Original subtitles

JOHNSON: Previously on Masters of Sex...

I've seen the photographs.

Water-skiing with Dody on your shoulders,

and then at the end of the summer,

she broke your heart, and you came back to me.

Ever since you two had sex, Virginia,

you have completely and irrevocably turned on me.

Could you ask Art to come in here, please?

Did we have sex, Art?

Any sort of physical contact at all?

We did not.

Have you had sexual experiences with men?

- No. - JOHNSON: Boys perhaps?

I mean when you were also a boy.

Once, when I had just turned 16.

You get out of AA what you put in.

I could go to some other meeting.

You will stay in my meeting.

It'll remind me of just how far I've come.

Well, what choice do we have?

It's either this or nothin', right?

(SIGHS) Actually, I might know someone

who's a whole lot better than nothin'.

You're everything a person could want...

- ...in a sperm donor. - I would consider it.

She is perfect. Congratulations.

Helen, stay with me.

I want my mom.

(CRYING SOFTLY) I want my mom.

Ma'am, the grandparents made it clear,

family only.

VIRGINIA: It's our old room at the Park Chancery.

- I can't. - Because?

Because you don't love me.

You just want me today. I don't trust you, Virginia.

♪ sultry music ♪

♪♪♪

- sync and corrections by Caio - - www.addic7ed.com -

"I'm writing to you

because it seems our talking of late

has left things more distant between us than not.

That saddens me.

I'm also saddened to learn that you no longer trust me.

That was quite an accusation."

"Dear Bill, seems we find ourselves at an impasse,

and I write in hopes of clearing the air.

I know there are things that I have done

that have made it hard for you to trust me,

but I have also been hurt by you in the past,

and it is my greatest wish

to put those days behind us.

You can only trust me again by being with me.

We must put in the time, together,

to heal our collective hurts

and to find our way back to each other again."

♪ soft music ♪

♪♪♪

Disseminated intravascular coagulation is confirmed

as the cause for organ failure.

Based on your presentation, Dr. Scully,

we find you took all necessary precautions

and performed impeccably

before, during, and after delivery.

Did they even read my report?

From the moment Helen was admitted to the hospital,

she was concerned about spotting,

problems with her vision--

Well, that's why you took her blood pressure

every 15 minutes.

I should have monitored it more closely.

All vital signs were perfectly normal

until after delivery.

I didn't see the warning signs.

There were no warning signs.

There was nothing you could have done.

Barton, this isn't the first time you and I

have sat in that room.

The patient was 31 weeks pregnant.

She presented with bleeding and cramps.

I did an exam; I recognized the placental abruption immediately.

By the time she was rushed into hospital,

the baby had stopped moving.

The hemorrhaging got worse.

Two hours later, the patient was dead.

You handed me your resignation the next day.

And you refused to accept it,

because I'd been proven innocent.

Yet after all these years,

there is a part of me that still isn't convinced.

I don't know how to forgive myself.

I'm just going to be direct about this.

The only way you're gonna get that out

is with vinegar and baking soda.

- Oh, shit. - Actually,

there's something else that I wanted to discuss with you.

You know, obviously, things have been a bit strained

between us these past few weeks,

and obviously, if you had told Nancy the truth

about our night together

instead of lying to her and to me,

all of this unpleasantness

could have been avoided.

It did create something of a rift

between me and Nancy.

Well, I may be able to help with that.

From now on, you and Nancy should be partnered.

Working side by side,

sharing your passion for the work,

I think that could go a long way

to repairing things between you two.

Thank you for thinking of us.

I'm guessing that means you'd be partnered again with Bill?

Well, it would logically follow.

And have you seen him with Nancy lately?

Some days, I worry she actually has become his shadow.

I wouldn't worry yourself about that, Art.

That's for me to sort out.

(SIGHS)

All right.

Let's resign ourselves to each other, shall we?

Let's even go one better and help each other.

And how exactly are you helping me?

Well, let's start back at the beginning.

By giving you an opportunity to partner with your wife.

♪ soft playful music ♪

♪♪♪

I want the Clavermores back.

Nancy's struggled to find her footing here from the start,

to make a place for herself.

She feels that she's been constantly undercut.

- Which is not true. - Getting the Clavermores back

would go a long way to making her feel her work here

is valued-- and not just by Bill.

It wouldn't hurt you either, would it?

Being able to bring your wife a big case like that.

Like a cat dropping a dead mouse

on his owner's welcome mat.

You get Bill back. I help my wife.

Everybody gets what they want.

Have you discussed this with Art?

JOHNSON: No, not a word.

Mm, to be honest,

the two of us are barely speaking.

I wouldn't normally complain about my own discomfort,

but I fear that our patients

are beginning to sense the tension between us.

So what do you suggest we do?

I think there's only one thing we can do.

Uh, reassign Art to work with Nancy.

♪♪♪

- Really? - And before you assume

I have any ulterior motives here,

rest assured, I don't.

My job is to see to the welfare of the clinic.

That is what I'm doing here.

