Masters of Sex Season 4 Episode 10 Review: A Private Affair

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Masters and Johnson are now Mr. and Mrs. Masters. So why does it feel like their relationship is about to get more confusing than ever.

On Masters of Sex Season 4 Episode 10, Bill and Virginia solidified their marriage at the courthouse, but the look on Bill's face as they faced the photographers spoke volumes.

Elsewhere in the episode, Libby made a bold step for her future, Art took a stand against Nancy, and Barton let Bill know exactly where he stands.

Keeping the Clinic Afloat - Masters of Sex

Without a renewal, the promise of a Season 5 is uncertain. With that being said, much of this season finale felt like a series finale. 

After years of dancing around their feelings for one another, Bill and Virginia decided to get married. Unfortunately every step of the way felt like a bad omen for their marriage.

While mostly everyone congratulated them on their engagement, some let their own experiences get in the way. Lester was barely able to muster any sort of joy for them.

I do wish you the very best, and I hope that you won't find marriage as the soul-crushing, testicle-shrinking, never-ending abyss of misery that I have.

Lester

Even Virginia's own mother couldn't wish her daughter well. Virginia's parents' marriage is over. It's sad in the sense that no one wants to see their parents fall out of love, but Virginia must see how unhappy her father has been. Also, her mother was incredibly relieved she could finally be through with sex.

Then Dody showed up at the office to see Bill. As Virginia waited for Bill at the courthouse, she wasn't so certain Bill would show up.

We barely spent any time with Dody, and yet seeing her face as she learned Bill was getting married that day was crushing. She left her husband and came all the way there thinking they would have a romantic reunion.

With what we know about the real Masters and Johnson, Dody isn't going away for good. She plays a key role in the latter part of Williams Masters' life.

Virginia promised Bill their marriage would be a separate entity than their business relationship. As soon as they faced the cameras as husband and wife, Virginia turned on the show.

She will always consider herself an underdog because she doesn't have the academic credentials Bill has. Virginia will always fight to protect her career. 

Gentlemen, it's Masters and Johnson. That's who we are.

Virginia

The real Masters and Johnson were married for two decades. There is still so much to explore of their relationship, but since we know the outcome of their union, I wouldn't be surprised if the show ended here.

There was so much finality. Take Libby for example. I've said it before that Libby's transformation has been the most enjoyable thing to watch. As a woman of her time, she'd only been allowed three roles: daughter, wife, mother.

Now she's been given the chance to explore who she is when not defined by her relationship to anyone else. The joy radiating off of her is inspiring, and her decision to move herself and her children to California so she can go to school is an amazing step.

Her relationship to Keller was exciting, but I'm glad she didn't let her feelings for him decide her fate. She loves him, but she won't stay for him. 

Libby: Here is the beauty of the situation, Bram. It's not up to you whether I stay or go. The days of me organizing my life around a man are over.
Keller: Then I'll organize my life around yours, unless you can stand there and honestly tell me you don't love me.
Libby: I'd say all the evidence points to my loving you.
Keller: Then the defense rests. For the time being only, you go, and do what you need to do. But one day, you will look up from your disgusting tempeh burger, and I will be there... a man who has upended his whole life for you.

Thankfully, Keller wanted to prove to Libby that their relationship is something worth holding onto. No one has ever organized their life around hers, and his willingness to do so proves he's not only a good man, but the right man for her.

Watching Libby take off in her VW bus was a bright, shining moment. Her hopefulness for the future is something I don't want to miss. Should the show return, will be see her life in California?

A less emotional goodbye was had for Nancy. Her relationship with Art fell apart and not a moment too soon.

Art deserves so much better than Nancy, but I also can't fault Nancy for not wanting the life society constantly tells her she should have. These are two people who probably should have never been married. 

You confessed the one thing you knew would end our marriage in a room you knew was being taped. Sometimes what we want can surprise even us.

Art

What I can fault Nancy for was her duplicitous nature. She played her husband for a fool, and she went behind Bill's and Virginia's backs to try to open her own clinic. 

Before Nancy skipped town, she delivered an audio recording into Barton's hands that will forever change his relationship with Bill. On the recording was Bill and Virginia's assertion that they would be conducting research on conversion therapy. 

This piece of information led Barton to confront Bill. I'm firmly on Barton's side. Conversion therapy is a huge dark spot on the history of medicine in this country, and there are still plenty of people today who believe that "curing" a homosexual is possible.

Interestingly, the writers have played up Bill's lack of interest in conversion therapy. In reality, William Masters strongly believed in the study of converting homosexuals. It's one of the reasons the relationship between Masters and Johnson became so strained. Virginia Johnson was not comfortable with the study.

So I found it a little odd Virginia lied about continuing to work a book that would explore the practices of the treatment. That coupled with her performance for the press made her look like a villain in the making.

While there's still a ton of ground to cover in the lives of Bill and Virginia, I can't say that I'm all that invested in their relationship anymore. These two are so toxic for each other, even when they think they are in love.

What keeps me coming back for more are the supporting characters. Libby has become my favorite, Barton's self-acceptance has been a beautiful thing to watch, and Betty has been the most underrated character.

Speaking of which, what happened to Betty? Last we saw her, she and Austin got married and were going to fight for custody of Helen's baby.

So what happened? If this is the end, I will be beyond disappointed to never learn what came of her custody battle.

Remaining Thoughts and Questions

  • Bob kissing Art in the bathroom came as zero surprise. He had been eyeing him for quite some time.
  • Bill's distress over his kids leaving is the most emotion I've ever seen come out of him when talking about his children.
  • Libby's VW bus was perfection!
  • What happened to Louise? Did she leave her husband?
  • Guy's excitement over the wedding had me wishing he would be my wedding planner.

So over to you! What did you make of Bill and Virginia tying the knot? Is this the last we've seen of Art and Nancy? Should the show come back for another season?

Sound off below, and don't forget you can catch up on the entire series when you watch Masters of Sex online via TV Fanatic!

A Private Affair Review

Editor Rating: 4.1 / 5.0
  • 4.1 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.9 / 5.0 (45 Votes)

Amanda Steinmetz was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She went into retirement in June of 2027. Follow her on Twitter.

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Masters of Sex Season 4 Episode 10 Quotes

I do wish you the very best, and I hope that you won't find marriage as the soul-crushing, testicle-shrinking, never-ending abyss of misery that I have.

Lester

Well, the happiest occasion on Earth is a wedding. It's the one thing that gives us all hope.

Guy