"Masters of Sex" will have to hit its stride on season 4 because its two title characters will enter an important arc in the storyline. However, the steady decline in ratings indicate that, unless things change, this season may be its last.
"Masters of Sex" started with a bang on Showtime but may end with a whimper. The premise was certainly promising enough. It was based on the real-life story of sex researchers, Masters (Michael Sheen) and Johnson (Lizzy Kaplan), who blew the lid off the sacred taboo of sex in the 1960s and uncovered its secrets to a shocked society.
According to TV Finale, the conspicuous ratings drop was significant and could not be dismissed. After initial acclaim and audience interest, season two only had an audience of 800,000. This still lowered to 600,000 by season 3. The fourth season will open in September of 2016. When asked during a press tour about the chances of a season 5 materializing, producer David Nevins said it was "too early to tell."
Showrunner Michelle Ashford did tell Dateline, though, that season four is bound to be huge. After three seasons, Masters and Johnson have gained enough fame to come out of the woodwork and into the limelight. The show will tackle the growing fame of the sex researchers who made a splash on the cover of Time Magazine.
Ashford says, "Season 4 is starting in the late '60s, and the season will probably encompass a year or two ... [Masters and Johnson] became huge celebrities and ended up on the front of Time magazine, so we're really exploring that this year."
Regardless of how the show turns out, its stars' light will not grow dim. Michael Sheen is a recognized film actor long before he got his stint on "Masters of Sex." Fox News reports that Sheen's former co-star, Betsy Brandt, found new life in the CBS comedy, "Life in Pieces." Teddy Sears has run from the 1960s to the future as the Earth 2 speedster in the CW superhero hit "The Flash."
The fourth season of "Masters of Sex" will debut on Showtime in 2016.