Virginia, you were the one who was adamant

that you and I wouldn't continue the day-to-day work together.

Yes, well, that was before Art accused me

of having sex with him to his wife.

So you're saying there is no way to repair things with Art?

I really don't see how that's possible.

Then we'll fire him. Hire someone else.

Fire him? No.

Then Nancy would surely follow him out the door,

and then we'd be starting from scratch.

I'll partner with Art, and you can work with Nancy.

How does that make any sense, Bill?

Part of the effectiveness of our technique

relies on having partners of different sexes.

Well, it's also relied on partners

from different disciplinary backgrounds.

I'm an MD.

You brought a psychological component to the work,

so why shouldn't you pair with Nancy, a doctor,

and me with Art, a psychiatrist?

Because pairing Art with Nancy

in fact checks both of those boxes:

gender and discipline.

Mm, it also means the two people

with the least amount of training

are on the same team.

I'm offering to take Art off your hands.

Isn't that what you wanted?

Yes.

Yes, so it's settled, then.

♪♪♪

Look, I just hope you and Nancy

can find a way to work together because--

it's my turn to be honest now--

you're starting to get a bit of a reputation.

A reputation?

For?

Being difficult.

Combative. Paranoid, even.

- Paranoid? That's ridiculous. - And surprising.

Considering I've always relied on you

to be the one who can talk to anyone,

put people at their ease.

Let me guess. This is coming from--

It doesn't matter who it's coming from.

It's there.

Well, I can assure you,

I have been

and will continue to be very collaborative.

Good.

Then you and Nancy should get along fine.

(LAUGHS SOFTLY)

- Dr. Scully. - Good morning.

I must say, everyone is so happy to have you back

and yet so terribly sorry about Helen.

That must have been just devastating.

Oh, thank you, Guy.

Are those my first patients of the day?

No, that's the homosexual and his wife.

Dr. Masters and Dr. Dreessen are treating them.

Hmm.

Hello, Nancy. I have some good news.

In the world in general or...

I thought it might be a nice idea

for us to take some cases together,

so we will start tomorrow with the Flemings.

Us? As in...

Something's happened. What happened?

An opportunity has happened.

Uh, you've learned from Dr. Masters.

Now it's time for you to learn from me.

I thought we could try that Italian place tonight.

Italian food outside of New York City

is a contradiction in terms.

Shouldn't they have moved on to genitals at this point?

Well, they're-they're taking things slowly.

I have an itch right there. Can you...

Yeah. A little lower.

To the left.

- Oh, yeah, that's it. - Yeah.

There was a homosexual episode in Mr. Drag's past?

As an adolescent.

He now claims to be entirely heterosexual.

Hmm, no one is entirely anything.

The Kinsey scale taught me that.

We haven't used the Kinsey scale

much in our work.

Well, I found it to be a useful diagnostic tool

at the Institute.

The scale helps the patient understand

that sexuality isn't binary; it's fluid.

Truth is, none of us is just one thing.

- Hmm. - ART: We're many things.

All at once.

Maybe you should conduct your own intake with Mr. Drag.

But you and Mrs. Johnson already have.

But your expertise may lead to a different conclusion.

No, I-I-I think your perspective

could be quite useful in this case.

BETTY: I said I didn't want pizza.

No, you said you didn't want to go out for pizza.

But it turns out,

pizza travels now.

I heard on good authority

that you're not eating much.

Or at all.

That there are mountains of...

uneaten casseroles in your refrigerator.

Yeah, they keep droppin' 'em off.

Which is strange,

because between Virginia, Barton, and Lester,

there's not a cook in the bunch.

Well, Guy's been cooking up a storm.

(EXHALES) People are worried, Betty.

You wanna drink?

Turns out, shock wears off after--

I don't know-- however long it's been.

Thirteen days. (SIGHS)

And once it's gone,

oh, dear God, what's left is so...

(EXHALES) I feel like

a rabbit at the dog track running around and around

just terrified, confused, exhausted,

and I keep...

I keep turning to Helen

to say, "What happened?"

I turn to her a hundred times a day.

God, I screwed up

so many things in my life.

But Helen was...

the one thing I got right.

We got each other right.

Not that everything was all daffodils,

but there was never a sliver of a doubt

that...

that we really loved each other.

Because...

we really did.

Sometimes things are so right,

you don't even think to question them.

I suppose that's true.

I wouldn't know.

Never?

You never had a time when everything was just right?

You know, in love, I mean.

There was a girl...

long ago.

When I was still in school.

Her name was Dody.

And, um...

(EXHALES SLOWLY)

And when I met her...

...suddenly I had this feeling like...

...I could breathe

or, um....

like I was myself,

finally.

(SCOFFS) I don't know why I'm saying this.

- (CHUCKLES) - Please.

I want you to.

Okay.

(CLEARS THROAT) Well, um...

one day,

Dody was at the hospital,

just simple appendicitis,

and so I left her some roses

and a note for her,

and in the note,

I asked her to marry me.

So I went over to the hospital to pick her up,

and I-I was literally floating on air.

