Masters of Sex (2013–2016): Season 2, Episode 12 - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised - full transcript

Virginia: Previously on
Masters Of Sex...

Dr. Madden: So, you consider
the relationship

to have a higher purpose?

Virginia:
We are uniquely qualified

to develop a treatment,

to prevent countless marriages
from dissolving.

William:
Cannot present ourselves

as the saviors
of the sexually dysfunctional

without having cured
a single patient first,

including me.

Shep: The two of you



could finally teach America
how to have sex.

William: On... television?

Libby: I don't know
why I want what I want,

- but if you would...
Robert: - What?

Libby: ...kiss me,

then maybe
I could figure it out.

Lester:
I have a... a-a condition.

I can't do anything
with a girl.

Barbara: I-I also have
a... condition.

George: I got a gig.
Six weeks backing Floyd Desouza.

We want the kids to come, too.

Virginia: - To Europe?
George: - Why not?

Virginia: No.
My answer is no.

George: So you would rather
that they come home from school



every day to a babysitter

and hope that they can stay up
late enough to see their mother?

Herb: You push back on this--

on a reasonable request--

you could be opening up
a whole can of worms.

I don't think
you want to do that.

Virginia: I feel we may have
stumbled upon

something interesting.

That night,
after the camera crew left,

that was the first time
that we had ever touched--

just touched.

William: Without the ulterior
motive for touching being sex--

even an-- a-an attempt at sex.

Virginia:
And then that other night

when you were so upset
and vulnerable

after the fight
with your brother,

I comforted you
just by touching you.

William:
And I was able to have sex.

[ Sighs ]

Virginia: Given that...

I think we have to come at this
with a different approach.

Intercourse off the table,

but, also,
the touching of genitals.

William: Also off the table.

Virginia:
Nonsexual touching only.

Well, you're definitely aroused.

William: [ Sighs ]

S-so maybe now
is a good time to try.

[ Sighs ]

So... now what?

All right, if-- if we put
touching genitals

back on the agenda...

Virginia: But still stop
before actual sex.

William: Right.
No expectations being key.

Virginia: That seems
the logical next step.

[ Romantic music plays ]

[ Breathing deeply ]

We now know
sexual touching works.

[ Both breathing deeply ]

Maybe we should continue
into actual sex.

William: Mm.

[ Sighs ]

Virginia: Let me initiate first.

And you just feel-- feel...

feel me.

Feel your body.

It's interesting if you look
at the progression.

Seven nights of nonsexual
touching, multiple erections.

William: With a few
unmitigated disasters.

Virginia: But still.

And then followed by seven
nights of sexual touching.

William: Again with multiple
erections if you don't count--

Virginia: I don't.

We're focusing on the positive.

And now we've had seven nights
of successful...

William: And successive...

Virginia: Yes,
seven nights of successive

and successful coitus.

So based on these results,

at what point
can we consider you cured?

[ Cheers and applause ]

Man: After 14 years
on the national scene,

Senator John F Kennedy
of Massachusetts,

selected by
the Democratic Party,

began his campaign
for president,

showing the same enthusiasm
he displayed

while seeking the nomination.

[ Birds chirping ]

William: [ Sighs ]

[ Applause ]

[ "Stars And Stripes Forever"
plays ]

[ Crowd cheering ]

[ Cheering stops, music fades ]

[ Sighs ]

[ Wistful folk music plays ]

You left the water on
in the shower.

Libby: I did?

How stupid of me.

Uh, I'm going in today
to volunteer.

William: At CORE?

I thought you'd given that up.

Libby: The leadership
has been in Atlanta,

protesting the arrest
of Dr. King.

They're back today,
and, no, I have not given it up.

Your mother should be here soon
to stay with the children.

[ Child babbling ]

I love you.

I love you both so much, hmm?

So, so much.

[ Voice breaking ]
You have no idea.

Child: Mm.

Libby: [ Smooches ]

Hmm.

[ School bell rings ]

Virginia: Oh. Good.

Miss Braddock is running late.

George: Actually, you're late.

Miss Braddock's on time.

That's why she took
the other parents in--

the ones who were already here.

Virginia: Oh.

Well, they must've been early--

trying to impress Miss Braddock,
no doubt.

George: [ Chuckles ]

Well, would that be
such a bad thing?

I did see Henry's
last report card.

Virginia: [ Sighs ]

George: Hey, I got a call
from Johnnie J yesterday.

He offered me a regular gig
at The Cosmopolitan Club.

St. John's Trio is now playing
there four nights a week.

Virginia: Oh.

First Europe and now St. Louis.

George: [ Chuckles softly ]

I've been thinking...

What if the kids, uh,
spent a little more time

at my place during the week?

Instead of just the one night,
maybe two or even three?

Virginia: You just had them
for six weeks in Europe.

George: Yeah, and I've never
seen them happier.

Virginia: Well, that's because
you hardly ever see them.

George: My point, Gin,
is to change that.

