I don’t want to say this was a filler episode of Masters of Sex, but this was a filler episode of Masters of Sex. That being said, it was a fairly good filler episode. Entitled “Kyrie Eleison”, the episode dealt with a new nanny, a new hospital, a film crew, and a nymphomaniac. Yep, you heard that right. Masters of Sex has always been a show that pushes the limits, and this episode is no exception.
First of all, I need to define what I see as a filler episode. Obviously it’s an episode that doesn’t have a clear effect on the series’ plot, but I also have to point out that it shouldn’t have a profound effect on any characters or our perception of those characters. While there is some development, like from Betty and Teddy, there isn’t anything that I would say changes too much of the course of the series. Mad Men is a rare show that I would way never had a filler episode. Every single episode and scene contributed to the education of the characters. Although Masters had to fill sometime, I am in no way faulting them for it.
Starting at his new job, Bill got a rude awakening to the way of the hospital. Unlike Washington University Hospital, politics and money speak a lot louder than the actual morality of medicine. It’s something that Bill isn’t used to. Obviously he’s experienced his fair share of hospital politics at WU, but at least the work always meant more. I mean, at least until he was fired because of it, but that’s besides the point. As Bill deals with a teenage nymphomaniac, who is now on her third lost pregnancy, he gets a taste of those politics. Her parents, benefactors to the hospital, were insistent that she has a hysterectomy to help counter her “whorish” ways. Bill was tepid to the idea and continues to be even when his new boss insisted that he perform the surgery.
Though this storyline is part of the reason I saw this episode as a filler, unlike Mad Men which arguably never had a filler episode, I found the storyline to be entertaining and quite emotional. Especially when the daughter begged Bill to perform the surgery after accepting her parent’s diagnosis of her as a whore. He was adamant that all perversion are medical illnesses. We got to see a softer side of Bill who was trying to uphold his oath of “do no harm” by introducing her to contraception and telling her that she’s “not what [her} problems are.”
I probably shouldn’t telling you this, but daddy thought the sun rises and sets with you.
-Vivian to Bill
Bill also finally discovered the secret of Barton’s suicide attempt by asking his daughter. After listening intently about the ordeal and offering Vivian some support, Bill went to his car and cries, offering us a rare glimpse of vulnerability that we haven’t seen since the episode “Catherine.”
Though Virginia spent much of the episode tending to other characters’ storylines, she did have a wonderful and hilarious scene with a throat doctor as she explained the functionality of Ulysses, which ended in quite a… splash. She also had a dance with Dr. Langham who explained to her that they’re “lone wolves, driven from the pack by [their] refusal to conform.”
In my review of last week’s episode (find the review here) I compared the series to Mad Men. This week, another comparison came in. Betty Draper… I mean, Libby Masters hired a nanny named Coral (played by Keke Palmer) to help with their daughter. When she was able to quiet down the baby after Libby was unable to, Libby decided to belittle her by correcting her grammar and telling her that they should be working as a team. The passive-aggression could be cut with a knife. She even had a cigarette in hand. If that wasn’t a Betty Draper move, then I don’t know what is. Thank god they’re finally giving Caitlin Fitzgerald something else to do.
Despite their separated storylines, Bill and Virginia both end up at their usual hotel just as the episode faded out. “Kyrie Eleison” was definitely a step down from the wonderful season premiere, but it proved to be an entertaining episode that offered some strong moments. However, I am nervous that the main plot of the series may not be thick enough to fill out a complete roster. This coupled with Showtime’s tendency to keep shows on past their expiration date (I’m looking at you Dexter), I can see this series going south very fast. But, I can only hope that it doesn’t.
Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.