In "Phallic Victories" we focus on the now split apart lives of Bill and Virginia. Bill is attempting to move on from Virginia tending to his needs, but she has become so ingrained in his life that he finds himself seeing her, and her speaking to him almost like a conscience. As for Virginia, we see how well she works with people, a possible talent she learned during her singer days, and uses this talent to aid Dr. DePaul who, as she gets to know Virginia, begins to soften up and expose the vulnerable side and shed her rough exterior. She isn't the only one though in Virginia's life which reveals bits of themselves. George also comes around, to see his kids, and while he isn't fond of Ethan taking his "patella reflex" there is a somber acceptance.
Plot Analysis & Criticism
This, to me, was a beautiful episode. If the producers were to choose which episode to show voters to get Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan any kind of nomination, I'd think this episode would be within the top 3. The reason I say that is because, this series mixes the work of the sex studies so well with the personal drama. In many shows, it is hard for them to balance a characters professional life and personal life without one suffering for the other. Masters of Sex is different though.
Take note of just Virginia in this episode. Like many women, she has multiple hats. She plays the mother, the girlfriend, the secretary, the avid supporter and even the confidant. And she isn't shown as some supermom who has it all down, she has her good days where things are fine, and days when trying to wear so many hats and keep track of all the problems in her life, and others, is just exhausting. Like in this episode, she treats Dr. DePaul similar to Bill. She helps make her approachable to the general public, keep her spirits high, and give the almost female version of Bill, an outlet.
We have known for quite some time that Dr. DePaul has stage 4 cancer, but now we know all she has been through. She found out in her early 20s, got radiation and a hysterectomy (a procedure that removes the uterus). But now, it has returned in her liver and there is no means of trying to fight. So, she has this one battle, one that could save other woman, and Virginia has been the help Dr. DePaul seemingly has always wanted. She may not have got a mentor, but at least she has something like a friend. And god it was hard not to cry when Dr. DePaul finally opened up about her diagnosis.
Bill too even has his moment. Though he has recently reverted back to being a butt head, with that one thing giving him any semblance of humanity gone, you can see the effect. She has become his conscience, that 2nd thought questioning whether the first idea was a good one, and though Libby has her place as his wife, Virginia is something which seemingly transcends what Libby can be capable of for Bill. In a weird way, it is sort of romantic and really lives up to the idea of not being able to live without someone, or this gap when someone essentially to your growth as a person is gone.
Overall
Though I focused only on Bill and Virginia, the whole central cast really are wonderful. Ethan too had great moments with George when they spoke of the concept of masculinity, fatherhood and the difficulty which comes of not just having the title, but doing the job. Also, George made an interesting point about love which I found fascinating. He says to Ethan that he knew a Virginia that Ethan may never know, and that is his consolation prize. And I'm not sure how many of you out there may have loved and may no longer have that person, but I felt touched by the idea that our memories of someone, especially the good times, are the consolation prize. You may not have gotten what you wanted from, or out, of the relationship, but you don't leave empty handed. Sometimes all you may get is a few happy memories; other times you learn the standard of which you want, and need, to be loved; and then sometimes a relationship is simply an experience which has you grow as a person, which is mirrored in all the characters. George got happy memories; Ethan found, through Virginia, the type of standard he needs, and wants, to be loved; and Bill grew as a person through Virginia by learning, once more I'm sure, what it is like to have some sense of empathy.
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