Virginia: And my point is

don't make me regret
giving you an inch, George.

I mean, seriously.
Where is this all coming from?

Audrey?

George:
Why can't I have changed?

Virginia: You have changed--
changed for Audrey.

And while I'm so pleased
that she has managed

to acquaint you with fatherhood
in these past six months,

let's not forget I'm the one
who has been here for them

since the beginning--
all of the conferences

and the vacations
and the sleepless nights

when they've been sick and--

George: Fine, okay, but let's
not forget that you've had

your own problems
in the parent department.

I mean,
we're being honest, right?

Neither of us is particularly
great parent material, Gin.

But you know who is?
Audrey.

Virginia: [ Chuckles ]

George: - No, she loves the kids.
Virginia: - [ Sighs ]

George: And she spends
more time with them

than either of us put together.

And don't our kids deserve
to have at least one parent

- who puts them first?
Virginia: - [ Sighs ]

No, I-I am going to pretend
that I didn't hear that.

George: Well, actually,
I want you to hear it.

Virginia: No, George.

You can have our kids
once a week like always,

as we've agreed.

And while it is
your night tonight,

you did just have them
for six weeks,

so I'm going to keep them
at home with me tonight.

George: What's that, a punishment
for suggesting something

that might actually be good
for the kids?

Virginia: Shh! Miss Braddock!
The Johnsons are here.

Oh, I-I don't need tissues,
thank you.

This is, uh,
it's a small matter really.

As you know,
I share custody of my children

with my ex-husband, George.

Herb:
Oh, h-how was the European tour?

Virginia: Fine, I suppose.

But I'm here because
I-I may have been a bit sloppy

when I dissolved our marriage.

Herb: Sloppy?

Virginia: Yes, you see, George
never even wanted children--

not even from the beginning.

And so when it came time to
finalize a custody agreement--

Herb: You don't have
a signed one. Ugh.

[ Sighs ]

Virginia: Well, it-it just--

it seemed irrelevant
at the time.

Herb: But now he's found Jesus.

Virginia: Audrey.

My point is, George will
back off quickly enough

when he's confronted
with an actual lawyer,

which I do think is important

now that there is a new wife
in the picture.

Herb: Hmm.
New wives are like francium--

the most unstable
of all the elements.

Virginia:
You dabble in chemistry?

Herb: Eh, in another life.
[ Chuckles ]

A life where I thought there was
order to the universe.

Now I know better.

So now I get contracts signed.

Narrator:
In the heart of the Midwest,

along the banks
of the Missouri river,

lies the sparkling city
of St. Louis.

With a quarter of a million
people living...

William: Is this for
the St. Louis Tourist Board?

Virginia: [ Chuckles ] I'm sure
they're just setting the stage.

Shep: The idea
was to ease the audience

into the subject matter.

Narrator:
There are many building blocks

to a prosperous society,

but one essential element
is marriage.

A strong, happy union
between a man and a woman

is crucial
to both the family unit

and to the community at large.

But what makes
a happy marriage?

To answer the question,
what kind of changes occur

physically during moments
of marital intimacy?

William: I think I phrased it,

"What happens to the body
during sex?"

Shep:
Well, people are sophisticated.

- They'll read between the lines.
William: - Sexual response.

And where we observed,
uh, many physical phenomenon.

An accelerated heart rate
in both men and women.

Virginia: Respiration also
increased, as did perspiration.

William: There's a consistent
skin flush in both subjects

called vasocongestion.

I'm fairly certain I said
"Skin flush in both sexes."

Shep: You did, but the network
preferred the word "Subjects."

Uh, we looped it from another
part of your interview.

Virginia:
And in both men and women,

there is a marked increase
in blood pressure.

Lester: All the symptoms
of a heart attack.

Shep: Yes, but here,
we're talking about sex.

Lester: I must've missed that.

Narrator: The study continues
here in America's heartland,

as Masters and Johnson are
now poised to break new ground

in the treatment
of physical dysfunction.

Virginia: Physical dysfunction.

It could imply...

Lester: Gout or amputation.

Shep: Because we see the couple

going into your offices, Bill,
we know the context.

The dysfunction is sexual.

Virginia:
Our goal, first and foremost,

is to promote understanding,
to start a dialogue

about a subject
long considered taboo.

Shep: Okay, well,
that's just a rough cut,

but it gives you
the general layout of the piece.

Now, CBS is very pleased.

No one else has a story like it.

And I feel
it's not a moment too soon.

I did some more digging into
your, uh, Dr. Joseph Kaufman

at UCLA, and it turns out
he is publishing his work,

something called "Man And Sex."

Virginia: A book
for general publication?

Shep:
Publication is two months away.

Now, we're gonna be out there
first with this,

and as I've said, once you've
marked your territory,

the next guy to come along often
looks like yesterday's news.

Virginia: But not always?

Shep: N-not to worry.

Once the film airs, there's
gonna be follow-up press.

