After last episode being so impactful, Masters of Sex lightens things up a bit. Bill's mom is nowhere to be seen, and though Virginia still has her struggles of being a single mom, we aren't given a strong focus on it. Really, what we get in this episode is science, with a small subplot dealing with Bill and Barton's marital issues, which seem eerily similar, minus Barton's homosexuality or bisexuality.
To begin, let's knockout the marital issues. Bill and Libby continue to have the type of relationship which makes you question what led to her marrying him, unless it was for some sense of stability. For though he has become a bit more empathetic and does try to help her with the issue of losing a child, he still holds onto the reigns of his emotions so tightly that it seems she still is in the relationship alone almost. I mean, just on the topic of sex. Remember, Bill and her didn't make the baby the old fashion way, but with science and who knows when is the last time they physically had sex. Which leads into why you can compare Bill and Barton for Margaret, Barton's wife played by Allison Janney, says she at most has sex with him once a year. Barton on the other hand has sex who knows how many times a year with male prostitutes.
What I'm trying to illustrate though, is the comparison of their almost loveless marriages which are used for convenience and for the sake of status. A man without a family then, and even now, is odd when they are in positions of power. Hence why no president was ever single, and I believe a large majority had kids. It shows a side of masculinity to have a family and happy home, but for Bill and Barton it is simply for the sake of status. This was shown in itself a few episodes back when Bill was young and not a recognized name in which the plan was laid out for what it takes to be successful. He needed not just his intelligence, but a wife as well. Even take note of how Ethan spoke of him when the possibility was there when Bill was shooting blanks. The issue wasn't just what he was putting Libby through, but the fact a man couldn't get his wife pregnant.
Outside of that bit though, the focus of the episode also dealt with disproving Freud's theories on sex. Be it the mature and immature orgasm, or various other issues which essentially put the woman at fault if they couldn't get pleasure why the man was given no guilt of his own. Well, maybe he was given slight guilt if he couldn't get an erection, but when it came to pleasure, women were largely left out and simply seemed to be well made sex dolls the way the episode makes Freud's work seem.
Overall, this was an episode to remind you what the show's focus really is. Though the paragraph on the science is shorter than the drama, at the end of the day the show is based on the evolution of how people perceive sex. So while the topic remains interesting, it does get drowned in everything else going on. However, it still reminds you of how far things have come when it comes to attitudes about sex, as well as how far women have come when it comes to their role in sex, and even in the medicinal field. For, though not a huge part of the episode, we see Dr. DePaul return and speak on her internal strife with Virginia being seen more like a doctor than herself. Though envy and jealousy quickly comes to mind, you must also note the idea that she sacrificed years of her life for knowledge and prestige, and yet her work is still an uphill battle. Meanwhile Virginia attaches herself to Masters and seemingly gets a car ride to the top. There is quite a bit of issue there, but it is difficult to really talk about without being a woman, at least that is how I feel.
To begin, let's knockout the marital issues. Bill and Libby continue to have the type of relationship which makes you question what led to her marrying him, unless it was for some sense of stability. For though he has become a bit more empathetic and does try to help her with the issue of losing a child, he still holds onto the reigns of his emotions so tightly that it seems she still is in the relationship alone almost. I mean, just on the topic of sex. Remember, Bill and her didn't make the baby the old fashion way, but with science and who knows when is the last time they physically had sex. Which leads into why you can compare Bill and Barton for Margaret, Barton's wife played by Allison Janney, says she at most has sex with him once a year. Barton on the other hand has sex who knows how many times a year with male prostitutes.
What I'm trying to illustrate though, is the comparison of their almost loveless marriages which are used for convenience and for the sake of status. A man without a family then, and even now, is odd when they are in positions of power. Hence why no president was ever single, and I believe a large majority had kids. It shows a side of masculinity to have a family and happy home, but for Bill and Barton it is simply for the sake of status. This was shown in itself a few episodes back when Bill was young and not a recognized name in which the plan was laid out for what it takes to be successful. He needed not just his intelligence, but a wife as well. Even take note of how Ethan spoke of him when the possibility was there when Bill was shooting blanks. The issue wasn't just what he was putting Libby through, but the fact a man couldn't get his wife pregnant.
Outside of that bit though, the focus of the episode also dealt with disproving Freud's theories on sex. Be it the mature and immature orgasm, or various other issues which essentially put the woman at fault if they couldn't get pleasure why the man was given no guilt of his own. Well, maybe he was given slight guilt if he couldn't get an erection, but when it came to pleasure, women were largely left out and simply seemed to be well made sex dolls the way the episode makes Freud's work seem.
Overall, this was an episode to remind you what the show's focus really is. Though the paragraph on the science is shorter than the drama, at the end of the day the show is based on the evolution of how people perceive sex. So while the topic remains interesting, it does get drowned in everything else going on. However, it still reminds you of how far things have come when it comes to attitudes about sex, as well as how far women have come when it comes to their role in sex, and even in the medicinal field. For, though not a huge part of the episode, we see Dr. DePaul return and speak on her internal strife with Virginia being seen more like a doctor than herself. Though envy and jealousy quickly comes to mind, you must also note the idea that she sacrificed years of her life for knowledge and prestige, and yet her work is still an uphill battle. Meanwhile Virginia attaches herself to Masters and seemingly gets a car ride to the top. There is quite a bit of issue there, but it is difficult to really talk about without being a woman, at least that is how I feel.
