; she could have been talking about Bill with Virginia and I wonder how Libby will react when she eventually finds out what has been going on for all of these years.

It hasn’t always been clear exactly what this season of Masters of Sex has been trying to say as there has been so many story threads taking place and now it finally feels like they are building towards something as there is a stronger sense of connection between the various plots.

Tags: "Story of My Life", 2.09, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen

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Categories Masters of Sex, Review
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 2.06 “Blackbird” Review: “Lilantha”

18 Aug

Intimacy comes in a variety of ways far beyond the study at the center of Masters of Sex and in “Blackbird” we see multiple characters wrestling with the truth behind certain relationships. This takes place in both a personal and professional setting as the two overlap in several cases; new lows are hit and life changing acknowledgements are proclaimed. Change is coming and there is of course resistance, particularly when there are different agendas at play. While Bill claims he will let the facts speak for themselves, when his own personal space is penetrated by the press he pushes back in the most abhorrent way and he’s not the only one who goes to extreme lengths this week.*

*While watching this episode and seeing the depiction of racial tension in 1950s St. Louis, Missouri it is incredibly bleak spotting similarities and the lack of progress with what is happening right now in 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri.

I’ve talked a lot about Virginia and Lillian as the best female friendship on television and “Blackbird” cements this assertion (and I’m pretty sure I’m going to end up crying while I type this). Lillian references Virginia’s inability to take no for an answer – I realized while watching this that there is a slightly Leslie Knope steamroller like quality to Virginia – and by the end of the episode Virginia has learned that there is a point where you stop pushing someone. Lillian decides to end her treatment, which is met with resistance by Virginia as she believes there is still plenty to fight for. At this point Lillian is performing this fighter charade for Virginia “I can’t do this for you. I tried, but I’m done” (aaaaand the screen just went blurry as I typed that).

Between Lillian and Bill, Virginia has opened herself up emotionally in a way that she can’t quite comprehend and she tearfully explains to Bill that she never lets anyone in the way she has done with Lillian emphasizing “She knows me.” Virginia doesn’t do close emotional relationships (remember she locked up her heart a long time ago) and Bill points out that the reason Virginia didn’t see it coming is because Lillian is a woman. Yes we have seen Virginia with other female friends, well Jane, but none this intimate. They are of course complete opposites and yet they provide that something the other has been missing.

Like Virginia, Lillian has erected walls and she tells Virginia over wine that she has missed out on being loved. Lillian tells a story of her cotillion, the cruel name she was called – giraffe as she was both tall and spotty – and how a little piece of us is the girl we were at 13 (which I kind of agree with). So while Lillian hasn’t experienced romantic love, this here on this sofa and later when Virginia tucks her in bed is love. Lillian is also the only one who can get Virginia to accept that Bill loves her, even if this comes with a feigned shocked expression followed by eye acknowledgement. If this episode was just these two women sitting on the sofa drinking and telling stories I would be more than happy. Alas, the end is here and Virginia puts Lillian to bed in the same way she does her children; by drawing words on her forehead. What really slays me in this scene is Virginia telling Lillian she sees “constellations in these freckles” including the previously undiscovered “Lilantha” a “Warrior princess, strong and brave” and if I wasn’t already a wreck then this line would tip me over the edge “But she knew who she was. And that is why she burns so brightly, you can always spot her in the sky.”

Earlier Virginia has told Lillian she will take care of the letter to her family and that she will ensure that her body goes to science so she can maybe help with the cause she has spent so long on beyond her death. Virginia returns to Lillian’s house to pick up the letter and finds her in bed struggling to breathe after she has taken a bottle of sleeping pills. Virginia’s natural reaction is to call 911 and halfway through the call as she looks at her friend she hangs up, recognizing this isn’t her fight. Instead she lies down next to Lillian and makes sure she isn’t alone in her final moments.

When Bill and Virginia have sex they don’t kiss, if they did then they might have to admit to themselves and each other that there is something here that goes far beyond research. This point is emphasized in the opening scene and while it might seem like a bit too on the nose for them to reference this in such an overt way, I’m glad they did as I haven’t actually noticed before that they don’t kiss (I’m not sure if this makes me horribly unobservant or if my brain is filling in the gap). So when this moment takes place it’s not while they are sleeping together, instead it comes in at a point of vulnerability as Virginia is opening herself up rather than closing herself off. We don’t see anything beyond the kiss so it’s unclear if it leads to anything else, the way I read it is that it is just the kiss and nothing more.

This is a strong and effective scene; the “I know you” and everything that comes before and after really underlines everything this relationship is about. One aspect that works incredibly well is how the camera pushes in so slowly starting at a distance and ending in a close up. It’s like we are Bill and Lillian sneaking past Virginia’s carefully constructed walls.

The red of Virginia’s blouse in this scene is in contrast to the blue in her later scenes with Lillian; one suggests passion while the other is nurturing and both represent the two sides of Virginia we see in her relationships with these two characters.

