Masters of Sex: Season 3, Episode 4 “Undue Influence” (B+)
My enthusiasm for this show waxes and wanes each week but I think this was definitely one of the more compelling installment. Bill reading “How to Make Friends and Influence People” helped to shape him into a less selfish and awful person, and it made for a handful of tragically awkward moments in which he was smilingly uncomfortably or putting too much effort in to try to be nice to those around him, an act he previously invested nothing in making happen. Getting Virginia a fur coat was a particularly grand gesture, especially since she isn’t his wife, and her reaction was one of total shock. It’s become clear that he thinks very little of Libby, and isn’t trying anymore to deny that he is madly in love with Virginia. Tessa’s discovery of their affair really broke her, and coming in to the office to do filing is very poorly-timed since she won’t be able to look at either Bill or Virginia the same way ever again, even with Betty’s coaching about the industry. Bill isn’t Virginia’s only suitor, as Dan Logan is all about paying her compliments which seem to be working. Helping her get the information about her son was a kind gesture but also one that bolstered her opinion of him and made Bill’s similar idea much later sound useless. It was good to see both Scullys once again, with Tate Donovan as the overeager new beau for Margaret and the difficult discussion of Barton’s sexuality and how he couldn’t bring himself to let her talk about it or even talk about it himself.
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