There's gonna be interviews
and profiles.

We're in great shape.

Manny: By taking the focus
off St. Louis,

we now have to
re-energize our base.

Robert: Like we out of sight
for a few months,

- and suddenly we're out of mind.
Manny: - Mm.

Libby: Welcome home.

Robert: Glad you came in.

We're, uh, back to work,
obviously.

We can use
an extra pair of hands.

We're, uh, sending a letter
of intent to everyone

on the housing board.

The envelopes need to be
addressed and stamped.

Libby: I can do that.

Robert: Glenn, go and get
Mrs. Masters settled by the mimeo.

Manny, I want you with me
when I call Supervisor Drake.

William:
A presentation of our work

that puts sex
back in the closet.

Virginia: I'm not saying
that it wasn't sanitized.

William: It had all the gravitas
of a toothpaste commercial!

Virginia: [ Laughs ]
It wasn't specific.

But Shep's point,
which is well-taken--

William: I also told Shep
to take out that reference

to sexual dysfunction,

yet there it was anyway,
against our wishes.

Virginia: Physical dysfunction,

and we made no promises
in that regard.

William: Virginia, stop
defending the indefensible.

Virginia: [ Sighs ]

William: Uh, we barely have a
handle on dysfunction ourselves,

let alone any statistical
success with actual subjects--

other than me.

This is-- this is new work

in, uh, a delicate
and fragile state.

Virginia: The work is?

Or... are we talking about
something else?

William: Uh, look,
if we have found something as--

as radical
as this appears to be,

to-- to-- to fix something
as intractable as impotence,

you first turn the focus
entirely away from sex.

Virginia: Yeah, and that would
be groundbreaking and--

William: Yes, it would be.

So it cannot be jeopardized.

Virginia: You're right.

We are nowhere near publishing.

But that doctor in Los Angeles,
he is.

And if his book happens to catch
the public's fancy

and we are cut out
of the discussion entirely...

Bill, I agree with you.

I know that the film
is not ideal,

but being cut out completely,
that is worse!

The film will air.

Millions of people will watch,
and they will say,

"Yes, Masters and Johnson,
the sex researchers."

Who knows? Maybe we'll even
become household names.

And then when we are ready
to present our work

and do it our way,

there will already be
an audience

that is ready and willing
to take us seriously.

Oh. Mr. Spleeb,
please, have a seat.

Herb: Oh, no.
That won't be necessary.

I had a chat
with husband George.

Virginia: Ex-husband.

And thank you so much.

It's not signed.

Herb: George wasn't in
the signing mood.

Virginia: Uh, I'm not sure...
I know what you mean.

Herb: Well, not only will George

not sign
your original custody agreement,

he has retained
an attorney of his own.

Brad: Look, I don't know
what's bothering you,

but don't take your bedroom
problems out on me.

Jan: I have no bedroom problems.

There's nothing in my bedroom
that bothers me!

Brad: Ohh, that's too bad.

[ Laughter ]

Lester: It's not like we don't
all know how it's gonna end.

Jan: ...and-- and work out
some sort of schedule...

Lester: Guy falls in love with
girl, girl falls in love with guy,

complications develop
hilarity ensues,

love conquers all, roll credits.

Together: Shh!

Jan: Now, from the hour
to the half-hour, the phone...

Lester: That's two hours of
our lives we'll never get back.

Barbara: I-I liked it.

I-I thought it was funny
and very clever.

Lester: Art's not
supposed to be clever.

It's supposed to be true--
true to life.

In real life,
you can't fix bedroom problems

by calling up a party line
and redecorating an apartment.

Barbara: I know that.

I just... wanted to forget real
life for an evening, anyway.

Lester: Well, I can't forget--
not even for a second.

It's because I look at you,
and I think...

[ Sighs ]

I should sweep a girl
as pretty and as sweet--

I should sweep you
off your feet...

Not just stand here
like a-a cripple.

Barbara: But you know
I'm crippled, too.

Lester: No, it's okay.

I-I accept you
no matter what problems--

Barbara:
I-I accept you, too, Lester.

I...

If-- if you're saying
that you're upset

because we can't, you know,
do that...

Lester: I am upset
because we can't do that.

Barbara:
Well, then let's do this.

Lester: What?

Barbara: Uh, w-we--
we can go see movies.

Or-- or we could play Scrabble,
which we both love.

Lester: [ Sighs ]

Barbara:
We could go out dancing.

Maybe we could even...

sleep together.

Lester: No, Barb. I'm telling
you, we-- I can't--

Barbara: I know.
I-I mean just... sleep.

Eisenhower:
When we admitted publicly

that the U-2 belonged to us...

Flo: Looks like someone
worked up an appetite.

Austin: I missed lunch.

Eisenhower: ...we were doing
something that in a modern world...

Austin:
I swear, slap a beard on him,

he's a dead ringer
for father time.

Flo: Come Friday,
we'll have a president

with a full head of hair.

