This show is based on the book, ‘Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the Couple Who Taught America How to Love’. I haven’t read the book and this review is entirely based on the television show. For those interested in the book, it has been rated 3.54/5 with 113 ratings on goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6320234-masters-of-sex?from_search=true). The plot is based on a highly successful Dr. William Masters who is a nationally renowned fertility specialist and works in a teaching hospital at Washington University – St. Louis, Missouri. The narrative is set in the 1950s/60s America. Dr. Masters is not satisfied by using the existing pool of knowledge to treat infertility among women and wants to push the envelope of research by studying the very basic act involved in the area of fertility, that is sex. He is interested in researching on sex at a time when the subject is taboo to even openly discuss in polite conversations. He wants to not only study the physiology involved but also the mental processes associated with it. In his own words he wants to study how babies are made, not how they are born. To this end he hires an assistant who is a former night club singer by the name of Virginia Johnson. She like Dr. Masters is ahead of her time in her thinking and clearly views the idea of sex and love as separate entities which do not require to coincide.
Together they embark on a research which requires them to observe subjects in various sexual acts and measure their bodily responses to the same. The objectivity and seriousness Dr. Masters feels towards this research comes across when he proposes that he and Ms. Johnson participate in the study to mitigate transference from themselves to the subjects by sleeping with each other. As straight faced as Dr. Masters was, it made me chuckle. The show also brings to the fore aspects pertaining to the time period in question and how societal expectations were projected on to women who harshly judged themselves for not being able to provide a child. The irony of it all stares you in the face when Dr. Masters, the foremost fertility expert is unable to have a child with his wife and it is because the problem lies with him. He still lets his wife go through hell without divulging the same to her. It is reminiscent of a time when male chauvinism was at such a peak that infertility by default was taken to be the women’s fault and her inability to perform the only task which was expected of her. It becomes funny to the point of being ridiculous when even the female characters are shown to practice this form of chauvinism on other female characters.
Of course the packaging of the show is not as serious as you might discern from the issues discussed above. There are some truly funny moments such as when Dr. Masters tries to convince the Provost of the college to endorse his study in front of the hospital board. He sets a live demonstration with a glass dildo fitted with a cold light and camera. It reminded me of a movie I saw a while back by the name of Hysteria (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1435513/?ref_=sr_1). Do check it out if you have some time. This show makes you laugh as well as seriously consider issues which even now have relevance. It is a package which explores issues such as the human sexuality, self-esteem and self-worth issues associated with women and conception, male chauvinism and ultimately how physical and emotional processes are so intertwined that if not handled properly are a ready mixture for disaster in the form of heart break or worse.
As far as the cast is concerned it is well chosen. Dr. Masters is played by Michael Sheen and he does a good job. I have generally liked him in his other ventures as well. Ms. Johnson is played by Lizzy Caplan who stands on her own in her treatment of the character. I also like the character of Provost Barton Scully played by Beau Bridges.
Verdict: This show has both humourous and serious aspects combined in a likeable proportion. It brings to the fore issues which were not only relevant in the period it is set in but remain so. It’s fun and thought provoking. I quite enjoyed the initial episodes and hope you do too!
IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2137109/?ref_=ttep_ep_tt
IMDb Rating: Not yet rated as on 04/10/2013.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqwahKjI2bg
Official Site: http://www.sho.com/sho/masters-of-sex/home
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