Bill’s being all Mr Sensitive with Virginia, however when things get a little too personal with the story reporter Morgan Hogue is writing he ends up in a scenario he has never found himself in. Morgan wants to talk about Bill’s past and his recent estrangement from the white medical community; this is not the angle Bill wants as it reveals far too much about whom he is and is a narrative he finds uncomfortable. To kill the story Bill threatens the editor of this newspaper with made up research findings that will paint black people in a negative light. It’s repugnant and so unlike the Bill we have seen admonishing Libby for her recent racist actions. Bill is for what it is worth disgusted at himself for stooping to this tactic telling Hendricks that he has never misrepresented his work like this. Hendricks refers to Bill’s methods as coming from a desperate place, but it still leaves a nasty taste behind and Hendricks fires him as this pairing is not going to bring the change that either of them is striving for; Bill needs to go out on his own as Hendricks did.

These last few weeks I have been pretty much watching Libby scenes through my fingers as she continues her descent into obsession and paranoia going from watching Coral and Robert to getting a police check on Robert. Banning Robert from picking Coral up leads to following them to their home and Robert confronts Libby as she’s figuring out where Coral lives. Robert tells Libby that he’s Coral’s brother (they haven’t different surnames) revealing Coral’s ruse for getting under Libby’s skin (which Libby deserved in that moment). Libby has cut her leg, something Robert notices and asks if he can help her. Libby accepts this aid for a moment and then things get too personal for her and she overreacts by firing Coral and fleeing the scene. Later she caresses that cut and smokes in the darkness; this act of care and intimacy has stirred something in Libby. Part of her obsession with Coral and Robert is from this factor of closeness that is absent in her own relationship and while this doesn’t excuse Libby behavior and prejudice, it goes some of the way to explain her actions. I worry they have pushed Libby too far into this corner and as I mentioned last week it comes across as an attempt to make Libby unlikeable so as an audience we feel less sympathy for her and her loveless marriage.

While I’m on the subject of loveless marriages “Care is what you have for a stray dog you find in the road. Love is what you have with someone you share your bed with.” These words by Gene to Betty suggest that this relationship has come to an end as Gene finds out the biggest secret Betty has been keeping. Gene’s friend Al is beyond clueless as even though he witnessed the kiss between Helen and Betty last week he doesn’t connect that this is romantic as his only experience of lesbians is a stereotype; neither Betty or Helen look like this so they can’t possibly be. This also goes back to what Betty said about them not being accepted by this community as they don’t fit this description. Gene figures it out and while he thought Betty’s outburst was because she was into Al – he tells a sad story about what it’s been like to double date with Al in the past – when Al mentions the kiss he instantly knows who Betty’s heart belongs to. Betty thinks that she can make it work with both Helen and Gene as they have money now and “money means options.” They already live an unconventional life and they can maintain afternoon hookups as long as Helen is willing to go along with this. Helen isn’t content with being the mistress in this set up and plays Betty at her game with an impromptu proposal to Al.

While Betty is okay with performing this charade and she really does care for Gene as she suggests, it’s not enough. For Gene he could get passed the kids lie and he doesn’t want to adopt, he tells Betty “You’re enough.” The problem is that Gene is not enough for Betty and he never will be. An unconventional set up yes, but one that isn’t fair to anyone involved. Helen pushed her point with the Al proposal and Gene confrontation with Betty about truth shows that he can’t play this game. Ultimately I don’t think Betty can either and while she has got used to comfortable living and an incredible wardrobe she owes it to Gene, Helen , Al and herself to own her truth.

As I’m on the subject of Betty frocks here is another incredible one. There is nothing quiet or subdued about either Betty or Helen’s clothing choices. They clash at times in both color and pattern as they clash in their methods of continuing their relationship. Even their underwear is in stark contrast as Betty wears the white of innocence and Helen’s strapless basque is in super sexy black. Now that Betty is no longer getting ‘fertility’ treatments from Bill this story is now rather separate to the overall narrative and I wonder how they will converge again in the future. Sarah Silverman has been a terrific addition and I hope we get to see more of this relationship as we move forward.

This episode marks the halfway point of season 2 and it has an end of chapter like feel to it as Bill realizes that he can no longer work in a hospital if he wants to continue his work. Other characters hit low points (Libby I’m looking at you), relationships hit their natural breaking point as secrets are revealed and walls are broken down exposing a whole new set of raw emotions. Bill discovers at the end of the episode that maybe he doesn’t know Virginia as well as the thought he did as when he turns to her first after yet another sacking he finds her ‘beau’ on the doorstep. This is a guy Virginia has been dating for a couple of months and like Bill we are only just finding out about this relationship. Bill stumbles away having what appears to be a panic attack and the Virginia/Bill merry-go-round continues to spin.

