Masters of Sex

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domino harvey
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Masters of Sex

#1 Post by domino harvey » Sat Oct 12, 2013 9:36 pm

Depicting the real-life Masters and Johnson sex studies, Masters of Sex shows a lot of potential after a couple episodes to really explore some interesting aspects of our country's most fascinating era (for me, at least), the 50s, without indulging in period fetishization or simplistic misunderstandings of the time period. Indeed, after the pilot, I was concerned that perhaps the series might be a little too dry to sustain a long-term format like TV. But already by the second episode the show is opening up to show a lot of different avenues, some comic, to explore a generation's sometimes surprising but mostly archaic views of sex. One of the best scenes in the second episode finds the hospital's would-be Lothario picking up a nurse and being dismayed at her static view of what constitutes the entirety of sex: "I'm willing to go all the way with you," she says, but her concept of what that means becomes clouded after she is equal parts revolted and confused by his desire to perform and receive oral sex. And the show so far is filled with great small observations like that, some of which are on the nose but most of which are right on the money. We also see the spectrum of complexity with regards to sexuality: the easy lay who's also a natural with kids, the experienced woman of the world who has the gall to treat sex as pleasurable and not a contract for ownership, the (repressed?) sex expert's wife who is being tricked into believing herself frigid (and who has to sleep in twin beds separated by a nightstand, their bedroom seemingly influenced by Hollywood films of the period), and so on. What seems limiting (the real-life perimeters of the study) is instead allowing avenues removed from what I feared (sex case of the week dramatics) and towards a more total and immersive look at a pivotal moment in our nation's history when the seeds of enormous change were just beginning to bloom. As of two episodes Masters of Sex is a very good series, but if the show continues down the many arenas it is opening up, it could very easily and quickly turn out to be a great one.

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mfunk9786
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Re: Masters of Sex

#2 Post by mfunk9786 » Sat Oct 12, 2013 10:35 pm

Have you seen Kinsey, domino? If not, do

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domino harvey
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Re: Masters of Sex

#3 Post by domino harvey » Sat Oct 12, 2013 10:40 pm

I haven't, but new copies of the two-disc edition are available fulfilled through Amazon for under $5, so thanks for the suggestion (one more brick for my castle composed entirely of DVDs)

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Re: Masters of Sex

#4 Post by MichaelB » Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:56 am

On the evidence of part one (we seem to be a fortnight behind the US), I'd say it's shaping up to be a pretty substantial advance on Kinsey. To my very pleasant surprise, it's avoided the usual sniggering prurience or blatant exploitation and actually seems to be taking the subject seriously, which is so rare in English-languge television (and cinema) as to be more than worth flagging up when it happens.

My wife was very impressed too, and since she has a strong professional interest in the subject (as a obs-and-gynae ultrasonographer who's retraining as a psychosexual therapist), this carries rather more weight than any praise from me.

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Re: Masters of Sex

#5 Post by greggster59 » Sun Oct 13, 2013 1:59 pm

I'm not in the habit of watching TV series' but am interested in this because it is related to work I'm currently involved with.
I am pleasantly surprised by the way the research is depicted. Older technology aside, the scenarios come fairly close to portraying the atmosphere and settings of this type of study.
I hope they keep it up (bad pun intended).

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Re: Masters of Sex

#6 Post by mfunk9786 » Mon Oct 14, 2013 7:57 pm

Ugh, the end of that pilot. Give me a fucking break. Hopefully things improve from here, but woof woof what awful music and screenwriting in those last few moments, the ultimate contrivance already clumsily being breached

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domino harvey
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Re: Masters of Sex

#7 Post by domino harvey » Mon Oct 14, 2013 8:59 pm

I don't agree with your strong negative response, but for whatever it's worth the second episode addresses the ramifications of that request full-on and is organic with regards to what it says about both characters and makes sense within the narrative as presented

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Re: Masters of Sex

#8 Post by mfunk9786 » Mon Oct 14, 2013 11:23 pm

If Michael Sheen weren't playing his character as so cold and unpleasant maybe it'd make sense? But his lack of chemistry with Caplan up to that point (I thought by design) made that moment fall entirely flat. The pilot was hit-or-miss but the subject matter is too fascinating not to continue.

