Universit Sorbonne Nouvelle - Paris 3

Institut du monde Anglophone

Spcialit Etudes Anglophones Recherche

Masters of Sex: televised sex in the name of

scientic research, knowledge and education

Illustration by Mark Aspinall for The New Yorker

Written by Justine LE GOAS

Media and Representation in the United States

2014-2015

Divina Frau-Meigs
!1

Table of Contents
Introduction

1- Science as the justication of the bringing of sexuality on screen

1.1. A show all about sex: what the opening credits tell us (Annex 2)

1.2. A controversial depiction of sex: the right balance between sex scenes
necessary to the plot and the possible derive of pornography

1.3. Learning more about sex watching television: an admission of a national lack
of sexual knowledge?

2. The relative indifference for the show despite the impressive

promotional tactics: a critical success but the absence of a real fanbase

2.1. Promotion of the show: its (almost) all about science

2.2. The absence of a true fanbase

11

2.3. The critical acclaim and the return of the show for a third season

13

3. A new Mad Men on sex? Going back on a historic shift to better

understand modern-day society

14

3.1. The challenges of an epoch drama

14

3.2. The choice of fiction instead of the documentary format

16

3.3. Towards a depiction of modern day society through the lenses and social codes
of the past

17

Conclusion

19

References

20

Annexes

24

!2

Introduction
Masters of Sex is a period drama set in the late 1950s that explores the lives and work of Dr
William Masters and Virginia Johnson, two American researchers that revolutionized the approach
of human sexuality. The television series started to air on Showtime in September 2013; it has two
seasons for the moment and has been renewed for a third one. The show followed suit to the
publication in 2009 of Thomas Maiers book Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters
and Virginia Johnson, the Couple Who Taught America How to Love.1
The whole thrill of the show consists in its acute focus on human sexuality. There are countless
sex scenes presented in the one-hour series2, depicting either the participants of the study engaging
in controlled and oriented intercourse or the two protagonists, Dr Bill Masters Virginia Johnson.
Liberated as sexuality appears to be in western society, this portrayal of actual intercourse on screen
is interesting and original enough to be pointed out for a number of reasons.
In Masters of Sex, though there is an undeniable glamorization of the coitus3, the very fact that it
is mostly presented in its entirety, from the preliminaries to the orgasm, creates a novelty on
television, even for cable. The presence of intimacy on cable is a given and a characteristic for
which audiences agree to pay, but even on these particular channels, sex is always more or less
brushed up, unless it is explicit pornography.4
Therefore, the question that thus arises is where does Masters of Sex stand in terms of depiction
of sexuality for the sake of knowledge and historical accuracy: is the show an eroticae, has it
broken down the barrier of pornography or is it somewhere in between, amounting to quasipornography ?5
It has to be noted that the show does not have a very wide audience nor a very active fanbase.
Though fan fictions based on the series exist, there are so few of them that they cannot be the basis
of a study. Therefore, this research uses a corpus of articles published on various English-speaking
websites by columnists or journalists who specialize in entertainement and television.
This research will hence focus on the embedded messages that are meant to legitimize the
existence of the show just as much as to titillate the viewers curiosity. The critical reception of the
1

Lauren Morgan. Masters of Sex Author Thomas Maier Feels Showtime Series Hits Sweet Spot. (New York Daily
News, 26 September 2014.)
2 As
3

demonstrated by the annexes 4.1 to 4.6 which are only a small sample of the sex scenes on the show.

John Powers. Masters of Sex Get Unmasterful Treatment On Showtime. (NPR, 26 November 2013.)

Janet Cramer. Discourses of Sexual Morality in Sex and the City and Queer as Folk. (The Journal of Popular
Culture, 40.3 (June 2007): 409-432.)
5

Divina Frau-Meigs. Socialisation des Jeunes et Education aux Mdias: du Bon Usage des Contenus et Comportements
Risque. (Toulouse: Ers CEMEA, 2011.) 102-103.

!3

show and the production component of Masters of Sex, namely its promotion, will also be looked
into in order to understand the renewal of the series for another season. Finally, the historical intent
of the series will be analyzed in the light of previous television shows and academic reflections.

1- Science as the justication of the bringing of sexuality

on screen
1.1. A show all about sex: what the opening credits tell us (Annex 2)
According to scholars and journalists alike, the title sequence is of paramount importance for
audio-visual media because of the condensation of significant images that characterizes it6. Leanne
Dare, the art director of the Masters of Sex title sequence expressed her opinion on the subject: I
think TV titles are a huge part of a show. We remember them. We talk about them. We hum their
tunes. They set a mood for a show and for the most part good title sequences and good shows come
in pairs.7
In the case of Masters of Sex, the analysis of this specific moment seems all the more relevant
that it was nominated for best Opening title sequence at the Emmys in 2014. Moreover, it divided
the opinion because of its many innuendos8, its controversial nature is thus of interest. Sex is
strongly suggested by all the images shown that cleverly compile all the objects that have sexual
connotations in colloquial language (rooster or cock, phallic symbols such as towers, a cat
suggesting the female genitals, fireworks for orgasm, train entering a tunnel for penetration,
ejaculation with opening of bottle of champaign and volcano). The credits sequence literally
[shows] every metaphor or euphemism for sex imaginable.9
Furthermore, all the stages composing sexual intercourse that were discovered by Masters and
Johnson are present by analogy. The unifying image of the sequence is a little animated couple that
is shown four times. Their interactions seem to be corresponding to the four stages of sexual
response discovered by Masters and Johnson consisting of Excitement (initial arousal), Plateau
(full arousal), Orgasm, Resolution (post-orgasm):10

- first discovery of each other and mutual interest

Silvia Barlaam. Theres nowt as Queer As Folk: British and American Televisual Approaches to the Politics of
Homosexuality. American Remakes of British Television. Transformations and Mistranslations. Eds. Carlen Lavigne
and Heather Marcovitch. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2011. 117-141.
7

Motion and Title Design. Masters of Sex Opening Title Sequence 2014 Emmy Nominee. (Vimeo, 4 August 2014.)

Nolan Feeney. Behind the Unusual Opening Credits to Masters of Sex. (Times, 13 July 2014.)

Matthew Sims. Masters of Sex: The Division Between Fiction And Reality. (The Artifice, 17 January 2014.)