Our entire lives ahead...

(EXHALES) Such a...

a deep happiness.

And, uh...

...she was ice cold.

She didn't say anything to me.

Didn't mention my proposal.

Nothing.

We just sat there...

like two strangers.

♪ somber music ♪

After I dropped her off,

I never heard from her again.

♪♪♪

(EXHALES) What went wrong?

I have no idea.

But you didn't ask?

♪♪♪

Why didn't you just ask her,

"Why didn't you answer my proposal?"

♪♪♪

Uh...

(SCOFFS)

I-I don't know.

♪♪♪

Why would you not ask?

♪♪♪

"It's been quite some time since we last spoke."

"Dear Dody, has it really been nearly 30 years?

How time flies."

"I hope this letter finds you well.

I've considered writing you now and then over the years,

curious to know where life may have led you.

Turns out our alma mater has kept better tabs on you than I,

which is how I came to your address.

But I am writing you now with the hopes of,

uh, clarity, I suppose.

Things ended so abruptly between us,

and, to be honest, I was never sure why.

Recently, I've experienced

a great number of changes in my life.

In the process, I have come to learn

that in order truly to move forward,

one must first look back

and take inventory

of the various choices one has made.

Anyway, I hope to hear back from you

although will understand if I don't,

lives being as complicated and unpredictable as they are.

Either way, I remain

sincerely yours,

Bill."

For a year now, I've been experiencing terrible pain

during intercourse.

All right, and how would you describe

the-the pain that you've been--

Are you taking notes, Mr. Fleming?

Is that a problem?

It's just, we take the notes

so you can concentrate on telling us

about what brings you here.

He just does it to calm his anxiety.

His therapist gave it to him as a coping mechanism.

There's certainly no reason

for you to be nervous, Mr. Fleming,

but if it makes you feel better,

I think, in this case, we can make an exception.

All right, then.

Uh, in terms of the pain, Mrs. Fleming,

how would you describe the sensation?

It's like my vagina is seizing up.

Almost like...

myotonia.

Okay, uh, any other symptoms?

M-Y-O-T-O-N-I-A.

"Myotonia."

Anyway, does that burning sensation

- begin at a certain point? - JOHNSON: Do you understand

the technical definition of myotonia, Mr. Fleming?

An inability to relax the muscle?

Hmm, that's very impressive.

I wouldn't expect a bank manager

to know that kind of medical jargon.

Roger's father was a doctor. (CHUCKLES)

Back to the pain.

Does it begin at a specific point during intercourse?

The excitement phase. Isn't that it, honey?

MONICA: Well, sometimes plateau.

And interestingly enough, at the moment of penetration,

that's when my dyspareunia begins.

Your dyspareunia?

Will you excuse us for a moment?

Could I have a word, Dr. Leveau?

♪ playful tense music ♪

You do see what's going on in there?

You mean that I can't get a word in edgewise?

I-I have to be honest, Virginia,

if this is the dynamic you expect to establish between us--

Our "dynamic" really isn't the point here,

since we clearly have bigger fish to fry.

(EXHALES SHARPLY)

I did not mean to speak over you.

I just suspect that our charming couple in there

may not actually be a couple.

Because he-he's writing things down

and knows medical terminology?

Because it's highly unusual

for a bank manager and a housewife to--

Maybe they're just a desperate couple

hoping to save their marriage.

I mean, maybe the reason they know your book

backwards and forwards is because they've been

tearing it apart searching for the answer.

Could be.

Or they could be here for other reasons.

Well, how do we know which one of us is right?

I'm sorry to pull rank so early into our partnership, Nancy,

but I think we should probably start with my hunch.

♪♪♪

Louise?

I-I shouldn't have just showed up like this.

I--you know what?

I probably shouldn't have come at all.

No, no, no. No, it's all right.

It's, uh--it's just, not everyone here knows

that I attend AA meetings.

This isn't about AA.

- Really? - Obviously, you're joking.

NANCY: We're not, no.

No, the treatment that we recommend

for cases such as yours, dual dyspareunia,

is electroshock therapy

for both the husband and the wife,

followed by divorce.

And that's the usual protocol?

Yes, we use this

in about 80% of our cases.

We even have an ECT technician

as a full-time member of our staff.

Oh, my.

Yes, we've turned it into an in-house procedure.

So shall we get started?

- Started? - Electroshock therapy?

Goodness, this is a lot for us to digest.

So much so that maybe it would be better

if we came back another day.

Well, what would be best is if you told the truth.

Who do you work for?

The Post-Dispatch?

Maybe you're detectives?

In which case, I should remind you

that the commissioner of police does sit on our board.

So maybe I should just call him,

see if he knows anything about this.

We're therapists.

Sex thera-- we want to be sex therapists.

We want to open our own clinic.

Shame on you for lying.

No, please, take it as a compliment.

We are so impressed by your work.

We're just trying to do as much research as possible,

see how other therapists do it.

And you are by far the best,

although we are talking to all the others.

What others?

MASTERS: Broken vertebrae. How did this happen?

