Masters of Sex “Kyrie Eleison” 

I love Virginia and Lillian’s relationship. It started out in such a prickly place, but as Lillian’s come to know her secretary and Virginia gains more of an understanding of her boss, I think their mutual admiration and respect for each other grows. Lillian is allowing herself to depend on Virginia, which is such a big step for someone like her. She even decides to listen to her when Ginny decides it’s the end of the day. Even though I know booze can’t possibly work that fast, I didn’t think much of it when Lillian started confusing her words. When she has to get in front of the camera for the instructional video, Lillian is clearly uncomfortable. She claims that her words are coming out fine even thought she knows they aren’t. But this is a woman who thinks maintaining control is important. It’s a big deal when she allows Ginny to put some powder on her face. It’s a big deal when she tells Ginny her mother was more interested in her bridge game than her child. It’s a big deal when Lillian allows Virginia to call her oncologist and make an appointment. Maybe it’s a good thing Virginia lost her appetite for helping Bill’s secretary on her way, because I think Lillian really needs her right now, especially since her cancer has metastasized.

Like every other secretary before her, Barbara Sanderson is at a bit of a loss when it comes to Dr. Masters. He can be so rigid and the fact that Barb was thrust upon him isn’t helping Bill warm up to her. So when Ginny comes to visit, she quickly realizes that she can’t go through with her plan. Barb is so relieved that Virginia’s there to see her and to admit she could use a friend, that Virginia immediately realizes the error of her ways. Maybe when Bill is back in good standing with the board he can push them to hire Virginia as a researcher, which is what she is.

It’s only his second day at Memorial and Bill’s already in trouble. He stopped the Rose’s bleeding, which was caused by a botched procedure. This abortion is news to Rose’s mother, as he finds out later. Because Rose is the daughter of a VID – very important donor – Bill needs to handle this well. But when he refuses to perform a hysterectomy on Rose, Greathouse is furious. He doesn’t like to be defied, but Bill wasn’t about to perform an unnecessary procedure, even though Rose herself begged him to. He can’t condone sterilization just because Rose’s parents think she’s a deviant. Yes, her actions do fall outside the sexual norms, but that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with her. Doug doesn’t understand why it’s their job to label a deficiency in character as a disease. Bill tells him it’s a dysfunction and that those exist in the world. The first step for Bill, however, is to provide Rose with birth control. He assures Rose that she’s not her worst part. He thinks they’ll find some answers together.

Vivian has to see Langham to get her arm set and he’s not subtle about hitting on her. Since his marriage broke up, he’s decided to steer into the skid. He knows who he is and what he wants and he’s not gonna hide it anymore. He thinks he and Virginia are alike in some ways. While Virginia can agree that they might both be lone wolves, she doesn’t think they’ve been driven from the pack by their refusal to conform. She suggests they were asked to leave because they couldn’t play nice. She thinks it’s a lonely existence, but Langham only sees death as a lonely endeavor.

Other Developments

– I thought Dr. Ditmer was legit and Virginia needed the money, so this seemed like a perfect situation. But the minute Virginia got Ulysses out, things got weird. She gave him the benefit of the doubt for far longer than I would have.

– Greathouse has an unhealthy amount of interest in the sex study. We already know he’s a drunk and a lout and now he’s confirmed that he’s a cheater. Some of the things that came out of his mouth when he was talking to Bill about Rose made me like him even less than I already do. Bill needs to be careful with him. I think Greathouse is going to compromise the results of Bill and Virginia’s study.

– When Bill confronts Vivian about her arm, she tells him the truth. Her parents are in Europe, at least that’s where the postcards are coming from. He’s knows something must be really wrong for Barton to have left the country, but he obviously can’t say anything to Vivian. He can tell she needs reassurance, so he agrees that her father is going to be ok. But Barton isn’t going to be ok if he resumes shock therapy. Whatever becomes of his relationship with Margaret, I hope he doesn’t do that to himself ever again.

– I did not expect Libby to correct Coral’s speech. Her rationale was sound, I guess, but Coral took it as a personal affront. I would have too. Before that moment – well, specifically before Coral was able to chat Bill up – they’d had such a lovely relationship. Coral is a much-needed companion and confidant for Libby. They discovered they’d both lost their mothers at a young age and even bonded over some old cooking scars. But because Bill has been even more distant since the birth of their child, Libby is feeling threatened. I thought she was better than that, but we’ve all get to deal with our own insecurities in our own way, I guess.

– I’ve enjoyed Betty since season one and I’m glad the show came up with a way to have her stick around. While she pretends to get fertility treatments at his office, she overhears Bill’s conversations with Greathouse and Rose’s mother. Even though Bill is loath to continue with this charade, they come to a grudging understanding. And I love that Betty urges Rose to stand up for herself and is so surprised to hear that Bill actually said something useful. Those two might just become friends yet.

Masters of Sex airs Sundays at 10/9c on Showtime.