‘Masters of Sex’ recap: Bloody fight leads to breakthrough

A violent confrontation with his younger sibling results in a psychological breakthrough for Dr. William Masters (Michael Sheen) on “Below the Belt,” Episode 210 of Showtime’s “Masters of Sex.”

The altercation begins after Bill’s brother Frank (Christian Borle) claims their mother (Ann Dowd) is an alcoholic, just like their late father. Frank also accuses Bill of having a drinking problem.

“You mask it better than most,” observes Frank, a regular at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. “But you have all the signs: mood swings, aggression, impulsive decision making, chronic lying.”

“I forgive you for leaving me,” Frank adds, pointing to Bill’s departure from the family that left Frank at the mercy of their abusive “monster” of a dad.

“You want to forgive me?” Bill angrily responds. “Then forgive me for not respecting you. And forgive me for seeing you for what you really are: a weak little boy who became an idiotic clown, who grew up to be a gutless, pathetic man!”

Stung by those cruel words, Frank punches Bill in the face again and again.

Bloodied and bruised, Bill turns to his colleague/lover Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan) for comfort. After lowering his physical guard to Frank, Bill lowers his emotional guard to Virginia by confessing to the pain he caused his brother.

“I abandoned him to that monster and then I punished him for it,” Bill tearfully admits. “What is wrong with me?”

On the positive side, this burst of honesty apparently helps Bill with his impotency as he passionately reaches for Virginia on the hotel bed.

As for Bill’s wife, Libby (Caitlin Fitzgerald), she’s found her passion by volunteering at the Congress of Racial Equality, an African-American civil rights group. Libby craves additional responsibility, but she’s marginalized by Robert Franklin (Jocko Sims), who dismisses her as a pampered suburbanite.

Libby proves her mettle, however, by turning out for a canvasing effort at one of the worst slums in St. Louis. To Robert’s surprise, Libby persuades residents to join a rent strike aimed at improving conditions in the rat-infested complex.

In other developments, Bill frets about his place in history when a rival scientist publishes a human sexuality study. To ensure he and Virginia receive proper credit for their pioneering work, Bill hires public relations expert Shep Tally (Adam Arkin).

Shep is impressed with their research, but he’s more impressed with how Bill and Virginia converse like spouses. Their spirited interaction, Shep recognizes, is perfect for television.

If a typical scientist comes on TV and discusses sex, Shep explains, audiences would tune him out as either a dullard or pervert.

“But the two of you come on — both scientists and yet looking like the nice couple next door — and suddenly I trust you,” Shep enthuses. “The two of you could finally teach America how to have sex!”

Virginia is intrigued with the idea of appearing on TV, imagining “all the people we could reach, we could help.” Bill is leery, however.

“We already saw what happened to a roomful of doctors exposed to this work,” Bill cautions, recalling the disastrous presentation that cost him his job at Washington University. Now he fears a TV show would trivialize their controversial research.

“I want to win a Nobel Prize. I do not want my work reduced to the warmup hour before ‘Mr. Magoo,’ ” Bill exclaims, referring to the popular cartoon character.

But Virginia knows how to change Bill’s mind. Appealing to his competitive nature, she asks if he could forgive himself for standing on the sideline and letting another scientist claim the prize.

Looks like Masters and Johnson will soon become TV personalities.