We left this bar about three years ago

on his birthday.

I was drunk, but he was drunker,

so I said, "Give me the keys," right?

And the last thing I remember

was the radio playing "Hang On Sloopy"

when we pulled out the parkin' lot.

The next thing I remember is waking up

with a tracheal tube down my throat in ICU

and finding out that James--

that my husband was paralyzed from the waist down.

A-and I know that AA is anonymous,

but I knew when you came into my meeting

that you were that famous sex guru.

I'm hardly a "sex guru," Louise,

and I--this is hardly my area of expertise.

Right, but you specialize in sexual dysfunction,

and sometimes he can get it up and sometimes he can't,

and I was just hopin' you could explain all this to me.

(CLEARS THROAT)

Well, um...

looking at your husband's X-rays,

there's broken vertebrae on the S4 and the S5.

His injury appears to be partial,

which means there's some kind of neural connection,

but it's probably haphazard, so...

he can have erections, but they can't be controlled

through thinking sexual thoughts

or, uh...

manual stimulation.

Does that sound about right?

Well, as for touching him

in a sexual way,

we haven't tried that since the accident.

James hasn't...

He hasn't been interested, I guess is the word.

This has been a very difficult transition

for him--for both of us.

He feels nothin' down there, so...

So...

you're actually here for more than an explanation.

Well, I did read up on you,

and I know that you're not one to back down from a challenge,

so I suppose what I'm askin'--

really, begging-- you for is...

some kind of hope.

(EXHALES DEEPLY)

(CLEARS THROAT)

It's very hard to know

what kind of sexual response will be possible with James,

but the goal in any case like this

would be to experiment with neural rewiring.

Now, I know this is a very new area of science,

but it would involve mapping your husband's dermatomes--

um, areas on his skin that correspond

with certain spinal nerves--

and then stimulating them

to try and generate erotic feeling

that could lead to an erection.

Now, like I say, this is all very new,

but sometimes mapping can help us

to see where he feels sexual arousal

in places aside from genitals

and then how it can be reconnected

back to his genitals.

Well, okay, well,

that-that-that's a start, right?

(EXHALES)

What it is, is highly experimental.

I-I-I've never taken a case like this.

And the process would not be for the faint of heart.

Plus there's no promise

that this would work.

But mostly, it would require

complete openness and honesty from you both,

and I suspect it'd make you and your husband

feel very exposed.

Dr. Masters, I can...

I can assure you that I've never felt more exposed

in my life.

(SIGHS)

♪ soft music ♪

Three other clinics in the greater St. Louis area alone.

Two promise to eliminate sexual dysfunction

in a single session.

I ran into one of these quacks myself in Las Vegas.

Look, if you're worried about competition--

We'd be idiots not to worry about competition,

but, more importantly,

we have charlatans coming in here

posing as patients, people I very easily convinced

that electroshock therapy was standard treatment.

It's a symposium tomorrow

happening right outside the city.

"The Joys of Partnering."

It's a seminar for singles,

but one of the topics in the pamphlet

is sexual dysfunction.

That doesn't necessarily sound irresponsible,

and we didn't invent sexual dysfunction,

so there's no indication that they're stealing our work.

Yes, but we are just coming out from under a legal nightmare

based on the misunderstanding of our methods.

The last thing we need are frauds in our very field

potentially spreading dangerous interpretations of our ideas.

You're right.

You should go.

Take Nancy with you and report back.

- (SCOFFS) - Well, Art and I are still

sorting out working together,

- as are you and Nancy. - Fine, then.

But, Bill, at a certain point,

it's just negligence

if you refuse to stand with me and defend what we do here.

Now, before Dr. Kinsey began his research,

most scientists were accustomed to thinking of sexuality

as a dichotomy.

Right? Two choices.

An individual either checks this box, heterosexual,

or this box, homosexual.

What Dr. Kinsey discovered, however,

was, the vast majority of people

found themselves somewhere in between.

- In between? - Right.

Now, according to the Kinsey scale,

someone that is exclusively heterosexual

would be a zero.

Someone that is exclusively homosexual,

on the other hand, we would label a six.

But how would you measure someone?

We make a calculation

based on the number of homosexual experiences

an individual has had,

as well as the frequency with which

the individual continues

to desire or fantasize about same-sex partners.

BARTON: I'm not sure why you're pointing this out to me.

'Cause I am desperate to believe that what I am seeing

is not what really is.

Well, I don't have time for riddles.

They are converting Mr. Drag

from a homosexual to a heterosexual.

BARTON: That's hogwash.

GUY: I thought this clinic was the last place

that something like conversion therapy would happen.

(GRUNTS) It's not happening.

In your intake, you brought up

a homosexual experience you had as a young man

- with a schoolmate. - Where does that put me?

Well, based on the fact that you continue to think about it--

Involuntarily.

Let's say three.

So right in the middle.

Nearly 12% of the men Dr. Kinsey interviewed

in his initial research were also threes.

- That's more than one in ten. - That's right.

