Masters of Sex: Involuntary

July 15, 2014 6:06 PM - Season 1, Episode 9

Masters and Johnson convince Lester and Jane that their filmed footage won't cross the line into pornography. Haas and Vivian's plans for a church wedding get sidetracked when Haas reveals he's Jewish. Libby keeps her pregnancy a secret from Masters while encouraging him to mend his relationship with his mother.
posted by oh yeah! (2 comments total)

I found Haas' initial surprise-Judaism a little implausible for the era. My father was class of '66 in college, and it's my understanding that the Ivy League schools still had quotas on the maximum number of Jews they would accept. And the show is set in 1956 - that close to the Holocaust, being so blasé about being a nonparticipating Jew doesn't ring true to me. I think at that time you'd have to make an active choice to be Jewish or to pass as Gentile, not be all 'woops, forgot about that religion thing'. Especially if Haas' parents are still living. But I did like his scene about the bacon, that part resonated with me.

Love the Johnson/DePaul scenes.
posted by oh yeah! at 6:32 PM on July 15, 2014 [1 favorite]

Actually, I find the whole Haas/Vivian relationship kind of improbable. She seems to be basically living at his place, or at least staying over often? It seems unlikely that a 19-year-old who lived at home in 1956 would be allowed to be out all night on a regular basis.
posted by snorkmaiden at 9:55 AM on July 18, 2014 [2 favorites]