10 Answer

to a question of the Masters of Sex quiz

!4

- actual physical relation: hold hands

- kiss and impact on their hair supposed to suggest the same intensity throughout their bodies
- back to normal: calming of the bodies
If the sexual innuendos and sexually connoted images constitute the first half of the title
sequence, science is close behind. Images of recording devices, white blouses, electrodes and wires
intertwined with the more playful ones remind the viewer of the aim of the show; Masters of Sex
clearly is about human sexuality but has a greater scientific meaning to it since it will allegedly
explore sex in the methodic and scientific way that the two protagonists of the show did in the late
1950s.
The last part of the title sequence is hence a combination of images inferring sex and ones of
scientific tools that ultimately convey the essence of the show; the scientific stance adopted by the
researchers supposedly understate the arousing images of orgasm by drowning them in scientific
remarks and comments as the scene of the observation of masturbation exemplifies (Annex 4.3).
The attention of the researchers is set on specific characteristic physical details observed during
sexual stimulation (tension in the extremities of the body such as hands, feet and neck) and these
significantly appear in the title sequence, as if to equally draw the viewers attention on these details
rather than on the whole of the bodies.
The message sent through this sequence to the viewers is that they are invited to enter in the
intimacy of people insofar as they adopt the stance of clinical observers, as if looking through the
eyes of Masters and Johnson, becoming metaobservers as they observe the researchers observing
the participants of the study. (Annex 5.4) This position is all the easier to the adopt thanks to the
already existing distance that television creates11; throughout the series, the scientific distance is the
justification of the acute depiction of sex.
The final image of the opening credits is the closing door of an office, supposedly Dr. Masters;
the closed door is the title image of the series. (Annex 5.1) Again, this powerful image of a door
closing before the viewer, as if excluding him from something, reminds him that all of the
observation of sexual intimacy can only happen and be justified by the scientific purpose of the
characters, and will only happen in the context of the study.
All in all, the Masters of Sex title sequence cleverly exposes the main themes of the series, which
are sex and science, but because of the perpetual avoidance of explicit sexual relations, it also

11

John Fiske. Television Culture. (London: Methuen & Co. Ltd, 1987). 6.

!5

reminds the viewer of the specific historical context of the study. The fifties were a time when sex
was not openly discussed and that is also reflected in the opening credits.12

1.2. A controversial depiction of sex: the right balance of sex scenes

necessary to the plot and the possible derive of pornography
Sex is in the title: the opening sequence bathes in it, and every episode features it.13 The issue
at stake is whether this presence of sex in every aspect of the series is legitimate for the show in
itself. Michelle Ashford, the creator of Masters of Sex, realized the difficulty of this issue since she
admitted, in an interview, that she had put a lot of thought into the selection of the sex scenes that
were to be on the show.14 There was a careful selection of the scenes brought on screen, but was this
care enough?
In order to be able to tackle this question, a distinction has to be made between the different
types of sexual interactions shown in the series, namely between the ones that are part of the
observation of the researchers for their study and the others that occur between the characters. The
first category is perhaps the most immediately problematic since it shows perfect strangers
engaging in sexual intercourse and can be the closest to the definition of pornography.
The depiction of sex on screen is ambivalent, as Divina Frau-Meigs states, since it could be just
as much part of the movement of liberalization of sexuality initiated in the 1960s with the feminist
movement or it can be linked to an increasing trend of commercialization of human intimacy. The
fact is that pornography is near impossible to define because of its ever-changing shape. However,
certain traits remain present in all its form: there is a clear emotional distance between the
participants and the viewer, distance that is furthered by the physical one existing with the viewer
who is acting as a voyeur.15
On Masters of Sex, the numerous sex scenes may seem like glorified pornography which
television buffs pass off as high art to justify what might seem as simple pubescent titillation.16
Many sexual practices are studied in the study conducted by Masters and Johnson, they thus appear
on screen in their apparently coarse reality, usually exemplifying the four stages of sexual response.
The first few observations, in 101 Pilot, were conducted in a brothel (Annex 4.1) and are the
12

Jaimie Etkin. The 15 Best TV Title Sequences Of 2013. (Buzzfeed, 20 December 2013.)

13

Rachel Redfern. How Is the Sex, Masters and Johnson? (Bitch Flicks, 27 May 2014.)

14

Bryn Elise Sandberg. Masters of Sex Showrunner on Sex Scences, Stereotypes and Whats Ahead for Season 2.
(The Hollywood Reporter, 28 October 2013)
15

Divina Frau Meigs. Socialisation des Jeunes et Education aux Mdias: du Bon Usage des Contenus et
Comportements Risque. (Toulouse: Ers CEMEA, 2011.) 102-103. 120-124.
16

Matthew Sims. Masters of Sex: The Division Between Fiction And Reality. The Artifice, 17 January 2014.

!6

closest to actual voyeurism since Dr. Masters, and the audience with him, hides in a closet to
observe and quantify the sexual interaction between a prostitute, Betty, and her clients. The study
then becomes more institutional as it comprises participants who are volunteers.
The research is institutionalized once Virginia Johnson starts to assist Dr. Masters. The
participants are registered, paired at random and observed through a tainted glass (Annex 4.2.), the
distance increases between the participants and the researchers, and mechanically, with the
audience. As the series continues, it appears that the attention of Masters and Johnson is not as acute
as at the beginning, since in 208 Mirror, Mirror (Annex 4.5), they seem to barely pay attention to
the couple having intercourse while they discuss various subjects, some related to the study, others
not at all, like the death of Lesters father (Lester is their technical assistant). The observation of
masturbation (Annex 4.3) differs from that of intercourse inasmuch as the researchers measure the
sexual responses of the participants in the room they are in, the distance is thus lessened.
However close to pornography these sex scenes may appear to be because of the emotional and
physical distance there is, they actually seem closer to eroticae because of the absence of shots
below the waist in most cases even though the faces lean more towards pornography with open
mouths and closed eyes17. Moreover, the scientific comments contribute to the toning down of a
possible pornographic derive.
Even though it can be argued that the depiction of sex on the show leaves little to the
imagination, there was no upsurge against Masters of Sex, no media panic18 of any form; there
was a relative indifference of conservatives towards the show, and the negative critics crystallized
more on details concerning the form of the sex rather than on sex actually being brought on screen.
In the end, the most problematic sex scenes on screen probably are those involving the two
protagonists since they start as participants in the study and apparently have emotionless sex
(Annex 4.4) but their encounters become so frequent that they seem to be more than just
emotionless intercourses. They even become increasingly affair-like in season 2 where the
characters meet in Virginias home and then in a hotel and not at the hospital anymore, where there
intimacy grows towards affection and even arguably passion (Annex 4.6). Their sex scenes evolve
from sanitized to full of passion.
Some consider Masters of Sex has an unmasterful vision of sex. Rather than treating it maturely,
the show exemplifies much of what remains retrograde about premium cable and American pop

17

Divina Frau-Meigs. Socialisation des Jeunes et Education aux Mdias: du Bon Usage des Contenus et
Comportements Risque. (Toulouse: Ers CEMEA, 2011.) 102-103.
18

Divina Frau-Meigs. Ibid.