And have you ever seen a three

go on to get married, have children,

lead, you know, a normal kind of life?

Of course.

It happens all the time.

(EXHALES)

The affair with your schoolmate,

I imagine that hasn't been your only homosexual experience?

Why would you imagine that?

But... (CLEARS THROAT)

... let's say that there was another.

Where would I be then?

One other experience...

I'd keep you at a three.

I did have one other experience.

In a movie theater.

Did you masturbate him,

or did you perform oral sex?

Both.

But it's the only time it happened, I swear.

I felt so disgusted after.

I tossed the clothes I was wearing

down the garbage chute as soon as I got home.

Brand-new suit. (CHUCKLES WEAKLY)

- When was this? - Six months ago.

I realize it's not a coincidence

my impotence began at the same time.

Now, the way you felt

about that man,

the intensity of the attraction,

how does it compare to the level of attraction

you feel to your fiancée?

It's nothing like it.

The-the theater was just bodies.

When Cherlyn and I make love, it's hearts, minds.

Well, but sex isn't

just an emotional exercise.

I mean, bodies are important.

I know the sensate isn't

progressing as quickly as Dr. Masters envisioned.

I wonder if you would consider helping us,

guiding us through it?

Your presence,

it's quite reassuring.

Your being there with us,

I think it could really make a difference.

You have a call on line two, Dr. Bill.

It's a woman. She wouldn't give her name.

(DIAL TONE HUMMING)

Hello?

DODY: Bill?

It's Dody.

Dody?

(LAUGHING SOFTLY) How are you?

Uh, you-you got my letter?

It came this morning.

I-I've read it through only a dozen times.

I thought a letter might be more welcome

than a phone call.

You know, in case you needed time

to place the name.

William Masters? Now, let's see.

Oh, you're that man who sold me my Chevrolet.

How-how's that car been working out for you, ma'am?

Well, to be honest, not so great.

It's been in and out of the shop.

I think you sold me a lemon.

I'm considering pressing charges

with the Better Business Bureau.

God, your voice. You...

(EXHALES) You sound exactly the same.

Do I?

What about me? If-if I had just called you

and, uh, tried to-- I don't know--

sell you a magazine subscription,

would you have known it was me?

I'm not sure.

Say "apple pie al a mod-y."

Oh, my God, you're--you are still holding on to that.

I--what can I say? I didn't speak French.

I was trying to impress you.

Oh, you did. You were very suave.

Or should I say "suav-ay"?

(BOTH LAUGH)

Oh, now, see? That laugh, I recognize.

(LAUGHS SOFTLY)

Your "taking inventory," you're not--

There's nothin' wrong with you, is there?

- You're not unwell? - No, no, no.

- I'm-I'm fine. - Oh, I was worried.

I just, uh--

Well, I just have some questions.

About?

Us, um...

how things ended.

Why things ended.

I-I don't mean to stir up

unpleasant memories, but, uh--

No, that's-that's not--

Well, there are things I'm unclear about myself.

Well, I was hoping maybe you could tell me what happened,

you know, from your point of view.

- What I did to make you-- - (DOOR CLOSES)

Oh, so--I'm so--can I-- I'm gonna have to call you back.

- I'm so sorry, Bill. - All right.

Uh, well, can I, uh, take your number?

- (LINE CLICKS) - Dody?

(DIAL TONE HUMMING)

♪ somber music ♪

(SIGHS)

♪♪♪

(SIGHS)

He's the leading doctor in his field.

The only doctor specializing in sexual dysfunction,

and he's very respected.

- (GRUNTS) - I-I didn't wanna say anything

until I knew there was hope.

I don't want people knowing our personal business.

My life now... (STRAINS)

...I don't want people knowing about that.

Well... (EXHALES)

... James, your life is my life.

(GRUNTS)

(BOTH GRUNT)

(SIGHS) And I miss being with you in that way,

and I know you miss it too.

Dr. Masters said in treatments with spinal cord patients,

he's had real success with neural rewiring

and something called dermatomes.

It-it's restored his patients

back to their normal sexual activity.

He said that?

What's his success rate?

It--they don't give numbers,

but he's very hopeful.

You remember how you used to love telling the story

about when you first met me?

- (CHUCKLES SOFTLY) - It was the state semifinals,

and I was with that louse Darrell.

- Hmm? - (EXHALES)

He was all over me,

and you thought, "Well, that girl is taken,

so why even bother?"

But you kept on looking at me. Remember?

It seemed hopeless,

but you came and talked to me anyway.

- (SIGHS) - And six weeks later...

I spent a whole paycheck on this ring.

(CHUCKLES)

Didn't even know if you'd say yes.

See? That's what I'm talking about.

You took a gamble, and it paid off.

Uh, in the eyes of the law, Miss DiMello here

has no legal right to the child.

Helen Schiff was an unmarried woman,

so any offspring would go to the next of kin,

in this case, her parents,

who have been granted temporary custody of the child

pending a hearing,

and unless something goes wrong there,

temporary custody will become permanent custody.

