William Masters
Grew up… in Cleveland, Ohio, into a privileged American family. Dr. Masters was raised with all of the proper values of his generation: civility, decency and propriety. He grew up into a world of conformity, but his instincts as a scientist tell him that there is much to be discovered and studied regarding our (often deviant) sexual habits.
Living… in St. Louis. Dr. Masters is beginning to find his 1950s Midwestern surroundings a bit stuffy for his liking. Even in a university environment, most of his colleagues seem to have closed minds when it comes to his groundbreaking studies in human sexuality.
Profession… gynecologist. Dr. Masters helps deliver babies as his day job. By night, though, he's beginning research on a topic not suitable for polite dinnertime discussion: "I watch people fornicate, and masturbate, then I take down their sexual histories, I record the physiological changes in their bodies and their patterns, idiosyncrasies."
Interests… science. Dr. Masters is a believer in the power of scientific research to answer the deep questions about how and why we live. "I don't believe in shadows," he says. "I believe in the light of scientific inquiry."
Relationship Status… married. Dr. Masters and his wife, Libby, have been trying to conceive a child for two years. The difficulty they've been having has been frustrating, not least because of the strain that it's putting on their relationship.
Challenge… to bring human society out of the shadows when it comes to their sexual urges and needs. "The study of sex is the beginning of all life!" he tells the provost of the university. "Yet we sit like prudish cavemen in the dark, riddled with shame and guilt."
Personality… sober, straight-laced and always professional. Dr. Masters is not the type to tell jokes, even on a subject (sex) that seems ripe for humor. He takes his work seriously, and is willing to go through any personal hardship to make sure that he does his job well.
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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 and multiple appearances on Johnny Carson's couch. He is a brilliant scientist out of touch with his own feelings, and she is a single working mother ahead of her time. The series chronicles their unusual lives, romance, and unlikely pop culture trajectory.