That's a first in my lifetime.

Austin: When I first saw
a picture of Jackie,

I thought, "Now I know
what the American dream is."

And John Kennedy?
[ Chuckles ]

He is living it.

I was junior class president.

Um, best year of my life.

But we also had
a hell of an inauguration.

Flo: Well, the real one's
gonna be buried

under a foot of snow apparently.

Austin: Mm.

Flo: I'm bringing an extra pair
of earmuffs

in case the first pair freezes.

Austin: You're going
to the inauguration?

Flo: That reminds me,

I need you to man the office
on Friday while I'm out.

Austin: You do know
you get a much better view

on television, don't you?

Flo: [ Chuckles ]
My family has good seats.

Eisenhower: ...that they are
condemning the United States...

Flo: My kid brother's working
for the new administration.

Austin: [ Chuckling ] Yeah.

Flo: Bobby pulled some strings,
got him a job in Justice.

Although, without my father,

Kennedy never would've won
Missouri at all.

It's not cheap
running for president,

and daddy knows exactly
whose hands need greasing.

You don't go from being
an immigrant pickle peddler

who can't speak
a lick of English

to owning the biggest
hardware chain in the Midwest

without learning something
about retail politics.

Austin: Hardware as in...

Flo: Packer Hardware.

Austin: Wait.
Th-- You're that Packer?

Flo: If you knew how many
of these fundraising dinners

I've been dragged to...
[ Sighs ]

And this party tomorrow night.

Austin: There--
A party here in St. Louis?

Flo: Yeah, a big shindig for the
Democratic Party of Missouri.

All those governors and senators
in the same place...

It's enough
to make a shark sleep.

Eisenhower: ...and work
for a different kind of world.

William:
Uh, well, what I'm asking,

I-I suppose, is, uh, a favor.

A Dr. Joseph Kaufman,
uh, in Urology,

he's publishing a book.

It's called "Man And Sex."

In a couple months, apparently.

[ Scoffs ] Yes.

Well, you can imagine.

I'd also--

You could do that?

[ Scoffs ] Well,
I-I would be most grateful.

I would.

Virginia: Honestly,
I-I wanted to apologize.

George: For sending a lawyer
to my house.

Virginia: Yes. That was...

Woman: Your drinks.

Virginia: Thank you.

It was an overreaction.

I-- The situation at work
has been, um, so taxing.

I was--
I was exhausted, and I, uh...

George: You overreacted.

Virginia: Yes.

So... you want to spend more time
with the kids.

So let's talk about
what might make sense.

George: I think our lawyers
should talk.

Virginia: I don't have a lawyer.

No, Mr. Spleeb is--

he's just somebody who works
in our offices, that's all.

George: I don't think

you want to walk into court
unrepresented.

Virginia: Why... would I walk
into court at all

when we can just sort this out
ourselves?

George: Well, because Audrey
and I have been talking.

And, honest, I thought one more
day a week would be enough.

But when you really think
about it,

the kids have to know
where home is.

Virginia:
Henry and Tessa do know.

It's with me.

George: Yeah, when you're there.

But how often is that?

I want a judge in open court

to hear a typical day
for our kids.

I want an impartial opinion
about what it is you're doing.

Virginia: Has someone, uh,
been, uh, telling you

some ridiculous lie
about my hours?

George: The kids tell me.

They're not babies anymore.
They know when you come and go.

I have to think about
what's best for them now, Gin.

And my lawyer was crystal-clear,

given the court's bias
against fathers,

if we hope to win any sort
of settlement in my favor

with the kids, then we have to
show the court that you're...

that you're unfit.

Virginia: Un-- I'm not unfit.

George: Look, if the situation
is gonna change--

Virginia:
I-I'll rearrange my schedule!

George:
It's... not just the schedule.

It's gonna come up in court...
in front of the judge.

The fact... that you watch people
fornicating.

Virginia: Fornicating?

George: Fucking.

That you're having an affair
with your boss.

Virginia: W-what?!

George: Well, how else do you
explain that two nights a week,

you don't get home until
midnight because you're working?

What's anyone supposed to think
hearing that?

Virginia: Do you even realize
what it is you're saying?

George: Of course I realize it.

Virginia: You're saying
that you would take my kids,

that you would discredit me,
that you would discredit my work

by dragging this into public?

George: Yeah, see?
And there it is.

You're not really worried
about the kids, Gin.

It's that study
that you're worried about.

[ Clears throat ]

It's my treat.

[ Sniffles ]

Lester: Uh, you can change
in there for, uh, privacy.

And clean towels.

Barbara: Okay. Thank you.

Lester: Oh, the--
the door is still open.

Barbara: Thanks.

Lester: [ Exhales sharply ]

Barbara: [ Chuckles ]

Lester: Okay, so, they, uh--

Barbara: They're a little big.
[ Chuckles ]

Um, should we--
Uh, yeah.

Lester:
I have other pillows.