!7

culture in general.19 There is female nudity even when it is not necessary, squirming intimacy
which actually shows how much America still has to go when it comes to sex. As it happens, there
is a quasi-constant display of Lizzy Caplans (Virginia Johnson) naked body whereas Micheal
Sheen (William Masters) is rarely seen naked below the waist.
The whole of women's bodies is hence regularly stripped but never once is a penis shown on the
show, which is rather telling for a show aiming at uncovering sex. While many reasons can be found
for this inequality, the one that probably is the most convincing is the fear of being confused with
pornography where phalluses are omnipresent.20 However, this also questions the way modern
society works and its very norms concerning equality between the sexes.21

1.3. Learning more about sex watching television: an admission of a national

lack of sexual knowledge?
The message of the show, relayed through its promotion, is that it should be seen as an
opportunity for viewers to learn more about sex. The accuracy of this intent has to be looked into in
order to decide whether real knowledge is actually conveyed in the show or if science in once again
merely the legitimization of sex scenes. It [the show] reminds us that, as long as youre watching
people have sex, you could be learning something too. This is true of Masters and Johnson, and it is
true of us, the audience, as well.22
This creates for a paradoxical situation here since the show is meant as an entertainment but at
the same time, it invites the audience to consider sex more as a social construct than something to
have solely pleasure from. Masters and Johnson were pairing partners together and watching them,
studying them as they actually participated in the act of sex.23 (Annex 4.2) By the inherent
structure of television, the viewer becomes another set of eyes observing, alongside Masters and
Johnson, the participants of the study and thus learn by vicariance.24
Many Americans, according to recent research, actually do not know much about female sexual
responses or female anatomy (Annex 5.6: notably that there is no difference between a clitoral and a
vaginal orgasm because of the structure of the clitoris, which was a surprise for the characters who
19

John Powers. Masters of Sex Get Unmasterful Treatment On Showtime (NPR, 26 November 2013.)

20

Kelli Marshall. The Anatomical Part Mysteriously Missing from 'Masters of Sex. (Alternet, 29 September 2014.)

21

Meredith Fraser. Otherwise Known: Masters of Sex & Hollywoods Anatomy Problem. (Blunderbuss Magazine, 15
October 2013.)
22

Carina Chocano. As long as Youre Watching People Have Sex, You Could Be Learning Something. (The New
York Times, 1 November 2013.)
23

Trish Bendix. Masters of Sex Explores All Kinds Of Sexuality. (AfterEllen, 9 August 2014.)

24

Divina Frau-Meigs. Socialisation des Jeunes et Education aux Mdias: du Bon Usage des Contenus et
Comportements Risque. (Toulouse: Ers CEMEA, 2011.) 104.

!8

actually did not have the anatomical breakthrough but probably also for the viewers) even though
the works of Masters and Johnson have been published decades ago. We actually still need
painstakingly detailed lessons on human sexuality25 says Amy Hasinoff, a scientist who worked on
sex herself. In a way, television could here remedy to the national ignorance by making the
audience discover, step by step and alongside the renowned researchers, human sexuality.

See annex 5.6: My Clitoris Beat My Vagina?! Thats Crazy. (106: Brave New World)
This message is present in the promotional campaigns as well: there was for instance an exhibit
in New York in September 2013 on the study undertaken by Masters and Johnson (Annex 3.4). It
clearly had an educational vocation since it displayed the various tools used in the study and the
results Masters and Johnson were able to have in a pedagogical and attractive way. It also had
various quizzes that enabled the visitors to test their newly acquired knowledge.
For those unable to visit the exhibit, there still is an online test on the shows website with a clear
educational vocation since its subtitle is Do it. For Science.26 The questions tackle most of the
essential questions explored during the series on human responses during sexuality or on female
anatomy, which precisely are where Americans lack knowledge. The implicit message being that if
the viewer has a poor score, he legitimately can, and even should, watch the show to improve his
knowledge.

The educational vocation of the show is actually what is highlighted by the promotion of Masters
of Sex that tries to play down the sexual contents in order to attract a larger audience.

2- The relative indifference for the show despite the

impressive promotional tactics: a critical success but the
absence of a real fanbase
2.1. Promotion of the show: its (almost) all about science
Communication campaigns are designed to attract the attention of a potential audience and target
specific viewers by choosing some aspects of the product presented. The marketing for the new
Showtime series "Masters of Sex" is more about the masters and less about the sex27 especially for
the first season. The first poster of the series (Annex 3.1) typically exemplifies this since the two
25 Amy Adele
26

Hasinoff. Everything You Wanted To Know on Masters of Sex. (FlowTV, 11 February 2014.)

Masters of Sex Quiz Online

27 Alexandra

Cheney. Science of Sex, at Showtime. (The Wall Street Journal, 22 September 2013.)

!9

protagonists are shown in a seemingly ordinary office situation to the only exception that Virginia
adopts a rather lascivious posture behind William Masters, the subtitle (Arousing Americas
Curiosity) underlining this slight ambiguity.
The official trailer (Annex 3.3) also played on this aspect since key scenes were chosen to attract
the viewers attention but all concentrated on the protagonists (A Curious Man and An
Unconventional Woman) or essential findings of the research. To further interest the audience, it
insists on the controversy that surrounded the very subject of the research at a time when morality
forbid to even mention sex in good society. The promotional pictures (Annex 3.2) tend to tone down
the ambiguity of the show by sparking a resemblance with older, very successful television series
Mad Men which was also set in the early 1960s by showing all the main characters of the show and
suggesting their relations only with a play on their eyes.
All in all, there was a huge promotional machinery unfolded for Masters of Sex that included the
resort to some techniques outside the ordinary promotion trail. For the premiere of the first series,
there was a Masters and Johnson Exhibit held at the Old Bowery Station in New York City in the
end of September 2013 just before the show started on Showtime, with a clear educational aim.
(Annex 3.4).28
There was also a video, Undress Me, (Annex 3.8) designed to promote the second season. In
this video, Tatia Pilieva, who rose to relative celebrity thanks to her first video, Kiss Me, asked 20
strangers to undress one another. The fact that these strangers were paired randomly in couples of
different ages and genders was meant to be a similar setting as the one of the research conducted in
the series.29
The promotion of the second season, however, focused on the complicated and tumultuous
relationship between Virginia Johnson and Bill Masters after they began participating in the study
together. The promotional picture (Annex 3.6) thus portrays the two protagonists alone, in a setting
that reminds of the aesthetics developed by Edward Hopper. They are alone in an impersonal
bedroom and the fact that Bills bowtie is undone and that Virginia seems to be putting her shoes
back on imply that they might have just have engaged in intercourse.
The poster for this season (Annex 3.5) also focuses on the relationship between the two main
characters as it shows Virginia and Bill wearing only undergarments in the very intimate setting of a
bed. The poster is designed to look like an adult magazine, which is reinforced by the subtitle
28

Sara Bibel. Bibel, Sara. Showtime Presents: Masters and Johnson. A Pop-Up Installation Inspired by the Series
Masters of Sex. (TV By the Numbers, 19 September 2013. )
29

Stuart Elliott. A Deluge of New Summer Programs Has TV Marketers Scrambling. (The New York Times, 6 July
2014.)

