Whenever the conversation of the best living actors and actresses starts up, one name that doesn’t come up enough is Allison Janney. Seriously, over the course of her career, the talented film, TV, and stage star has won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, seven Primetime Emmy Awards, dozens of other accolades, including two Tony nominations, and appears to be a genuinely amazing person.

Don’t believe me? Well, just take a look at some of the best Allison Janney movies and TV shows that show off everything she’s working with, whether it be comedy, drama, or one of the most respected series of all time (which she has referenced time and again). And just in case you want to check these out for yourself, we’ve included streaming links and other ways to give them a spin.

To Leslie (2022) 

Michael Morris’ grueling 2022 drama film, To Leslie, centers on Andrea Riseborough’s titular character after she wins nearly $200,000 in a West Texas lottery that could forever change the course of her life and bring an end to her lifelong downward spiral. But instead, the fortune is squandered, leaving Leslie, her son, James (Owen Teague), her mother, Nancy (Allison Janney), and everyone else in her orbit to pick up the pieces.

Riseborough’s incredible and incredibly heart-wrenching portrayal of a woman in crisis is astounding, as is the rest of the cast, including Janney. The Academy Award-winning actress shines in the role of a loving yet fed-up mother, and she provides the emotional anchor throughout stretches of the movie.

Rent/buy To Leslie on Amazon.

Lou (2022) 

The 2022 Netflix movie, Lou, sees Allison Janney try her hand in the world of action thrillers in a movie that sees her take on the role of a former CIA agent living on an island off the coast of Washington. When her tenant’s former lover, who was presumed dead, shows up in town and kidnaps his daughter, Janney’s Lou Adell becomes the young girl’s only chance.

Anna Foerster’s tense thriller is full of twists and turns, with major revelations being brought to the surface throughout its nearly two-hour runtime. Janney is especially convincing as a former field agent with secrets (and skills) she wishes to keep hidden.

Stream Lou on Netflix.

I, Tonya (2017)

Margot Robbie’s portrayal of Tonya Harding was at the center of the 2017 biographical drama, but it was Allison Janney who stole the show, and won her first Academy Award for her take on the infamous figure skater’s mother, LaVona Golden. How the actress played the abusive mother who pushed her daughter to greatness but also down a troubled path was nothing short of masterful.

What’s really impressive about Janney’s performance in Craig Gillespie’s shocking and wickedly funny sports drama, which also netted her a Golden Globe, is that there are times where it’s hard to tell if you’re watching the real LaVona Golden or an actress. And the mockumentary style of the picture also gives Janney’s character even more time to shine.

Stream I, Tonya on Hulu.
Buy/rent I, Tonya on Amazon.
Get it on Blu-ray on Amazon. 

The West Wing (1999 - 2006)

Over the years, there have been several great TV shows set in the White House, like Veep and House of Cards, but neither of those or others like them hold a candle to the greatness that was Aaron Sorkin’s landmark series, The West Wing. And who had a prominent role in the show’s expansive ensemble cast? None other than Allison Janney, whose character, C.J. Cregg, went from Press Secretary to Chief of Staff by series end. 

Janney won an impressive four Primetime Emmy Awards (twice as a Supporting Actress, twice for Lead Actress), four Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a whole slew of nominations and other accolades. I think the hardware speaks volumes about Janney and her breakout role. And don’t get me started on her walk and talk technique.

Stream The West Wing on HBO Max.
Buy The West Wing on Amazon.
Get it on DVD on Amazon. 

Juno (2007)

As far as movie moms go, there are few that are in the same category as Bren MacGuff (Allison Janney) in Jason Reitman’s 2007 coming-of-age comedy, Juno. When Juno MacGuff (Elliot Page) becomes pregnant at a young age and decides to go through with the pregnancy and give up the baby for adoption, her stepmom is right there beside her through it all and is supportive as can be, even though she is under no obligation to be so.

In a movie that is also filled with tremendous and heartfelt performances by the likes of J.K. Simmons (in one of his best roles), Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, and Michael Cera, Janney remains one of the most beloved and endearing throughout. Upon repeated viewings, it’s easy to catch subtle acts by the caring woman that show she is willing to sacrifice her own happiness and comfort for that of her child.

Stream Juno on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Juno on Amazon.
Get it on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon. 

Mom (2013 - 2021)

When talking about the best Allison Janney movies and TV shows, you can’t go too long before her long-running sitcom, Mom, is brought up. Over the course of eight seasons, Janney took on the role of Bonnie Plunkett, a recovering alcoholic who rekindled her relationship with her daughter, Christy (Anna Faris), who was also battling addiction.

Janney would end up taking home two more Primetime Emmy Awards for her role on the successful series, and she was more than deserving of both. The way Janney handled some delicate topics with grace, care, and most importantly, humor, was a breath of fresh air to the format. And, it doesn’t hurt that she and the rest of the cast had tremendous chemistry.

Stream Mom on Hulu.
Buy Mom on Amazon.
Get it on DVD on Amazon. 

American Beauty (1999)

A movie that made a surprisingly large amount of money at the box office, American Beauty largely centers on Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), a middle-aged man in the midst of an existential crisis that wraps up not just his family but also his neighbors, coworkers, and his children’s friends as he begins losing touch with the world around him.

But the Burnhams aren’t the only family going through their own personal hells in American Beauty, as their new neighbors, the Fitts, also have a tremendous amount of pain and confusion in their home. This is best seen in the character of Barbara (Allison Janney), who is largely silent and despondent throughout the movie. And even though she only says a few words, Janney’s body language speaks volumes.

Stream American Beauty on Pluto.
Rent/Buy American Beauty on Amazon.
Get it on Blu-ray on Amazon. 

Finding Nemo (2003)

Although not the best Pixar movie, Finding Nemo is in that top tier of the studio’s body of work, and a lot of that can be attributed to the cast and the way they help flesh out the story about a clownfish going to great lengths to reunite with his missing son. And yeah, that includes Allison Janney’s character, Peach, the sea star who helps Nemo escape a fish tank.

One of the best examples of Janney’s brilliance in this role comes during a scene when the group of sea creatures living in the fish tank are supposed to escape, an attempt that is thwarted by a new filtration system. The way she goes from saying “Good morning” with so much glee to a state of panic is incredible, and adds a nice pop to the scene.

Stream Finding Nemo on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Finding Nemo on Amazon.
Get it on Blu-ray on Amazon. 

The Help (2011)

Tate Taylor’s 2011 hilarious and poignant comedy-drama, The Help, has its share of incredible characters played by Viola Davis, Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer, and Jessica Chastain, but it would be impossible to discuss the movie about a young writer shedding light on the stories of the Black women who worked in prominent Jackson, Mississippi households without mentioning Allison Janney.

Sure, Janney’s character, Charlotte Phelan, doesn’t have the courage of her daughter, Skeeter (Stone), at least not initially, but she more than makes up for it in the latter part of the movie. Everyone loves a good story of someone coming around and seeing the flaws in their ways, which is very much the case here.

Stream The Help on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy The Help on Amazon.
Get it on DVD on Amazon.

Masters Of Sex (2013 - 2015)

The Showtime drama series, Masters of Sex, largely focused on the professional and personal lives of human sexuality researchers William Masters (Michael Sheen) and Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan) in the mid-part of the 20th Century, but the show also featured a great number of guest stars, including Allison Janney.

Throughout parts of the series, Janney popped up as Margaret Scully, a close friend of Masters and Johnson who goes throughout a sexual reawakening thanks to their research and becomes a stronger, more independent, and happier woman in the process. And, it should be noted Janney won a Primetime Emmy Award for her portrayal.

Buy Masters of Sex on Amazon.
Get it on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Way Way Back (2013)

The 2013 coming-of-age comedy, The Way Way Back, is a movie that doesn’t get nearly as much recognition as it deserves, which is a shame considering it tells a tremendous story about an awkward teen named Duncan (Liam James) who finds himself over the course of a summer spent at the seaside. 

It also doesn’t hurt that Nat Faxon and Jim Rash put together one hell of a cast that includes Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph, and Allison Janney, who plays Betty, Duncan’s neighbor for the summer. She’s direct, honest, and always with a drink in hand, making her one of the most electric and exciting characters of the bunch.

Stream The Way Way Back on Hulu.
Stream The Way Way Back on Freevee.
Rent/Buy The Way Way Back on Amazon.
Get it on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)

The 1999 dark comedy mockumentary, Drop Dead Gorgeous, follows a group of teenagers participating in a small town beauty pageant, but things take a turn when the contestants begin dying under rather suspicious circumstances. 

In addition to serving as one of Amy Adams’ first movies, Drop Dead Gorgeous also helped take other rising stars to the next level, including Kirsten Dunst, Denise Richards, and Allison Janney. Throughout the movie, Janney’s character, Loretta, is an absolute firecracker who gets the most out of every scene, even those where she’s in the background. You won’t find it streaming (for now), but it’s more than worth the DVD purchase to see Janey in action.

Get it on DVD on Amazon.

Bombshell (2019)

Bombshell, which followed several female Fox News employees in their attempt to expose Roger Ailes (John Lithgow) for unwanted sexual advances, is a wild ride from start to finish. In the middle of that storm is Susan Estrich (Allison Janney), a complicated character who provides Ailes with legal device.

Throughout each of her scenes, Janney does an incredible job of personifying the conflicted nature of her character. By the end, you don’t necessarily love the character or what she represents, but it’s impossible to not give the actress props for her approach to the role.

Rent/Buy Bombshell on Amazon.
Get it on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Hairspray (2007)

Hairspray, the 2007 remake of John Waters’ cult classic of the same name, tells the story of Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Bolonsky), a teenage girl with aspirations of earning a spot on The Corny Collins Show in hopes of bringing about radical change to the popular series and the city of Baltimore in general, while also having a lot of fun.

Allison Janney steps in as Prudence “Prudy” Pingleton, Tracy’s best friend’s racist, close-minded, fun-hating, nosy mother who fears change more than she fears God. Janney is remarkable in her portrayal of such an unlikable person in the musical comedy and stands out as one of the most detestable characters of the movie.

Stream Hairspray on HBO Max.
Stream Hairspray on Freevee.
Rent/Buy Hairspray on Amazon.
Get it on DVD on Amazon.

Expect this list to keep growing in the coming months, as Allison Janney is set to appear in True Love, Gareth Edwards star-studded sci-fi drama set to be released near the end of the 2023 movie schedule. Janney will also return to the small screen for the Apple TV+ period comedy series, Mrs. American Pie, which could very well end up being one of the biggest 2023 new shows.   

Every once in a while, celebrity siblings - such as Ben and Casey Affleck or Dakota and Elle Fanning - end up sharing the screen together. Well, apparently it happens a little more often than just every once in a while, given the amount of examples we compiled below.

Jake And Maggie Gyllenhaal (A Dangerous Woman, Homegrown, Donnie Darko)

Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal and his twice-nominated older sister, Maggie, are in three movies together: 1993’s A Dangerous Woman, 1998’s Homegrown (both were directed by their father, Stephen), and the eventual sci-fi cult classic, Donnie Darko, in 2001.

Jeff And Beau Bridges (The Fabulous Baker Boys)

Oscar winner Jeff Bridges and his older brother, Beau, also played siblings in The Fabulous Baker Boys - a 1989 comedy in which the titular musicians become rivals after teaming up with a beautiful aspiring singer (Michelle Pfieffer).

Kate And Rooney Mara (Urban Legends: Bloody Mary)

Kate Mara of the House of Cards cast led the 2005 straight-to-video slasher, Urban Legends: Bloody Mary, in which her younger sister, Nightmare Alley’s Rooney Mara, made her acting debut.

Sean And Chris Penn (At Close Range)

Future two-time Oscar-winner Sean Penn and his late younger brother, Chris (best known from the Reservoir Dogs cast) played siblings in the 1986 crime thriller, At Close Range, starring Christopher Walken as their criminal father.

Andrew, Owen, And Luke Wilson (Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums) 

Owen Wilson and his younger sibling, Luke have also acted alongside their eldest brother, Andrew, in 1996’s Bottle Rocket and The Royal Tenenbaums from 2001 - both of which Owen also co-wrote with director Wes Anderson.

Chris And Luke Hemsworth (Thor: Ragnarok)

Chris Hemsworth has yet to star in anything with his little bro, Liam, but the Australian Marvel movie star’s older bother, Westworld star Luke, did show up in Thor: Ragnarok as a dramatized version of the God of Thunder, whom he is set to reprise (along with Matt Damon as “Actor Loki”) in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Dylan And Cole Sprouse (Various)

Twin brothers Dylan and Cole Sprouse (the latter of which went on to join the Riverdale cast) have shared the same role in several TV shows (most notably Grace Under Fire) and movies (such as Big Daddy with Adam Sandler) and have played siblings just as often, most famously as the title characters of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, its spin-off The Suite Life on Deck, and 2011’s The Suite Life Movie.

