Period drama hailed 'one of the best shows on TV' available to binge on Amazon Prime

A raunchy, Golden Globe-nominated series starring Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan is available to stream ahead of the bank holiday weekend—and it comes with glowing recommendations from fans. Previously, the programme, which ran for four seasons before its cancellation, has been hailed as “one of the best shows on TV”. In September 2013, American period drama Masters of Sex premiered on Showtime in the US. The series is set in the 1950s and runs through the 1960s, telling the story of Dr William Masters (played by Michael Sheen) and Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan). The former, a renowned fertility specialist at Washington University in St. Louis hires Virginia, a former nightclub singer, to work as his new secretary. Eventually, due to her intelligence and personable nature, Virginia is promoted to a research associate.

Eventually, they make themselves the subjects of their own "study" by having sex with one another, writing down the results. However, their relationship soon turns into a fully-blown, steamy affair, eventually publishing their findings in the book, Human Sexual Response. Masters of Sex, based on Thomas Maier’s biography of the same name, ran for four seasons between 2013 and 2016. Developed by Michelle Ashford, the programme is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Previously praised as “one of the best shows on TV” by the now-defunct sports and pop-culture blog Grantland, which was owned and operated by ESPN, it seems that more than a decade later, fans are still in agreement.

“Masters Of Sex, S3, ep9 - Really got me in a chokehold,” typed one X user. “This is the second time in less than 5 minutes that I’ve needed a cold shower. Bill Masters, the neurospicy-dirty-talking-dom, is my new gender.”

“Started Masters Of Sex only to pause if right after seeing Michael Sheen’s face less than one minute in the show I need a shower,” replied a third user. (sic)

A fourth wrote: “Going on Amazon Prime to add Masters Of Sex to my watchlist and RESISTING THE URGE to rewatch s3 for the 4th?? 5th??? time???”

But it isn’t just viewers who are obsessed with Masters of Sex. Reviewers from The Hollywood Reporter and The Denver Post have previously heaped praise on the 46-episode show.

“The engrossing, beautifully cast and well-acted Masters of Sex is at once the tale of an odd couple and the story of a culture coming of age,” wrote the latter.

Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter penned: “Masters of Sex manages, with lightning speed, to shed any preconceived notions about what type of show it will be and, in so doing, tilts the camera up from the breast to the brain.”

Ahead of Master of Sex’s premiere in 2013, Michael spoke about what initially drew him to the project.

“It allowed me to explore a character in a completely different way to how I’ve been able to explore characters in the past, because the canvas is different. You’ve got 12 hours of storytelling per season; that’s very different from telling a story over an hour,” he told Slate Magazine at the time.

“It’s about a subject that is endlessly fascinating, that we will always be drawn to, because we’re dealing with it all the time. It doesn’t matter whether this is set in the ’50s or not, it’s exactly what we’re dealing with in our homes and in our minds and in our bedrooms every day.”

All episodes of Masters of Sex are now streaming on Amazon Prime video.