!10

Entertainment for Adults. It seems that the production fully embraced the sexual content of the
series from that point on, probably because it considered that the audience already knew of the
scientific intent of the protagonists but also that their interest laid in the budding affair of the two
main characters. Not only does the trailer for the second season (Annex 3.7) focus on the sexual and
emotional relationship between Masters and Johnson but it also reminds the audience of the main
events of the first season. It already hints at how all these elements will make the situation even
more complex for the protagonists and their study.
As for the logo of the show, it leaves little to the imagination as it cleverly shifts the E in order to
make it represent the outline of the female lower body, striking a balance between subtle and
salacious.30 The logo actually was not always understood for what it is, some saw in it the female
cleavage or a glass of Martini. Nonetheless, it clearly represents the particular tone of the show,
balancing explicit sex and secrecy because of the historical and social context it is set in.

See annex 3.10: Masters of Sex Logo

However, despite the incitations to watch the show based on knowledge and education just as
much as for the more sexual contents, the show is paradoxically a relative failure concerning its
audience ratings.

2.2. The absence of a true fanbase

The first season mostly had about 1 million viewers per episode, peaking at a little above 1.2
million viewers for its last two episodes. They then declined throughout the second season, never
again attaining the levels of the first season. These numbers, though honorable, are not exceedingly
good, even for a cable channel. (Annex 1) There does not seem to be a very wide audience
following the discoveries of Masters and Johnson, but these numbers do not encompass the viewers
who watch the show online, via Showtime on demand or more obscure channels.
However, the hypothesis of a relatively absent fanbase seems to be upheld by the analysis of the
three different types of fan productions possible according to the categorization Fiske created:
semiotic productivity which is interior as it is the construction of meanings derived from the
messages of a show, enunciative productivity which is fan talk or the wearing of signs asserting

30

Michael Schneider. The Story Behind Masters of Sex Racy Logo. (TV Guide, 8 October 2013.)

!11

ones membership of a particular fan community, and textual productivity31, that consists in fan
productions that are close to art.
The semiotic productivity of fans can only be speculated upon. Potentially, fans of the show
identify themselves with the characters and the sexual knowledge they discover can have an impact
on the way they apprehend their own sexual life.
The enunciative productivity of the fan community of Masters of Sex is also rather
complicated to apprehend completely. There does not seem to be many dedicated forums to the
show were fans could exchange on their perception and opinions of episodes. The main one is the
one hosted by Showtimes official website (http://www.sho.com/sho/masters-of-sex/socialize) and
there are no specific topics to which fans can contribute but only one comment section that regroups
all the interventions of the fans. Similarly, Tumblrs of the series exist but are not as numerous as for
more popular shows. There are few derived products and certainly not enough to be able to consider
that fans use them as communitarian signs.
Concerning the textual productivity of the shows fans, there are only 9 fan fictions dedicated
to Masters of Sex on fanfiction.net. The fan productions are of little length and scope and a few are
even written by the same author, suggesting that few writers actually take enough interest in the
show to produce their own contents. Most fan fictions focus on Virginia Johnson and her
relationship with William Masters or with an other female character, Lillian DePaul with whom she
develops an unexpected friendship in the show.
Possible explanations to this relatively low number of fan fiction might have to do with the very
essence of the show. For many fans, writing a fan fiction works as a way of externalizing a desire of
seeing sex on screen by actually intertwining romance and pornography.32 Therefore, there
apparently is no need need to externalize any additional desire to the show which already fulfills
them all as sex is a given; many characters meet for the first time on the grounds of the study and
have intimate relationships without even knowing each others names.
In the case of the two main characters, it is Masters who suggests, as early as in the first episode,
that Johnson and him should take part in the study together in order to release the sexual tension
building in the observing of couples engaging in sexual intercourse (Annex 4.2). She does not
accept right away and they actually only become participants and therefore lovers in Episode 107

31

John Fiske. The Cultural Economy of Fandom. The adoring audience: Fan culture and popular media. Ed. Lisa E.
Lewis, 1992. 30-49.
32

Catherine Driscoll. One True Pairing. The Romance of Pornography and the Pornography of Romance. Fan Fiction
and Fan Communities in the Age of the Internet. Eds. Kristina Busse and Karen Hellekson. London: McFarland, 2001.
79-96.

!12

All Together Now. A UST (unresolved sexual tension) hence develops between the two characters
but it does not spark the need for the viewers to write about it, unlike what usually happens in
seemingly similar televisual situations.33
Even when they do resolve this tension by engaging in the study, their sexual encounters first
seem emotionless, notably because the two protagonists try different positions for the sake of
science and then analyze them coldly (Annex 4.4). However, they end up being the couple with the
most data and the largest number of encounters, which probably contributes to the development of
feelings that become more apparent and eventually lead to an actual affair in the second season of
Masters of Sex (Annex 4.6). The need to explore their relationship offscreen is hence probably not
that poignant.

2.3. The critical acclaim and the return of the show for a third season
Most of the critics that are compiled in this corpus of articles laud the aesthetics of the show and
the way it manages to represent people that actually existed in a sufficiently attractive way to draw
the viewers interest to their lives and work. Clearly, they were charmed by the flawless setting of
the show and the topic it tackles can only have been a benefit since the series legitimized its
existence with the educational intent behind the sex scenes. A couple of articles, such as Late
Nights? Please Dear Its Science! or As Long As Youre Watching People Have Sex, You could be
Learning Something which were both published in The New York Times, fully accept this claim to
make it their own in their very titles.
The show was often hailed by the critic as a Mad Men of sex34 which was extremely positive
since Mad Men was one of the most acclaimed television series of the past decade. It is set in the
same decade and pursues the same aim of depicting a society undergoing huge social changes. The
intertwining of personal and national history also probably contributed to the excitement of the
critic.
Masters of Sex was nominated for many categories of the Emmys in 201435, which included a
nomination for Outstanding Title Sequence Design36 and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama
Series for Lizzy Caplan and won an award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. The

33

Julie Gueguen. The Kink in the Bones : sexualit et intimit des auteurs de fan-fictions. Thse de Doctorat, Sociologie
des mdias, sous la dir. de Divina Frau-Meigs.
34

John Powers. Masters of Sex Get Unmasterful Treatment On Showtime (NPR, 26 November 2013.)