Tia, Tamera, And Tahj Mowry  (Sister, Sister, Smart Guy, Seventeen Again)

Twin sisters Tia and Tamera Mowry have shared the screen with their little brother, Tahj, several times - most notably as guest stars on each other’s respective sitcoms, Sister, Sister and Smart Guy, and in the 2000 Showtime original movie, Seventeen Again.

James And Dave Franco (The Disaster Artist)

After years finding success in the business in separate projects, James Franco and his younger brother, Dave, played Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero of the infamous cult favorite, The Room, in the 2017 biopic, The Disaster Artist.

Hilary And Haylie Duff (Various)

Haylie Duff would appear on three episodes of her younger sister, Hilary’s, Disney Channel show, Lizzie McGuire, and provided the singing voice of Isabella Parigi in the theatrical spin-off before they both played a singing group on an episode of American Dreams, sisters in the 2006 rags-to-riches story Material Girls, and both leant their voices to the infamous animated movie Foodfight!, which was released in 2012.

Aly And AJ Michalka (Various)

Singer-songwriter duo Aly and AJ Michalka first shared the screen in the 2006 Disney Channel original movie Cow Belles as sisters, again in the MTV original Super Sweet 16: The Movie the next year as rivals, followed by three episodes of Aly’s CW series Hellcats in 2011 as half-sisters. Most recently, they appeared in the 2015 drama, Weepah Way For Now, as what appear to be fictionalized versions of themselves.

Dakota And Elle Fanning (I Am Sam, Taken)

Elle Fanning has portrayed a younger version of her older sister, Dakota, on two separate occasions: first in the 2001 drama I Am Sam and secondly in the Steven Spielberg-produced, Syfy original miniseries, Taken, in 2002.

Spencer And Abigail Breslin (Various)

Academy Award nominee Abigail and her older brother, Spencer, played siblings in both Raising Helen and The Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement in 2004, played elves in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause in 2006, and later played cousins in the 2014 crime drama, Perfect Sisters.

Jason And Justine Bateman (Arrested Development)

Justine Bateman played her real-life brother, Jason's, sibling in the 1986 TV movie Can You Feel Me Dancing? and a sex worker whom Jason’s Michael Bluth mistakes for his long-lost sibling on Arrested Development.

John, Joan, Ann, And Bill Cusack (Grosse Pointe Blank)

While beloved star John Cusack and his Academy-nominated sister, Joan, have appeared in more films together than most celebrity siblings can claim (including Say Anything… and High Fidelity), the only screen credit that they also share with both their sister, Ann, and brother, Bill, is 1997’s Grosse Pointe Blank, which John also co-wrote and produced.

Bill And Brian Doyle Murray (Various) 

Bill Murray and his older brother, Brian, are both Saturday Night Live veterans (although at different times) and have several classic movies in common - including Caddyshack, Scrooged, Ghostbusters II, Groundhog Day, and The Razor's Edge.

Ben And Casey Affleck (Good Will Hunting, Chasing Amy)

Years before casting him in his amazing directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone, Ben Affleck shared the screen with his younger brother and fellow Oscar winner, Casey, in Good Will Hunting (which Ben co-wrote with Matt Damon) and Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy in 1997.

Macaulay And Kieran Culkin (Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York)

Kieran Culkin (now more famous than ever since starring on HBO’s Succession) made his acting debut alongside his older brother (child megastar Macaulay Culkin) in 1990’s Home Alone cast as his cousin, Fuller - a role he would also reprise in the 1992 sequel.

Rory And Kieran Culkin (Igby Goes Down)

In addition to playing Macaulay’s younger self in Richie Rich, the youngest Culkin brother, Rory, also played a younger version of Kieran as the title role in 2002's Igby Goes Down.

The Wayans Siblings (Various) 

Where do we start with the Wayans Siblings? Well, for instance, several of them (such as Damon and Kim Wayans) were a part of the In Living Color cast with star and creator Keenen Ivory Wayans, who later directed his younger brothers, Marlon and Shawn, in movies like White Chicks, the first two Scary Movie installments, and Little Man.

Zooey And Emily Deschanel (Bones)

In Season 5 of Bones, star Emily Deschanel’s sister (Zooey of the Elf cast fame and later the lead of the New Girl cast) guest starred as Temperance Brennan’s second cousin, Margaret Whitesell.

Fred And Ben Savage (Little Monsters, The Wonder Years, Boy Meets World)

After playing siblings in the family-friendly horror film, Little Monsters, in 1989, Ben Savage made a guest appearance on his older brother, Fred’s, hit dramedy, The Wonder Years, in 1990 and later returned the favor by inviting him to the Boy Meets World cast for an episode in 1998.

Charlie Sheen And Emilio Estevez (Various)

After making several movies together - including Young Guns, Men At Work, and Rated X (the latter two of which Emilio Estevez directed), Charlie Sheen (née Carlos Estevez) reunited with his brother on an episode of his hit sitcom, Two and a Half Men, in 2008.

Vanessa and Laura Marano (Saving Zoë)

Both of these talented ladies had guest appearances on Dexter at different times in the series’ run, but Vanessa Marano and her younger sister, Laura, did appear together in the 2019 mystery, Saving Zoë, as siblings torn apart by one’s unsolved murder.

Nat And Alex Wolff (The Naked Brothers Band, Mr. Troop Mom, Stella’s Last Weekend)

Hereditary’s Alex Wolff and his older brother, Peacock’s Joe vs. Carole cast member Nat Wolff, both debuted as fictionalized versions of themselves in Nickelodeon’s faux rockumentary, The Naked Brothers Band, its series continuation, and the 2009 TV movie Mr. Troop Mom before reuniting in 2018’s Stella’s Last Weekend, which was written and directed by their mother, Polly Draper.

Vera And Taissa Farmiga (Higher Ground, At Middleton, The Nun)

Scream Queens Vera and Taissa Farmiga, who are often mistaken for mother and daughter, played mother and daughter in 2013’s At Middleton after Taissa previously played her older sister’s younger self in Vera’s 2011 directorial debut, Higher Ground. However, interestingly, their characters in the 2018 Conjuring spin-off, The Nun, have no apparent familial ties.

Maude And Iris Apatow (Knocked Up, This Is 40, Funny People)

Euphoria’s Maude Apatow and her younger sister, Iris, have played siblings in 2007’s Knocked Up, its “sort-of sequel” This is 40 from 2012, and 2009’s Funny People - all three of which also starred their real mother, Leslie Mann, as their mother, and were written and directed by their father, Judd Apatow.

Dan And Sarah Levy (Schitt’s Creek)

While Annie Murphy plays co-creator Dan Levy’s on-screen sister in the Schitt’s Creek cast, Café Tropical owner, Twyla Sands, is played by his real-life sister, Sarah.

Mary-Kate, Ashley, And Elizabeth Olsen (How The West Was Fun)

After Full House made the Olsen Twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley, household names and  before the Marvel movies made their younger sister, Elizabeth, an A-lister, all three of them appeared together in the ABC original TV movie How the West Was Fun in 1994.

Bill And Alexander Skarsgård (White Water Fury)

Years before his terrifying performance as Pennywise in It, Bill Skarsgård made his acting debut alongside his older brother, True Blood cast member Alexander, in the 2000 Swedish thriller, White Water Fury.

Blake And Robyn Lively (Simon Says)

Robyn Lively, star of 1989’s Teen Witch, shared the screen with her then up-and-coming half-sister, former Gossip Girl cast member Blake Lively, in a 2006 slasher flick called Simon Says, which also stars fellow ‘80s icon Crispin Glover.

Brian And Domhnall Gleeson (Mother!, Frank Of Ireland)

Despite plenty of years of experience between the them, it was not until 2017 when Star Wars star Domnhall Gleeson and his younger brother, Brian, shared the screen in Mother! before reuniting as co-creators and co-stars of the Amazon Prime original comedy Frank of Ireland - also starring their father, Brendan Gleeson.

Eddie And Charlie Murphy (Harlem Nights, Norbit)

Comedy icon Eddie Murphy worked behind the scenes a lot with his older brother, Charlie, who passed away in 2017, but the two would also share a few acting credits, - namely Eddie’s 1989 directorial debut Harlem Nights (also Charlie’s first movie), and in 2006’s Norbit, in which Charlie voiced a dog named Floyd.

Phylicia Rashad And Debbie Allen (The Cosby Show, Grey’s Anatomy, The Old Settler)

Phylicia Rashad and her younger sister, Emmy-winning dance legend Debbie Allen, have made guest appearances on each other’s shows - The Cosby Show, on which Rashad played Claire Huxtable, and Grey’s Anatomy, on which Allen plays Dr. Catherine Fox (née Avery) - and both starred in a 2001 TV movie called The Old Settler, which Allen also directed.

Ron And Clint Howard (Various) 

You can find Clint Howard in just about every movie directed by his brother, Ron Howard - including his feature-length directorial debut from 1977, Grand Theft Auto, which was also the brothers’ third time acting alongside each other after the 1963 film The Courtship of Eddie’s Father and a handful of episodes of The Andy Griffith Show.

Angelina Jolie And James Haven (Gia, Hell’s Kitchen, Original Sin)

Audiences probably remember Angelina Jolie’s brother, James Haven, better for other reasons than all the times he shared the screen with his younger sister - namely Gia and Hell’s Kitchen from 1998, and 2001’s Original Sin.

Jared And Shannon Leto (Various)

In addition to being bandmates with his young brother, Oscar winner Jared Leto, in 30 Seconds to Mars, Shannon Leto also shared the screen with him on a couple of episodes of My So-Called Life (on which Jared played the iconic Jordan Catalano) and through brief appearances in the movies Prefontaine from 1997, 1998’s Highway, and Sol Goode in 2003.

Chris And Scott Evans (Before We Go, Playing It Cool)

Former Captain America actor Chris Evans has a brother named Scott who has also appeared in two romantic-comedies from 2014 with his older sibling, called Before We Go (which Chris also directed) and Playing It Cool.

Sarah And Laura Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program, Bob’s Burgers, Masters Of Sex)

Comedian and actress Sarah Silverman and her sister, Laura, played heavily fictionalized versions of themselves as series regulars on The Sarah Silverman Program, made guest appearances on Showtime’s Masters of Sex together, and have recurred on Bob’s Burgers as Jimmy Pesto’s twin sons, Andy and Ollie.

Kevin, Nick, And Joe Jonas (Camp Rock Movies, Jonas)

Back when they were the biggest thing to come out of Disney Channel, Kevin, Nick, and Joe Jonas played three brothers in a band not named the Jonas Brothers in the Camp Rock movies, and later played themselves to more comedic effect in their own sitcom, aptly titled Jonas.

Looks like talent really does run in the family.

The increasing maturity of modern television has led to a notable rise in increasingly brave shows. Few series have ever epitomized that idea more than Masters of Sex, which clearly advertised its provocative nature directly in its title. Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and network executives have to know when to pull the plug. With that in mind we have officially learned that after four seasons on Showtime Masters of Sex has officially been cancelled.

A brand new report from Deadline confirms that Showtime has decided not to pursue another season of Masters of Sex. The 10-episode fourth season of the period drama saw its season finale earlier this month on November 10, and it seems that season finale will now serve as Masters of Sex's de facto series finale. Over the course of the show's four seasons it garnered numerous nominations for several prestigious accolades, and it even helped Allison Janney take home an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2014.

Masters of Sex will undoubtedly be remembered for its stylish and edgy content. Loosely biographical in nature, the series followed Dr. William Masters (Michael Sheen) and Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan) as they conducted research in the field of human sexuality in the 1950s and 1960s -- hence the title of the series. Much of the series' drama hinged on the relationship between Masters and Johnson, and it's rumored that the Showtime executives felt that the Season 4 finale -- which saw the two characters finally marry one another -- served as a perfect send-off for the highly regarded series.

Although Masters of Sex fans will likely be saddened to learn of the show's cancellation, it's not necessarily the most surprising development for the series. Masters of Sex consistently performed well with critics, and it's become widely recognized as a central player in the Golden Age of Television. However, when compared with other series on the Showtime lineup (specifically, Shameless and Ray Donovan) its overall ratings left quite a bit to be desired; it simply didn't perform up to the standards of Showtime's other series.

What are your thoughts on the cancellation of Masters of Sex? Do you think the Season 4 finale served as a perfect way to cap off the series, or do you think the show deserved a proper series finale? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below!

CinemaBlend will bring you any and all relevant details related to the cancellation of Masters of Sex as new information becomes available to us. For now, make sure to check out our comprehensive midseason premiere guide to get more information regarding all of this spring's most highly anticipated television debuts!

It feels as if it was only yesterday that Showtime’s older originals like Weeds began phasing out, leaving room for the likes of Masters of Sex and Ray Donovan to air in the schedule. It wasn’t exactly yesterday, however. Today, Showtime announced it is renewing both Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex for Season 4.

The announcement was made this morning during the Television Critics Association summer tour and was quickly confirmed on both the Masters of Sex and Ray Donovan’s social media accounts.

The renewal has actually come pretty early this year. The two shows air together as part of Showtime’s summer TV schedule, and both shows just began airing their third seasons in July. New episodes will continue to hit the schedule through this September, so there is plenty of content left to air this season. Still, it's nice to know both shows will be back next summer.

