Masters of Sex: Season One Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Masters of Sex: Season One Blu-ray Movie Review

"Once you've seen Oz, who wants to go back to Kansas?"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown June 28, 2014

Upon first glance, Michelle Ashford's Masters of Sex is an overly calculated, neatly packaged premium cable darling whose success was all but guaranteed. Sex sells, as they say. How could a series about sex not draw an audience? The challenge, though, wasn't in attracting attention. It was in creating something meaningful. Something surprisingly timely; a smartly cast, deftly performed period drama crackling with social commentary as piercing today as Masters and Johnson's controversial research was some fifty years ago. Ashford and her co-writers have not only scripted a riveting exploration of two pioneers in a then-unestablished field, they've crafted a compelling, subtly contemporary dissection of America's strange, often icy relationship with sex, a fascinating examination of the years that preceded the sexual revolution of the 1960s, and a carefully constructed ensemble piece every bit as good as Mad Men.

In 1956, former nightclub singer and single mother Virginia Johnson (Lizzie Caplan) becomes the assistant to renowned OBGYN William Masters (Michael Sheen). They embark on their pioneering study in human sexuality while trying to navigate their personal feelings for each other. Masters' wife Libby (Caitlin Fitzgerald) tries to conceive a child to save her marriage. Dr. Ethan Haas (Nicholas D'Agosto) chafes under the supervision of Dr. Masters and deals with a changing society. University Provost Barton Scully (Beau Bridges) struggles to support his protege William Masters while dealing with a long-held personal secret.

If Hollywood has taught us anything it's this: men tend to write sex scenes as they wish them to be. Women tend to write them as they are. Ashford and her mostly female co-writers lend a soft, disarmingly tender but always revealing touch to what could have easily been a gratuitous parade of flesh, social folly and '50s fanaticism. Masters of Sex isn't prudish by any stretch of the imagination, mind you, but it also doesn't sacrifice its self-respect for cheap flings or back alley gratification. Sex itself is treated with something approaching reverence, while fear, short-sightedness, misinformation and obstacles to science are presented as dangerous cultural pitfalls. The series is mature and startlingly frank too, without ever losing sight of its character-centric endgame. Masters and Johnson are only human, though; a nagging fact that gives way to a host of other traps that snare the unlikely duo throughout their professional and, eventually, all too personal partnership.

Sheen and Caplan are outstanding; thoughtful in approach, uninhibited in commitment, and wonderfully restrained in every turn of their performances. The supporting cast isn't quite as strong... initially that is, but doesn't waste much time catching up. The single-celled nurses, secretaries, doctors, volunteers and university staff quickly evolve into a complex organism of curiosities, hidden secrets, strained loyalties and conflicting interests. The somewhat splintered story comes together nicely too, without needlessly abusing characters to artificially bolster the ensuing drama. If Masters oversteps, it's in shoving Sheen so close to Caplan so early in Masters and Johnson's relationship. The underlying sexual tension suddenly, if only for a moment, feels much too manufactured and much too pointed. Thankfully, Ashford recovers with a sly flick of the screenwriter's pen that all but eliminates any doubt in her judgment. By season's end Masters of Sex stands tall as one of Showtime's best. Hopefully, with the series returning on July 13th, Ashford will deliver a second season as engrossing as her first.

Masters of Sex: Season One features twelve episodes spread across four BD-50 discs:

• Pilot: Dr. William Masters, Washington University's foremost OBGYN, runs a successful medical practice by day and conducts a secret study of human sexuality by night. Former nightclub singer Virginia Johnson joins the hospital secretarial staff and proves herself to be an asset to Masters' work.
• Race to Space: On the heels of Masters' proposal that they participate in the study, Johnson considers the best course of action to keep her job - only to find she no longer has one. The study is forced out of the hospital and Masters believes Johnson is to blame. Masters moves the study to a brothel.
• Standard Deviation: Masters and Johnson continue their study in the brothel but skewed data makes research difficult. At the hospital, Johnson is surprised to learn that a distinguished new doctor on the OB/GYN floor is a woman who has no interest in female solidarity. Meanwhile, Libby struggles to conceive and Dr. Haas gets the case of a lifetime: a woman pregnant with quadruplets.
• Thank You for Coming: With the study back in the hospital, Masters and Johnson recruit new participants on campus. Johnson is shocked when her ex-husband George, who's crashing on her couch, wants to sign up. Masters' mother comes to visit, but her new take on life stirs up painful childhood memories. Libby's attempt at playing matchmaker with Virginia and Ethan doesn't go smoothly.
• Catherine: When Masters and Johnson expand the study to include couples, they discover that the science of sex is easily complicated by the mystery of attraction. Johnson tries to connect with her son. Masters experiences anxiety about becoming a father. Dr. Haas learns that dating the provost's daughter could impact his career.
• Brave New World: Libby and Masters travel to Miami for some much needed rest and relaxation, but Masters is drawn back into his work by a sexually adventurous couple next door. Alone in the hospital, Virginia enlists Jane in an effort to debunk Freud's theory that one kind of female orgasm is better than another. Langham finds an unlikely cure for his sexual dysfunction.
• All Together Now: Masters and Johnson continue their sexual response study, but Johnson fears their work may be interfering with Masters' home life. Libby pressures Dr. Haas to resume her fertility treatments in secret. Meanwhile, Haas struggles to let go of feelings for Virginia as his relationship with Vivian deepens. And Margaret Scully, caught in infidelity, confronts her husband on the mounting problems in their marriage.
• Love and Marriage: Masters and Johnson decide that the best way to record their study findings is to film them, but to do so they have to enlist outside help. Johnson redoubles her efforts to get a college degree, only to find that Dr. DePaul's Basic Anatomy class is a requirement. Meanwhile, Haas and Langham convince each other of the merits of being a married man. And after Margaret catches him in a compromising position, Scully takes drastic steps to control his sexual impulses.
• Involuntary: Masters and Johnson convince Lester and Jane that their filmed footage won't cross the line into pornography. Haas and Vivian's plans for a church wedding get sidetracked when Haas reveals he's Jewish. Libby keeps a secret from Masters while encouraging him to mend his relationship with his mother. But Estabrooks discovers just how intimate Masters and Johnson's relationship has become during a late night visit to the hospital.
• Fallout: The hospital takes part in a nationwide civil defense drill, and the heightened atmosphere escalates conflicts among the staff. A former study participant reveals she's pregnant and wants to know the identity of the father. Masters and Johnson butt heads on whether to maintain study confidentiality or take responsibility. Haas learns he's been denied a future job at the hospital and assumes his breakup with Vivian is to blame. Margaret Scully seeks answers about her husband's sexuality from an unlikely source.
• Phallic Victories: Masters accepts Libby's offer to help compile the study work, but when he sees another doctor's presentation put his colleagues to sleep, he becomes determined to grab their attention, even if it means pushing through provocative, but incomplete, research. Dr. DePaul and Johnson travel to a medical convention and DePaul opens up on why her work on the Pap smear is so important. Virginia-s ex-husband George returns to find someone else playing father to his children.
• Manhigh: Masters' work on human sexuality culminates with a hospital-wide presentation of his and Johnson's research findings. Meanwhile, Haas entertains a job offer at another hospital and considers what a move would mean for his relationship with Virginia. Scully pursues treatment with the hope of curing his homosexuality, but Margaret has second thoughts about the risks involved.

Masters of Sex: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Masters of Sex: Season One features a lovely 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation true to its showrunners' intentions. Colors are warm and naturally saturated, with lovely skintones and satisfying black levels. Contrast remains stable and striking throughout, and what little noise is present rarely spikes, leaving the image clean and consistent. Detail is excellent, with crisp edges, well-resolved fine textures and revealing delineation. And the encode is nearly faultless, without any significant macroblocking, banding or aliasing to worry over. There are hints of ringing here and there, not to mention some negligible crush, but none of it proves distracting. All told, Masters' first season is a striking one. No complaints spring to mind.

Masters of Sex: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Paramount's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track fares well, without any issues of note. Dialogue is clear and intelligible at all times, prioritization is impeccable, and able-bodied ambient effects help create a number of convincing interiors and environments. Directionality is exacting, even if there isn't much in the way of an enveloping soundfield, and pans are as smooth as they should be. LFE output and rear speaker activity is restrained, of course; befitting a quiet, conversation-laced period drama. But there are moments, few and far between though they may be, when the mix stirs. Ultimately, it's a competent, well-executed lossless track. It won't grab anyone by the ears per se, but it certainly gets the job done.

Masters of Sex: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary: Actors Michael Sheen (Dr. William Masters), Lizzy Caplan (Dr. Virginia Johnson), Caitlin Fitzgerald (Libby Masters) and Teddy Sears (Dr. Austin Langham) and executive producers Michelle Ashford and Sarah Timberman provide a reasonably revealing audio commentary for the series' pilot. It's just a shame there aren't more tracks covering more episodes.
• Making Masters of Sex (HD, 13 minutes): Ashford and Timberman discuss the genesis of the series, the book upon which it's based, Dr. Masters and Dr. Johnson, their work and research, assembling the cast and the production itself. Sheen and many of his co-stars are on hand to share their thoughts as well.
• Deleted Scenes (HD, 13 minutes): Several episodes include deleted and extended scenes, although accessing the scenes episode by episode, without a play-all option, may strike some as a tad cumbersome.
• A Masterful Portrayal (HD, 7 minutes): Exploring Sheen's performance as Dr. Masters.
• Ahead of Her Time (HD, 5 minutes): A similar featurette focuses on Caplan's work as Dr. Johnson.
• The Real Masters (HD, 7 minutes): Biographer Thomas Maier touches on the real Dr. Masters.
• Surprising Facts About Sex (HD, 4 minutes): An overview of Masters and Johnson's findings.

Masters of Sex: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Masters of Sex plunges deeper and deeper, never skimming the surface or resigning itself to shallow waters. The result is a mature, satisfying series that explores sexuality and the years preceding the sexual revolution with a thoughtfulness and timeliness befitting its cast and behind-the-camera pedigree. Paramount's Blu-ray release is quite notable as well, thanks to a terrific video presentation, solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, and small but informative selection of special features. All in all, Season One is an easy purchase to recommend.