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The Worst Episodes of Masters of Sex

Every episode of Masters of Sex ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Masters of Sex!

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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

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Masters of Sex Season 3 Episode 9 - High Anxiety
    5.7/10(11 votes)

    #1 - High Anxiety

    S3:E9

    Masters continues his surrogacy program, now under Johnson's critical eye.

    Director:Dan Attias
    Writer:Jonathan Igla

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  2. Masters of Sex Season 3 Episode 10 - Through a Glass, Darkly
    5.8/10(11 votes)

    #2 - Through a Glass, Darkly

    S3:E10

    Johnson objects to Masters' program following missteps in the protocol.

    Director:Jeremy Webb
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Masters of Sex Season 3 Episode 3 - The Excitement of Release
    6.0/10(16 votes)

    #3 - The Excitement of Release

    S3:E3

    Masters and Johnson look to capitalize on their burgeoning fame.

    Director:Miguel Sapochnik
    Writer:Steven Levenson

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  4. Masters of Sex Season 3 Episode 7 - Monkey Business
    6.2/10(13 votes)

    #4 - Monkey Business

    S3:E7

    Masters and Johnson are interviewed as they take on an exotic new patient.

    Director:Adam Arkin
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Masters of Sex Season 4 Episode 7 - In To Me You See
    6.2/10(11 votes)

    #5 - In To Me You See

    S4:E7

    Masters looks to groom Art as his protege in a new area of research as Johnson does her best to keep Nancy at arm's length. Betty seeks an unlikely source for assistance in her fight for equal rights to Helen's baby.

    Director:Michael Apted
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Masters of Sex Season 4 Episode 10 - The Eyes of God
    6.2/10(10 votes)

    #6 - The Eyes of God

    S4:E10

    Masters and Johnson work to save the practice from disintegrating in the face of insurrection within the clinic. As everyone in their lives either moves on or falls away, Bill and Virginia find solace in one another. Season finale.

    Director:Michael Apted
    Writer:Unknown

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  7. Masters of Sex Season 3 Episode 6 - Two Scents
    6.3/10(16 votes)

    #7 - Two Scents

    S3:E6

    Masters and Johnson take on a famous couple hoping to renew their sex life.

    Director:Michael Weaver
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Masters of Sex Season 2 Episode 8 - Mirror, Mirror
    6.4/10(13 votes)

    #8 - Mirror, Mirror

    S2:E8

    Masters privately treats a couple for infertility, without revealing his relationship to them. Johnson realizes her work with Masters can be used to help people suffering from sexual dysfunction - but quickly gets in over her head when she attempts to treat Barbara Sanderson on her own. Libby is unnerved after witnessing a hate crime that is then whitewashed by the police.

    Director:Michael Apted
    Writer:Steven Levenson

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  9. Masters of Sex Season 3 Episode 1 - Parliament of Owls
    6.4/10(15 votes)

    #9 - Parliament of Owls

    S3:E1

    Masters and Johnson face the press for the first time.

    Director:Jeremy Webb
    Writer:Michelle Ashford

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  10. Masters of Sex Season 4 Episode 6 - Family Only
    6.4/10(10 votes)

    #10 - Family Only

    S4:E6

    Johnson looks to get her relationship with Masters back on track while Masters does his best to find satisfaction elsewhere. Betty and Helen ready themselves for a new addition; Art and Nancy discuss the consequences of their party.

    Director:Colin Bucksey
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Masters of Sex Season 4 Episode 8 - Topeka
    6.4/10(10 votes)

    #11 - Topeka

    S4:E8

    Masters and Johnson go on the road and pose as a couple to investigate practices at a competing clinic. While Bill and Virginia are away, Art, Nancy and Langham take advantage of their absence to further their own agendas.

    Director:Julie Anne Robinson
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Masters of Sex Season 4 Episode 9 - Night and Day
    6.4/10(10 votes)

    #12 - Night and Day

    S4:E9

    Masters and Johnson return from Topeka, each grappling with the trip's ramifications. Art and Nancy look to tie up loose ends in order to have a fresh start, and Libby embarks on a road trip with Bram that changes her perspective.

    Director:Karyn Kusama
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Masters of Sex Season 2 Episode 5 - Giants
    6.5/10(15 votes)

    #13 - Giants

    S2:E5

    Masters continues to break new ground by continuing his study as the only white physician in a Negro hospital but at the cost of his gynecology practice. Libby is confronted by Coral's boyfriend, Robert, over her poor treatment of Coral, Betty reunites with her former lover, and Johnson struggles to right her relationship with DePaul - who is newly aware of Johnson's ongoing affair with Masters.

    Director:Jeremy Webb
    Writer:Bathsheba Doran

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  14. Masters of Sex Season 2 Episode 4 - Dirty Jobs
    6.6/10(16 votes)

    #14 - Dirty Jobs

    S2:E4

    Langham observes Masters and Johnson exiting a hotel room and shares his suspicions with DePaul, who is forced to make plans for her work without Virginia's involvement. Meanwhile, Betty attempts to conceal her infertility from Gene; and Masters tries to bring Johnson aboard as his assistant only to be thwarted by the head of the hospital, who takes a prurient interest in Masters' study.

    Director:Michael Engler
    Writer:Steven Levenson

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  15. Masters of Sex Season 2 Episode 1 - Parallax
    6.7/10(18 votes)

    #15 - Parallax

    S2:E1

    Masters deals with the ramifications of his disastrous presentation and being fired from the hospital. Meanwhile, Libby urges Masters to get another job; and Virginia fights off advances and innuendos stemming from the belief that she was the woman in Master's explicit film.