Interestingly, while Masters of Sex and Ray Donovan have both found critical favor, with both shows earning a couple of Emmy nods this year, they aren’t huge ratings bringers for the subscription cable network. (Donovan's fixer premise does attract more eyeballs than the more scientific Masters of Sex.) On the bright side, the Showtime dramas don’t have to worry as much about the Live + same day numbers, as subscribers are welcome to tune in anytime they want. On the other hand, it would be nice if Showtime could nab another drama that brought in big total viewership along with the critical acclaim.

Coming up, Showtime has new episodes of Homeland and The Affair hitting the schedule, while Penny Dreadful has also been renewed. Recently, the subscription cable channel also released the new trailer for its upcoming drama Billions, which will star Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis (formerly of Homeland). Finally, the network is also working on and adaptation of Patti Smith’s memoir Just Kids.

There’s a lot of good stuff coming up, but for now you can catch Ray Donovan on Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET. Masters of Sex follows on Sunday nights at 10 p.m. ET. In the meantime, you can catch the midseason preview for Masters of Sex, released today, below.

If you’re looking ahead, here’s the full fall TV schedule.

Life after The Walking Dead has been pretty good for Emily Kinney, who formerly played Beth on the hit AMC series. The actress nabbed a gig on the now-defunct series Forever soon after leaving the zombie drama and now she’s booked a multi-episode arc on Showtime’s Masters of Sex. Weirdly, she’ll go from playing a hopeful young woman trying to survive in a zombie-infested world to playing a sex surrogate.

So far, we don’t know a ton about Emily Kinney’s upcoming role. We do know she will be playing Nora, a twenty-something who lives next to Bill and Libby Masters. She learns about Bill Masters and Virginia Johnson’s work and signs on as a surrogate as the two researchers move forward with new hypotheses and studies. The Wrap says Kinney will appear in Season 3 for multiple episodes. We also know that 12 episodes are being produced for the new season, but we don’t know when Kinney’s role will commence.

We do know Kinney won’t be appearing in the Season 3 premiere. Showtime made the episode available to watch online for free just a few days ago, and Kinney isn’t involved. We do know the new episodes are set in the latter half of the sixties, five or so years after the events in Season 2. The first episode focuses on the unconventional relationship Bill and Libby Masters have cultivated with Virginia Johnson. In addition, their children are growing older and family drama on the series is more pronounced. You can check out the episode in full, below.

In addition to Michael Sheen, Lizzy Caplan and Caitline Fitzgerald, Beau Bridges will also be back for Season 3. In terms of new cast members, Kinney is certainly not the first person to be cast. Maggie Grace is set to guest star on the series, and Josh Charles, Tate Donovan and Julie Ann Emery have all signed on in recurring roles.

Regardless of all the new faces, it’s kind of exciting that Kinney has landed the gig. The fan-favorite Walking Dead actress has had no trouble finding work in the months since her tenure on the hit show ended. As noted prior, she popped up in Forever and also had a pretty sweet gig on the CW’s The Flash. Currently, another role on The Knick is also in the cards for the actress, although that hasn’t hit the schedule, yet. Now, all she needs to do is find another long-term gig to satisfy her most loyal fans. We’ll let you know if and when it happens.

For now, catch new episodes of Masters of Sex when it officially premieres on Showtime on July 12 at 10 p.m. ET.

When Showtime decided to create a TV series based on the lives and research of Dr. William H. Masters (Michael Sheen) and Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan), they dredged the two mostly forgotten names up out of history and created a series that is fun and impressive. Masters of Sex is a show that capably looks at life through a cultural lens. It’s a show about pioneering new science and living life within the culture people are born into. Season 2 doesn't lose that basic premise, but it does expand into some far more complex and morally intriguing places.

Season 1 was focused on the advent and creation of the “sex study,” the first of its kind. Prostitutes, average joes and even doctors participated, opening up a rich tapestry of fifties wisecracks and points of views from multiple walks of life. Season 2 starts in a much darker place. The sex study is in shambles, and Masters is out of a job. He’s mopey and worse, he’s set on ignoring his baby and fantasizing about Johnson, all of which lead to multiple hook-ups in a hotel room. However, he’s not the only person suffering in early episodes of Season 2. The formerly unshaken Betty (AnnaLeigh Ashford) is stressed and emotional. Libby Masters (Caitlin FitzGerald) and Dr. Lillian (Julianne Nicholson) are both living in their own personal hells, thanks to a constricting home in the former case and cancer in the latter. Yet, it’s the normally buoyant Scully (Beau Bridges) who might be in the worst shape as the episodes roll on.

Masters of Sex has always been a careful narrative. For the first three episodes of Season 2, British director Michael Apted directed the series. His three episodes flow together in an easy rhythm, and while Libby’s new dynamics with her nanny (Keke Palmer) and Scully’s problems at home provide some of the more interesting cultural storylines, it’s Masters and Johnson who take center stage, for better or worse.

The two researchers' relationship grows more intricate as the episodes wear on. The two have always been able to be honest with one another, even as they shut out the other important people in their lives. At one point Gini even tries to contextualize their relationship as one that is based on “the work,” rather than personal feelings or romance. Their conversations are intriguing—their affair, not so much. The two clandestinely meet up at a hotel more than once, posing as a married couple with a strange background during the first few episodes. It’s all very passé and boring, and it should remind viewers that Masters of Sex is often more fascinating when its characters are fully clothed.

It’s a boxing match that changes that dynamic and makes us realize that for all Gini and the good doctor know about one another, they are missing the easy domesticity of an average life. They are as far apart as two close people may be, and there are facets of both of their lives that are totally alien to their partner. Johnson’s likeable children, including her goofy son who loves science and watching television are rarely brought up in the presence of William. Masters’ tragic wife and perfect possessions, all sitting in the suitable place are a mystery box to Johnson. The key to the affair is filling these holes with intimate confessions, and in “Fight” we get some doozies.

Masters of Sex isn’t a perfect series. The various questions of whether or not Virginia could possibly seem so casual about hiding feelings in order to maintain a prominent position linger, and the sly arrangement Masters and Johnson create for one another sometimes make them seem like more of a sad than brilliant match. Additionally in the new episodes, some of the show’s bold wit is lost in a sea of poor decisions and tight societal restrictions. Unlike Season 1’s storylines, sometime Season 2 will make fans feel more discomfited than satisfied. Still, like all relationships, Masters and Johnson will surge forward, and as history has already made apparent, some good research will come out of this ill-fitting romance.

Showtime’s Masters of Sex will premiere on Sunday, July 13 at 10 p.m. ET. The new episodes will follow Showtime’s second season of Ray Donovan.

July 4th is a great time of year to celebrate the birth of our great nation and appreciate Independence, democracy and our troops whilst filling our stomachs with barbecued goodies and feasting our eyes on fireworks displays. Or we can stay inside and watch non-stop The Walking Dead episodes back to back to back! I mean, maybe it's raining. Or maybe zombies are how you want to acknowledge Independence Day. The point is, TV has plenty to offer those who prefer the comfort of their living rooms to outdoor festivities.

We've begun the process of rounding up the various Fourth of July TV marathons. We'd be happy to add to the list as more runs of TV shows (or movies) are brought to our attention. In the meantime, here's what we've gathered thus far for the 2014 July 4th weekend, which begins this Friday:

Syfy- Twilight Zone marathon begins at 8 a.m. on Friday, after which it resumes on Saturday at midnight (airing 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. Saturday night).

Starz - Episodes 1-4 of Power will air on Friday night beginning at 9:00 p.m.

Showtime - Masters of Sex Season 1 will begin airing Friday at 6:00 p.m. The marathon is followed by Ray Donovan Season 1, which begins airing Sunday, July 6.

AMC - All four seasons of The Walking Dead will air back to back, beginning Friday at 9:00 a.m. Catch a preview special for TWD Season 5 hosted by Chris Hardwick (featuring Scott Gimple and Aisha Tyler) on Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Hub - Hub's celebrating Transformers' 30th anniversary by airing Transformers Rescue Bots, Transformers: The Animated Movie, Transformers Prime Beast Hunters Predacons Rising, beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Friday.

MTV - MTV has an Awkward marathon starting Friday at 11:30 a.m. There's a run of Catfish episodes beginning at 6:00 p.m., and then a Ridiculousness marathon beginning Friday night at 10:00 p.m. and airing all the way through most of Saturday.

USA - USA has NCIS set to air Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., And then a run of Modern Family episodes airing Friday from 8:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

E! - E! has Sex and the City episodes airing on Friday from 2:00 p.m. ET to Midnight.

Comedy Central - CC has five episodes of South Park airing at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. And then there's a big Futurama marathon airing Sunday starting at 4:30 p.m.

TNT - Find all three Lord of the Rings movies (Fellowship of the Rings, Two Towers and Return of the King) airing on Sunday starting at 9 a.m.

Food Channel: Diners, Drive-ins and Dives will air on Friday, starting at 6:30 p.m. all the way through to 4:00 a.m. Friday night (or technically very early Saturday morning.) The series will return for another late night run, beginning 7:00 p.m. on Saturday evening. The Pioneer Woman has a run of episodes lined up on Sunday starting at 1:30 p.m.

A&E: Get your fill of Dog the Bounty Hunter from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, then it's non-stop Criminal Minds from 4:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.

TLC: TLC has a Duggar family marathon going on starting Friday at 6:00 a.m. with episodes of 17 Kids and Counting, leading to A Very Duggar Wedding at 8:00 a.m. and then 18 and 19 Kids and Counting airing all day (until 7:00 p.m.) on Friday, starting at 9:00 a.m., after which TLC shifts to lots and lots of Say Yes to the Dress. There's more of Say Yes to the Dress on Saturday (1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.) airing after a run of Extreme Couponing (9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.).

Travel Channel - Food Paradise will air Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Discovery - There's plenty of Fast N' Loud airing Friday 3:00 p.m. to 2 a.m.. Then on Saturday at 11:00 p.m. Alaskan Bush People will air a run of episodes. At 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, you'll find plenty of Deadliest Catch.

IFC - Starting at 6:00 a.m. Friday, IFC will air the original Batman TV show.

National Geographic - Nat Geo has Life Below Zero marathoning starting at 9:00 a.m. on Friday and airing all day. On Saturday, they're marathoning Alaska State Troopers. And then on Sunday at noon, they'll start airing The 80s: The Decade that Made Us all day leading up to the premiere of the first part of their miniseries The 90s: The Last Great Decade.

Netflix - Obviously, Netflix has no shortage of binge-watchable material. But if you haven't gotten caught up on Orange is the New Black or House of Cards, both are well worth a look and each series has two seasons already!

We'll be sure to update with more marathons if we hear about them! Know of a great TV marathon airing this weekend? Feel free to drop it in the comments!

300: Rise of an Empire Blu-ray

It’s been more than seven years since 300 graced movie screens across the country. Its sequel, 300: Rise of an Empire, looks as fabulous on Blu-ray as its big screen counterpart. Unfortunately, its story is a little less inspired.

300: Rise of an Empire’s is neither a prequel nor a sequel to round one. Instead, events take place on a long-winded timeline spanning many years and featuring many of the same characters from the earlier film. This story follows the rise of Persian leader Xerxes, focusing on a fight led by General Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) on the Greek side and a Greek-turned-Persian female general named Artemisia (Eva Green, who naturally gets nude for the umpteenth time in this film). The confusing timeline relation to the first film is not its only drawback. 300: Rise of an Empire features some strange pacing and outlandish dialogue.

While Artemesia and Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey, reprising her role) bring an exciting level of female agression into the plot, the two women almost feel as if they were shoehorned in to prove that females can kick ass, too. Headey, especially, is such a weird addition this time around, narrating the story, but popping up from time to time, too, sometimes to actually fight. Fortunately, some of the scenes with the lead females do work, and the special effects are every bit as good as the first installment. So, there are probably a lot of fans out there who will really enjoy Rise Of An Empire.

Best Special Feature: The best special feature is, without question, "Savage Warships". The naval battles in the film are incredible. They’re visually marvelous, and this featurette gives a great little background on how everything was created. It also offers Ben-Hur references and a great little moment in the sun for the behind the scenes crew that crushed it on this film.

Other Bonus Features:

Behind The Scenes: The 300 Effect

"Real Leaders & Legends"

"Women Warriors"

"Becoming A Warrior"

Masters of Sex: Season 1 DVD

Masters of Sex is a kinky and curious show following the rise of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, two interested and interesting people studying sex during a period when American couples often slept in different beds at night. The brashness of the chaste world of upper class incomes and medical science versus Masters of Sex’s behind-the-scenes experiments maintains interest over the course of its 12 first-season episodes.