Tags: 1950s, Ane Crabtree, costume design, Julianne Nicholson, lady friendship, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen, Review, Sarah Silverman

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Categories Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 2.05 “Giants” Review: Taking the Plunge

11 Aug

So much of Masters of Sex deals with public and private battles for progression as these characters navigate a reluctant and repressive landscape; from the sex study itself to gender and most recently race issues. This is a period of fundamental change and as Bill’s new boss Dr. Charles Hendricks (played by the always excellent Courtney B. Vance) points out the actions of pioneers like Bill (and Virginia) are important when it comes to ensuring monumental change; someone needs to take the plunge.

Once again there are multiple power dynamics at play with the Virginia and Bill continuing their push/pull dance and home life at the Masters’ takes another turn for the awful. These aren’t the only relationships that are under strain as Virginia and Lillian continue to argue and Betty receives a blast from the past that threatens to disrupt her already precarious marital situation.

Bill’s new place of work is a lot more amenable with who he wants to hire as part of his work requirements as well as being fully behind the study – well to a certain extent as it turns out that Dr. Hendricks is the one sabotaging the recruitment of new participants and isn’t as in favor of the sex study as he is projecting – on the surface Bill is getting what he wants. To Bill, his new office is tiny and yet he is being accommodated in a manner that is at a disadvantage to the other doctors, one of whom is now in an even smaller thanks to the arrival of Bill. Bill also manages to secure a contract for Virginia, something she insists upon and isn’t the norm for support staff at Buell Green. For Virginia job security is a condition of her moving hospitals as she has her family to think about and even though her working relationship with Lillian is in tatters she also needs to ensure that she can provide for her children. So while Bill might refer to the diet pills in a fanciful derogatory sense, Virginia is only selling them as a means to an end.

Financial security is one thing, but she also has another issue to work through with Bill and their participation in the study. After Virginia’s huge blowout with Lillian where Lillian accuses her of sleeping her way to her new position and scoffing at the scientific nature of her work with Bill, Virginia now has other stipulations. As with season 1, Virginia asks Bill if she has to participate in the study to get the job. Back then he said no and this is his initial response here too and then he changes his mind; it is indeed mandatory. Virginia finds a way to assert her dominance and agency when they venture to the hotel as she tells Bill to strip and pleasure himself. This is a twist on what happened in “Fight” when Bill told Virginia to strip and beg for it and instead she showed she has control over her body. Bill complies with Virginia’s demands from the Q&A – why he closes his eyes and who he is thinking about – to when she tells him to stop.

The Bill/Virginia relationship is in a state of flux as both are trying so hard to deny any actual feelings and the intimacy of their work can result in moments like this. When Virginia tells him to stop before completion this is another moment where she is fully in control and Bill continues to meet Virginia’s demands; it’s a banner week for lady pleasure as Bill follows the Outlander lead and goes down on Virginia. It’s also worth noting that as the camera pulls away we see the very naked Bill and the still fully dressed Virginia. Bill is later propositioned in “Giants” by Libby (more on the reasons why below) and the sex between this pair is stale and kinda awkward looking (plus Bill keeps his t-shirt firmly on). Having established a new power balance and one that is sure to ebb and flow as they continue to view these activities as research only, Virginia takes the position at Buell Green.

The return of the white coat! Virginia might not be an actual doctor, but the symbolism behind this garment is incredibly important. This indicates her experience, expertise and equal standing with Bill when it comes to their work on the study so while she doesn’t come with Dr. before her name she shouldn’t get overlooked. The dress Virginia is wearing is one of her super professional and very Lillian looking outfits thanks to the grey tone and high collar. We first saw this piece of costuming in the episode where Lillian was introduced and it also happens to be the first dress Virginia wore the lab coat with and this is significant. Inner strength is something Virginia possesses in droves and yet she has the same insecurities regarding her self-worth and how she is perceived as everyone else. The white coat is like armor and it sends out a message that Virginia is not here as a play thing for Bill. After her argument with Lillian it is understandable that she embraces this coat and dresses conservatively to portray a certain version of herself.

When Virginia fights with Lillian several home truths come out from both parties; Lillian gave her work away to secure its future as she always suspected that she was Virginia’s second choice and Austin’s revelation confirmed her fears. As with Bill, Virginia references money and supporting her family to explain her actions and tells Lillian that she “had it easier.” This is one of those bitter arguments where every single fear and resentment is laid out and when Lillian first met Virginia she believed that she was using her looks to get by; in one respect Lillian believes her initial assessment has been confirmed, however it is far more complex than that. In a hurtful argument it is all the ammo Lillian needs to push Virginia further away. It is not the end of my favorite lady friendship on TV, although I suspect there isn’t much time left for Lillian and she is now done with work after she collapsed in the bathroom.