Unless the biological father steps forward

to challenge that custody.

Uh...

I assume you mean me, given I'm the biological father,

but... (LAUGHS)

...Betty, I'm-I'm in no position to take custody of an infant.

I mean-I mean-I mean no position.

The second part of this plan

is that you and me get married.

I then will adopt the baby so she is legally mine,

and then the two of us will get divorced,

and since you are unfit as a parent,

the baby will stay with me.

I'm--

Okay, you asked me to plant my seed in Helen,

and I did that; I even enjoyed it.

It had a certain three-way frisson.

Listen, Betty, we're old friends,

and Helen, she was a great gal,

but-but this-this is...

insane; I can't do this.

And I'm going on the record as advising against it.

Lying in court and presenting your union

as a real marriage, it's against the law.

Ass officially covered.

(SIGHS)

It is too much,

what I'm askin',

but I'm askin' anyway 'cause I loved Helen,

and out of love, we brought this baby into the world,

and I wanna honor that

and raise this baby as Helen would want me to.

♪ soft music ♪

JADE: Why are we here?

I'm not talking about existence,

although that would be a very interesting question.

I am talking about today,

right now, this moment.

We are all here because we want to be

the best possible partners we can be.

So who would like to tell me

what the word "partner" means to them?

It's not a trick question. (CHUCKLES)

Anybody?

Yes, Burt?

Uh, so-someone you can count on?

Reliability. Mm-hmm.

That is certainly important

in a healthy partnership.

Thank you, Burt.

Anybody else?

Uh, yes, Nancy?

I think, for me, a good partner in personal re--

well, as well as work relationships

is someone with whom there's

a mutual respect and understanding.

I do--maybe even an admiration.

Um, someone who's open and honest

and, of course, someone I can feel safe with

in our attempted intimacy

and, uh, who feels safe to-to be intimate with me.

Wow. Wow.

Fantastic answer, Nancy.

Did everybody hear that?

Intimacy

or, as we like to call it here at the center...

...in to me you see.

(ALL LAUGH)

No points for subtlety there.

Oh, I wasn't going for subtlety.

Let's just remember that we're here to gather information.

You know, I don't know if it's sitting on these little pillows,

but, uh, what I realized is, I'm-I'm sad.

Well, then do what I do when I'm sad.

- Snap out of it. - I wanted nothing more

than for you to be my mentor,

but instead you just don't like me.

This has nothing to do with anybody

not liking anybody.

Actually, I take that back.

I like your husband.

Not sexually-- I believe we've covered that--

but as a colleague and a friend,

and, well, I see the way he's suffering.

Wh--suffering? Meaning?

Mm, it's really not my place to say.

Fine,

uh, your so-called lifestyle

is hurtful and unfulfilling to him.

He's miserable, but he doesn't dare say it

for fear that you would leave him.

Wh--he told you this?

Art told you?

I don--he-he's never said anything to me.

I'm surprised, I suppose, and hurt.

Oh, my God.

Is that one of our patients?

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Daddy?

Oh, for cripessake. Gini.

What are you doing here, honey?

I'm here for work.

I think the better question is, what are you doing here?

I'm here for pleasure, I suppose.

For--

at a singles retreat on partnering?

Where's Mom? Is Mom here?

Does this look like a place your mother would come?

I told her I was on a fishing trip.

Rainbow trout in Branson.

Oh.

Jade gave us an hour for lunch.

Let's take a stroll on the meditation green.

So each spinal nerve is responsible

for an area of skin called a dermatome.

Now, the idea is that you close your eyes, James,

while Louise

sensually stimulates each area.

You will respond verbally with a yes or a no

to let us know which regions, if any,

generate a sexual feeling.

Yeah, yeah.

Yes?

MASTERS: We'll be able to observe if an erection occurs

and how to maintain an erection,

with the end goal of satisfying both partners.

You through experiencing sexual pleasure

through non-genital stimulation

and you through intercourse

just like you did before the accident.

The key here is patience.

We're all entering uncharted waters.

♪♪♪

After I finished your book,

it lit a spark for me,

and I started reading everything I could get my hands on.

I-I-I started exploring,

and I am a lot like all these other folks here.

We're all just trying to learn about our bodies

and our feelings and sex and-and intimacy.

In to me you see? (SCOFFS)

There was this, uh, one seminar that I took.

Wh--in addition to this seminar?

Mm-hmm. Uh, it explained,

in very scientific terms,

how swinging could actually help couples

realign their desires

and-and ultimately, uh, bring the focus back

- to-to each other. - Realign?

The "Science of Swinging," I think it was called.

Daddy, there's no science to swinging.

Nowhere in our book do Bill and I mention swinging

as a form of therapy.

What we advocate, what we've always advocated,

are protocols that keep people together.

Heck, honey.

You might as well get up in front of these folks

and take a bow, because your book,

what you and Bill did together,

it's-it's what allowed all this to happen.

Don't say that.

N-No, I'm trying to keep a low profile.

(SIGHS) Oh, God, now I'm just worried about you...