While Masters of Sex features a large supporting cast, the show mostly focuses on Masters (Michael Sheen) and Johnson (Lizzy Caplan), as they navigate the waters of putting together an unapproved university study on sexual behavior. The doctor and his assistant make for an odd couple. She’s kind and smart and puts people at ease, while he has a tendency to make those around him feel wary. Both are ambitious, though, and both prove they have trouble separating their work lives and their personal lives.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s set isn’t nice enough that Masters of Sex will sit proudly on the good part of your DVD shelf. However, performances from Sheen and Caplan, as well as Beau Bridges, Annaleigh Ashford, Nicholas D’Agosto and Caitlin Fitzgerald do leave an impression, and should be worth revisiting every now and again.

Best Special Feature: The "Making of Masters Of Sex" touches on the original work but also on the casting process. It delves into how Michael Sheen was unavailable but everyone involved got so excited about him, they put off production in order to accommodate him. That was arguably the production's most important choice, though deciding Lizzy Caplan, a very modern girl, could work in the 1950s was a close second.

Other Bonus Features:

Cast & Crew Commentary

Deleted Scenes

A Masterful Portrayal: Michael Sheen as Dr. Masters

Ahead of Her Time: Lizzy Caplan as Virginia Johnson

Winter’s Tale Blu-ray

There’s a certain appeal to a romances built around emotional honesty and filled with characters laying all of their feelings, all of their baggage and all of their hopes right out on the table. Winter’s Tale is one of those movies, highlighting a romance that lasts through time and space, amidst a battle of demons and angels fighting for control on Earth. Unfortunately, while the characters in Winter’s Tale hit the right notes, the fantastical elements making up the bulk of Akiva Goldsman’s latest film are not nearly as credible.

Colin Farrell and Jessica Brown Findlay star in the audacious Winter’s Tale as Peter Lake, a thief and former gang member just waiting to produce a miracle and Beverly, an upper crust young pianist who also happens to be dying of consumption. Theirs is a doomed romance, but watching it blossom is where director Goldsman’s vision is at its best. They meet cute when he has plans to rob her home, but he changes his mind when she asks him to tea. Their romance is filled with a bunch of beautiful period frippery, but Peter and Beverly’s situations also enable them to be honest and clear cut about their needs and wants.

Unfortunately, right around this time the demons become a real problem. Peter’s a man with a miracle, a concept that gang boss Pearly Soames (Russell Crowe) wants to crush by any means. I could take a mob boss chasing after a former minion, but when Winter’s Tale juxtaposes its 1800s reality with winged horses, time hopping and demonic rules and regulations, it gets pretty weird. Even many people who enjoy fantasy aspects might find themselves put off by they way those ideas are incorporated into Winter’s Tale.

Collin Farrell’s great in almost anything he commits to and Winter’s Tale is no exception; however, the movie still won’t go down in the books as something memorable. You can catch the flick and decide for yourself over at Amazon.

Best Special Feature: If you weren't sure whether or not Winter's Tale was about love, "A Timeless Love" will more than clear that up. The stars hammer that home during the featurette, talking about the novel and how romantic the work is. For those who don't get the movie, it'll probably come off as annoying and indulgent, but for those who went with the movie, they'll appreciate how the actors felt the exact same way.

Other Bonus Features:

Characters Of Good And Evil

Additional Scenes

Other June 24 Releases

Blood Ties

Unforgettable: The Second Season

Duck Dynasty: Season 5

Star Trek: The Next Generation- Season 6

Two of Showtime’s most successful freshmen series, Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex are finally returning to our small screens. And you won't have to wait until the pesky fall for their arrival. Both sophomore series will make summertime debuts with 12, one-hour episodes on Sunday, July 13th.

Kicking off the evening at 9PM will be Ray Donovan. The Liev Schreiber-starrer stands as Showtime’s highest-rated freshman series ever, garnering Golden Globe nominations for its stars. Both Schreiber and his father (portrayed by Jon Voight) will serve as a lead-in to critical darling Masters of Sex at 10PM.

For those unaware, Schreiber stars as the titular Ray Donovan, Los Angeles’ “best professional fixer.” Donovan is the sort of fella celebrities, athletes, and even well-to-do business moguls call to make their, uh, complicated and messy situations go byesies. And surely, after the season one cliffhanger, the fallout surrounding Boston mobster and fugitive Sully’s (James Wood) murder, will be compelling to watch. Season two is said to “explore the fallout of his murder for Ray, his father Mickey (Voight) and the FBI, headed by LA Bureau Chief Cochran (guest star Hank Azaria).” The cast also includes Paula Malcomson, Eddie Marsan, Dash Mihok, Steven Bauer, Katherine Moennig, Pooch Hall, Kerris Dorsey and Devon Bagby. Oscar-nominated actor Elliott Gould will return as a special guest star, in addition to Gould and Azaria, alongside an impressive line-up of additional guest stars, including Ann-Margret, Wendell Pierce, Sherilyn Fenn, Vinessa Shaw, Brian Geraghty, Heather McComb and Kip Pardue. Last year Ray Donovan saw an average of 5.7 million weekly viewers.

And as for one of our favorite new dramas of last year, the incomparable Masters of Sex, the series will maintain a 10PM timeslot on Sundays, will again focus on Dr. William Masters (Michael Sheen) and Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan) as the real-life sexuality pioneers that ultimately lead to the sexual revolution of the 1960s — largely thanks to their work in the field of documenting human sexual response. The scientific and saucy series will continue to chronicle the curious lives, romance, and research that led to the duo’s pop culture infamy and acclaim. The series, an adaptation of Thomas Maier’s book of the same name, will see new and returning faces in its upcoming second season.

Averaging 4.8 million weekly viewers, Masters of Sex will see the return of several of its season one stars — including Caitlin Fitzgerald, Teddy Sears and Annaleigh Ashford — in addition to the exciting cast additions we wrote about yesterday, Breaking Bad’s Betsy Brandt and Keke Palmer, who will guest star for the season. The series was created and executive produced by the brilliant Michelle Ashford.

Marie Schrader will be taking her purple show on the road. The Breaking Bad actress known as Betsy Brandt has nabbed a recurring role on Showtime's Masters of Sex for its upcoming second season, recurring alongside the series’ stars Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan.

Brandt’s character is named Barbara, the new secretary to Dr. William Masters (Sheen). It’s a roll that’s been filled many times over on the series (Masters is quite the prickly boss), first by Margo Martindale’s Miss Horchow, then Caplan’s Virginia Johnson, before Jane Martin (the delightful Helene York) reeled him in, and ultimately Masters’ wife, Libby (Caitlin Fitzgerald) took up arms. All the other actresses (save Martindale) serve larger functions on the series.

Brandt’s recurring role is not the only new one announced for the series thus far, singer and actress (and Akeelah and the Bee star) Keke Palmer has also been tapped to recur on the second season. Slated to play Coral, Palmer will portray a nanny hired by the Masters family as a result of the birth of their first child.

While Palmer is most notably known for her work on children’s programming like Winx Club and True Jackson, VP, the actress and singer has also appeared (as herself) on Degrassi: The Next Generation in addition to a multitude of performances as an R&B musician. Some of which likely resulted in her landing the role of Chilli in the TLC biopic CrazySexyCool that aired on VH1 in 2013.

As for Brandt, the role is not her first since she wrapped up working with Heisenberg. Previously, she appeared on NBC’s low-rated (and likely to be cancelled) comedy, The Michael J. Fox Show. There she played Fox’s wife and mother to their two children.

For those uninitiated into the brilliant world of Masters of Sex, the Emmy-nominated freshman drama based on the Thomas Maier book of the same name — translated to television by Michelle Ashford. It follows the work of pioneering sex scientists Dr. William Masters and his conspirator Virginia Johnson. Their work outlining the biological response of the human body to sex ultimately led to the sexual revolution of the 1960s, including the rise of feminism. But their work was not all, shall we say, by the books. Adding to the mystique of the duo was their incredibly complicated working relationship. As two confident people with determination, ambition, and ego in equal measure, their work together transcended time at the office and ultimately led to scandal, intrigue, and more than a few controversial hiccups along the way.

Though no return date has been announced by Showtime, it is likely that Masters of Sex will return in the fall after an incredibly well-received and critically acclaimed first season. In fact, here’s a scene from season one to whet your appetite. Because everybody wins when you watch good television.

After going through the motions of highlighting everything that was good, bad, amazing, or generally confounding about the year that was 2013, we felt it was time to move on, to look ahead; to not only make note of things we want in the form of resolutions, but to set a course for the deserved to get their due course. So we’ve decided to highlight these perfect TV storms to let you know who’s on the cusp of making it big in 2014. To kick off this series we’ve chosen Masters of Sex actress Heléne Yorke as one to watch, and one who deserves to have 2014 be her breakout year.

If you haven’t seen Showtime’s incredible new drama Masters of Sex, remedy that immediately. The series is at the top of most people’s best of lists, mostly thanks to the brilliant work of its creator Michelle Ashford and the stars Lizzy Caplan and Michael Sheen (if it’s not on your binge-watch list, remedy that immediately). But their work would be for naught if not for an impressive roster of supporting players, of which Yorke has proven herself the top of the heap.

As the trailblazing and honorable secretary Jane Martin, a progressive woman that holds a pivitol role in Masters and Johnson’s sex study, Yorke shines. Her portrayal of Jane is rich with a nuanced honesty that’s both exciting and engaging to watch her on screen. Conversations with Caplan’s Virginia Johnson and study-paramour Dr. Austin Langham (played by Teddy Sears), play up the societally-rich themes of love, lust, progress, and self-identity in an ever-changing world with a frank and disarming charm.

Her budding relationship with socially awkward AV director Lester Linden feels natural and authentic — and you really, really root for them to make it work. And no, we’re not talking about her sex scenes — although there are several moments that find Yorke in the literal nude. Her vulnerability is palpable, and proves that she’s no one-note actress.

Which is also evidenced in her appearance in the hilarious web series, High Maintenance. On Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair’s web series, Yorke plays the roll of an overindulgent and narcissistic party princess with the sort of realism that makes you wonder about whether or not the actor is just playing him or herself. And, as a former inhabitant of New York City I can say with swift certainty that I was exposed to far too many of these types — perhaps maybe even a bit of an expert. Regardless Yorke nails it with comedic aplomb. Her affected apathy feels picked up off the bathroom floor of the Boom Boom Room (and yes that is totally a compliment in this instance).

Oh, and did we mention that Yorke is also an accomplished Broadway actress? In addition to performing in the tour of Wicked, she’s also danced around the Times Square stages of Grease and will star alongside Zach Braff in Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway, which looks like far too much fun and a way-glamorous turn for the actress.

Besides, her Twitter photo is surrounded by cheese and goddamn if cheese isn’t the greatest thing in the world. So lets have another TV win for the cheese lovers — night cheese happened in 2009, after all.

2013 has been a great year for television, so narrowing down our list of favorites was no easy task. As TV Blend has numerous writers with varying tastes in TV shows, we decided to go solo this year in sharing our Top 5 lists of the best series of 2013. This is Alicia’s list, which begins with Mad Men at number five.

5. Mad Men

What a divisive and explosive season Don Draper had, eh? The penultimate season of the AMC series found Don in a bad way on all fronts of his life: his marriage, his drinking, his job, and his relationship with his daughter. And through each moment of this season, I was transfixed. Mood, imagery, and music joined forces to cause a sharp, ambitious, effective season of deeply moving television.

After a long stretch between seasons five and six, the passage of time only helped to amplify the complexities of Don, Peggy, Joan, Roger, and Sally. Especially Sally. Oh little Sally Draper had quite a year — eye-opening and jarring. Her experiences throughout the season laid out the very real ramifications for Don’s actions that he’s been too self-absorbed to consider. And now that his whole world is falling down around him, how he handles it will make or break everything in the series’ upcoming final season. Brooding, moody, and melancholic, Mad Men really delivered.

4. Hannibal

There has never been a show as captivating and haunting in its beautiful horror as Hannibal. The first season of the Bryan Fuller series pushed audiences to the edge visually and emotionally with masterful aplomb. In all its twisted glory, the series delivered week after gruesome week, with Mads Mikkelsen as the perfect pre-Silence of the Lambs Hannibal Lecter and Hugh Dancy as the addled-but-brilliant Will Graham. The show succeeded on so many levels — right down to some seriously fucked-up but beautiful-looking dinner parties — it’s hard to pick out just one reason why it stood out in a season of seriously spectacular television.

Though perhaps it all boils down to Hannibal’s ability to feel fresh and new even when its not. Where knowing how the story ends (spoiler alert: Hannibal gets caught) could’ve very easily killed the intensity and tension the series worked so hard to establish, Fuller has managed to weave it into the show’s very fabric via hints and visual cues that it actually amplifies the situation. The relationship between Hannibal and Will is electrified and teetering on the edge of something very, very bad. And with a supporting cast that includes Laurence Fishbourne, Raul Esparza, Eddie Izzard, and Gillian Anderson? It’s no wonder the whole thing just worked.

3. Masters of Sex

If there was an award for Best New Television Show of 2013, Showtime’s Masters of Sex would win by a large margin. Michelle Ashford has created one of the most riveting and thoughtful looks at the complexity of relationships and people — and yes, there is a lot of sex. But what makes the sex in Masters work where so many falter is its ability to push the story forward rather than shock or provoke just for the sake of it. It’s funny, it’s sincere, it’s thoughtful, it’s complex: it is the sum of all of its brilliant parts.