35

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_and_nominations_received_by_Masters_of_Sex [Accessed
10/01/2014]
36

Motion and Title Design. Masters of Sex Opening Title Sequence 2014 Emmy Nominee. (Vimeo, 4 August 2014)

!13

show was also nominated in 2013 and 2014 for the Critics Choice Television Awards, which is
highly significant of the opinion the critic had of the series, and was honored with all its competitors
for Most Exciting New Series. The show was also nominated for the Golden Globes in 2014. All
these nominations, which nonetheless rarely resulted in Masters of Sex winning, show that the
critics saw the tremendous potential of the show.
However lauding the critics of the show were, the audience ratings were not up to the
expectations of a new Mad Men. Their decline from the first to the second season should even
have pointed to the end of the show. (Annex 1) Nonetheless, Masters of Sex was renewed, shortly
after the publication of the mediocre ratings of its second season, for a third season. This probably
has to do with the critical acclaim of the show.
All in all, Masters of Sex seems to be in a paradoxical situation where its quality has been praised
by professionals but still is relatively ignored by the American audience. The programing of the
show for a new season seems to lean towards the hypothesis that the production still hopes for
positive critics and will probably have them. This exemplifies the power of the critic for television
shows, as it seems to weigh at least as much as ratings in the case of Masters of Sex.

The ambiguous success of Masters of Sex might have to do with its paradoxical message, set in
the late 1950s but using the codes of modern-day society.

3- A new Mad Men on sex? Going back on a historic shift to

better understand modern-day society
3.1. The challenges of an epoch drama
With its selfish hero and a spunky heroine working in a male-dominated world, Masters of Sex
pretty clearly aspires to be the Mad Men of sex37 insofar as it chooses to focus on a specific decade
of intense political and social evolution, the 1960s, and to depict the changes society underwent at
that time.38 This places the show in a paradoxical situation because of the evolution of the values
and norms since the 1960s: its is set during a bygone era but functions with the social constructs of
modern day society.
Masters of Sex seems to respond to the desire to nally put on screen a social revolution [that]
wasnt televised as argued by the book the Revolution wasnt Televised edited by Michael Curtin
37

John Powers. Masters of Sex Get Unmasterful Treatment On Showtime (NPR, 26 November 2013.)

38

Carina Chocano. As long as Youre Watching People Have Sex, You Could Be Learning Something. (The New
York Times, 1 November 2013.)

!14

and Lynn Spigel. In the introduction of this collective work39, Curtin and Spigel describe the
specic social environment of change of the 1960s and the incapacity of television to act as an
unbiased witness of those evolutions at that time. Therefore, the ambition of showing the distinctive
social and cultural shift that occurred in the 1960s clearly seems to be the one that Mad Men, and
Masters of Sex in its wake, has had, decades after the change occurred.
The show is thus part of a Nostalgia television movement consisting in a retrospective depiction
of an enhanced time, the ideas of which viewers will paternalistically nd outdated.40 This intention
is very clear in the case of Masters of Sex as the nal episode of the second season is entitled The
Revolution Will Not Be Televised (Annex 1), episode in which Masters and Johnsons
groundbreaking and longitudinal research is forestalled by Kinseys which is presented on television
though its scope is far less consistent.
Apart from the historical events that are retraced with more or less accuracy, what truly recreates
the spirit and atmosphere of the decade is the attention given to details through the elaboration of
the costumes and of the set. This concern is clearly acknowledged by the production since many
behind the scenes videos are devoted to the costumes. (Annex 3.9). The aim is to make the
situations seem plausible, by creating a specic encoded41 reality. As the costume designer
explains, the wardrobe designed for each of the characters is not so much anchored in the 1950s as
it is in the tone of the show itself. The show creates a new reality of the epoch it is set in merely by
offering a particular point of view on it.42
The comparison of the two female main characters styles results in the observation of a
difference of colors of the wardrobes. If Libbys is made of pastels, pale and sometimes childish
nuances of pink, green and blue, Virginias consists of richer, darker tones of red, brown, black
which are warm colors (Annex 5.1 and 5.2). These radically opposed palettes of colors contribute to
the different images that the two characters have in the series: Virginia is self-condent, outgoing
and sexually liberated while Libby is more of a reserved, stay-at-home woman who is not taken
seriously by her husband. Virginia Johnsons style on television is not unlike the one described by
Thomas Maier in his book She dressed quite professionally, perhaps a reach above her lot in the
hospitals pecking order, with only the slightest hint of sensuality.43 This further contributes to the
feeling of realism that the costumes help create.
39

Michael Curtin and Lynn Spigel. Introduction. The Revolution Wasnt Televised. Sixties Television and Social
Conflict. Eds. Michael Curtin and Lynn Spigel. (New York: Routledge, 1997.)
40 Amy Adele

Hasinoff. Everything You Wanted To Know on Masters of Sex. (FlowTV, 11 February 2014.)

41

John Fiske. Television Culture. (London: Methuen & Co. Ltd, 1987). 5-6.

42

John Fiske. Idem. 20

43

Thomas Maier. Masters of Sex: The Life andTimes of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the Couple Who Taught
America How to Love. (New York: Basic Books, 2009.)

!15

See annex 5.2: Virginia and Libbys styles (Season 2)

The two women only once wear the same color at the same time, which spikes a reexion from
Libby in an ironic tone (Annex 4.6), clearly she understood that Virginia and her husband were
having an affair. This is not an innocent incident as it contributes to the opposing of the two women
on a futile level, that of clothing, as much as on an emotional one.

3.2. The choice of ction instead of the documentary format

The case of Masters of Sex is one of transmedia at work since the series is the fictional
adaptation of a nonfictional book, Thomas Maiers Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William
Masters and Virginia Johnson, the Couple Who Taught America How to Love published in 2009.
Thomas Maier was contacted by Michelle Ashford who wanted to adapt the book. At first, the
writer, who specializes in biographies, was lukewarm about the project because his book was
nonfiction. He only eventually accepted because he was impressed by the way Ashford had
conducted some of her other televisual projects.44 She thus had the rights to proceed to the
adaptation of the book.
The choice of the format of the television series for this particular story seems relevant for a
number of reasons. First, the research of Masters and Johnson was undertaken for decades, a shorter
format like the one of a movie or a documentary would have hence necessarily shunned many steps
of the scientific process45. Moreover, the serial seems specifically adequate in this case because the
study consisted in the analysis of thousands of individuals interacting in sexual encounters.
Therefore the research is, by its very nature, a serial since it relies on the regular and always
renewed experience of the observation of others. Finally, on a purely economic perspective, a series
is potentially more lucrative than a single movie, provided that it is successful.
The series tells the true story of people that really existed which makes it exposed [to] a
difficult artistic issue, in that it portrays real events and real people via several embellishments and
factual fabrications.46 Therefore, the point at issue is the veracity of the images on screen. This
issue has to do with various aspects of the story and hence of history: the characters, their lives and
relations in respect to the actual events and the research in itself.