Barbara: Oh, no, no, no, no.
These-- these are perfect.

Good night, Lester.

Lester: Good night.

[ Lock disengages ]

Robert: I'll be honest.

I'm not used to having guests
at 2:00 in the morning.

Libby:
I hope I didn't wake Coral.

Robert: No, uh,
Coral's still in Atlanta.

Yeah, she insisted on going
and insisted on staying.

She's real committed
to the work now.

I'm... really proud of her.

Libby: It's very impressive.

Uh, I do apologize for the hour.

Robert: You know, don't, really.

In fact, uh, I'm the one
who should be apologizing.

Libby: Well, at work,

I know you need to maintain
a certain professionalism.

Robert: I mean, I'm, uh...

sorry about that night...
at your house.

Libby:
I'm not sure what you mean.

Robert: I'm not sure why
I let it happen.

Libby: "It"?

It wasn't something
that you let--

Robert: But it was.

It was, and now... I need to take
responsibility for that.

It was-- it was reckless,

dangerous, and a betrayal, even.

Goes against everything
we're working so hard for.

Libby: "We're"?
Oh, you mean CORE.

Robert: And if I'm
real honest with myself,

well, it may even be
why I did it--

the danger of it.

A woman so outside my world.

Maybe a part of me

still wants to throw a brick
through that window.

[ Scoffs ]

I don't really know.

Libby: I won't come here again.

Robert: I am sorry.

Libby: Stop saying that!

What if you did it
because you wanted me?

What if that was the reason?

Betty: Okay, but who's askin'?

Oh, all right, then.
Hold on a moment, please.

[ Telephone clicks ]

Uh, Mr. Hugh Hefner
is on the line.

Would like a moment
of your time.

William: Hugh Hefner
from Playboy magazine?

Betty: Mm, little ears,
fluffy white tail.

William: Take a message, please.

Lester, can I see you a moment?

Lester: I'm not interested.

William:
I understand your hesitancy,

given that things didn't go
particularly smoothly.

Lester: - With the hooker?
William: - This is different.

Lester: You have a cure...
for impotence?

William: I didn't say a cure.

But perhaps the beginnings
of a protocol-- a-a treatment.

Lester:
Well, I have a girlfriend.

William: A...

Lester: Barb.

Barbara Sanderson-- one of
the other failed experiments.

William:
So-- so you two have--

have been able to engage
in... successful sex?

Lester: We don't need to.

We've found a new way.
We can be together.

We can be happy... by removing
sex from the equation entirely.

William: Well,
not as a-a permanent solution.

That-- that would be
no solution at all.

Lester: How do you know?

William: Because you...

How old are you?

Lester: I'm 29.

I'm not a kid.

I understand you don't get

everything you want
in this life.

William: We're not talking about
a Cadillac, Lester.

You wouldn't be able
to sustain it.

A romantic relationship
with no romance?

Lester:
We have plenty of romance.

William:
A relationship with no sex...

Sex is as basic as breathing,
eating.

Your entire being
will eventually rebel.

Lester: Isaac Newton invented
a lot of calculus.

He had no sex at all.

William: Well,
he was a virgin by choice.

And unless you're coming up

with the next law
of universal gravitation,

eventually,
you're going to realize

you do not want to live
without this.

And Barbara is gonna come
to the same conclusion.

Trust me.

I've asked you to trust me
before, I know.

But this time is different.

I'm asking you to consider...
a new way.

Lester: [ Sighs ]

Austin: Are you excited
about the party tonight?

Flo: Over the moon.

Austin: Listen,
I have a weekly poker game

at The Athletic Club at 8:00.

It's always a lucrative evening.

But I've been thinking
about you going

to this boring political thing
all by yourself without a date.

Obviously, we don't have
a conventional relationship,

but I am fond of you.

Well, what I'm saying is

if you need me
to be there tonight--

to-- to be there for you...

Flo: Okeydoke.

Austin:
Are you saying I should come?

Flo: No.

Austin: Oh.
You already have a date.

Flo: No.

Austin: [ Chuckles ]

Then I-I... I don't understand.

Flo: My family--
they're not like other families.

A week before I see them,

I have to read "The New
York Times" every morning

cover to cover
like I'm studying for a test.

I have one brother
who's a lawyer,

one brother who-- well, he says
he works for the government.

He's probably CIA.

The other's now working
for the new administration,

hence this evening.

Austin: Your point being what?

Because if you're implying
that I can't keep up...

you know, intellectually...

let me remind you
I went to medical school.

I am also a doctor.

Flo: One does tend to lead
to the other.

Austin: I am also very
interested in public affairs.

I've even considered
going into politics myself.

Flo: - Really?
Austin: - Mm-hmm.

Flo:
I didn't know that about you.

So, why was NATO really formed,

aside from being an attempt
to rein in Soviet aggression?

Austin: [ Chuckles ]

I mean, who would ask that
at a party?