And the work that Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan) and Bill Masters (Michael Sheen) captivated America like no other. Arguably responsible for the sexual revolution of the 1960s, these two scientists pushed the envelope in ways they never even dreamed, and had one of the most complicated and confounding relationships ever brought to screen. And if that isn’t enough to convince you that this smart and funny show is worth all the praise, perhaps the Emmy-worthy acting of Allison Janney, or her on-screen husband Beau Bridges’ closeted homosexuality will convince you that this is a series worth watching.

2. Breaking Bad

It’s sort of a no-duh move to put Breaking Bad’s final season on the list, which admittedly caused me a bit of grief. But there’s no way around it: season seven of the AMC series was probably as close to perfect as television storytelling can get. With heaps of praise lofted upon its shoulders by everyone, their mother, and their grandmother, it seems repetitive to go on and on about it.

But the work Vince Gilligan, Bryan Cranston, and Aaron Paul (as well as every other brilliant person that brought that show to life) did in those final few episodes was so flawless it felt like watching a master class. The storylines, the acting, the visuals: all converged in one effortless churning move that maximized the serious emotional weight involved. Anything I say cannot do justice to what happened during the fifth season of Breaking Bad, I just feel very fortunate to have been able to experience it.

1. Veep

Considering the immensity of cable and network drama this year, it would’ve been very easy to overlook the comedic side of television. But in the wake of 30 Rock’s departure was the second season of HBO’s Veep — and holy shit was it a firecracker. Armando Iannucci’s look into Vice Presidential politics upped its ante going into the second season — with nary a potshot not taken. Cutting, brilliant, and tears-in-your-eyes humor shot forth with every bumbling mood and outrageous insult.

And Julia Louis-Dreyfus is at her comedic best. As the uptight-but-audacious Selina Meyer, the oft-shut-out punching bag of her president’s administration, she gives powerless egoists a bad (and therefore good) name, eviscerating her employees (and Jonah) with vicious tenacity to hilarious effect. She is constantly taking her emotions out on the wrong people in order to save political face, and the supporting cast really takes it. Surrounded by Tony Hale, Matt Walsh, and Sufe Bradshaw (as well as Anna Chlumsky, Timothy Simons, and Reid Scott), the show takes on a moving circus feel — wholly appropriate given the current political climate — that never dawdles too long, to the show’s benefit. No show made me happier this season, and for that reason Veep had to be made the number one best show of 2013.

This was a hard list to make, and it should be noted there were plenty of excellent series that just barely missed the top five. Those include Orphan Black (No. 6), Broadchurch (No. 7), House of Cards (No. 8), Game of Thrones (No. 9), and Parks and Recreation (No. 10). The Most Improved show was The Mindy Project, and the rest that we’re missing (The Fall, Orange is The New Black, Luther) were also just really, really good. Gah! Picking favorites is the worst, especially in as gangbuster a TV year as 2013. But if you're still not satisfied, try out one of the other lists and see if they align more with your tastes.

It’s that time of year again! Yesterday, we heard from the Screen Actors Guild on their nominations for their annual awards ceremony, and today the Hollywood Foreign Press Association shares their own nominations for the Golden Globe Awards.The Golden Globes celebrate some of the best that TV and film have offered us in the past year. Should we expect the obvious choices? Will Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones and Homeland top the list of TV nominations? Or will there be some surprises this year?

The nomination announcements streamed live this morning! . Here are the TV categories...

Best Drama

Breaking Bad

Downton Abbey

The Good Wife

House of Cards

Masters of Sex

Best TV series Comedy

The Big Bang Theory

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Girls

Modern Family

Parks and Recreation

Best Miniseries or TV Movie

American Horror Story Coven

Behind the Candelabra

Dancing on the Edge

Top of the Lake

The White Queen

Best Actress TV Drama

Julianna Margulies - The Good Wife

Tatiana Maslany - Orphan Black

Taylor Schilling - Orange is the New Black

Kerry Washington - Scandal

Robin Wright - House of Cards

Best Actress Comedy

Zooey Deschanel - New Girl

Lena Dunham - Girls

Edie Falco - Nurse Jackie

Julia Louis Dreyfus - Veep

Amy Poehler - Parks and Recreation

Best Actor Comedy

Jason Bateman - Arrested Development

Don Cheadle - House of Lies

Michael J. Fox - The Michael J. Fox Show

Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory

Andy Samberg - Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Best Performance Actor Drama

Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad

Liev Schreiber - Ray Donovan

Michael Sheen - Masters of Sex

Kevin Spacey - House of Cards

James Spader - The Black List

Supporting Actor series, TV movie or miniseries

Josh Charles - The Good Wife

Rob Lowe - Behind the Candelabra

Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad

Corey Stoll - House of Cards

Jon Voight - Ray Donovan

Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or TV Movie

Jackqueline Bisset - Dancing on the Edge

Janet McTeer - The White Queen

Hayden Panettiere - Nashville

Monica Potter - Parenthood

Sofia Vergara - Modern Family

Best Performance actress TV Movie/Miniseries

Helena Bonham Carter - Burton and Taylor

Rebecca Ferguson - The White Queen

Jessica Lange - American Horror Story: Coven

Helen Mirren - Phil Spector

Elisabeth Moss - Top of the Lake

Best Actor in a miniseries or TV Movie

Matt Damon - Behind the Candelabra

Michael Douglas - Behind the Candelabra

Chiwetel Ejiofor - Dancing on the Edge

Idris Elba - Luther

Al Pacino - Phil Spector

The 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards will air live on Sunday, January 12, 2014 on NBC. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are set to host. View the MOVIE category nominations HERE.

Monday marked the announcement of The American Film Institute’s official selections for the 2013 AFI Awards, including 10 of the year’s most outstanding television series. As selected by a panel of highly impressive judges, the list — now in its fourteenth year — was crafted to showcase the most “culturally and artistically representative of the year's most significant achievements in the art of the moving image.” And this year’s selections from the small screen are no slouches, including its fair share of longstanding icons (Breaking Bad) and fresh new faces (Orange is the New Black).

What’s exciting about the AFI Awards over others during this wacky season of accolades is their commitment to honoring the entire creative team involved in creating the television (and movies — but that’s a list for the other side of the site) programs selected. When you consider that most award shows merely stick with honoring actors, writers, directors, and a smattering of other more visible positions, the AFI list feels like an especially welcome and inclusive one. Television and movies are big productions, after all, and the collaboration that goes into each and every episode and/or frame is no small feat.

According to AFI, “honorees are selected based on works which best advance the art of the moving image, enhance the rich cultural heritage of America's art form, inspire audiences and artists alike, and/or make a mark on American society.” So it is no surprise that the winners on the list include some of the most buzzed-about and insta-classics the small screen has seen in recent years.

So what are those 10 programs? Well…

The Americans

Breaking Bad

Game of Thrones

The Good Wife

House of Cards

Mad Men

Masters of Sex

Orange is the New Black

Scandal

Veep

As you can see, drama had one of its biggest years ever, leaving scarcely any room for comedic hopefuls, save HBO's brilliant Veep. Perhaps the most exciting additions, though, are the inclusion of several new programs — including Showtime's Masters of Sex, and Netflix's top-rated premiere series, House of Cards and Orange is the New Black — and the lack of returning efforts like previously-included Homeland and Modern Family. Only time will tell if other critics agree as more and more "Best Of" lists shuffle into view. For more information regarding the AFI Awards, click here.

It looks like Showtime is pleased with the dramas they have lined up for Sunday night this fall, as the premium cable channel has officially renewed both Homeland and freshman drama Masters of Sex. That's a greenlight for a fourth season for Homeland and a second season for Masters of Sex.

Masters of Sex is bringing in about a million viewers per episode on Sunday nights, which is a bit under what Homeland was doing in its own first season back in 2011. While Season 2 of Homeland was bringing in more than two million viewers per episode by the end of the season, its third season's numbers have settled in the 1.8 million viewer range. Those numbers seem low, but this is premium cable, where a subscription is required for people to tune in, and where on demand and encore viewings could play a bigger factor in the true viewership of a series. The fact that both series are holding steady among viewers this season may have been a deciding factor for Showtime. Both series have aired four episodes of their respective seasons so far, with eight more to go before they wrap up in December.

Homeland comes from Howard Gordon and stars Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison, a CIA officer who found herself getting a bit too close to the man she suspected might be a terrorist. I am, of course, referring to Damian Lewis' Nicholas Brody, a U.S. Marine Corps Sniper who became a prisoner of war, and was eventually rescued and brought back to the States. In the first season, it's Carrie who suspects Brody may have been turned, though no one believes her. It doesn't help that she has some mental health issues that make her a bit emotionally unstable. Season 3 picked up this fall with Brody a wanted man on the run, and Carrie under investigation.

Here's the preview for Homeland's next new episode, "The Yoga Play" (Season 3, Episode 5):

Masters of Sex made its debut at the end of September. The series comes from Michelle Ashford and is inspired by the life and work of pioneering researchers Dr. William Masters (Michael Sheen) and Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan). The series premiere picked up with the start of their partnership, as Masters attempted to further his research of human sexuality, though his university was hesitant to take this study seriously. The drama is split a bit unevenly between the personal lives of both Masters and Johnson, and the work they're doing, which takes an especially candid approach to the subject of sex, though the actual content is a bit more subtle than you might expect. If you haven't seen it yet, the first episode is available online here.

Here's a preview for next week's episode (Episode 5: "Catherine"):

Homeland airs Sunday at 9:00 p.m. ET on Showtime. Masters of Sex airs immediately afterward, at 10:00 p.m. ET.

Masters of Sex has a comes up short in its latest episode as it loses its focus and does everything a little too on the nose.

I have said before that this show is at its best when focusing on Masters, Johnson and the study and this episode did not fit that mold. Gone is the interesting setting of the whorehouse and instead we are subject to almost an entire episode devoted to Dr. Ethan Haas. I’ve voiced my displeasure with him in the past, but this week the show took him to series abandoning levels if they continue to insist on focusing on him as much as they do here. This is a chauvinistic, drunk and abusive male character that does nothing but whine and we are supposed to root/sympathize with him? Come on! We open with a long scene of him awkwardly sidestepping interacting with every girl he has slept with at the hospital only for him to whine about not being with Ginny, now months after their affair. The character is bad enough, but then the episode goes all sitcomy with Libby as she plays matchmaker to help Ethan get over his fixation with Virginia by setting him up with, you guessed it, Virginia. I hoped Libby would get something to do now that she is pregnant, but nobody wants this, right? Humor was nowhere to be found in this episode and the script has never felt this cliched and forced. But don’t worry, the show is planning on romantically entangling Ethan with the Provost’s barely legal daughter that he has known since she was a child; if that isn’t another feather in the I hate you hat for Ethan I don’t know what is? Oh yeah, he gets drunk and tells Virginia to fuck off at Bill’s dinner party this episode too. Oh, what a lovely character!

Less problematic, yet still completely unearned, is the forcing of Masters into child interaction so we can show just how potentially terrible he might be as a father. Flying off the handle and having no patience for children comes naturally to Masters it seems, but this is quickly played for sympathy when we discover Bill’s father abused him as a child and that he has some serious Mommy and Daddy issues. Masters’ Mom is in town on a visit, with plans not to leave, and not only do we get Bill’s sad story with his Dad, but Mom just lets it happen all the same. I get that we are trying to give Bill some more depth here, but he was far more interesting as awkwardly brilliant rather than the tragic abuse victim. I can’t imagine this is the last we have heard about this abuse, even if I wish it was, but the episode at least used the trauma towards one positive outcome with Bill’s patient of the week.

The patient/Masters interactions have been some of the best stuff this season and this week was no different. An unhappy mother hopes to secretly have her tubes tied so she can no longer pop out kids for her husband, and the ethics of the time put Bill in quite the moral/legal quandary. I would have loved to have seen Bill dwell on his decision a bit more than we see, like all of these patient subplots it is kept to a bare minimum, but instead we have to focus on Ethan’s love life. I hope the writers realize Bill interacting with others is the strength of this show sooner rather than later and I would be happy to trade in a bit more procedural patient stuff if they can continue to make it as good as it has been. This week’s story wraps up with a bit of a mixed bag, I am happy to see Bill illegally grant his patient’s wish, but at the same time the moment is only there to serve as a turning point for Bill and his baggage with his father.

The stuff with Bill’s father comes and goes all rather quickly, thanks Ethan, but late in the episode they introduce another interesting thread that I would have much rather been watching over all the bachelor stuff. Bill’s obsession with Virginia is always lurking in the background, but when her ex shows up at her house, and then the study, things seem like they might get interesting. Sadly, it takes almost to the end of the episode to get interesting as the tension between Ginny and her ex is rather obvious and she doesn’t reveal her secret, that her husband participated, until the final moments of the episode. Watching Masters obsess over figuring out which patient was the ex is disturbing and darkly humorous all at once, but watching him play those tapes of descriptive sex acts with Ginny is both incredibly interesting and unsettling. More of that please.