“I am scared though for what’s ahead, which means I can’t really afford to be upset with you, can I?” The line that caused my screen to go blurry and despite their big fight this friendship has not been broken and there is no need to say sorry for the things they said to each other; the hand holding is more than enough. This has been a sublime representation of a female friendship and I’m really not ready for it to be done. I know it’s not that kind of show, but I really want them to find a miracle cure.

Moving on from an interaction that is tear inducing to one that causes another emotional reaction – of the “Shut up, Libby!” variety – and Libby continues down the path of self-righteous destruction. Libby’s relationship with Coral reaches new lows of patronizing after she receives a visit from Coral’s boyfriend Robert regarding the degrading shampoo incident. Libby can’t understand that what she did was completely inappropriate until Bill points out just how horrific these actions were. Libby is being painted in a very unfortunate light and her attempts to do the ‘right thing’ like impart life lessons as she “knows a thing or two about the world” lead to further humiliation and anger. With Coral when she tells her to dump Robert, Coral uses her knowledge of the separate beds in the Masters’ bedroom to poke at Libby’s insecurities (and it prompts Libby’s ‘seduction’ of Bill later on) and Robert points out how she should be apologizing to Coral not him. Libby is shocked that Robert is calling her racist and while we saw some liberal attitudes from Libby last season there is still inherent snobbery that translates at racism with how she is treating Coral and Bill’s new workplace location.

Libby doesn’t apologize to Coral most likely because she thinks it will undermine her position and because she is already feeling inferior to her employee. This is the original reason why Libby corrected Coral’s grammar in the first place and a lot of Libby’s insecurities are bringing out this ugly side of her in the same it does with Betty Draper on Mad Men. Feeling powerless is not a reason to be awful and I worry that Libby is being portrayed in this way to make her less sympathetic when it comes to her marriage.

One thing we know about Libby’s past is that she did have it pretty hard as a child with her mother dying young quickly followed by her father walking out and never coming back. This makes her comment about knowing things about the world believable, but this is not how she presents herself so she comes across as spoiled and sheltered.

Embracing the past is something Betty has to do when ex-girlfriend Helen (oh hey Sarah Silverman) turns up unannounced and threatens to disrupt the marriage Betty is in the middle of trying to save. Gene is still upset with Betty, not because she can’t have children, but because she lied about it in the first place. The scene where she tries to serenade Gene with a cute song and dance doesn’t work (he compares her voice to “migrating geese” and Annaleigh Ashford is really a Broadway star, Betty not so much) and it adds depth to the Pretzel King and shows there is genuine affection here, even if it will never be that kind of love. In the same way Barton Scully is limited to how he can love in the eyes of society this is another version of this heartbreaking story. Betty married Gene as a way to secure herself a future away from the brothel and while she sees this as another form of prostitution in this version she gets a hat for each day of the week and gold facets. When Libby says she knows the world it sounds ridiculous, with Betty it’s totally believable when she states she “has seen things.” Gene isn’t a bad guy either, but this kind of settling is only going to lead to further misery for all concerned. This is clear during the double date when a story about how much Helen cares for Betty goes from hysterical laughter to teary bathroom kisses.

Betty reinforces why she chose Gene as there is no future for them; pretending to be sisters so they can live together is not enough and they don’t fit in with the style of the lesbian scene. For Betty it broke her heart, but she wanted a future for herself even if that future is built on lies.

Style wise like Betty, Helen wears colorful and bold attire refusing to blend in. They are an explosive pair and the chemistry between Annaleigh Ashford and Sarah Silverman supports this notion that they have been in love for years.

I also really want to include this shot as there is so much going on in this scene costume and set wise; there is a clashing quality between Betty’s colorful stripped skirt, Helen’s floral teal dress and Gene’s camel suit. The opulence of the room (haunted by the ghost of a 93-year old) adds to the busy looking frame underpinning the conflict at play. There are ghosts in this room of course, but not the one Gene thinks there is.

This whole episode is full of vibrant colors with strong blues dominating scenes; Coral is in blue when Libby attempts to give her advice and Libby is in a similar shade when she tells Coral she can take care of the master Masters bedroom. Betty wears electric blue when she confronts Helen and Helen in turn wears this to dinner. It’s like there is a power struggle between the women who wear this color. Virginia reverts back to red after her initial grey power dress and it’s the Capri blue car that gets referenced as a way to show the neighborhood isn’t so bad; this car is also the location for the Virginia/Lillian reconciliation. In the final scene Virginia is wearing a beautiful darker blue outfit when Bill pays her the ultimate compliment by referring to something she does way better than he does and I’m not sure if I’m reading too much into it, but this color plays an important part in the power struggles between some of these relationships. Now Bill and Virginia are in a better place she is wearing less black around him. The overall challenge is far from over and this is not a conflict free situation, however it does appear that Bill and Virginia are on the same page in the same hospital once again.

Tags: "Giants", 2.05, Ane Crabtree, Annaleigh Ashford, costume design, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen, Sarah Silverman

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Categories Masters of Sex, Review
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 2.04 “Dirty Jobs” Review: “Is It Worth It?”