[ Chuckles ]

[ Clears throat ]

I mean, you cannot be
embarrassed by me.

That-- that is
physically impossible.

Flo: I didn't say "Embarrassed."

Austin: But you are, aren't you?

Well... you...

[ Sighs ]

Let me get this... straight.

You run me around like
I'm your personal inseminator,

but when it comes
to me meeting your family?

Flo: Honey, it's not you.
It's them.

They'll take one look at you
and say, "Wow.

He really is... blond."

Austin: Are you calling me
a dumb blond?!

Flo: [ Groans ]
Austin. Please.

Ohh.

Women pay a lot of money
for that color in a hair salon.

Virginia: So, of course,
I'm talking to my attorney,

who's talking
to George's attorney.

But... the truth is,
I might have to quit.

Libby: - Would you really quit?
Virginia: - I...

Libby: - Have you told Bill?
Virginia: - No. No.

I haven't said anything.
I'm trying to figure this out.

But my only option
may be to quit.

Libby: But even if you quit,

won't George still take you
to court?

Virginia: Yes, he will,

but he won't be able to hold the
work over my head any longer.

Libby: Won't his lawyer?

I mean, won't his lawyer say

you've been doing this work
all these years,

and you've only now just quit

to make it look better
to a judge?

I don't say that
to be discouraging.

I just... In case...

Virginia: I know.

I-I have to fight him somehow.

I-I...
[ Sighs ]

I-I-I will think of something.

I-I-I will think of something.

Libby: I'm just imagining
if Bill did this to me--

tried to take my kids.

Virginia: [ Sighs ]

Libby: My beautiful,
perfect children, whom I...

love and adore beyond reason.

It's...
[Sighs]

And yet, those children--

when I think that they may be
all that there is for me,

it's not enough.

[ Voice breaking ]
They cannot be the only thing--

just them and only them,
or I will-- I will die.

[ Chuckles ]

If not literally,
then at least--

Virginia: Lib.

Has something happened?

Libby: What if...

God, what if you just let go

of everything that you thought
your life would be?

What if we both did?

Just-- what then?

Virginia: It's my children.

Libby: I know they are.
They are.

But... what really matters when
you think about your children?

No, not something on the cover
of Woman's Day,

but-- but deep down.

Virginia: T-t-they're safe.

I don't know.

That they're--
that they're happy

and that they know--
they know that they're loved.

Libby: Maybe that's the key--
to let go of some... ideal.

To live the life that you have,

not the life that you thought
you would have.

To finally...
just accept what is.

_

Betty: I'm gonna be heading out.

Hmm. That was in
the top-secret envelope?

William: Mm-hmm.

Betty: No address to or from.

The kid that delivered it
wouldn't say who sent him.

So, uh, I figure it's either
a blueprint for the A-bomb,

or Jackie sent in a personal
invite to the swearing-in.

William: [ Sighs ]

[ Sniffles ]

It's, uh...

It's our competition...
The doctor at UCLA.

This is his book.

Betty: A real page-turner?

William:
It's thin, conversational.

It's written for the layman.

Not much science.

No annotating of data--
hardly any data at all.

Betty:
Hmm, more like summer reading.

William: More like our film.

[ Sighs ]

Whereas our work--
our real work--

is miles beyond Dr. Kaufman's.

Our work... will leave
Dr. Kaufman in the dust.

Betty: Look.

I used to poke fun at your
bow tie in the past, anyway,

but that regular tie they put
you in for the filming--

that wasn't doing you
any favors, either.

I just mean...
it wasn't you.

So I'm, uh, scheduling these
follow-up interviews now.

But may I suggest...
stick with the bow tie?

I cannot...
believe I am saying that.

William:
I'll take that under advisement.

[ Inhales deeply ]

[ Footsteps approaching ]

I need to, uh--
I need to talk to you...

About our film...
uh, about, uh, this manuscript.

I want to talk to you about a--
well, a-a possible...

Virginia?

What are you doing?

Virginia:
Uh, I'm waiting for Herb.

William: Who's Herb?

Virginia: Our tenant.

My attorney.

William: You hired Herb Spleeb?

To do what?

Virginia: Uh, to give my husband
what he wants.

William: What does he want?

Virginia: Our kids.

George-- he wanted to put
my fitness on trial,

as a mother.

He-- he wanted to make it
a matter of public record

the prurient nature of our work

and the hours I spend I here
and the hours I spend...

with you.

Apparently, his lawyer had
already begun asking questions

at the Park Plaza Hotel.

William: - George.
Virginia: - Mm-hmm.

William: - George is doing this.
Virginia: - Mm.

Meaning we would have had
two debuts-- one on CBS--

the two of us being introduced
to the country

as groundbreaking researchers,
while at the same time,

a judge in some court
would also be presenting us

to the world
as sleazy, amoral smut peddlers.

William: You-- you-- you
cannot be put in that position.

Virginia, that's--
that's completely untenable.

So-- so what we do--

Virginia: No, no, no.
It's already done.