Hopefully the show’s team has put all of the set-up behind them now and we can finally just dig into the study. I know they feel like we have to service all these characters, but the further they step away from Bill and Ginny the worse the show gets. Masters of Sex has had a hard time selling its B and C stories outside the patients and if it can’t straighten that out it might be at risk of losing a viewer.

Random Ramblings:

-George, Ginny’s ex, was borderline cartoonish with how over the top he was.

-A well done montage of masturbation, but it feels oddly safe.

-”That’s not really a subject now, is it?”

-”Sometimes you just have to show a man how it’s done.” Ugh.

-The Provost’s daughter is just lurking around at 11 at night?

-”Sometimes I don’t even turn the lights on.” More Ugh!

-I cannot take Nicholas D'Agosto seriously as tormented.

-”I used to think I was a pretty good guy.” Ugh, again!

-The title of the episode was even a terrible pun.

Masters of Sex bounces back in its third episode, finding a great balance of humor and drama for its best episode yet.

Building out the shows world last week was a necessary evil (even if they ignore pretty much everything they focused on last week), but they quickly put that behind them and get back to what works on the show; Masters, Virginia and the study. The episode opens, and is dotted with, a flashback to Bill and Scully in their early years and this was some actual world building that lends itself to the show. We get to see Sheen play another side of Masters, earnest, but more importantly we get a grasp of just how long he has been waiting to take a run on this study. Besides providing background for Bill, the flashbacks also serve as an excellent story contrast for the week as it displays how far he and Scully have fallen by the time Masters blackmails his long time mentor over his homosexual activities. The blackmail also serves as a great example of how far Masters will go for his study as Sheen gets a wide canvas to show off this week.

It’s also exciting to see that Libby might, finally, be able to move along from being all about her pregnancy as Masters’ techniques finally get her pregnant. Everything around this story works really well as it gets joy out of the good news and some excellent tension when Virginia puts her foot down on Libby’s suffering by revealing Bill’s infertility secret to her. Thankfully that reveal is never shared between the couple in lieu of the good news, but it worked well for the episode. I am intrigued to see where the Ethan and Libby relationship goes though; they got to find something for him to do.

I mentioned that the episode found a nice balance between drama and humor and it did so by setting us up with the laughs and slowly turning up story. The testing montage at the whore house was fantastic, actually the show is often at its best the last two weeks in this setting and it is a shame we are going to be moving back to the university. They built up a couple of great characters with the working girls at the house, but the way Masters was talking about his subjects through prostitution it doesn’t seem like we are going to get much more from them. Nothing makes me feel like this is more the case than the sad, yet hopeful exit of Betty from the show’s storyline. Betty has been a spark of fire and energy, often delightfully played against Masters, but it was great to see Bill show how much he cares about his patients when he has to perform surgery and give the bad news to Betty. No episode has given Sheen a chance to show off his skills as an actor like this one and he impresses at every turn.

Virginia seemed a bit under served this week as the show basically pushes her down at every turn as Masters knocks her down a peg in the workplace and they introduce a new female doctor that sees Virginia as nothing more than a secretary. The show has seemed to have a bit of an issue so far balancing out enough to do for each all of its characters from week to week (more of a reason to trim down these ensembles) and this week even the shows second lead couldn’t avoid the awkwardness. I mean, the first scene in the show’s present this week had Mae Whitman as a young, soon-to-be wife, and she is funny and great, and then we never see her again. How do you waste Mae Whitman?

Minor complaints aside, Masters of Sex was very good this week. Bill continues to be a fantastic character for us to study and I don’t mind the deliberate pacing of the story as long as we get great material like this for all of them. Sadly the show fell a bit short of that mark this week, but they seem to be quickly finding their footing and I continue to have high hopes going forward.

Quick Bits:

-"Like marmalade!?"

-"Blah."

-"I bet you taste just like orange sherbet." "I'm not on the menu.

-"Maybe you can count the rings on my hoo-ha?"

-"I take a Midol and watch General Electric theater."

-Poor Gene.

-"No lady doctor's looking up my skirt."

-"It's a necessary evil."

-At least "Daddy" is an appropriate nickname now?

Masters of Sex’s second episode is a step back from the great pilot as it’s expected to expand its world and it has a hard time making that terribly interesting.

The pilot worked so well due to the fantastic chemistry between Masters and Virginia and the second episode sadly keeps them mostly apart. For a show to exist in this day and age the studios seem to want a large ensemble to fill out the program, but based on what we have seen so far from Masters of Sex I’m not sure that is the best idea.

The character of Ethan has been just problematic at every turn and this has more to do with the writing than the actor. The last time we saw Ethan he was smacking Virginia for not wanting to be with him, yet this week they want us to sympathize with him because he can’t sleep with anyone else but Virginia. Huh? I know they have real life to contend with, and I don’t know how much creative license is being taken, but the won’t they/won’t they of their relationship is dead on arrival. The fact that they are painting him as the “look how awesome I am with the ladies” guy, while also always hanging his character with the sexual “shock” of the period is a combo that isn’t playing that well either. I don’t know if he is supposed to be funny or serious, and if they are playing him for laughs they remember he just smacked out awesome, strong female lead character and then proceeded to choke her last week? Flowers aren't going to win us over, I don’t care if it is of the times.

Less of a problem, but still with nowhere to go, is the potential coupling of the now former sex study subjects of Dr. Austin and Jane. Heléne Yorke is great as Jane and I am really enjoying Teddy Sears as Austin, but the episode was supposed to expand its world this week and it only seemed to get smaller between these two. They have a great chemistry between them, but the show is already driving them apart and it seems like we missed all of the fun between them. Regressing Austin to cheap pick up lines trying to keep the “experimenting” alive is another cliched trope of the time period and I would much rather prefer they continued to make these two characters feel fresh in a show that feels too urgent to really show off just how twisted the 50’s were from our times today. At least give us more Jane, Yorke is great and brings a ton of energy to the show.

Betty the prostitute is also front and center this week, and while I could do without all the innuendo her story showed a bit of promise. Masters is forced to move his research to the brothel after a mystery man rats his research out to the board, and the setting finds humor and heart for Masters and Virginia. Betty’s blackmail of Masters seems to be a bit too convenient to try and cut him down to size a little bit, but it least it leads us to a character moment that is worthwhile; if only they would give us less of her sass and more about what she is all about. Annaleigh Ashford is solid as Betty, but it wasn’t till she and Virginia were able to relate to one another on the pros and cons of having a baby that I really cared about her. How can you not get sucked into the story of a prostitute trying to break away from her life and settle down? Ashford gives Betty just enough of a twinge of sadness without losing any of her strength. Sadly, I can’t see Betty staying on the show much longer though. Rae Foster gets an even better moment as another prostitute that is dealing with her own mortality while also serving as another opportunity for Masters to show how great a doctor he can be. This was the happy storyline of the night and both Sheen and Foster were able to sell it without ever feeling cheesy.

Virginia also seemed rather left out to dry this week as we were forced to painfully watch the show try to show us her home life. None of it worked for me, but it doesn’t really matter I guess since the whole point of her arc this week was so that we can know just how dedicated she is to the study and helping Masters every step of the way. The pilot ended with that great cliffhanger of Masters proposing he and Virginia sleep together to diffuse the sexual energy of the experiments and while the episodes best moments were when it showed the two dealing with their expectations for that impending conversation I was a bit bummed that they kicked the can down the road on a resolution. Yes, I get that the show feels that they have to draw out that sexual tension as long as possible, but we know they are going to make it happen sooner or later so why tease us for so long.

I mentioned Masters getting cut down to size a bit by Betty, but his wife is the only one that catches him off guard over the course of the episode. I still wish Caitlin Fitzgerald had more to do as Libby Masters, but this week’s episode was a start as they get to show just how open and progressive she can be towards Masters and his work. Her picking him up after being raided out of the brothel was a good bit of comedy, but what worked even better was letting us see just how much she understands her husband. She trusts him that he isn’t a perv and is doing all of this for science and she is even willing to indulge in a little fantasy.. As much as this reveals about Libby it affirms even more about Masters as we see he can’t even come close to doing with his wife what he hopes to expose with his studies; unless maybe it was with Virginia. It seems like it is going to be a sad road for Libby proceeding forward and I do hope Fitzgerald gets plenty to work with as she slowly loses her husband to Virginia.

This weeks episode of Masters of Sex seemed to be deliberately stopping to expand the world, but for all the avenues they tried to take they weren’t all that successful. Instead of forcing episode two to try and flesh things out I would have preferred a more natural roll out through the season, especially when parts of the episode were so poorly executed. Ethan isn’t going anywhere, much to my disappointment, but neither is the nearly fired Virginia. Let’s just hope that we get more of Masters and Virginia together next week as that is the shows strength at this moment and everything should be coming out of that.

Masters of Sex debuts on Showtime with a very strong pilot that introduces us to a fantastic duo in Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan.

Based after the real life pair of researchers, Bill Masters and Ginny Johnson, this new drama is going to take us through their studies as they blaze a path and reconfigure society’s conceptions of sex and the study of it. Taking place in the late 50’s the show could have easily just played up the shock of what Masters is trying to do, and there is some of that, but it is used to a bare minimum. Instead the show gives itself over to some fantastic character development and by the end of the hour has us feeling like we know Masters and Johnson pretty damn well. There are enough shades of mystery for both of them, especially Masters, that we want to tune in next week and the cliffhanger really peaks your interest for the season going forward.

The plot of the pilot actually moves forward fairly quickly as we watch Masters move from being one of the top gynecologists in his field to, also, operating on the fringe of sexual researcher over the course of the episode. There was a minimal sub-plot running throughout the episode of Masters working with an African American woman to make sure she gets pregnant as he balances his sexual research with his day job. This sub-plot allowed for a few things; it showed how compassionate and socially progressive Masters is outside his sexual research and minimizes many of the audiences’ knee jerk reaction that he is a perv. It also gave the show an emotional hook, but the show itself seems uninterested in the plot other than its narrative function to draw Johnson to Masters for his professional abilities.

The other major sub-plot of the pilot is that Masters and his wife, Libby, are trying to conceive and have gone two years without success. Libby isn’t given a whole lot do in the premiere and is, again, more an outlet for Masters’ personality at home, cold and clinical, then developing her as a character. That’s fine for the pilot and the show does a good job of setting up plenty of potential plot for Libby going forward between Bill’s secret infertility stacked on top of his potential relationship with Ginny.

The pilot is focused, as it should be, on Bill and Ginny, and Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan impress mightily in the premiere. Sheen is able to find compassion and warmth through his cold and clinical demeanor all while being incredibly convincing as the genius Masters is supposed to be. Sheen’s deadpan delivery also works wonderfully when the sneakily humorous script calls for him to be sell a laugh. Sheen’s best moment though was the warmth he was able to display in his bedside manner with his patient all while keeping that cool demeanor we have come to expect from him. His bedside manner with his own wife isn’t nearly as nice, but just as interesting, as Sheen is asked to do a lot and never misses a beat. I have always been a big fan of Sheen and his performance as Masters is going to be one of the best reasons, of many, to keep tuning in. Caplan’s Johnson is a spark of warmth and energy to balance out Masters’ demeanor and she is giving us something we’ve never really gotten from her before. I have always been a fan of Caplan, but she’s is showing a confidence and poise that really work for Johnson. Over the course of an hour we are expected to buy her going from ex-singer, to secretary, to Masters’ near equal and Caplan doesn’t make us doubt that, ever. She’s sexy, strong and determined with Caplan really showing how much Johnson stood out at a time where women were often asked to be neither seen nor heard.

The show also does a fine job of handling the sex, never feeling exploitative and often finding some really good humor in the situation. It also bluntly uses Masters’ apprentice, Ethan, to remind us how ignorant and abusive men could acceptably treat women back in the day (not that his type of behavior isn’t prevalent today), but this was the weakest element of the pilot for me. Ethan could be an interesting foil for both Johnson and Masters going forward, but I was far more interested in the funny and innocent interactions between the researchers and their subjects. This element of the series should allow for a number of fun and interesting guest stars and I hope the show runs with the mostly positive vibe the pilot had going for it rather than take a turn towards darkness.

Masters of Sex is my favorite new show, comedy or drama, I have seen this year and I am happily looking forward to keeping up with it this year. It is the best show I have seen on Showtime since early Dexter and features two of the better performances on TV in Sheen and Caplan. The showing being tied to history should also help keep the show on solid footing as it can’t branch out into misguided plots and over the top nonsense, a flaw of many Showtime shows; a good sign for the show moving forward. Handsomely produced, wonderful performances from its leads and a rich subject matter to pull from make Masters of Sex one of the must see shows of the new season.

Watch the full premiere episode here.

Sex plays a pretty prominent role in many scripted series on TV today, whether it's network, basic cable or premium cable, comedy or drama, sex is often a relevant topic to be explored and the driving force of drama for a story. Showtime's new drama Masters of Sex puts sex front and center, on display in the name of science. Well, mostly science. Sex is complicated. It's emotional and physical and biological all at once, and Masters of Sex demonstrates all of that as it tells the story of Dr. William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the two people who pioneered the study of human sexuality, kicking off the sexual revolution in the process.

