When it comes to healthy streaming, it’s important to have a medically proven dose of sex. That’s right, in between all your baking binges, Marvel marathons, and Korean couch vacations, watching people go at it like beavers in heat is the only way to stay sane. Thankfully, we have your double does of hanky panky right here.
Sex Education is the story of a sex therapist and her teenage son who starts a secret sex clinic at his high school with the bad girl of his dreams. Masters of Sex is the highly fictionalized version of real-life sex researchers William Masters and Virginia Johnson who teamed up in 1957 to watch volunteers bone in a laboratory. While both shows orbit the topic of sex and relationships, illuminating things about our deepest desires and primal urges, only one can withstand the rigorous demands of a Mandatory streaming battle.
Today we go the full 12 rounds to find out who does it better: Sex Education or Masters of Sex? If this doesn’t bring you instant gratification, nothing will. (Warning: Engorgement lasting more than 12 hours should switch to Frasier right away.)
The scores are in and after some masterful bobbing and weaving with lots of in and out, Sex Education takes the belt despite losing the final round. While Masters of Sex is a show worth watching, it often feels like a sex-addled rendition of Mad Men.
Sex Education on the other hand is wholly original, timely, and fresh. It’s John Hughes on steroids (and viagra), balancing the rich inner life of teens with the zany, surreal experience of trying to grow up in a world that doesn’t have it that much more figured out than you. And thanks to its dynamic bedroom romps and constant championing of inclusivity (both age and preference-wise), it manages to blow everything else in the sex department away.
Next season, prepare to climax.
Winner: ‘Sex Education’
Cover Photo: Netflix and Showtime
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Sex Ed v. Masters of Sex
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The Sex
Sex is the soup du jour and both shows have plenty of it. But whereas Masters of Sex is more steeped in clinical fornication and heavy repression, Sex Education is consistently a celebration of the love act. Just look at the Season 3 opener and you'll find more giddy copulation packed into the first 60 seconds of screen time than most shows spurt out in an entire season.
Winner: 'Sex Education'
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Solving Sex-Related Issues
So with both shows centered around superior sex knowledge, which one helps enlighten audiences more? Whether it be a broken dick, fear of masturbation, first-time butt loving, or the secret to pleasuring a woman, both shows come packing the goods. And what better place to get the low down on the down and dirty than streaming it from the comfort of your home?
Winner: Tie
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Who Cums Laude?
The thirst for knowledge is only outmatched by the thirst for thirst traps. In the former, both series succeed, delightfully tossing away the taboos of boinking to investigate the hows and whys, illuminating not only the physiology but the psychology behind it. No doubt, Sex Education handles more modern frontiers of sexuality but the spirit of both shows is kindred: To leave no sex-curious stone unturned.
Winner: Tie
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Eargasm
There's no question who takes this round. With an incredible music teacher named Mr. Hendricks who fosters the student's musical talents (see Season 3's stirring rendition of 'F--k the Pain Away'), combined with the best soundtrack in streaming, Sex Education is pure ear candy. Close your eyes and it still jumps off the screen.
Winner: 'Sex Education'
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Buck Naked Bucks
Remember when naked dudes on TV weren't allowed? Sex Education shattered that glass ceiling with a dong drop in the first episode.
Winner: 'Sex Education'
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Number Of Onscreen Orgasms
With storylines about investigating multiple orgasms, masturbation as liberation, and relationships via intercourse, we've lost count of the number of Big Os captured onscreen in both shows. Suffice it to say, combined it's more Os than a blank check.
Winner: Tie
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Audience G-Spot
Masters of Sex was a critical success from the get-go, but viewership was modest at best. After four seasons of declining ratings, Showtime pulled the plug. Meanwhile, Sex Education was Netflix's biggest hit for a hot minute upon its release in 2019. Adding to its glory, the show just recently survived the Netflix cancellation curse, earning a rare fourth season in 2022. Give the people what they want.
Winner: 'Sex Education'
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Awkward Moments With Grandpa
Let's just say that when grandpa comes over on Christmas morning, it's probably best to put on something more benign, like Home Alone. That way you won't have to explain things like what a prostate G-spot is... unless it's time you had that talk.
Winner: Tie
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Do Old People Have Sex?
Is it us or has Gillian Anderson somehow gotten sexier with age? Her earnest enjoyment of casual sex is handled like business as usual - a far cry from the Masters and Johnson world of timid housewives who'd never heard the word orgasm, much less felt it. Sex for all!
Winner: 'Sex Education'
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Beating Around The Bush
When it comes to milking the cow, nobody stretches an udder like Sex Education. Foreplay is nice and all but when it comes to relationship arcs sometimes it's better to just get to the point.
Winner: 'Masters of Sex'
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Sex Positivity
Both shows treat sex in a positive and optimistic light. But the term sex positivity has garnered renewed vigor as a more dynamic range of sexual identities seek positive representation in society. Within this climate, Sex Education does its finest work, continuing to promote sex positivity for every person on the sexual spectrum. The education here is not only for folks coming of age sexually but for the many underrepresented people who face marginalization on a daily basis. Knowledge is power, sexy power.
Winner: 'Sex Education'
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Ahead Of The Curve
For all the success of Sex Education, it owes a lot to the foundation laid by its predecessor. The candor, the unadulterated sexploration, the balance of serious and silly pillow talk, and the link between motivation and pleasure was thrust into the pop-cultural consciousness thanks to Masters of Sex. Even the use of a dual sex team (AKA a male and female researcher) pioneered by Masters and Johnson - with the repressed male falling for the more adventurous female - is the blueprint of Otis and Maeve's partnership. Give it up for the OG-spot.
Winner: 'Masters of Sex'