    Director:Michael Apted
    Writer:Michelle Ashford

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  16. Masters of Sex Season 2 Episode 6 - Blackbird
    6.7/10(15 votes)

    #16 - Blackbird

    S2:E6

    After Hendricks bans Masters from using black participants in his study, Masters contacts a journalist to promote his efforts, using the debunking of sexual stereotypes as the lure. Johnson is forced to accept DePaul's choice to end her chemotherapy treatments. Gene uncovers the truth about Betty and Helen's relationship. Libby fires Coral after discovering she lied about Robert.

    Director:Keith Gordon
    Writer:Eileen Myers

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  17. Masters of Sex Season 4 Episode 4 - Coats or Keys
    6.7/10(10 votes)

    #17 - Coats or Keys

    S4:E4

    Johnson, Masters, Libby and Keller wind up together at a party thrown by Art and Nancy. Pairings and perspectives shift as the night wears on, until the light of day exposes the consequences of the evening.

    Director:Colin Bucksey
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Masters of Sex Season 1 Episode 1 - Pilot
    6.8/10(21 votes)

    #18 - Pilot

    S1:E1

    Dr. William Masters, Washington University’s foremost OB/GYN, runs a successful medical practice by day and conducts a secret study of human sexuality by night. Former nightclub singer Virginia Johnson joins the hospital secretarial staff and proves herself to be an asset to Masters’ work.

    Director:John Madden
    Writer:Michelle Ashford

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  19. Masters of Sex Season 1 Episode 2 - Race to Space
    6.8/10(20 votes)

    #19 - Race to Space

    S1:E2

    On the heels of Masters’ proposal that they participate in the sexual response study, Johnson considers the best course of action to keep her job – only to find she no longer has one. The study has been forced out of the hospital and Masters believes Johnson is to blame. As Johnson fights to save her job and struggles to care for her kids, Masters moves his study to a brothel. But Masters soon discovers that the chaos of the cathouse is unmanageable without Johnson’s help.

    Director:Michael Dinner
    Writer:Michelle Ashford

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  20. Masters of Sex Season 1 Episode 8 - Love And Marriage
    6.8/10(18 votes)

    #20 - Love And Marriage

    S1:E8

    Masters and Johnson decide that the best way to record their study findings is to film them, but to do so they have to enlist outside help. Johnson redoubles her efforts to get a college degree, only to find that Dr. DePaul’s Basic Anatomy class is a requirement. Meanwhile, Haas and Langham – both unsure in their relationships – convince each other of the merits of being a married man. And after Margaret catches him in a compromising position, Scully takes drastic steps to control his sexual impulses.

    Director:Michael Apted
    Writers:Michael Cunningham, Tyler Bensinger

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  21. Masters of Sex Season 3 Episode 4 - Undue Influence
    6.8/10(9 votes)

    #21 - Undue Influence

    S3:E4

    Masters seeks unexpected advice. Virginia is distracted by news of Henry.

    Director:Christopher Manley
    Writer:Gina Fattore

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  22. Masters of Sex Season 4 Episode 3 - The Pleasure Protocol
    6.8/10(11 votes)

    #22 - The Pleasure Protocol

    S4:E3

    Masters and Johnson adjust to new partners, but their respective cases have them second-guessing the instinct to remain separated. A romantic prospect pushes Libby to embrace life as a newly single woman of the sexual revolution.

    Director:Adam Arkin
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Masters of Sex Season 1 Episode 3 - Standard Deviation
    6.9/10(19 votes)

    #23 - Standard Deviation

    S1:E3

    Masters and Johnson continue their research in the brothel but skewed data confirms that Masters must get the study back into the hospital. At the hospital, Johnson is surprised to learn that a distinguished new doctor on the OB/GYN floor is a woman who has no interest in female solidarity. Meanwhile, Libby struggles to conceive and Dr. Ethan Haas gets the case of a lifetime – a woman pregnant with quadruplets.

    Director:Lawrence Trilling
    Writer:Sam Shaw

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  24. Masters of Sex Season 1 Episode 7 - All Together Now
    6.9/10(18 votes)

    #24 - All Together Now

    S1:E7

    Masters and Johnson continue their sexual response study – now as participants – but Johnson fears their work may be interfering with Masters’ home life. Libby pressures Dr. Haas to resume her fertility treatments in secret. Meanwhile, Haas struggles to let go of feelings for Virginia as his relationship with Vivian deepens. And Margaret Scully, caught in her infidelity, confronts her husband on the mounting problems in their marriage.

    Director:Tim Fywell
    Writer:Tyler Bensinger

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  25. Masters of Sex Season 4 Episode 2 - Inventory
    6.9/10(11 votes)

    #25 - Inventory

    S4:E2

    Masters and Johnson turn to new partners in an effort to put the past behind them and focus on their expanding clinic. Given their fractured triangle, Libby reevaluates her relationship with Bill and Virginia.

    Director:Jeremy Webb
    Writer:Unknown

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Worst Episodes Summary

"High Anxiety" is the worst rated episode of "Masters of Sex". It scored 5.7/10 based on 11 votes. Directed by Dan Attias and written by Jonathan Igla, it aired on 9/6/2015. This episode scored 0.1 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Through a Glass, Darkly".