4 Aug

Dr. Austin Langham spent so long lying to cover up his rampant philandering that he has since become the Masters of Sex truthsayer after his wife so very publicly dumped him in the season premiere. Now Austin is experiencing the bachelor lifestyle without the burden of his lies – it’s not all good as he’s on a diet of chips for dinner and he misses his kids – and he’s got pearls of wisdom to share; impacting the various other characters who are withholding or spinning a yarn that is further from the truth than they would like to believe. If the truth can set you free, why not return the favor?

Truth and trust are intrinsically linked; the conflict at the heart of “Dirty Jobs” and the show in general is down to the walls these characters have erected to protect themselves. Instead it just leads to more heartbreak. Last week’s incredible episode “Fight” saw Virginia and Bill slowly let their guard down with each other sharing pieces of them that were previously off limits and yet they still left the hotel room playing the same roles and insisting that it’s about “the work” and nothing more. Until they can both accept that this relationship runs deeper than that to not only themselves, but each other they are going to continue to struggle. Austin can see through Virginia’s very well told story detailing why she was in the hotel with Bill and her reasons for quitting the study the previous year because even though she talks a good talk, certain intimate actions Austin has witnessed like fixing Bill’s bow tie have betrayed her.

One person Austin can’t detect is lying is Lillian as he’s so excited to find someone to share his Virginia/Bill news with that he doesn’t detect that moment where Lillian’s disappoint betrays her lack of knowledge about this relationship. Virginia has been Lillian’s confidant since they bonded on a bus trip last season and Lillian disclosed her cancer secret; now it feels like Lillian has shared everything and has got nothing in return. Lillian gives Virginia the opportunity to open up about what she keeps closest to her heart and when Virginia claims there is nothing to confess this feels like an ultimate betrayal; Lillian even disclosed an academic cheating story and nope Virginia’s all “I’m not that interesting.” It’s not surprising Virginia says nothing as she can’t even admit it to herself, except in her dreams where she is haunted by the title of mistress despite the white coat and the very real research they are doing.

Lillian reacts to this in an extreme way and showing just how deeply this has cut her; she gives away her research that she worked so hard on to the man she named the test after and she won’t even get her own name on the study. For Virginia getting credit for the work she has done is important and part of this is because she has earned it, the other reason is so people can see that she is more than just a ‘mistress.’ When Lillian and Virginia present the work they are dressed alike, down to the high collar and similar shades of blue. The glaring difference is that one of them is in a white coat and the more subtle visual cue is that Virginia’s blouse is prettier and more feminine with bow and pleat detail. Lillian is all about unfussy clothing so that her gender doesn’t come into play in a field dominated by men. In Virginia’s dream she is wearing a white coat, plus her hair is pulled back a la Lillian and yet there is still this nagging voice that calls her mistress.

In Virginia’s working and personal relationships with Bill and Lillian there is a power struggle as Virginia’s influence has made both doctors open up more than they have ever done before, but she is reticent to do the same. Her heart is still locked in that box. They in turn have all the power when it comes to their research so Lillian is well within her rights to give away the work without consulting Virginia, no matter how much she has contributed. Bill can carry on working on the sex study in a hospital without Virginia because he’s the one with the MD and his boss can’t entertain the notion that she is legitimately important to the study. Greathouse thinks that Bill and Virginia’s relationship is like his and Barbs, however Virginia can do the work, whereas Barbs is struggling. Bill even loses a participant because there is no female partner and there are certain things like warming Ulysses that Bill forgets to do.

Instead now he is surrounded by frat boy mentality and when his ploys to get Greathouse to stay away fail – warning him that there might be transference in the observation room (the actual excuse Bill and Virginia used with each other when they first felt something) and pretending there will be “old men masturbating” as the test subjects – he can’t keep his composure shoving Chinese food into one doctor’s mouth forcefully and landing two blows to Dr Greathouse showing the boxing prowess Bill hinted at last week. And he’s fired all over again.

Struggles come in all different forms this week and Libby’s attempts to give reason to Bill’s behavior around baby Johnny involves magazine articles that point to disruption as being the heart of the issue. Bill is incredibly calm and reasonable putting on his best doctor voice when Libby freaks out about the lice that might be in the house – they’re “just a few harmless insects” – and he also uses this tone when pointing out that Coral is right about it being unlikely that the lice came from her. When he’s just with Libby this is fine and she talks about their strength as team, with Coral it’s like an affront and as if they are ganging up on her. This is not Libby’s best self and her patronizing tone when she corrects Coral’s pronunciation is superseded in its awfulness by the way she addresses her employee using the lice treatment shampoo. Coral clearly can’t afford to lose this job and so in the end she succumbs to the hair washing humiliation and because Libby claims she can’t trust her to do it herself she insists on doing it in their bathroom right now. Libby gives Coral extra money to get her hair done in a move to make her feel like she hasn’t done anything wrong, but these scenes make for uncomfortable viewing as the power disparity is apparent and Libby’s ‘helpful’ actions often come after Coral has shown how good she is with the baby; it’s a way for Libby to assert her dominance.