44

Lauren Morgan. Masters of Sex Author Thomas Maier Feels Showtime Series Hits Sweet Spot. (New York Daily
News, 26 September 2014.)
45

Bryn Elise Sandberg. Masters of Sex Showrunner on Sex Scences, Stereotypes and Whats Ahead for Season 2.
The Hollywood Reporter, 28 October 2013.
46

Matthew Sims. Masters of Sex: The Division Between Fiction And Reality. (The Artifice, 17 January 2014.)

!16

It all boils down to the actual trust that can be put into a television series, or even more broadly, a
fictional work to depict events or eras. Many journalists looked into the details of the lives of the
main characters in order to test the veracity of what was on their screens as if they needed to
evaluate just how faithful to reality the show was.

See annex 5.5: Masters and Johnson, Fiction v. Reality

When it comes to the main characters of the series and their individual lives, it clearly appear
that they underwent a process of fictionalization on many aspects (Annex 5.5), the biggest probably
being the actual relationship the two protagonists had. If there is conflict for Virginia in the series
on whether she should accept having sexual relations with Bill Masters, there was no such
hesitation in real life.47 The relationship between Masters and Johnson always was extraordinary in
the sense that they first and foremost built it on sex, but the feelings that develop on screen probably
were not that intense in real life. Furthermore, there was an addition of plotlines for the two
protagonists and Libby Masters in order to have enough material for all the episodes planned.
The historical chronology of the lives of the characters was not totally respected, notably
concerning the fertility issues of the Masters that actually occurred before William met Virginia.
Michelle Ashford explains her choice as follows: I dont feel like that is too egregious a license to
take with their lives to basically just change when it happened just put it all together in one thing
and watch it unfold. The thing we do have to keep consistent is Masters and Johnsons story,
because that is what this series is about.48
As for the research in itself, it appears that its methodology was as depicted on the show, as were
its findings since no one complained about that aspect. However, the intents of the researchers in
undertaking this study differed from those that they seem to have in the series: their main concern
always was fertility more than female sexuality.49

3.3. Towards a depiction of modern day society through the lenses and social
codes of the past
Masters of Sex discusses those moments leading to the sexual revolution of the 1960s, but also
holds a mirror up to its audience and says, hey: Maybe its time for step two of that revolution. And
47

Matthew Sims. Masters of Sex: The Division Between Fiction And Reality. (The Artifice, 17 January 2014.)

48

Alan Sepinwall. Masters of Sex creator Michelle Ashford on the Sexual Politics of Season 1. (Whats Alan
Watching?, 15 December 2013.)
49

Donna J. Drucker. Masters of Sex: Depicting the History of Sexuality. (U.S. Intellectual History Blog, 4 October
2013.)

!17

maybe it should be televised.50 As argued throughout this research paper, Masters of Sex adopts a
specific stance towards history and allows itself a few historical inaccuracies in order to represent
society. This society represented might actually be more of todays than of the 1960s.
Virginia Johnsons characterization is especially telling in that respect. She is portrayed as a selfconfident, sexually liberated woman in the show, and for these particular reasons, the audience feels
sympathy for her character and even a desire to identify with her.
However, she might have not been as liberated in actual life since the way she talks resembles
more what one could here today than in the late 1950s, which actually contributes to her character
being so appreciated.51 During her interview with Dr. Masters (Annex 4.8), for instance, she makes
very bold statements about feminine emotions and sexuality that make the doctor significantly
exclaim I dont think Ive ever heard a woman express such an opinion.
There are specific values at work in this television show, the most obvious being the one of
identity politics. The liberatory potential in Human Sexual Response (1966) for the sexuality of
women was the result of later feminist scholarship, not her own proto-feminist sensibilities52,
meaning that the intents of Johnson were not to aid the feminist cause that was only budding when
she joined Dr. Masters on his study but simply to make science progress. However, the tone taken in
the show clearly is feminist since many female characters, and Virginia first among them, claim that
they do not necessarily need men to have pleasure for instance.
Though not feminist in its initial intent, there is little doubt that the groundbreaking results of the
study contributed to womens sexual liberation. This is probably why women take such a central
position in the series that aims more at brushing the evolution society underwent than taking a still
of the late 1950s. The protagonists have a real desire to help others, they thus welcome the turning
point in their study that offers them the opportunity to help sexually impaired people, fact that
begins to be discussed halfway through the second season (Annex 4.5).
Masters of Sex also contains a hint of morality politics insofar as it can be argued that the show
is meant to make misrepresentations of sexuality finally fade away and create new sexual mores,
as other series such as Queer as Folk and Sex and the City did beforehand.53 The sexual mores of

50

Alicia Lutes. Masters of Sex Proves That Science + Vaginas = A Real Conversation On Womens Sexuality.
(Bustle, 10 January 2013.)
51

Donna Drucker. Masters of Sex: Depicting the History of Sexuality. U.S. Intellectual History Blog, 4 October 2013.

52

Donna Drucker. Masters of Sex: Depicting the History of Sexuality. U.S. Intellectual History Blog, 4 October 2013.

53

Janet Cramer. Discourses of Sexual Morality in Sex and the City and Queer as Folk. (The Journal of Popular
Culture, 40.3 (June 2007): 409-432.)

!18

the audience of Masters of Sex potentially evolve because of the viewing of the show that depicts
types of sexualities that are not necessarily the explicit norm in society54.
This goes for sexual orientation: though most of the characters are heterosexual and most of the
sex scenes happen between straight people, there also are many homosexual characters which
exemplify the difficult status of homosexuals during the 1950s and 1960s (Betty, Barton Scully, a
couple of male prostitutes). The provost of the university is one of the most important character in
that sense since he undergoes shock therapy to treat his sexual preferences. All of this contributes
to the expansion of the historical knowledge of Americans on sexuality.

Conclusion
All in all, Masters of Sex is an intriguing show set in a bygone decade for which Americans still
have a particular tenderness. Surfing on the success of Mad Men, though this was never explicitly
acknowledged by any member of the production team, the show intends to finally televise a
revolution that was overlooked by the media of said decade.
The revolution in question was the one triggered by the scientific breakthrough the researchers
and main characters of the series had in the 1960s when they studied human sexual responses. In
order to televise such a historical event that actually went on for years, there was no other solution
than to bring on screen the research in itself and, with it, sex.
This made for a problematic position of the series. Though it aired on Showtime, a cable channel
that already showed full-frontal nudity and many sexual interactions on many shows, the new
setting of the sex scenes created a potentially less erotical tone for the sexual content.
Masters of Sex nonetheless managed to start, among its relatively little fanbase and first and
foremost in the critic, a debate on sexuality and how far the research has come compared to the
knowledge American actually have on human sexuality. It contributes both to the identity and
morality politics of the country in allowing the social and sexual revolution of the 1960s a new
chance to reach Americans.
However, because of the content of the show and the still puritanical America it aims, the realism
of Masters of Sex, as the fact it is based on true people, is what reassures the audience and what
most of the attention of commentators is set on.