Herb is presenting an offer
to George as we speak.

And the terms are very favorable
to George.

All he has to do
is keep it out of court.

William: An offer?

Virginia: Yes.

William: You haven't, uh--

you haven't given up
your children, have you?

Virginia:
Don't say it like that.

But once the film airs,
I will get them back.

William:
Virginia, you didn't do--

Virginia: Because I will use the
film to show that this work--

that my part in our work
is respectable and legitimate

and one day, very soon,
I will drag him into court

and I can use the sterling reputation
of CBS to get the kids back.

William: No, you cann-- No,
you have to get them back now.

Virginia: No. I can't.
It's already done.

It's only temporary.

Henry: Hey, mom.

Mom.

Did you know George Washington
really loved dogs a lot?

And his favorite one was named
Sweet Lips?

Virginia: [ Exhales sharply ]

I didn't know that.

Tessa: Did you know
Greece was an island?

Virginia: Ooh,
here's my question for you.

Um, your dad and I were talking
about something

that you might think is fun.

Tessa: Going to Greece?

Henry:
I want to go to the Potomac.

Virginia:
Not to Greece or the Potomac.

But an adventure of sorts.

Do you know how--
how you spend all week here,

except for Wednesdays,
when you're with your dad?

And then on the weekends,

it's every other weekend
with your dad?

Tessa: And Audrey.

Virginia: And Audrey.

Uh, well, my question is, uh...

Well, you like staying
at your dad's place, right?

Tessa: - Yes.
Henry: - A lot.

Virginia: All right,
well, what if--

what if we were
to flip-flop it so...

you spend the week with him,

and then you're here
on Wednesdays with me,

and then I-I would take
every other weekend, just--

just to see how it goes,
see how we like it?

Henry: Why?

Virginia: Uh, because...

Because your dad wants to spend
as much time with you as I do.

Tessa:
Yeah, he does say that a lot.

Virginia: Hmm.

Yes, well, you would be seeing
him a lot more.

That's all.

It would be pretty much
the same, just... reversed.

Henry: Okay.

But all this talking
means we're gonna be late,

and I can't be late today.

Tessa: Yeah. And you're still
in your bathrobe.

[ Telephone ringing ]

William: Virginia?

Virginia: Hello?

Reporter: ...University
of California at Los Angeles,

where behind closed doors,
we have discovered

a groundbreaking study
under way.

The surprising details of which
will be revealed

in a controversial,
soon-to-be-published book

called "Man And Sex."

Dr. Kaufman:
I realized several years ago

that not only has
male sexuality been ignored

as a serious science,

but the field of sexuality,
in general,

is also uncharted territory.

Shep: I am as furious about this
as you are, Virginia.

Believe me.

Virginia: I-I don't understand.

Shep:
Well, it's painfully simple.

Somebody has
massively fucked up.

It wasn't me.

My team is meticulous when it
comes to protecting my clients.

And they would have been
the first to hear

about a potential scoop
from a competing network.

Lester: All I know is I've heard
the word "Sex" three times

in a four-minute story.

Shep: Well, maybe you were
indiscreet, Lester.

Maybe that's how this happened.

Lester: Me?! Hell, no.
You can make an ac--

Shep: I assure you

that I'm gonna get
to the bottom of this,

despite the fact that,
most regrettably,

that's not gonna change
the outcome with CBS.

They thought they had something
newsworthy with your story,

but now with Dr. Kaufman beating
us to the punch like this...

Virginia: CBS already called?

Shep: - [ Sighs ]
Virginia: - They're not...?

Shep:
Our piece is not gonna air.

Dr. Kaufman:
...and unnecessary stress.

Virginia: Bill, no.

William: It seems Dr. Kaufman
has a partner.

Dr. Kaufman: ...like, how does
a male recognize chemistry

with a potential mate?

What kind of responsibility
does the male bear

with regards
to sexual encounters?

Dr. Haas: And there's also room
to explore the role of women

with regards
to their interactions with men.

And that includes
sexual attractions.

Shep:
Do you know the younger one?

William:
He used to work with me.

Virginia also... knew him.

Virginia: Ethan--

How-- how can that--
I must have caused this.

William: Virginia,
you did not cause this.

Virginia:
I let my kids go for that.

Noth-- For nothing.

William: The film wouldn't have
changed anything.

Virginia: - Yes! Yes!
William: - No.

Virginia: - Yes, it would have.
William: - Don't you see?

Virginia: Yes, it would have.

[ Crying ] My kids-- my kids--
they're gone.

[ Crying ]

William: I am...

I am so, so sorry.

Virginia: [ Crying continues ]

William: All we can do now
is-is get back to work, okay?

So we're gonna--
we're gonna put our heads down,

and we're gonna work.

We're gonna do our work--
the work that matters.

That's what we're gonna do.

We're gonna get back to work.

Virginia: [ Sobbing ]

Woman: [ Laughs ]

Giulia.