Libby flips out when she finds out from someone else that Bill has lost another job as a result of the study – when Libby is asked for juicy sex study secrets she calls it ‘boring’ because she’s never really been on the inner circle even when she did help out – and she’s concerned that he’s so blinded by this that he is neglecting his role as father and husband. This provokes an unexpected emotional response that surprises Libby to the point that her rage subsides immediately as she never gets to see Bill in a vulnerable state.

To his credit Bill does go out and get a new hospital job immediately; Austin’s visit must have had an impact. Austin asks Bill if his relationship with Virginia is worth risking what he has (Libby is framed in the window behind them throughout their conversation) and while Virginia is so intrinsically linked to the work and so therefore she is, I also think that Bill cares a great deal for his family. Even if he is terrified of his son (and the kind of father he will be). Does Austin overstep boundaries in “Dirty Jobs?” Perhaps, but he doesn’t have an ulterior motive or personal agenda beyond stopping someone else from making his mistake and Teddy Sears really does have amazing chemistry with every character he comes into contact with. I also think he was highly motivated by a good home cooked dinner that he knew he would get if he dropped by at this hour.

One ongoing lie this season has been Betty’s ‘fertility treatments’ with Bill being the most reluctant participant in this charade. It could only go on for so long really and Betty’s big secret came tumbling out after she asked for one lie too many. It wasn’t Bill entirely who revealed the truth, but he definitely pushed for it after Betty asked him to tell Gene that he is the sterile one. Of course Bill has lied about this in the past to protect himself when he told Libby that it was her with the fertility issue. Double standards Bill.

Betty talks at the dinner table about Betty Crocker being a phony and a concept cooked up to sell products – Gene mentions that it was the invention of a woman – opening herself up to scorn from Gene about her own deception. Gene has his own secret and as part of this own love lie he sticks with the meeting Betty at church story, when really he met her at the brothel. Talk about Madonna/whore complex even if Gene was not under the illusion that Betty is a “good Christian girl.” Can this relationship survive full disclosure? In fact it is one sided full disclosure as there is still the matter of Helen, the real love of Betty’s life.

Circling back to Virginia (wearing an incredible sweater) and the notion of doing things alone after failures in her relationships with Lillian and Bill; both Bill and Lillian have let Virginia down and so much so that she tells her kids that “Everything that is worth doing you have to do on your own.” It’s a pretty pessimistic lesson and it looks like Virginia just bought a bigger padlock for the box that is housing her heart. Virginia receives some unsolicited advice from her Cal-O-Metric boss after Virginia has emphatically stated “I already have a career” and she is told in a rather sarcastic tone “maybe you’re special” when it comes to her dreams. This is enough to put a dampener on everything and coupled with her actual dream that opens “Dirty Jobs” Virginia ends the episode is a less optimistic place. By selling the diet pills to women she’s also spreading some of this misery by targeting people she met a year ago on the street outside their homes and even if she isn’t sticking to the script she’s still making people feel bad about how they look.

If you’re going to set the truth free, then it has to be the whole truth as otherwise you might end up miserable and wanting to go at it alone.

Tags: "Dirty Jobs", 1950s, 2.04, Ane Crabtree, Lzzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen, Teddy Sears

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Categories Masters of Sex, Review
Author Emma Fraser

Masters of Sex 2.03 “Fight” Review: “Maybe it was Wednesday”

28 Jul

Searching for a meaning can sometimes prove elusive or at least a challenge if it is buried beneath multiple defensive layers; the box you keep your heart in might be reinforced and hard to crack. In this phenomenal episode of Masters of Sex we gain further insight into who both Bill and Virginia are and maybe who they would like to be through their role playing. The line between reality and fantasy are blurred and so at times it is hard to tell where one ends and the other begins; watching them alternate between the two is incredible and this is an hour of TV to be cherished with powerhouse performances from both Lizzy Caplan and Michael Sheen.

The Bill and Virginia dance is a classic one step forward two steps back embrace; one leans in as the other pulls away and this motion plays an integral part in their relationship overall, but especially in “Fight.” The backdrop for this evening of research is boxing and a fight between a seasoned pro and a relative newcomer with the advantage changing between rounds with experience winning out in the end. Like Virginia I wanted to see how it ends and playing the final moments over the end credits satisfied this urge and now we are left to wonder just who is winning between Virginia and Bill. Not that a relationship can by monitored in this point scoring way no matter how hard we try and it becomes even more apparent this week that Bill and Virginia are not prepared for the emotional ramifications of their new hotel room research setup.

