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Blu-ray Review Masters of Sex Season Two Blu-ray Review (2 Viewers)

Richard Gallagher

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Masters of Sex Season Two Blu-ray Review

In 1966 the book "Human Sexual Response" by Dr. William Masters and Virginia Johnson, was published to much fanfare and controversy. Unlike Alfred Kinsey, who published his famous reports on male and female sexuality in 1948 and 1953, Masters decided that relying upon people to tell the truth about their sexual activities was unwise. He wanted to go farther by measuring the physiological responses of men and women while actually having sex. Virginia Johnson, a divorcée with two children who was hired to be Masters' secretary, proved to be an invaluable part of the studies and she became his research assistant. The complex and fascinating story of Masters and Johnson is being told in a Showtime series called Masters of Sex, and Season Two is now available in a superb Blu-ray edition from Sony.



Studio: Sony

Distributed By: N/A

Video Resolution and Encode: 1080P/AVC

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HDMA, French 5.1 DTS

Subtitles: English, English SDH, French

Rating: Not Rated

Run Time: 11 Hr. 27 Min.

Package Includes: Blu-ray, UltraViolet

Blu-ray Flipper Case with Slipcase

Disc Type: BD50 (dual layer)

Region: ABC

Release Date: 05/05/2015

MSRP: $65.99




The Production Rating: 4.5/5

This review contains spoilers, so if you have not yet watched Season One of Masters of Sex I suggest that you stop reading now and order it. Just keep in mind that the series is very explicit, with considerable nudity and simulated sex. If such material offends you, you have been warned.

Dr. William Masters (Michael Sheen) is a prominent and prestigious doctor of obstetrics and gynecology at Washington University Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. He has been married to Libby (Caitlin FitzGerald) for a number of years, but they are childless. Masters loves his wife, but his first love is his work. He has in mind the idea of doing so radical and innovative that his name will become synonymous with it. Into his life comes a new secretary, Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan), whose ambition exceeds her education. A divorced mother of two, Ginny (as she is known to her friends) is something a free spirit and she is uninhibited about sex. She goes out with Masters' protégé, Dr. Ethan Haas (Nicholas D'Agosto), and she surprises and pleases him by her willingness to have sex with him.

Masters is aware of the fact that sexuality is a subject which has been largely ignored by the medical community. The provost of the university, Dr. Barton Scully (Beau Bridges), is sympathetic with the need to study human sexuality, but he balks when Masters tells him that he plans to use human subjects. Masters is forced to conduct his studies in a local house of ill repute, which turns into a fiasco. However, Masters gains the upper hand when he discovers that Scully, who has been married to Margaret (Allison Janney) for many years, is a homosexual. Masters essentially blackmails Scully into allowing him to use the hospital for his study, but he has to keep it a secret. One of his male volunteers is Dr. Austin Langham (Teddy Sears), who is less interested in advancing science than in having sex with the young women who volunteer to participate in the study.

Numerous complications arise, both personally and professionally. Ginny breaks up with Ethan Haas, who then becomes engaged to Scully's daughter, Vivian (Rose McIver). However, he cannot get Ginny out of his mind. Ginny's professional relationship with Masters is compromised when she agrees to become a subject of the study with him as her partner. As the study progresses, Masters and Johnson are able to debunk a number of myths. However, when Masters finally decides to make a presentation of their findings to the hospital administration and staff, the response is one of condemnation. Masters loses his position at the hospital and the study seemingly is over. Ginny, meanwhile, has ceased working with Masters and is now assisting the hospital's only female physicians, Dr. Lillian Depaul (Julianne Nicholson).

This brings us to Season Two. Masters professes his desire to resume his relationship with Ginny, even as his wife Libby finally is able to give birth. Masters struggles to get his career back on track, while Scully, who has managed to keep his position as provost, decides to undergo controversial "conversion therapy" to overcome his homosexuality. Masters takes a position at Memorial Hospital, but he runs into roadblocks in trying to get Ginny to resume being his assistant. The issue of racism, which is only hinted at in Season One, comes to the fore in Season Two. Ginny is threatened with losing custody of her children because of her work with Masters. This season also introduces some new actors to the cast, including Sarah Silverman and Adam Arkin in a few episodes, as well as Breaking Bad's Betsy Brandt. Arkin also directs two episodes, but the most prolific director of Season Two episodes is Michael Apted.

Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan are perfectly cast as the two leads, and Caplan is gorgeous, both while dressed and undressed. Beau Bridges is fine as the tormented Scully, and Allison Janney (who won a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance) is touching as his unhappy wife who learns that her marriage has been a sham from the start. It is impossible to not be moved by Caitlin FitzGerald's performance as Libby, who is given all the economic benefits of being a successful doctor's wife but whose husband is emotionally distant. The supporting cast also is uniformly excellent.



Video Rating: 5/5  3D Rating: NA

The video quality of this Blu-ray release is flawless. The 1080p high-definition image is properly framed at 1.78:1 and is encoded with the AVC codec. The picture is highly detailed and the set design accurately portrays the look and feel of 1950s America. Colors and flesh tones are accurate and black levels are solid and inky. Contrast is fine and shadow detail is very good. This is a typically outstanding Blu-ray from Sony.



Audio Rating: 4.5/5

The English 5.1 DTS HD-MA audio is excellent. This is primarily a dialogue-driven series, and every word is clear and understandable. The surround channels effectively convey ambient sounds, but there is nothing here which will blow you away. English, English SDH, and French subtitles are available.



Special Features Rating: 2.5/5

There is a wider array of special features on the Season One set.

The extras on this Blu-ray set include a featurette about the history of sex. Blu-ray exclusives include "The Men of Sex: Actors' Roundtable" and "The Women of Sex." The latter focuses on the show's female cast members.

As was the case with Season One, there also are deleted scenes for several of the episodes.



Overall Rating: 4.5/5



Masters of Sex is a highly-praised series which will air Season Three beginning on July 12, 2015. This is not the sort of series which you will want to begin in the middle, so if it is new to you the best option is to start with Season One.

As noted, this is a very explicit show with nudity, simulated sex, and frank discussions about sexual subjects which may be taboo in some homes.


Reviewed By: Richard Gallagher


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Robert Harris

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Great review. I'm just finding a bit of time to check out Season One. As you submit, quality is superb, shot with a Sony. Hopeful that people either don't negate this series because of their concept of the title, or others hopeful to find more unrated material within, as that's not what the series is about. Mores of the early 1950s. Think Mad Men, but early, as fins on cars have not yet arrived. This is a thoughtful, high quality, and thought provoking series, that is well worth the viewers' time. The era is beautifully rendered. As Mr. Gallagher notes, it may however, be a bit too upfront for some households. RAH
 

Richard Gallagher

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Robert Harris said:
Great review. I'm just finding a bit of time to check out Season One. As you submit, quality is superb, shot with a Sony. Hopeful that people either don't negate this series because of their concept of the title, or others hopeful to find more unrated material within, as that's not what the series is about. Mores of the early 1950s. Think Mad Men, but early, as fins on cars have not yet arrived. This is a thoughtful, high quality, and thought provoking series, that is well worth the viewers' time. The era is beautifully rendered. As Mr. Gallagher notes, it may however, be a bit too upfront for some households. RAH

Yes, much of the series is not about sex per se, as it also explores a number of fascinating medical ethics issues. One woman who is receiving fertility treatments from Dr. Haas is unaware of the fact that she is not the problem, because in fact her husband has a low sperm count. Isn't she entitled to know the truth? A woman who has participated in the study becomes pregnant because her diaphragm failed. Should Dr. Masters perform an abortion (which of course was illegal then)? Does the father have the right to know and/or the right to be absolved of all responsibilty, both personally and financially? Does anyone have an obligation to the woman and her baby?


I suppose that I should have mentioned that most of the sex scenes, while passionate, are also quite clinical, since the participants and wired with electrodes while they are doing their thing.
 

TravisR

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I'm happy to see someone besides myself enjoying this series. The sex is pretty cool but as has been discussed, there's definitely more to the show than that. It's arguably the best show on TV that people aren't watching.
 

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