Masters of Sex
Seen it?2013 | 4 seasons | 60 min | Drama
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (84% on Rotten Tomatoes), it won an Emmy and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who loves a strong character drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- 4 seasons: a few months of evenings, hour-long episodes, about 46 hours in all.
- What might put you off
- Rated TV-MA: expect sex.
- It was cancelled, so the story may not get a proper ending.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
William Masters and Virginia Johnson are real-life pioneers of the science of human sexuality. Their research touched off the sexual revolution and took them from a midwestern teaching hospital to the cover of Time magazine and multiple appearances on Johnny Carson's couch. He is a brilliant scientist out of touch with his own feelings, and she is a single working mother ahead of her time. The series chronicles their unusual lives, romance, and unlikely pop culture trajectory.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
84% on Rotten Tomatoes, 79 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.1 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 1 Emmy: Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. Won 2 Critics' Choice Awards: Critics' Choice Television Awards: Most Exciting New Series, Critics' Choice Television Awards: Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series. Also nominated for 5 more Emmys, 2 Golden Globes and 3 more Critics' Choice Awards. Plus 1 other award.
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Ran for 4 seasons and reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 451K people sought it out in the past year
Season by season
The show overall is a Saturday Special. Here's how each season stacks up; Season 2 is the high point.
- Season 12013 · 12 episodes · 90% on Rotten Tomatoes · 7.4 out of 10Saturday
- Season 22014 · 12 episodes · 98% on Rotten Tomatoes · 7.2 out of 10Saturday
Season 32015 · 12 episodes · 69% on Rotten Tomatoes · 6.6 out of 10Sunday- Season 42016 · 10 episodes · 80% on Rotten Tomatoes · 6.7 out of 10Sunday
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Created by Michelle Ashford
- Michael SheenWilliam Masters
- Lizzy CaplanVirginia Johnson
- Caitlin FitzGeraldLibby Masters
- Annaleigh AshfordBetty DiMello