Part of this relationship performance includes various states of undress with Bill’s undone bow tie and “I’m not angry, but I’ll throw you against the wall before saying hello” setting the scene and starting things off in this dominating manner. Bill is deflecting his feelings from the encounter he had at work with a man who resembles the bully his father was and who is unhappy with his son’s “ambiguous sex organs.” Bill’s compassion for his patients and especially those who don’t have their own agency is something we have seen repeatedly (including last week) and as it is a newborn baby who is at risk this week his response is amplified.

This baby has been reduced to terms of what can be defined as ‘normal’ and Bill points out that this is a wide spectrum. There are certain expectations with labels and so when Bill explains that “Erections aren’t the totality of manhood” he is met with sneers and name calling. The study they are performing is meant to challenge ideals and show there is not one set of standards to be met; for this child their study is not going to help when the father is so rigid and forthright with his opinions.

Conversations about defining gender characteristics also take place in Virginia’s kitchen with her daughter as they discuss the roles of the tooth fairies, princesses and princes. The prince is always handsome even if his face gets stomped on by a horse and as long as the princess has seen him before this accident then a kiss will heal his disfigurement. Virginia tries to challenge Tessa’s fairy tale gender stereotypes with little success as sadly the princess cannot go on adventures on her own. If Tessa were to look upon her mother in her red apron and work attire she would see that we can be more than one thing and our expectations differ from reality. Virginia realizes that Tessa likes these kinds of stories as she knows how they will end and this is something you can’t plan for in real life as challenges present themselves when we least expect. If the handsome prince got his face stomped on in real life his face would stay like that forever (well plastic surgery might help, I guess). Maybe that’s a little too bleak to tell a child.

What happens to us as at a young age plays an important role in the stories that are shared between Virginia and Bill as he reveals to Virginia the truth about his relationship with his father. Bill does so through the guise of Dr. Holden and so at first it is unclear to Virginia that he is talking about himself or the extent of the abuse he suffered. Bill likes boxing because it made him feel strong at a time when he had been repeatedly beaten by his father both emotionally and physically. The reasons behind the beatings were random and his rage could come at any time – “maybe it was Wednesday” – and not only did he subject him to this, but he also effectively abandoned him at the age of 14 when he dropped him off at boarding school to never come home again (in reality Bill went home that Christmas, but this was the last time). Libby mentioned last week how Bill has never gone into detail with what happened during his childhood emphasizing just how massive this unburdening of information is.

Virginia is also careful to protect herself and her reluctance to trust a man comes from the first time she was in love. Like Bill she shares this story through the part she is playing and so it’s not immediately apparent that it isn’t a work of fiction. Virginia had her heart broken by an army captain who wound up getting married to the fiance he mentioned once in a whole year of dating. This obviously had a profound effect on how much Virginia has since been willing to give herself over to another person and this story also serves as an analogy for what is happening with Bill as there is also a third person to consider with Libby; it is why Virginia keeps her heart out of it. The lines between reality and fantasy are repeatedly blurred as Virginia finishes this story telling a transfixed Bill that she wouldn’t marry a man (so him in this scenario) who she “didn’t both love and desire.”

Vulnerability and intimacy levels alternate throughout with both Bill and Virginia acting as the dominant and submissive one at various points. From the stories they tell to initiating the research with Bill’s bathroom domination going up against Virginia’s thigh seduction. When Bill tries to take charge once again Virginia flips the tables and refuses to beg after standing there naked at Bill’s command; instead she effectively drops her gloves and masturbates to prove that she can get all the pleasure she needs by herself. That round goes to Virginia and her protected heart.

The real moments of intimacy go far beyond these physical acts and just watching how at ease they are with each other when they’re lounging in bathrobes and their undergarments is far more telling than the unspoken power games they are playing. This is why it is important that Virginia didn’t resort to begging when Bill told her to, however Bill also took away from this night the lesson of when it is okay to get down on your knees and plead. Bill never did this when his father beat him even though he knew if he did then the beating would end, this was his own personal show of power over his father even if he ended up worse off as a result of his stubbornness. It is Bill’s patient who is now at the mercy of a bully and so Bill pushes aside his pride resorting to the position of a begging man; it’s too late and the surgery has taken place. Surgery that has been done using a text book as a resource because there isn’t someone with the necessary experience. If you weren’t already feeling horrified at the attitude of this father he chose to make his child a girl because he was told a “hole is easier than a pole” and he’d rather have a “tomboy than a sissy.” A quick fix that will lead to a lifetime of anguish.

