Please note: English is not my first language.
Masters of Sex continues to impress me. 'Giants' was giant. The show is now beyond sex. This season is going into the racial issues of that time. This change of hospital has brought racial issues to the fore of the show. Last week was an introduction, this week, it is fully developed. It was definitely one of the best episodes of the show. All the actors gave great performances.
Once again, I'll start the review by talking you about Libby. Libby is the worst. Libby deserves a slap. She needs to wake up. She must be aware of her behavior and actions. Libby is racist. I remember this nice them when I liked her. Over the episodes, she became this monster. But this monster is real. This monster is a representation of the time. This monster is remarkably played by Caitlin Fitzgerald. I want to start this review by quoting Coral's boyfriend, Robert: "Pay attention now, Coral, 'cause this here is a good lesson of white people's inability to take responsibility for they actions and do the right thing." It is this kind of lines that make Masters of Sex a masterpiece. Because yes, that's what it became. A masterpiece snubbed at the Emmys - but hey, that's what the Emmys are today. We prefer to nominate The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Downton Abbey, Woody Harrelson ... Where are Masters of Sex, The Americans, Matthew Rhys, Keri Russell, Michael Sheen, Mindy Kaling, The Mindy Project and The Good Wife? Where the Hell are they?
Let's get back to Libby. She continues to cause problems to Coral, and of course, she doesn't respect her.That is why Coral's boyfriend comes to pay her a visit. A visit that Libby does not appreciate. She feels threatened, she's outraged. Then, she has a talk with Coral and tries to convince her to break up with Robert. While watching this scene, I was looking for the Dexter, Emily Thorne and Daenerys phone numbers in my Contacts... but... well, we're not friends - yet.
Then, she talks to Bill. He tries to understand how things have come to this, but he takes Coral's side, when she reveals the lice incident. He advises her to apologize to Coral and Robert. Libby apologizes to Robert when he comes to pick up Coral, but but he tells her that she should apologize to Coral. She refuses, she does not want to submit to Coral and she won't because she disobeyed her. And this is moment Robert explains to Coral that this is an example of white people refusing to take responsibility for their actions and do the right thing (as quoted earlier). She gets stuck on the word "white". She gets upset, yelling in the driveway "You should know my husband works in the n- hospital". How does that change anything? This is such a classic racist remark.
Now, let's talk about this sex scene between Bill and Libby. Libby uses the conversation she had with Coral (because Coral has something Libby will never have : Sex; not sex, but Sex) and tells Bill, she's mad at him, that they should have make-up sex. I loved this scene, it was so cold, emotionless, empty. Is this the end for them?
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This brings us to Betty and Pretzel King. Last week, the truth weakened the couple. They no longer speak. Betty tries to talk to him and they end up talking about adoption. It was a beautiful scene, but everything is about to change. Sarah Silverman has made her arrival, as Helen. She plays an old friend of Betty, but not just a friend, but her first true love. But this love was impossible, and that's what Betty wants to explain to Helen. Now, she is married, she has money, she cannot have Helen in her life. She can not afford the risk, she wants stability, an easy life, a "normal" life.
Sarah Silverman was impressive in this role and I never thought I would say that. I do not mean that she's a bad actress, on the contrary, but I would have never imagined her in a dramatic role.
Last week, Betty freed herself from a lie, but she still hides many. She thinks money will buy her happiness, because yes, be happy, that's all she's looking for. However, she cannot be happy, she's living a lie, she must embrace who she really is. She went from sex for money to marriage for money.
Now let's get serious. Bill told Virginia that Lillian knew everything. Finally, it includes the behavior of Lillian to her. And there is the drama: fight. This scene was perfectly done and gave me goosebumps. This is "Fight" all over again, and this week Lillian won. She has the best lines, such as "I think it matters very much to Libby Masters." and "It's okay because you're taking notes ?". It messed up their friendship. Lillian is upset because Virginia knew from day one she would leave her for Bill and their study. She also told her "Don't you understand what you've done makes it harder for every woman who comes after you?". Her anger is understandable, especially when you think about the beginning of their friendship. Then, Virginia leaves the office and the hospital to join Bill, who managed to make her get a contract at Buelle Green.
But their friendship cannot stop there, they are stronger than that. After being found collapsed on a bathroom floor, Lillian calls Virginia. After all, they are friends. This reconciliation was beautiful. They remained quite silent, but seeing them support each other was one of the most beautiful things in this episode. Lillian and Virginia have the best friendship on television. Now that we no longer have Meredith and Cristina, let us have Lillian and Virginia. I need them.
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And finally, let's talk about Bill and Virginia. First, Virginia is not very enthusiast about her new job because she heard about it from Libby. Bill did not even consult her. Virginia is not Bill, she cannot afford such sacrifices, she does not have his money or even his notoriety. If Lillian slightly won the fight against her, she won't let this go with Bill. Then, they go in the hotel room. Bill takes his clothes off, but not Virginia. She wants to see him strip, and masturbate. In 'Fight', Bill saw Virginia masturbate and having pleasure with herself; this week, it's the opposite. But Bill is not Virginia. Without her, there is no pleasure. He's not afraid to tell her. Indeed, he tells her that he's thinking about her while touching himself. She approaches him, and they have sex. You can see that little spark in their eyes, the spark that shows that there is not just work in this relationship.
When she arrives at Bill's new office, Virginia offers him another option: stop everything. I liked seeing that. But ultimately, relieved to know that she has a contract, she prepares the study by hanging flyers to the walls. Unexpectedly, the flyers disappear. Of course, if Bill and Virginia are not perturbed by the change hospital, this is not the case of their patients, who are afraid of having their cars damaged because of the neighborhood. Once again, the series takes care to portray realistically its time. Finally, the episode ends with a conversation between Charles, Bill and Virginia, and this conversation is beyond the scope of their study. Here's an extract of this well-written dialogue:
Charles : "If I had time to slowly change people's minds about segregation, I would have brought in some young, unassuming white resident, let the patients slowly get used to him, and then I would have hired another one and another one. But there's too much I want to accomplish at this hospital to take my time doing it, which is why I hired you... You and your dedicated exam room, with your essential assistant, your sex study. You were the cold lake, and I jumped in with both feet."
Bill : "And I thank you for that."
Charles : "I knew exactly what I was getting, a man who showed a roomful of doctors what the inside of a woman climaxing looked like and had his hat handed to him because of it. You didn't just ease people out of ignorance. You exposed them to the truth. You said 'This is going to be uncomfortable, but it's important, and it's going to open your eyes forever. You and I, we don't look the same, but we are the same. We are not men who wait. You need to make a case for yourself."
Now, they are motivated. Change is just around the corner. Civil rights are not the fight of Virginia and Bill, but if they can help, they will. Meanwhile, they have work to do. Then, we follow Charles and we discover that he is actually the one who's tossing the study participant flyers.
Note : 7.5/10 - Brilliant episode.
Now, it's your turn! What did you think of the episode? Hit the comments!