Created by Michelle Ashford, Masters of Sex is inspired by Masters and Johnson's story. Set in the late 50's, the premiere episode introduces us to Michael Sheen's William Masters, Washington University's foremost OB/GYN who runs a successful medical practice and is also looking to conduct a study on human sexuality. While the hospital is reluctant to sponsor such a study, Masters does his research in his off hours, first by watching a prostitute have sex and taking notes, but later expanding that research to involve equipment and a wider array of subjects. Enter Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan), a single mother who joins the hospital secretarial staff and eventually begins working with Masters. Johnson's more liberal than average view on sex makes her a good fit for the kind of science Masters is studying.

The period element adds a layer of conservatism to the backdrop, though many of the characters featured are a bit more openminded about sexual activity. As we see in the episodes that follow the series premiere, without the support of the hospital, Masters and Johnson eventually have to get resourceful when it comes to conducting their research, which includes visiting a brothel to observe prostitutes in their line of work. Of course, that means also having to deal with the personal and medical issues of their subjects, which isn't entirely a tangent from the work they're doing, but is somewhat of an obstacle.

When the series isn't focusing on the study, it's taking time to let us into the personal lives of Masters and Johnson. While Masters and his wife struggle conceive a child, Johnson gets physically involved with another doctor at the hospital, but the two aren't on the same page in terms of the extent of their relationship beyond sex.

Both Michael Sheen and Lizzie Caplan have mastered the ability to demonstrate mildly curious and observant facial expressions and tones of voice from their characters as they watch their subjects perform sexual acts on themselves or their partner. Keeping a straight face proves to be particularly useful for both characters, as Masters and Johnson both seem to play their emotional cards close to the vest. But the more we get to know them, the better we understand how each of them approach their own personal and sexual issues. What becomes evident early on are Masters and Johnson's dedication to their research, which they often put before their personal obligations -- for Masters, his wife, and for Johnson, her kids. Sheen plays up Masters as emotionally distant and almost cut-off, as though his personal life is as much a part of his research as his work. The line seems blurry there, at the very least, which is likely affecting his relationship with his wife. Master's isn't exactly as closed off as someone like Don Draper, but there are things he's not telling his wife, which could become an issue. As for Caplan, she's once again managed to transform herself for this role, playing Johnson with poise and confidence, while also offering a hint of vulnerability to the character. As much as I love her comedic work (Party Down, Mean Girls), it's great to see Caplan excelling at drama.

The personal side of the story offsets the clinical side nicely, as the drama demonstrates the relevance of the work Masters and Johnson are doing both from a character standpoint and a viewer's. Sex is everywhere, and let's face it, it's a fascinating topic, whether we're looking at it from a scientific point of view, or from a dramatic perspective. Masters of Sex approaches the topic from all angles -- physically, scientifically, romantically and even reproductively -- exploring the relevance of the activity through the study and through the lives of the characters involved. In terms of graphic content content, sex is obviously a recurring topic in the series, and we're dealing with premium cable, so you can expect your share of nudity and sexual content, but on a scale of one to ten -- with "one" being a network TV comedy that might include a bit of sexual humor but rarely displays much more than an on-screen kiss, and "ten" being something along the lines of a show like Spartacus, that occasionally dedicated minutes at a time to some fairly graphic sexual content -- I'd put Masters of Sex at about a 7. Expect sex and nudity but in relative moderation. Sex has such a huge presence in this series that it doesn't need to be on screen all the time. It's there in the room, whether or not it's actually happening.

Sex is a topic worked into the plot of many TV series, but Masters of Sex takes it right to the surface and wraps it around everything that's going on within the story. And there is a story, which is what makes Masters of Sex such an intriguing, occasionally fascinating and well worth-watching drama. The series takes a few episodes to get warmed up but it gets better with each new episode, so if you like the premiere episode, stick with it.

Masters of Sex airs Sunday, September 29 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime, following the season premiere of Homeland.

Showtime has graciously offered us an early look at their new series Masters of Sex ahead of its official September 29 premiere. Watch it below, but be warned, as you may have guessed by the title, this series contains adult language and content. Viewer discretion is advised!

In addition to being available on Showtime's website, the full series premiere of Masters of Sex is also up on YouTube and via select television providers' free On Demand channels and websites on Showtime on Demand and the on-demand app Showtime Anytime.

If you watched, go ahead and vote in our poll to tell us what you thought, or share a comment below!

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Created by Michelle Ashford and set up as an adaptation of Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, The Couple Who Taught America How To Love, Masters of Sex stars Michael Sheen as William Masters and Lizzy Caplan as Virginia Johnson, the real-life duo that pioneered the science of human sexuality, kicking off the sexual revolution in the process. John Madden directed the pilot episode, which is set to make its official debut on Sunday, September 29, airing alongside returning drama Homeland. Because what better way to decompress after an intense episode of a terrorist drama than by indulging in a sexy new series that, judging by the first few minutes of the pilot, will also have a bit of humor worked in. The series will focus on the start of Masters and Johnson's working relationship and the research they do, as well as their "unusual lives, romance and pop-culture trajectory," as the duo's studies take them from a mid-western teaching hospital in St. Louis to the cover of Time Magazine.

In addition to Caplan and Sheen, Masters of Sex stars Caitlin Fitzgerald, who plays Masters' wife. Nicholas D'agosto and Teddy Sears also star, and there are appearances by Beau Bridges and Margo Martindale. The cast alone is reason enough to anticipate this series. Here's the latest TV spot for the series. And you can catch it airing Sunday nights at 10:00 p.m. starting September 29.

With so many new series about to be unloaded on us as the fall season looms ever closer, trying to figure out which ones we're most excited about was no easy task. But there are some comedies and dramas that really are brimming with potential this fall, thanks to great premises and in some cases, some really excellent talent involved. Whether or not these shows actually live up to that potential remains to be seen, and we'll find out in a matter of weeks. In the meantime, here's our list of shows we're especially excited about, listed in no particular order.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Premieres: Tuesday, September 24 at 8:00 p.m. on ABC

Created by: Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen

Starring: Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Bret Dalton, Chloe Bennet, Iain De Caestecker

To say that we're simply anticipating Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. would probably be a huge understatement. Not only does this series follow the excellent Avengers film, but it also brings Joss Whedon back to television, teamed with his brother and sister-in-law Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen. The series is set in the same "world" as The Avengers and the other Marvel films we've seen, which means this is a reality that is aware of the superhuman and sometimes god-like people living among the rest of the human population. The series focuses on the inner workings of S.H.I.E.L.D., the global organization that strives to monitor activity and incidents related to these superhuman people.

In the wake of The Avengers, the concept of S.H.I.E.l.L.D. seems brimming with potential. What's more, the show should be able to exist somewhat independently from the films, tying to them in some major ways without stepping on the toes of Iron Man, Thor and the other related movies in terms of the plot. The emphasis on the agents who work in this organization allows for all new stories and adventures to play out. Factor in Clark Gregg's big comeback as he returns to the role of Agent Phil Coulson, who was believed to have died in Avengers, and there's even more reason to hope S.H.I.E.L.D. is a winner. Whedon certainly has the track record for quality shows.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Premieres: Tuesday, September 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET on FOX

Created by: Michael Schur and Dan Goor

Starring: Andy Samberg, Andre Braugher, Melissa Fumero and Terry Crews

A few years into the increasingly successful run of NBC’s The Office, showrunner (and adapter for American television) Greg Daniels co-created Parks and Recreation with Michael Schur, one of his writers (and Mose) from the hit mockumentary series. And with the sixth season of the ‘sort-of-spin-off’ starting this fall, Schur has now teamed up with Dan Goor, one of his writers, to co-create Fox’s new cop comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine. If the Schur-Goor series set in the police department is even half as good as Parks and Recreation, audiences are in for something special. Since the talent behind-the-scenes wasn’t impressive enough (that’s two Emmys a piece for the writer-creators), 21 Jump Street’s Phil Lord and Chris Miller were also brought in to direct the pilot.

Of course, the incredible talent in front of the camera also deserve their fair share of the hype with Andy Samberg (who joined SNL the season after Schur left there for The Office) leading a really funny cast. And the great Andre Braugher. Not saying that he’s not funny, just the esteemed actor might be better known for his more serious work like Homicide: Life on the Street. Back to the comedy. The supporting cast includes; Terry Crews, who’s amazing in everything from The Longest Yard to The Newsroom, The State crew’s Jo Lo Truglio and stand-up comedian Chelsea Peretti. It’s one of the few fall previews with consistent laughs, not just trailer moments. You should all book Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

The Originals

Premieres: Thursday, October 3 at 9:00 p.m. on The CW

Created by: Julie Plec

Starring: Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Claire Holt, Phoebe Tonkin, Daniella Pineda

The CW has already found success with The Vampire Diaries and the network is looking for another hit with the show’s spinoff The Originals. I’d argue that it might be difficult to cultivate two vampire-oriented dramas on the same channel, but with many of the most interesting characters from the series headed to The Originals, I’d say TVD might actually have the bigger problem. Fans of the series have already been privy to a backdoor pilot that introduced us to a thriving New Orleans and an intriguing cast of characters, pulling many of our favorites from The Vampire Diaries into this NOLA universe.

Klaus has always been a fan favorite on TVD and in The Originals backdoor pilot, we see a passion and a desire in him to return to his glory days and the town he formerly ran. We also get to meet Klaus’ progeny Marcel (Charles Michael Davis), a complicated vampire who instills fear on a whim and who now runs the great southern city. The show is shaping up for a standoff between the two vampires, and thanks to its flavor, style, and characters, it’s certainly the most anticipated new program headed to the CW this year.

Trophy Wife

Premieres: Tuesday September 24 at 9:30 p.m.

Created by: Emily Halpert, Sarah Haskins

Starring: Malin Akerman, Bradley Whitford, Marcia Gay Harden

It’s extremely difficult to tell how funny a sitcom is going to be based on a trailer. There are just way too many variables related to how jokes are set up, how quickly they come and in what context they’re delivered. Consequently, the best way to forecast success is typically to look at the premise, and as premises go, Trophy Wife has a pretty damn funny one. Watchmen star Malin Akerman plays the severely overwhelmed, woefully incompetent new wife of Bradley Whitford. He’s got two exs, a brood of children and clearly, a tendency to bail.

Conflicts between step-parents and children have been mined for both comedy and drama since the beginning of Hollywood. If Trophy Wife is going to succeed, it needs to not head too far into either category. The key is finding the right balance. Think Jay and Manny on Modern Family. Yes, tons of laughs are had at the expense of their awkward relationship, but producers are always able to keep the plotlines grounded enough that they still feel honest and touching. If done correctly, Trophy Wife could find that same balance and turn into one of ABC’s best new shows.

Masters Of Sex

Premieres: Sunday September 29 at 10:00 p.m. on Showtime

Created by: Michelle Ashford

Starring: Michael Sheen, Lizzy Caplan

The true story of Dr. William Masters and Virginia Johnson is far too fascinating, complicated and important to possibly recount in two paragraphs. So, here’s the two sentence version. He was a researcher at Washington University in St. Louis specializing in sexuality, and she was hired to be his assistant but later emerged as an extremely important partner in his work. Together, they studied, observed and wrote about their observations while watching thousands of people have sex, becoming incredibly famous and marrying each other in the process.

If any new show this year needs the freedom of premium cable, it’s this one. Masters & Johnson took Dr. Kinsey’s meticulous, interview-based research on sexuality and got up close and personal with it. They spent hours every single day watching random couples have sex and/ or watching people masturbate. Material like that needs the freedom of Showtime, and with capable actors like Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan playing the two beloved researchers, there’s no reason to think Masters Of Sex won’t prove to be a very satisfying roll in the hay.

The Michael J. Fox Show

Premieres: Thursday, September 26 at 9:00 p.m. on NBC

Created by: Sam Laybourne, Will Gluck

Starring: Michael J. Fox, Betsy Brandt, Conor Romero, Wendell Pierce

For several years after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Michael J. Fox semi-retired from acting as his symptoms worsened. However, his various TV appearances on programs like Rescue Me and The Good Wife have been well-received, and the actor opted to return to television this fall with a new comedy about family, work, and how to achieve balance.

Working around the whole Parkinson’s thing would have been nearly impossible, so NBC didn’t bother. Instead, the network opted to focus on a comedy about a guy returning to work as a newscaster after the Parkinson’s gets bad but the cabin fever from staying at home all day is even worse. Fox’s wife in the series is Breaking Bad’s Betsy Brandt and his boss is Treme actor Wendell Pierce, so we know we are getting an all-star cast, and we’ve already gotten the trailer for the series, which helps us to understand the show’s charming and amusing tone. We’ll have to wait a few episodes to officially tell whether or not Fox is back in the acting groove, but if the promos for this show are any indication, it might bring the “must-see” back into NBC’s Thursday night lineup.

