While sex still sells on premium cable, Showtime has cancelled its Masters of Sex TV show after four seasons. The drama series followed the lives of sex researchers William Masters (Michael Sheen) and Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan), whose work helped to kick off the sexual revolution.
It seems the season four finale, “The Eyes of God,” is now also the Masters of Sex TV series finale. That episode debuted on Showtime, on November 13th. According to Deadline, the cabler has declined to comment on the Masters of Sex cancellation.
Masters of Sex TV Series Cancelled After Four Seasons on Showtime
Masters of Sex season four brought Masters and Johnson into the 1970s, where they struggled to save their medical practice. The couple finally married in the finale. Reporter Nellie Andreeva says, “I hear Showtime brass felt that was a fitting conclusion to the duo’s complicated story, and decided not to go forward with another season.”
While premium cable TV series do not rely on advertising dollars, they do rely on paid subscribers. In other words, premium cable channels still care about audience size. That is why, even for the Showtimes and HBOs of the world, ratings are still a good indication of whether a TV show will be cancelled or renewed.
Masters of Sex Cancellation Post-Mortem: A Look at the Ratings
Taking the ratings into consideration, it is no surprise that Masters of Sex has been cancelled. In its fourth and final season, the series earned an average of 0.12 in the 18 to 49 year old viewer demographic and drew an average total audience of 453,000 viewers. Meanwhile, the third season of Masters of Sex averaged a 0.13 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 595,000 viewers.
Compare those numbers to the first two years. The second season averaged a 0.26 rating in the demo and 800,000 viewers. Masters of Sex season one averaged a 0.4 demo rating with 1.07 million viewers.
Because Masters of Sex has been on a consistently steep downward slide over four seasons, the cancellation makes sense.
What do you think? Are you a fan of the Masters of Sex TV show? Should Showtime have cancelled or renewed it for a fifth season?
I just recently finished catching up on season four thru tv on demand. I am really, really upset the show was cancelled just when it seemed it was going to head into a very interesting area. Quite frankly, it was the only program I really liked. I don’t want to sound not nice, but if you depend on ratings so much, you’re not thinking about the people who enjoyed that show! It shouldn’t always be about profits…not when you have so many other programs to offer……. my personal opinion of course. As a character might say in the series, it… Read more »
I think they had a bit of trouble but they should have taken the risk and at least done season five. I feel this way for two reasons. The first is that the show besides being about the obvious is also about the coming together of these two people. Not just in marriage like the Showtime people thing but as full partners in life, love and business. They are finally fully part of each others existence in every way without any hiding or secrets. These are two people that have not been known to be good about that with other… Read more »
Rebbeca, I agree with everything you said. I also feel, it looked like Gini may have planned to have the press there! You could see it in Bill’s eyes…the questioning. And what about the timing of Dody coming back into the picture!. I feel the only thing that was resolved is that Libby “found herself”, and I felt there was closure there. I really loved seeing her changing thru time. I also like the time period. I could relate to it so well! What a huge disappointment…..
I think they had a bit of trouble but they should have taken the risk and at least done season five. I feel this way for two reasons. The first is that the show besides being about the obvious is also about the coming together of these two people. Not just in marriage like the Showtime people thing but as full partners in life, love and business. They are finally fully part of each others existence in every way without any hiding or secrets. These are two people that have not been known to be good about that with other… Read more »
I enjoyed the show. But the 2 main characters were so selfish that I just didn’t really care about them after a certain point. So I think it was time. Allison Janney and Beau Bridges, those characters were interesting to watch, maybe a spin-off 🙂
I loved the show and very disappointed that it will not continue. Michael Sheen is a great actor.
When will networks and show producers realize tha 10 episodes then 10 months of nothing loose viewer interest. Time to do a full time job. We loose track of story lines, characters, and then interest.
We loved it. A terrible shame to cancel it.
I loved the show
Really sad its cancelled. I loved it 🙁
I’m going to miss Masters. I enjoyed the first seasons, especially the work of Allison Janney and Beau Bridges as they explored the dysfunctional sexual marriage of a homosexual to an unknowing wife. I imagine things of that type went on frequently in those days. I never knew that Lizzie Caplan was such a talented actress, she did an amazing job as the ever-morphing Virginia Johnson. Michael Sheen was already well known but he played the cold-uptight Bill Masters impeccably. I hate to see this series end but I did feel a sense of groping (no pun intended) this season… Read more »
Look Showtime got more fans too free glad that show is out because the people did stupid things like putting a former power ranger in season 1 then putting emily/beth from walking dead when fan sill to tears when she died then strip her naked taht pissed alot of people sex dose not get most ratings californiacation a ray donovan had adventure
Irvin, I’m not following you….What Power Ranger in season one? Are you still talking about Masters……?