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Re: Masters of Sex

#9 Post by domino harvey » Tue Oct 22, 2013 9:50 pm


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Re: Masters of Sex

#10 Post by domino harvey » Thu Dec 05, 2013 12:08 am

So, Allison Janney's pretty much already won the Emmy for whichever category she decides to run in next year, huh

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Re: Masters of Sex

#11 Post by JamesF » Fri Dec 06, 2013 12:28 pm

She had it in the bag as soon as her scene with Sheen & Caplan where she realises she's never had an orgasm. The acting in general is exceptional throughout - it's a dead lock between this and Hannibal for my favourite new series of the year.

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Murdoch
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Re: Masters of Sex

#12 Post by Murdoch » Fri Dec 06, 2013 6:38 pm

SpoilerShow
Also, her reaction to being told her husband is gay was rather brilliant. Her amusement at the notion of her husband being attracted to other men, as if it's such a silly notion that it could only be joke, followed by her slow realization of what that means, was spot-on.
I've been very impressed with this show thus far. While not without it's freshman problems (at first treating Virgina as some sort of male sex fantasy, the contrived affair involving Janney), all my quibbles have given way to enjoyment of what the show gets right.

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Re: Masters of Sex

#13 Post by domino harvey » Sun Dec 29, 2013 12:20 am

I know it probably won't happen (especially since both are under contract to CBS sitcoms now) but I'd love to see Beau Bridges and Allison Janey bumped to series regulars for Season Two. Their subplot evolved out of nowhere and ended up being the most interesting part of the first season and the anguish between the scene in the season finale where Bridges is explaining the responsibility he feels for "fixing" himself was agonizing-- Emmys for both of them, please. The series is doing a good job of building up its supporting cast, even if some of the fixations the show is attached to are becoming a bit sketch-- I mean, none of the reasons for continually connecting Masters' wife to one-shot black characters seem to be approaching an avenue this show is all that interesting in pursuing, for starters. I also think the show moves too fast through its history. I know there's a lot of stuff the series wants to cover in the career of the real-life characters, but the pacing leaves compelling subplots like Ethan's ill-suited engagement to the idealized virgin housewife consumed and disposed of far too soon. Overall a good first season with plenty of bright spots and a lot of potential for overall greatness.

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Re: Masters of Sex

#14 Post by domino harvey » Wed Mar 19, 2014 11:40 pm


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domino harvey
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Re: Masters of Sex

#15 Post by domino harvey » Tue Aug 19, 2014 3:15 am

Called it: Janney won the Emmy (and deservedly so)

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Andre Jurieu
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Re: Masters of Sex

#16 Post by Andre Jurieu » Tue Aug 19, 2014 2:01 pm

Even though it was inevitable, I'm sad that
SpoilerShow
Julianne Nicholson will no longer be appearing on the show now that Dr. DePaul has departed. DePaul is the type of character that rarely seems to appear on TV shows, but is certainly familiar. I'm assuming that Nicholson's strong work on the series will ensure that she will appear in other projects, but she really had some great scenes with Caplan during this past season.

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domino harvey
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Re: Masters of Sex

#17 Post by domino harvey » Tue Aug 19, 2014 2:02 pm

Is that a spoiler for season two?

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Andre Jurieu
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Re: Masters of Sex

#18 Post by Andre Jurieu » Tue Aug 19, 2014 2:04 pm

Yes

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Polybius
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Re: Masters of Sex

#19 Post by Polybius » Wed Aug 20, 2014 5:21 am

Andre Jurieu wrote:Even though it was inevitable, I'm sad that
SpoilerShow
Julianne Nicholson will no longer be appearing on the show now that Dr. DePaul has departed. DePaul is the type of character that rarely seems to appear on TV shows, but is certainly familiar. I'm assuming that Nicholson's strong work on the series will ensure that she will appear in other projects, but she really had some great scenes with Caplan during this past season.
I feel the same.

She's always in demand, with good reason.

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Re: Masters of Sex

#20 Post by didi-5 » Sat Aug 23, 2014 3:03 pm

I'm afraid the second series isn't a patch on the first, and I am missing Beau Bridges and his character very much. But (and we're three episodes behind the US in the UK) I will keep watching ...

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Andre Jurieu
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Re: Masters of Sex

#21 Post by Andre Jurieu » Mon Aug 25, 2014 12:08 pm

Well, last night's episode was a little bit trippy and disorientating, but I've actually thought this second season to be far more consistent than the first, with both lead performances getting much stronger.

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