- No. - ... and Mom.

No, no, no, no, no. I feel alive.

Uh, that's my point.

And I'm gonna take whatever-whatever I learn here

back to you mother, and, hopefully,

we could be looking at a-a second honeymoon.

DODY: Dr. Masters, please.

Dody.

He'll know what it's regarding.

Oh, good, I wasn't sure when I'd hear from you again.

I'm so sorry about before.

Not at all. Not at all.

Is now a better time?

Bill, I've been thinking. (EXHALES)

And I hope this isn't too forward.

Maybe we should get together.

Or-or is that...

Uh, yes, yes. Absolutely. I...

Let's do that. I would like that very much.

Um, uh...

- I can come to you. - Oh, no, no.

You don't wanna drive from St. Louis to Topeka

and back again in a single day.

Why don't we meet halfway?

I know just the place.

ART: I want you to relax into the sensation.

Focus on the pressure of her fingertips on your skin.

The warmth of her hands.

I'm so sorry. I-I was looking for Bill.

I suppose he's not back yet.

Uh, Bill mentioned this case to me.

Thought I-I might be interested in observing.

Oh.

Uh-uh, well, sure.

It it's okay with Bill.

ART: Nice, and breathe into it, Bob.

Allow the feeling to go right through.

That's right. Nice and easy.

That's right.

Something seems to be working.

(BOTH LAUGH)

♪ soft dramatic music ♪

♪♪♪

(EXHALES)

William Masters?

- This'll just take a minute. - Oh, um, actually,

I-I'm expecting someone.

My wife, yes, but, uh, she's not coming.

No, I-I think there's been some--

No, you're waiting for Dody, but I talked her out of coming,

which is, uh, sure as hell better for her,

but, you know, I suspect it's better for you too.

See, I found your letter. (EXHALES)

She was all dressed up, something about a, uh, lecture

on impressionism at the library,

but it didn't take long for her

to, uh, admit that she was coming to see you.

(CLEARS THROAT) Just to be clear...

(EXHALES SHARPLY) ... I-I have no designs

on your wife, I mean, none whatsoever.

In fact, I haven't seen Dody in, uh...

Thirty years.

I could probably tell you to the minute.

Although, knowing the first ten years of those

were devastating, I'm not sure what you're doing here.

Devastating? For...

My wife.

Something happen to Dody?

Aside from you breaking her heart?

Is that not enough for you?

What?

It's--no, no. I-I broke her heart?

No, that-that's not what happened.

I'm the one that picked up the pieces,

and it's humiliating, let me tell you,

helping the woman you love mourn the loss of another man.

Look, I wrote your wife because...

I had a question, one question.

And since she's the only one who can answer it--

Well, I guess it stays unanswered.

Because I'm not gonna go through that again,

and neither is she.

Have a nice drive back to St. Louis.

(DOOR OPENS)

You should see these.

Not right now, Nancy.

Just read them.

Uh... (MUMBLES)

"Experience intimate and professional sex therapy.

Results guaranteed."

What's going on here is pretty innocuous,

but Jade told me about these other clinics,

places that have protocols alarmingly close

to what we do at the clinic.

Uh, what you do, I suppose I should say..

Why would you suppose that?

Because I don't see how we're going

- to continue to work together. - Oh, God, please don't start.

- Your derision aside-- - Okay, I...

I just gave you the Clavermore case

because your husband, who loves you,

came in and fought for it

so that I could give it to him

so that he could give it to you.

I don--Art did?

(SIGHS) We're all trying here, Nancy.

Trying our best.

You ladies enjoy the seminar?

BOTH: No.

- ART: How could you possibly-- - I saw it with my own eyes!

ART: What did you see?

We're not performing conversion therapy.

This is what I'm trying to explain to you.

BARTON: Call it what you like. I saw what was happening.

You were trying to turn a homosexual

- into a heterosexual. - Our patient

is not a homosexual; he is a Kinsey three.

Has he had sex with other men? He's a homosexual.

Well, our supposedly homosexual patient

happened to achieve an erection last night with his wife.

Because he was listening to you. It was you he was responding to!

ART: Listening to me? That's a supposition!

MASTERS: Well, it's all a supposition.

I mean, we can't even agree the definition of a homosexual.

Well, according to the Kinsey scale--

Kinsey's survey has not been tested rigorously.

Okay, well, then let's base it

on the number of homosexual experiences our patient has had.

In which case, we can say with confidence

that he is ambisexual,

attracted to both men and women.

Well, as a recovering ambisexual myself,

I can tell you, there's no such thing.

Of course there is.

How-how do we know that?

We don't know.

Where are the numbers to support it?

Where-where's the data?

I mean, this is about more than one patient.

This needs to be a study.

A study?

We should be observing homosexuals

exactly the same way we did heterosexuals.

Collecting data on the four stages of sexual response.

Studying the physiological changes during sex.

Conducting detailed

psychological and sexual histories.

Otherwise...

we're just stabbing in the dark.

♪ soft music ♪

That could be...

very interesting.