Lester:
Talk about life-changing.

Antonioni is just...

Barbara: Grim.

Strange.

Incomprehensible.

Lester: But what a love story.

Barbara: They-- they barely
even liked each other.

Lester: Exactly! It's not one
of those Hollywood fairy tales.

It's not "Happily ever after."

It's real and complicated
and very... sexy.

You didn't think so?

The way they looked at each
other, the way he kissed her.

Barbara: Y-y-you've seen
this film before.

Lester: Four times.

Barbara: So... you wanted me
to see something in it.

Lester: Yes.

I wanted you to see... us--

a real, messy,
complicated couple,

but a couple that has that.

Barbara: That?

Lester: This.

Will you not give up on this
with me?

Please.

[ Piano plays ]

William: [ Chuckles ]

Barton:
Well, the book part was easy.

I called up that reprobate
that broke my daughter's heart

and made it very clear
he owed me one.

Getting the book
to a competing network--

that, uh...
took a little more doing.

William: Well, you're still
a connected man, Barton,

because whatever you did,
our film is now officially dead.

Barton: I thought you'd look
happier about that, Bill.

It was what you wanted,
wasn't it?

I mean, why you called me.

Thank you.

All right, then.

Your work is better
than Kaufman's. You know that.

You just aren't ready
to show it to the world yet.

You bet on yourself.

William: I bet on Virginia, too.

What I, uh-- what I didn't
realize when I called you was...

[ Clears throat ]

...Virginia was in the middle
of a custody dispute.

Barton: You did tell Virginia
you were killing the film.

William: I-I was gonna tell her,
of course.

I was just, uh,
setting the wheels in motion,

getting all the--
the pieces in-- in place.

Barton:
After you already decided

what you were going to do?

William:
Believe me, if I co--

if I could take it back...

Barton: You would.

You sure about that?

That reminds me
of when you wanted your study

at Maternity Hospital,

and instead of trying
to convince me

that you were right,
you blackmailed me.

I don't--
I don't say that to scold you.

But blazing ahead like this--
always the one-man show,

always your terms
and your terms only--

well, it's hell
on the people around you

and no picnic for you, either,
as far as I could tell.

I know what it's like, Bill,

living scared--
scared to let people in.

William: [ Chuckles ]

Barton: That's why my life
is simple now.

Being a doctor again, working
at a clinic, steady routine.

I'm not saying
everything is fixed.

I mean, Margaret hasn't left me,

although...
what she does with her time...

But I took a leap of faith.

Decided to trust.

I told her. Everything.

As tough as it's been,
at least we're in it together.

William: I-I never meant...
to hurt Virginia.

Barton: No.

You never do.

Robert: This has got to stop.

You know that.

Libby: I don't know anything.

Well, no.

That's not entirely true.

I know...

that my husband has been
having an affair for years.

And I-I used to just pretend
that it wasn't happening.

And then I looked the other way.

And then I focused
on my children.

And then... I met you.

And I know...

I know that this...
thing that we have...

[ Sighs ]

I know that I want it.

That is something that I know.

I know I want to feel.

Brinkley: The motorcade
has just arrived at the Capitol

where the attending dignitaries

have assembled
for the inaugural ceremony.

Now taking their seats are members of the
Kennedy family.

Mrs. Kennedy with her mother...

Austin: Cal-o-Metric,

where the new you is just
three small tablets away.

Hold, please.

[ Telephone receiver clicks ]

Brinkley: Vice President-Elect
Lyndon Baines Johnson,

and the last to take his place,

President-Elect
John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Austin: Look at that.

No top hat.

[ Scoffs ]

Pres. Kennedy: President Truman,
Reverend Clergy,

fellow citizens,

we observe today

not a victory of party
but a celebration of freedom.

For I have sworn before you

and almighty God

the same solemn oath
our forebears prescribed

nearly a century
and three-quarters ago,

symbolizing an end,
as well as a beginning,

signifying renewal,
as well as change.

For which our forebears fought

are still at issue
around the globe--

the belief
that the rights of man

come not from the generosity
of the state,

but from the hand of God.

Virginia: We know
that we've failed you both--

that you've shared
your struggles with us.

William: And trusted us
to devise a-a treatment,

yet we made
little discernable progress.

Virginia:
And-- and worst of all,

our approach discouraged you,
filled you with despair.

But we don't think that has to
be the end of the story.

We have developed--

William: Are in the process
of developing a protocol--

Virginia: A path back,
if you will--

steps that you can follow--

William: That may lead you back
to a happy life,

a full and satisfying life.

Virginia: But the key is,
it takes both of you

to make a leap of faith.

William: Of trust.

Working together.

Virginia: In it... together.

William: That is the key.

Pres. Kennedy:
We dare not forget today

that we are the heirs
of that first revolution.

Let the word go forth
from this time and place

to friend and foe alike...

that the torch has been passed

to a new generation
of Americans--

born in this century...