54

Janet Cramer. Ibid.

!19

References
Primary Sources
Television series
Showtime. Masters of Sex. Developed by Michelle Ashford. September 2013-September 2014.

Websites
Masters of Sex Official Website. Available at: http://www.sho.com/sho/masters-of-sex/home
[Accessed 8/01/2015]
Masters of Sex Quiz Online. Available at: http://apps.sho.com/masters-of-sex/quiz/ [Accessed
16/12/2014]

Secondary Sources
Books
FISKE, John. Television Culture. London: Methuen & Co. Ltd, 1987.
FRAU-MEIGS, Divina. Socialisation des Jeunes et Education aux Mdias: du Bon Usage des
Contenus et Comportements Risque. Toulouse: Ers CEMEA, 2011.
MAIER, Thomas. Masters of Sex: The Life andTimes of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the
Couple Who Taught America How to Love. New York: Basic Books, 2009.

Chapters in a collective work

BARLAAM, Silivia. Theres nowt as Queer As Folk: British and American Televisual Approaches
to the Politics of Homosexuality. American Remakes of British Television. Transformations and
Mistranslations. Eds. Carlen Lavigne and Heather Marcovitch. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2011.
117-141.
CURTIN, Michael and SPIGEL, Lynn. Introduction. The Revolution Wasnt Televised. Sixties
Television and Social Conflict. Eds. Michael Curtin and Lynn Spigel. New York: Routledge,
1997. 1-20.
DACCI, Julie. Nobodys Woman? Honey West and the New Sexuality. The Revolution Wasnt
Televised. Sixties Television and Social Conflict. Eds. Lynn Spigel and Michael Curtin. New
York: Routledge, 1997. 73-94.
Driscoll, Catherine. One True Pairing. The Romance of Pornography and the Pornography of
Romance. Fan Fiction and Fan Communities in the Age of the Internet. Eds. Kristina Busse and
Karen Hellekson. London: McFarland, 2001. 79-96.
!20

FISKE, John. The Cultural Economy of Fandom. The adoring audience: Fan culture and popular
media. Ed. Lisa E. Lewis. New York: Routledge, 1992. 30-49.

Academic Works
CRAMER, Janet. Discourses of Sexual Morality in Sex and the City and Queer as Folk. The
Journal of Popular Culture, 40.3 (June 2007): 409-432.
GUEGEN, Julie. The Kink in the Bones : sexualit et intimit des auteurs de fan-fictions. PhD.
Thesis, Sociologie des mdias, supervised by Divina Frau-Meigs.

Articles
BENDIX, Trish.Masters of Sex Explores All Kinds Of Sexuality. AfterEllen, 9 August 2014.
Available at: http://www.afterellen.com/tv/192638-masters-of-sex-explores-all-kinds-ofsexuality [Accessed 16/12/2014]
BIBEL, Sara. Showtime Presents: Masters and Johnson. A Pop-Up Installation Inspired by the
Series Masters of Sex. TV By the Numbers, 19 September 2013. Available at: http://
tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/09/19/showtime-presents-masters-johnson-a-pop-upinstallation-inspired-by-the-series-masters-of-sex/203857/ [Accessed 10/01/2015]
CHENEY, Alexandra. Science of Sex, at Showtime. The Wall Street Journal, 22 September 2013.
Available at: http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304213904579091482767381474
[Accessed 10/01/2015]
CHOCANO, Carina. As long as Youre Watching People Have Sex, You Could Be Learning
Something. The New York Times, 1 November 2013. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/
2013/11/03/magazine/as-long-as-youre-watching-people-have-sex-you-could-be-learningsomething.html?pagewanted=all [Accessed 9/12/2014]
DRUCKER, Donna. Masters of Sex: Depicting the History of Sexuality. U.S. Intellectual History
Blog, 4 October 2013. Available at: http://s-usih.org/2013/10/masters-of-sex-depicting-thehistory-of-sexuality.html [Accessed 9 January 2015]
HASINOFF, Amy Adele. Everything You Wanted To Know on Masters of Sex. FlowTV, 11
February 2014. Available at: http://flowtv.org/2014/02/everything-you-wanted-to-know/
#footnote_0_22020 [Accessed 16/12/2014]
ELLIOTT, Stuart. A Deluge of New Summer Programs Has TV Marketers Scrambling. The New
York Times, 6 July 2014. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/07/business/media/fortv-marketers-no-more-lazy-days-of-summer.html?_r=0 [Accessed 16/12/2014]
!21

ETKIN, Jaimie. The 15 Best TV Title Sequences Of 2013. Buzzfeed, 20 December 2013. Available
at: http://www.buzzfeed.com/jaimieetkin/the-15-best-tv-title-sequences-of-2013#.bkeaeEP2Y
[Accessed 4/01/2015]
FEENEY, Nolan. Behind the Unusual Opening Credits to Masters of Sex. Times, 13 July 2014.
Available at: http://time.com/2980158/masters-of-sex-season-2-premier-opening-credits/
[Accessed 6/01/2014]
FRASER, Meredith. Otherwise Known: Masters of Sex & Hollywoods Anatomy Problem.
Blunderbuss Magazine, 15 October 2013. Available at: http://www.blunderbussmag.com/
otherwise-known-masters-of-sex-hollywoods-anatomy-problem/ [Accessed 9/01/2015]
LUTES, Alicia. Masters of Sex Proves That Science + Vaginas =

A Real Conversation On

Womens Sexuality. Bustle, 10 January 2013. Available at: http://www.bustle.com/articles/6004masters-of-sex-proves-that-science-vaginas-a-real-conversation-on-womens-sexuality [Accessed

16/12/2014]
MARSHALL, Kelli. The Anatomical Part Mysteriously Missing from 'Masters of Sex. Alternet, 29
September 2014. Available at: http://www.alternet.org/sex-amp-relationships/anatomical-partmysteriously-missing-masters-sex [Accessed 10/01/2015]
Motion and Title Design. Masters of Sex Opening Title Sequence 2014 Emmy Nominee. Vimeo, 4
August 2014. Available at: http://vimeo.com/102555407 [Accessed 6/01/2015]
MORGAN, Lauren. Masters of Sex Author Thomas Maier Feels Showtime Series Hits Sweet
Spot. New York Daily News, 26 September 2014. Available at: http://www.nydailynews.com/
entertainment/tv/masters-sex-author-thomas-maier-feels-showtime-series-hits-sweet-spotarticle-1.1953895 [Accessed 10/01/2015]
POWERS, John. Masters of Sex Get Unmasterful Treatment On Showtime. NPR, 26 November
2013. Available at: http://www.npr.org/2013/09/26/226462200/masters-of-sex-get-unmasterfultreatment-on-showtime [Accessed 16/12/2014]
REDFERN, Rachel. How Is the Sex, Masters and Johnson? Bitch Flicks, 27 May 2014. Available
at: http://www.btchflcks.com/2014/05/how-is-the-sex-masters-and-johnson-2.html [Accessed
16/12/2014]
SANDBERG, Bryn Elise. Masters of Sex Showrunner on Sex Scenes, Stereotypes and Whats
Ahead for Season 2. The Hollywood Reporter, 28 October 2013. Available at: http://
www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/masters-sex-showrunner-sex-scenes-651145 [Accessed
16/12/2014]
!22