Almost Human

Premieres: Monday, November 4 at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX

Created by: J.H. Wyman

Starring: Karl Urban, Michael Ealy, Lili Taylor and Minka Kelly

From executive producers J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk, the latest Bad Robot show might actually feature some bad robots with Almost Human set in the not so distant future (35 years to be exact) where ‘synthetics’ exist and are partnered with human police officers. The most enticing aspect of the new police procedural, however, has to be that the project was created by former Fringe showrunner J.H. Wyman. Fringe was perhaps the boldest, sharpest and most satisfying sci-fi storytelling on network (or cable) television so maybe it’s not too unrealistic to hope that Almost Human takes the same risky and original approach instead of being just a dressed-up but still formulaic police procedural.

The futuristic buddy cop drama also features a stellar ensemble lead by buddies, Karl Urban and Michael Ealy. Urban, who’s fantastic in everything (most recently reprising his role as Bones for J.J.’s Star Trek Into Darkness), plays a human police officer who isn’t all that pleased nor impressed with the android allies, especially after an incident leaves him injured (well, without a leg) and forced to use a robotic prosthetic. When he returns to active duty, he’s also forced to have synthetic partner but a ‘special’ case like Urban’s requires a special synthetic, one that doesn’t particularly like that term and is played by Ealy. Ealy was great in the underseen Sleeper Cell, it’s about time he landed a big part and the chemistry between the odd couple looks as entertaining as any of the sci-fi or action trappings. The future is soon! Watch.

The Goldbergs

Premieres: Tuesday, September 24 at 9:00 p.m. on ABC

Created by: Starring: Wendi McLendon-Covey, Jeff Garlin, Sean Giambrone, Patton Oswalt (voice)

Back in the 80s, some families would gather around their TV sets -- they were called "sets" back then and some of them even looked like furniture -- to watch whatever family-focused television was on. And there was no shortage of that available on primetime, including The Wonder Years, a nostalgic drama about a kid coming of age in the late '60s. The Goldbergs looks like it could be the modern-day answer to The Wonder Years in its focus on a kid coming of age among the generation that watched The Wonder Years... and a lot of other TV shows and movies. 11-year-old Adam is living in his own wonder years, a part of the MTV generation, just trying to get by while living under the reign of his overbearing mother and hot-tempered dad. It's fine family fun with an 80's twist.

The Goldbergs' clothes and hair may be beyond dated, but nostalgia will never go out of style, which is why we're hoping The Goldbergs will be among this season's winning comedies. Set in a decade brimming with beloved pop-culture references there's plenty of opportunity for humor and fond looks back at yesteryear. Beyond the premise, there's also Bridesmaids' hilarious Wendi McLendon-Covey and Curb Your Enthusiam's Jeff Garlin playing mom and pop Goldberg to look forward to.

Dracula

Premieres: Friday, October 25 at 10 on NBC

Created by: Cole Haddon, Daniel Knauf

Starring: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Jessica De Gouw, Katie McGrath

NBC’s newest drama is both a period tale and one about vampires, a subject matter the market is pretty well saturated with already. The series is also set to air on Friday nights, which is typically a death slot for programs. Yet, Dracula, a program about a vampire hoping to bring technology to Victorian London and who seeks revenge for a wrongdoing centuries earlier, has a real chance of not only surviving but thriving on NBC this season, for numerous reasons.

The first is that Dracula has been well-cast, signing on heartthrob Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who is known for playing Henry VII in the HBO drama The Tudors. We already know the man is capable in period dramas and for the Victorian story, he’ll star opposite Jessica De Gouw, a relative newcomer who shined on The CW’s Arrow last season. The reimagining of Bram Stoker’s famed novel will be carefully cultivated by Carnivale creator Daniel Knauf, and as for that Friday night slot, Dracula has been carefully paired with NBC’s delightful program, Grimm, which also looks into a world that is dark and full of the supernatural. If Dracula is half as interesting as its trailer seems to allude, it should make for a fine pairing on Friday nights.

The Crazy Ones

Premieres: Thursday, September 26 at 9:00 p.m. on CBS

Created by: David E. Kelley

Starring: Robin Williams, Sarah Michelle Gellar, James Wolk

Robin Williams' return to television is reason enough to hope that The Crazy Ones works out. The fact that it's a single-camera comedy on CBS is another aspect worth noting about it. And then there's the matter of David E. Kelley's involvement. Kelley's better associated with dramas (Harry's Law, Boston Legal), though his previous hour-longs have certainly incorporated some comedy, tonally, so the shift in genre might not be quite so drastic. Williams, single-camera comedy and Kelley are three reasons to be excited for The Crazy Ones. And of course, there's also Sarah Michelle Gellar. Things didn't work out so well for Gellar's CW series Ringer, but we're hopeful that a show with a bit more humor (and a bit less confusing twin-switching drama) will suit her much better.

The Crazy Ones stars Williams and Gellar as Simon and Sydney, a father and daughter duo working together at an advertising agency. While Sydney is organized and motivated, Simon's a bit unpredictable, with unorthodox methods for running his company. Of course, he's also really good at what he does, which certainly helps. As if Williams and Gellar weren't enough to get us excited and hopeful for this new comedy, the series will also feature guest appearances by Kelly Clarkson and Josh Groban.

The Masters of Sex trailer gets is pretty frank about sexual activity. Watch at your own risk.

In the world of sex and academia, Alfred Kinsey might reign supreme, but the the more interesting story might be that of the sexuality research team of Masters and Virginia, who researched the human sexual appetite from the late 1950s into the 1990s. Showtime’s latest program, Masters of Sex, will follow William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson at the start of their partnership. The network has finally put togetehr an extended trailer for the series, and audiences can see a show with wit and romance that should make for an interesting conversation starter.

The trailer focuses on the formation of Masters and Johnson in a time when sex, but especially researching sex, is taboo . Not only is Masters getting an earful concerning the staff’s disapproval of his project, but Johnson has an added burden of being a woman in a time period where the expectations for woman are very different than the expectations for men. The Masters of Sex trailer is certainly interesting enough to encourage debate and conversation, but probably isn’t one to catch while you are at work, as there are a few scenes involving toys that should be viewed from the comfort of a home computer.

Showtime signed on for the series around the same time Ray Donovan moved forward at the network. While Ray Donovan moved forward with ease, Masters of Sex had to deal with a casting setback after Legion actor Paul Bettany dropped out of the project. Eventually Michael Sheen took over the role of Masters and Lizzy Caplan signed on to play Johnson. Beau Bridges also stars.

We’ve already seen a few short trailers and stills from the new series, which is based on the mouthful of a book Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson by Thomas Maiers. The show doesn’t premiere until next month, so if you are interested in the couple or the series at all, the book may be one to catch before the show premieres.

Showtime’s Masters of Sex won’t hit the schedule until this fall. Once the drama hits the schedule, it will begin airing on Sunday nights at 10 p.m. ET. The premiere is slated for September 29.

What I’ve seen from the early Masters of Sex trailer is intriguing, although I wonder where the show will go over the long haul. Still, if Ray Donovan is any indication, if Masters of Sex does well in the ratings early on, it’s likely we’ll get a second season to find out.

It looks like Allison Janney is intent on getting back into television. About a month ago, we learned that the West Wing star was signed on to star alongside Anna Faris in Chuck Lorre's CBS comedy pilot, Mom, and it also looks like we'll be seeing her in Showtime's upcoming drama series Masters of Sex, playing the wife of Beau Bridges character.

Set to premiere on Showtime this fall, Masters of Sex stars Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan as real-life pioneers of the science of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Their research is said to have kicked off the sexual revolution. Janney will appear in 5 episodes of the series, playing Margaret Scully, the wife of University Provost Barton Scully (Bridges).

This is just one more reason to anticipate this intriguing sounding drama, even if Janney will only appear in five episodes. The actor has demonstrated her ability to handle both dramatic and comedic roles in films like Drop Dead Gorgeous (one of my personal favorites), Juno and The Help, and TV shows including The West Wing and Mr. Sunshine. If there's one cause for concern, it's that she's a scene-stealer, but that's hardly a complaint. While I'm hopeful that things will go well for the TV comedy she's starring in with Anna Faris, it's good to know we're guaranteed to see her back on TV when Masters of Sex arrives on Showtime. The series premieres Sunday, September 29 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. Watch the teaser for it below:

Showtime decided to combine their first look at Masters of Sex with their first look at Ray Donovan, two promising looking series that, when presented back to back against one another, have noticeably different tones. One is risqué and sexy, the other suspenseful and a little violent. Both look like they could be great new series for the premium cable channel.

Based on Thomas Maier's book Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, Masters of Sex stars Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan as Masters and Johnson, two characters based on real-life pioneers of the science of human sexuality.

Meanwhile, Ray Donovan is set in Los Angeles and stars Live Schreiber in the title role as "the go-to guy who makes the problems of the city's celebrities, superstar athletes, and business moguls disappear." Showtime describes the show as a powerful family drama, and that comes through in the second part of the trailer below.

As the trailer shows, part of Ray Donovan's plot involves Jon Voight's character, Donovan's father Mickey, getting out of prison and "setting off a chain of events that shakes the Donovan family to its core." Also among the cast are Elliott Gould, Paula Malcomson, Eddie Marsan and Dash Mihok.

Both series have a lot going for them, including fantastic casts. Masters of Sex also has the sexy appeal, added to the potential for some fascinating dialogue on the subject of sex from a scientific perspective, and the period element. And Ray Donovan seems to be aiming to combine crime, suspense and family drama, which could work really well. We'll have to see how both of these shows look when they arrive next year.

Showtime's original series slate is certainly shaping up nicely. The network has recently made an effort to land film stars to head their most recent series - including William H. Macy in Shameless, Claire Danes in Homeland and Don Cheadle in House of Lies - and, with these speedy renewals, it's a strategy that seems to be working out quite well. Of course, that doesn't mean there haven't been a few casting bumps along the way, most notably with British star Paul Bettany walking away from the upcoming Masters of Sex pilot. However, Showtime has done a tremendous job picking up the pieces by filling the empty slot with Michael Sheen as well as finally locking Lizzy Caplan in to co-star.

Deadline reports that Sheen, best known for his superb and overlooked work as Prime Minister Tony Blair in The Queen or as TV personality David Frost in Frost/Nixon, will be stepping in for Bettany as William Masters. Sheen once again finds himself playing a real figure as Masters of Sex is based on the true story of 'human sexuality pioneers' Masters and Virginia Johnson and is adapted from Thomas Maier’s book "Masters of Sex: The Life And Times Of William Masters And Virginia Johnson, The Couple Who Taught America How To Love." As the longest book title ever suggests, the pilot will focus on Sheen's Masters and his partner Virginia Johnson, a co-leading role for which Lizzy Caplan has just been confirmed.

The series is about the two sexuality researchers and follows their lives, romance and influence on both pop culture and the just blossoming sexual revolution. Hired to pen the adaptation is TV veteran Michelle Ashford (The Pacific) with Academy Award winner John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) attached to direct the pilot. Yes, this pilot is shaping up rather nicely and looks like a promising potential pickup. Sheen and Caplan are two wonderful actors who haven't quite gotten the recognition they deserve but hopefully their addition to this prestige project might help change that.

Apart from the roles mentioned above, Sheen was nominated for an Emmy for his work on HBO's The Special Relationship, was unforgettable as Wesley Snipes on 30 Rock and is also part of the glorious ensemble in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. Caplan was lovely and hilarious on Starz Party Down as well as a standout in her small arcs on True Blood and (so far) The New Girl. Overall, really exciting hires for an enticing new pilot slated to begin shooting in New York in March.

It looks like it’s back to the drawing board as far as casting goes for Showtime’s drama pilot Masters of Sex. British actor Paul Bettany was set to play one of the two lead roles in the project, however it’s been reported that he’s no longer attached to star.

Back in November, we shared the news that Bettany (A Knight’s Tale, Margin Call) had been cast in the lead role of Showtime’s pilot Masters of Sex, a drama based on Thomas Maier’s book Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson the couple who Taught America How to Love. The story follows the start of the sexual revolution in the ’60’s, which is said to have been kicked off by Masters and Johnson’s research. Bettany was to play Masters in the pilot, however Deadline now reports otherwise.

Per Deadline, the role of Masters was supposed to be Bettany’s U.S. TV debut, but now he’s no longer set to star. It sounds like it was his call to leave the project, though no specifics are offered as to why he’s exiting the role other than references to the actor’s “known difficulty to commit to projects.” The series is now in search of two leads for the pilot, with Lizzy Caplan (Party Down) the mentioned name as a “talked about” option for the part of Johnson.

Fans of Bettany will likely be disappointed by this news, especially given how well Showtime has done in showcasing the talents of big stars in lead roles of their original series (see: Claire Danes and Damien Lewis in Homeland, William H. Macy in Shameless), however the actor is credited for a role in the upcoming film Blood, and fans will be able to hear him in The Avengers, as he’s the voice of Tony Stark’s helpful (occasionally sarcastic) virtual assistant Jarvis.