Television: Masters of Sex
Man, keeping up with classes, television, blogging, and everything else is hard. But I'm trying, I'm trying.Anyway, Glamour recently called Masters of Sex the best female driven show on TV. Assuming, we're only talking about shows currently on air right now, I gotta say I agree.
WEEKLY REVIEW:MASTER OF SEX'S CAPTIVATING WOMEN
MASTERS OF SEX | Season 2
Network:
Showtime
Cast:
Michael Sheen
,
Lizzy Caplan
,
Caitlin FitzGerald, Teddy Sears, Annaleigh Ashford, Julianne Nicholson
Written by:
Michelle Ashford
Premise:
Drama about the pioneers of the science of human sexuality, Bill Masters and Virginia Johnson. Their research touched off the sexual revolution.
Showtime's Masters of Sex, Virginia Johnson
Masters of Sex
's first season was consistently great. It delivered well written story lines for the men and women of the show. But as we near the end of season 2, the show's number of recurring male characters and story-lines have been slowly whittled away. Naturally, as the show's lead, Bill Masters is the only recurring male character left on the show.It's not that the talented team of writers on
Masters of Sex
, most of whom are women, can't write men anymore. It's just that they've just chosen to focus on the fascinating female characters they already have. And these women are developing their own story lines beyond the world of Bill Masters'. Each woman has her own perspective that doesn't completely revolve around a man. Now, for a show set in 1950s-1960s America, that's pretty great. Especially considering the
Showtime's Masters of Sex, Bill Masters
As the show's leading man,
Bill Masters
is the smart gynecologist looking to revolutionize the world's understanding of human sexuality. However, the show is never afraid to show Bill in a negative light. There are rarely any attempts to excuse or sugarcoat what Bill is - an infuriatingly arrogant hypocrite who cheats on his wife and ignores his son.I hate Bill Masters. The amazing women in his life deserve so much more than his pompous ass but I cannot deny that he's is a fascinating character to watch. His dogged determination to explore human sexuality is so compelling because it reveals both the best and worst of his nature. The writers have crafted a character I absolutely hate and wish would leave my screen. And yet I continue to be fascinated by this character. Can he get any worse or will there be another moment where he redeems himself in the slightest?
Showtime's Masters of Sex, Libby Masters
Much of
Libby Masters'
character revolves around her husband, Bill. She's continually attempting and failing to satisfy a husband that just doesn't respect her.This season, we see the some of the consequences of this constant rejection in Libby's relationship with Coral. Libby is unable to control her failing marriage so she attempts to assert inferiority over her black nanny. I love Libby and still hope for her to escape Bill's influence but I appreciated how the show isn't afraid to portray Libby with racist beliefs.The civil rights movement has been a tricky and mostly neglected issue on other period American shows like
Mad Men
but this season,
Masters of Sex
has included a few recurring black characters. Considering that last season, the show had only one black character, it's nice to see a little more diversity. And with this diversity, the show portrays how its characters, namely Bill and Libby, may not be outright ignorant racists but like many in the era, the pair do hold subtle racist notions. I'm very interested to see how the show continues to approach the civil rights issue, especially now that Libby is determined to escape Bill's grasp a little.
Showtime's Masters of Sex, Bill Masters and Virginia Johnson
And of course, for a show that deals so heavily in sexuality,
Masters of Sex
includes quite a bit of nude scenes. However, the show's nudity, especially in the regards of women, is never gratuitous. It's always there to further the story. And this season, plenty of the story involves Bill Masters' relationship with his partner in researching sexuality,
Virginia Johnson
.Virginia is the amazing, ambitious and compassionate woman next to Bill's arrogant personality. I don't particularly care for her relationship with Bill, sexually and emotionally. I've just learned to accept its place in the series while continuing to hope that Libby and Virginia realize that they deserve better than Bill Masters. Still, Virginia continues to make Bill tolerable. That is when he isn't treating her terribly.
Showtime's Masters of Sex, Virginia Johnson and Lillian Depaul
Perhaps my favorite part of Masters of Sex's sophomore season is the relationship between Virginia Johnson and
Lillian DePaul
. Virginia's bond with Lillian, a wonderfully skilled, dedicated and reserved doctor, grows even stronger this season and it's amazing to watch.Lizzy Caplan describes Lillian and Virginia's story as a
"love story"
and I couldn't agree more. These two women are initially at odds with each other, learn to admire each other and eventually break down each other's emotional walls. They fall deeply in love. It's platonic friendship at its most beautiful. Lillian and Virginia's relationship will forever be one of the show's best story lines.The show is amazing in its portrayal of all its female relationships though. On
Masters of Sex
, women interact with each other, love each other, and talk about things other than men.
Masters of Sex
's second season has constantly provided many compelling moments of television. However, this season has been rather inconsistent in terms of plot. The show quickly jumps from one great plot line to the next. It's hard to weave together a general arc for the whole season, especially with the incorporation of a time jump in the middle of the season.Nonetheless, I remain fascinated by this show and am eager to see how the second season resolves itself. I'm captivated by the show's women and their stories. The series' is focused on exploring female stories more than anything else and it's absolutely great.
Masters of Sex
is a testament to the fact that the entertainment industry needs to show more women characters, writers, directors, everything because women have so many great stories to tell.