SCHNEIDER, Michael. The Story Behind Masters of Sex Racy Logo. TV Guide, 8 October 2013.
Available at: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Masters-Sex-Logo-1071794.aspx [Accessed
10/01/2015]
SEPINWALL, Alan. Masters of Sex creator Michelle Ashford on the Sexual Politics of Season 1.
Whats Alan Watching?, 15 December 2013. Available at: http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alanwatching/masters-of-sex-creator-michelle-ashford-on-the-sexual-politics-of-season-1 [Accessed
12/11/2014]
SIMS, Matthew. Masters of Sex: The Division Between Fiction And Reality. The Artifice, 17
January 2014. Available at: http://the-artifice.com/masters-of-sex-fiction-reality/ [Accessed
16/12/2014]
STANLEY, Alessandra. Late Nights? Please, Dear, Its Science. The New York Times, 26 September
2013. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/27/arts/television/masters-of-sex-onshowtime-looks-at-masters-and-johnson.html [Accessed 9/12/2014]

!23

Annexes
Annex 1: Masters of Sex episode list
Title

Original Air Date

Ratings

101 Pilot

29/09/2014

102 Race to Space

6/10/2014

1.09

103 Standard Deviation

13/10/2014

1.04

104 Thank You For Coming

20/10/2014

1.01

105 Catherine

27/10/2014

1.01

106 Brave New World

3/11/2014

0.93

107 All Together Now

10/11/2014

1.10

108 Love And Marriage

17/11/2014

1.05

109 Involuntary

24/11/2014

1.13

110 Fallout

1/12/2014

1.08

111 Phallic Victories

8/12/2014

1.23

112 Manhigh

15/12/2014

1.21

201 Parallax

13/07/2014

0.83

202 Kyrie Eleison

20/07/2014

0.72

203 Fight

27/07/2014

0.84

204 Dirty Jobs

3/08/2014

0.71

205 Giants

10/08/2014

0.97

206 Blackbird

17/08/2014

0.79

207 Asterion

24/08/2014

0.84

208 Mirror, Mirror

31/08/2014

0.73

209 Story of My Life

7/09/2014

0.76

210 Below the Belt

14/09/2014

0.80

211 One for the Money, Two for the Show

21/09/2014

0.71

212 The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

28/09/2014

0.89

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Masters_of_Sex_episodes

Annex 2: Masters of Sex opening credits (video), Showtime, Elastic.

Source: http://www.elastic.tv/work/maintitles [Accessed 4/01/2015]

!24

Annex 3: The Series Promotion Campaign

Annex 3.1: Promotional Poster for Season 1
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_of_Sex_(season_1)#mediaviewer/
File:Masters_of_Sex_S1_Poster.jpg [Accessed 12/12/2014]

Annex 3.2: Promotional Picture for Season 1

Source: http://media.gunaxin.com/masters-sex-showtime/166726 [Accessed 12/12/2014]
Annex 3.3: Season 1 Official Trailer (video)
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS1fn1LWGfk&spfreload=10 [Accessed
12/12/2014]
Annex 3.4: Series Premiere Promotional Exhibit (video)
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8uuhJDSqAo [Accessed 12/12/]
Annex 3.5: Promotional Poster for Season 2
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_of_Sex_(season_2)#mediaviewer/
File:Masters_of_Sex_S2_Poster.jpg [Accessed 12/12/2014]
Annex 3.6: Promotional Picture for Season 2
Source: http://tvatemywardrobe.com/2014/06/30/masters-of-sex-season-2-promo-keep-yourheart-out-of-it/ [Accessed 12/12/2014]
Annex 3.7: Season 2 Official Trailer (video)
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQHU3hB0oEw [Accessed 12/12/2014]
Annex 3.8: Promotional Spot for Season 2 by Tatia Pllieva: Undress Me (video)
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKZa-Kb4Nng&spfreload=10 [Accessed
12/12/2014]
Annex 3.9: Masters of Sex Season 2 Behind the Scenes - Dressing For the Part
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuOC9x5MMCU [Accessed 10/01/2015]
Annex 3.10: Masters of Sex Logo
Source: http://99designs.com/designer-blog/2013/12/06/visual-puns-in-logo-design/

Annex 4: Series extracts (videos)

Annex 4.1: The First Observation of Sex on the Series - Behind Closed Doors (101: Pilot)
Annex 4.2: The Pairing and Observation of Sexual Encounters for the Research (101: Pilot)
Annex 4.3: Observation of Masturbation (104: Thank You For Coming)
Annex 4.4: The First Set of Intercourse Between Bill and Virginia (107: All Together Now)
Annex 4.5: The Observation of Coitus in Season 2 (208: Mirror, Mirror)

!25

Annex 4.6: Intercourse between Bill and Virginia in Season 2 - towards a greater intimacy (201:
Parallax)
Annex 4.7: Were Wearing the Same Color - Appearance and codes on television (211: One
For the Money, Two For the Show)
Annex 4.8 - Women Often Confuse Love and Physical Attraction (101: Pilot)

Annex 5: Screenshots
Annex 5.1: The Series Title Image
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_of_Sex#mediaviewer/
File:Masters_of_Sex_title.png [Accessed 10/01/2015]

Annex 5.2: Virginia and Libbys styles (101: Pilot)

Source: http://www.sho.com/sho/galleries/1081/image/2974 [Accessed 10/01/2015]
Annex 5.3: Virginia and Libbys styles (Season 2)
Source: http://braindamaged.fr/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/masters-of-sex-saison-2-bill-maitreen-sabotage-spoilers-libby-virginia.jpg [Accessed 10/01/2015]
Annex 5.4: Observing Sex through Masters and Johnsons eyes
Source: personal screenshot taken in episode 101
Annex 5.5: Masters and Johnson, Fiction v. Reality
Source: http://www.btchflcks.com/2013/10/why-you-should-be-watching-masters-of-sex.html
[Accessed 10/01/2015]
Annex 5.6: My Clitoris Beat My Vagina?! Thats Crazy. (106: Brave New World)
Source: http://flowtv.org/2014/02/everything-you-wanted-to-know/#footnote_0_22020
[Accessed 16/12/2014]

!26