The red apron that represents Virginia’s home role is the only real flash of costuming color this week and “Fight” operates with mostly black and white clothing with Virginia’s grey dress straddling the two. Bill’s underwear is white contrasting with Virginia’s black and the white robes keep them on level ground – they tell their most intimate secrets when both in their matching robes – when Virginia is asked to drop hers and Bill keeps his on the power dynamic shifts first to Bill and then back to Virginia as she wrestles control with her hands. The blurry world of grey comes with Virginia’s dress complete with white collar and cuffs; her work attire is neutral and can be seen as sexy when she is undressing or homely when Virginia is saying goodbye to Bill barefoot – “This is where a married couple would kiss.” Yes, I wanted them to kiss. Prior to this scene when Virginia is on the phone to her daughter she plays with Bill’s wedding ring, trying it on and briefly allowing herself to imagine what this might be like before shutting it down once again. At different points Bill and Virginia stop themselves before they enter into what they would deem to be affair territory and it’s why they have never had breakfast together; breakfast equates to commitment.

Black attire tends to symbolize passion with black underwear taking on a more risque appearance, but I would argue that the white clothing worn in this episode drops the usual innocence tag and takes on what we would normally associate with black. This white coat is the first time we have seen Virginia wear something like this that wasn’t a medical coat and there is power in this image; it is mysterious and sexy so when she enters the crowded room of men watching the fight she instantly stands out. It’s not surprising that both the strong white pieces that Virginia wears this week are influenced by movie stars as costume designer Ane Crabtree explains on Twitter; Kim Novak’s Vertigo coat is a point of reference for this stunning look and Marilyn Monroe is the inspiration for the sexiness of the bathrobes.

It’s not all bathrobe seduction as a friendly boxing tutorial turns into a competitive battle followed by farce when Virginia’s bracelet gets caught in Bill’s hair. Virginia thinks that Bill was making fun of her and it becomes another discussion where neither one wants to back down from their point of view. It leads to another moment of intimacy, this time in the form of a haircut and more revelations from Bill about his father and the time he broke his nose (and he claims not his heart). It’s only after Bill wants Virginia to beg and she refuses that he reveals the why of his beatings from his father in that there really isn’t a specific reason he did it and Virginia counters why it would have been okay for Bill to say stop. For a brief moment Bill gets misty eyed and this subtle gesture from Michael Sheen is almost as powerful as his anguished sob last season.

Virginia is angry at Bill for how she thought he was making fun of her during their boxing tutorial as it was an unfair fight, quite the contrary according to Bill as it feels better to win when the odds are against you. Later what Virginia should say to Bill she instead tells their waiter Elliott as she explains that being taking seriously and listened to is much better than trinkets. This sentiment is also hilarious as the amount of times that both Bill and Virginia deflect the subject, when things look like they might be going down a romantic and honest road is particularly high this week. Virginia’s assessment of boxing is that “it almost looks like love” and from what we are witnessing the same could be said for what is going on in this hotel room and in the outside world there is plenty stacked against them.

Tags: "Fight", 2.03, Ane Crabtree, costume design, Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen, Review

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Categories Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

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

21 Jul

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

Masters of Sex Season 2 Promo: “Keep Your Heart Out Of It”

30 Jun

Experiencing upheaval aplenty in the new Masters of Sex season 2 promo as Virginia and Bill commit to something that goes way beyond the study. “No strings” gets a whole new meaning after an encounter that doesn’t involve their usual wire setup. At the end of season 1 Bill lost his position at the hospital after his grand presentation was received in an extremely negative light – the dudes didn’t seem to mind the ‘size doesn’t matter’ assertion, just everything else to do with women that came after. Now Bill has no job, a newborn baby at home and a wife who is frazzled and trying to encourage him to find work outside of his obsession.

Rendezvous in hotels and Virginia’s apartment means the clinical blue robes from the hospital are ditched for terrycloth and floral ones (the latter I am coveting pretty hard) and things are getting far more intimate after Bill’s rom-com like rain soaked declaration at the end of season 1. Virginia is indispensable to both Bill and the study, but there are obstacles aplenty including Libby and I feel just as invested in her as I do Bill and Virginia. Familiar faces return including Dr. Lillian DePaul, Dr. Austin Langham and Betty with her husband Gene the Pretzel King (who we last saw in episode 3) offering Bill a solution.

Leaving your heart out of it is advice that Virginia and Bill probably won’t stick to as emotions seem fraught and heightened in this new promo, which has me clamoring for this new season of Masters of Sex (back Sunday, July 13).

http://youtu.be/BQHU3hB0oEw

Tags: Lizzy Caplan, Masters of Sex, Michael Sheen, preview, Showtime

Comments 1 Comment
Categories Masters of Sex
Author Emma Fraser

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TV Ate My Wardrobe

Masters of Sex 2.10 “Below the Belt” Review: “What is Wrong with Me?”

Masters of Sex 2.09 “Story of My Life” Review: “Victim and Narrator”

Masters of Sex 2.06 “Blackbird” Review: “Lilantha”

Masters of Sex 2.05 “Giants” Review: Taking the Plunge

Masters of Sex 2.04 “Dirty Jobs” Review: “Is It Worth It?”

Masters of Sex 2.03 “Fight” Review: “Maybe it was Wednesday”

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

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

Masters of Sex Season 2 Promo: “Keep Your Heart Out Of It”

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