And as for conversion therapy,

that will never happen in this office.

There's not cure for homosexuality.

I know how dangerous that line of thinking is.

I know where that leads.

Good.

♪♪♪

Art, how do you feel about laying the groundwork

to broaden this into a study?

That would be great.

I can start now.

♪♪♪

Well, that's a relief.

I told them that you could never be involved with conversion.

♪♪♪

Something on your mind?

Well, I-I guess I was just wondering

whether there's times when...

... when it's better not to know.

You know, if there are just some doors

that should never be opened.

Or do you think it's always worth pursuing the truth

no matter what?

Are we still talking about the study?

(EXHALES)

Maybe.

♪♪♪

In my experience,

the truth can come at a very high price.

You can lose people you love,

pieces of yourself.

But in the end, it's worth it.

It's worth it

to know where you really stand.

♪♪♪

(INHALES) Oh.

- (MOANING) - (GRUNTING)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

What do you feel?

My shoulder. Uh, a tickle in my shoulder.

- (MOANS) - Am I-am I still good?

- Am I still good down there? - Oh, yes.

- Okay. - So good.

(MOANS)

Ooh.

Yes.

(BOTH BREATHING HEAVILY)

Ooh, so good.

That was so good. You wanna keep going?

- 'Cause I could-- - I don't-I don't--

I-I don't wanna do this. I don't wanna do this.

And I think it's wrong you askin' me to.

- What? - I mean, good for you.

You're getting off on this, but I got nothin',

and half of me that's dead, it's still fuckin' dead.

(SIGHS) I can't walk.

I can't--I can't fuck,

but now you want me to do this with you every night?

Watch you--watch your face while you're coming, while--

It's fucking cruel.

Jesus fuck, Louise.

It's fucking cruel.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

I ju-- Fuck.

(FRANTIC KNOCKING ON DOOR)

All right, I'm comin'.

♪ soft dramatic music ♪

Oh, Edith.

I just wanna know how you figure in all this.

My husband and I were at the courthouse this morning.

Turns out there's been a petition filed

by the biological father.

A man who runs a strip club

although apparently is also a doctor?

Do you know a Dr. Austin Langham?

Helen didn't get pregnant

by a traveling salesman passin' through town.

She only told you that because she didn't wanna upset you

with the truth.

A little too late for that.

Okay, then.

I know Dr. Langham through work,

yes.

And Helen and I decided together

that he would be the father of our baby.

He has many fine qualities.

Our daughter had a whole life that was hidden from us.

This bizarre existence of yours.

It turns out, our daughter was someone we barely knew.

That's not...

that's not true.

The fact that Helen loved me

doesn't change who she was...

and how much she loved you.

She was my daughter.

(QUIETLY) I know.

And now there's a baby to think about,

and...

maybe we can come together,

out of our love for Helen

and out of our love for that little baby.

Do not get near that baby.

You are unfit to raise a child.

You know nothing of being a mother,

you live an aberrant life,

you're alone,

and that strip-club owner is a joke.

Do the right thing...

for once.

Do not play fast and loose with this baby's life.

Stop thinking about yourself

and do what's best for her.

♪ dramatic music ♪

♪♪♪

(CASH REGISTER CLICKING)

And one of those.

The red one.

This one?

Yup.

♪ soft dramatic music ♪

♪♪♪

(CASH REGISTER CLICKS)

(FOOT STEPS APPROACHING)

MASTERS: Virginia.

There's something we need to discuss.

Can I come in?

You seem upset.

I am. Uh...

scared, even.

Scared? Why, did something--

Something did happen.

Uh, at first,

I was just worried about the competition.

God knows that's out there now, in spades.

All three of those places use our exact protocol.

Exact. Down to the letter.

Each patient undergoes a detailed intake.

Then they move on to sensate.

Each treatment takes two weeks. Same as ours.

Apparently we supervised this therapist's graduate work

in sexology.

Which brings me to the bigger problem,

which yesterday made all too clear.

There are hundreds, if not thousands,

of suffering patients out there seeking treatment.

These are innocent people, Bill,

being fed this misinformation and outright lies.

These are real marriages on the line here, Bill.

People who have been together for 30, 40 years.

Who have been through countless ups and down.

- Are you all right? - Yes, bu--

What have all the years and years of hard work

and good science been for

if people can now get more bad information than good?

Well, we're leaders in this field.

We could be organizing a-a regulatory body,

something to handle oversight of therapists,

- licensing, perhaps. - And in the meantime,

we can start in our own backyard,

by investigating these therapists

that are stealing our work.

We could put 'em out of business.

Exactly. Yes, we send a signal to all of these charlatans

that this type of infringement will not be tolerated.

So we go in as patients, and we document

everything that's going on in these clinics.

We go in there together?

No, no, actually,

I would rather that we investigate separately.

We each pick a clinic, and we divide and conquer,

as we've done so often in this work.

So here's one in Chicago, Louisville, and Topeka.

Take your pick.

♪♪♪

MASTERS: Well, Topeka's close.

I'll take Topeka.

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