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Take a Look-see at Showtime's New Dramas Masters of Sex and Ray Donovan (VIDEO)

By Tim Surette

Dec 07, 2012

Showtime has a huge opportunity to gain some ground on chief rival HBO thanks to the kick in the ass it's received from its kick-ass drama Homeland. With the Emmys fawning over the Claire Danes-starring thriller, the network is enjoying a lot of attention. But how does one follow up one's first big original drama hit? With lots of sex and a guy who makes dead transsexuals disappear, of course!

Masters of Sex and Ray Donovan are the two new series Showtime hopes will keep up its current momentum, and though we've known about them for like forever, today we finally get extended looks at both.

Masters of Sex stars Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan as real-life 1960s sex pioneers William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Ray Donovan stars Liev Schreiber as the titular character, a "fixer" for rich Hollywood types who makes mistakes (think dead hookers) disappear. Showtime has been pretty non-specific about when both series will debut, saying only that they'll show up sometime in 2013.

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mcepin3

Dec 12, 2012

....come to new series,unlike anything else on television...

and yet they can't even let curse words be unedited or how you call that.

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tinaaboyles

Dec 10, 2012

like Rita answered I'm startled that someone able to get paid $4738 in four weeks on the internet. did you look at this website www.cloud68.c0m

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bicelis

Dec 10, 2012

Both of these shows look like they could be very very good. Besides they have to sell them on the most common denominators: sex, violence, action, but we don't know if those elements will be the prevalent ones in the actual episodes.

Besides, Lizzy Caplan! Jon Voight!

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numberonecubsfa

Dec 10, 2012

Ray Donovan is a generic and crappy name for a tv series. That said, I'll check it out since it looks interesting and I love Liev Schreiber. I just hope the generic title doesn't put people off giving it a look.

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AssandroJourn

Dec 09, 2012

from these previews second show looks better to me. Liev Schreiber is da man! and I like Angelina Jolie's father NYC accent) but its premise looks implausible to me. I doubt that there is some fixer who makes dead hookers disappear in Hollywood. nowadays every fart and shit of celebrity will be known by public and police in a second.

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Acrobit

Dec 10, 2012

Sure about that? As they say, "Our failures are known, our successes are not."

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Acrobit

Dec 09, 2012

I want both of these to be good, but Masters of Sex had better be effing fascinating, Michael Sheen or no. If it starts out slow and dry like Mad Men or Boardwalk, I don't think it'll last long enough to pick up a base. I think Ray Donovan would've been better if he didn't have a family, but it might do okay. Watching the preview up there, I really don't have a good feeling about either of them.

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LeePierce

Dec 09, 2012

A guy who fixes things, but can't fix his own life... seems a bit overdone, but still looks interesting.

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wingsabre

Dec 09, 2012

I think Masters of Sex will be one of those guilty pleasures. Probably in the same mode as the L word or Desperate Housewives. May start out hot but it can fizzle quickly.

I think Ray looks more compelling of a series, and in a way, looks like a feasible replacement for Dexter.

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angeleys151

Dec 09, 2012

I take some issue with the assertion that Homeland is Showtimes first hit drama. Dexter, The Tudors, and The Borgias are all hits. They may not have the same notoriety as shows like Game of Thrones, or Rome, but Showtime has consistently good programs, where as HBO has been slipping in recent years only coming out with a good show every so often. All of this doesn't even include comedies or "dramadies" like Shameless, Nurse Jackie, Weeds, or The Big C; all of which have had at the very least Emmy nominations if not wins.

Moving past that though I'm looking forward to both. Michael Sheen and Liev Schrieber are both amazing actors who (in my opinion) pick excellent projects to work on, so I can't wait to see what they've chosen this time.

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TeddyBearZA

Dec 09, 2012

Showtimes always has the best shows. 2013 looks like it will be off to a good start.

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LiseLotteDive

Dec 09, 2012

I just finished watching the first episodes of one of them gems I sometimes stumble upon. This is yet another British mini series of excellent quality, four episodes named The Fear. Raw, bloody, great acting, great writing and the end result is just FANTASTIC.

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hell693

Dec 09, 2012

They both look good, i will check out both for the first 3 episodes to give them a chance to impress me.

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daniellecio

Dec 09, 2012

I would watch Lizzy Caplan watch paint dry! I love her! I will probably check out them both!

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JeremyStratten

Dec 09, 2012

I thought Masters of Sex was gonna be an anthology series like Masters of Horror only about softcore porn.

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samhockney

Dec 09, 2012

Im a big fan of both Micheal Sheen and Lizzy Caplan and i belive they are two of the most underated actors working today so i will probably watch Masters Of Sex for at least 3-4 episodes purley for that reason, but i really cant see a long arcing story here, so unless it does something really intresting then i probably wont make it past episode 4.

Ray Donovan however does look promising, to be honest iv never been a fan of Liev Schrieber but he does look in his element here and iv always been a fan of Jon Voight so i will definatly be going into this with fairly high expectations and im looking forward to it

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BrookeDsBaby

Dec 09, 2012

That was my thought to. I'm sure there is a story there but I have no idea how they'll maintain Masters of Sex as a series. I guess that's the fun of watching.

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SokkaAppa

Dec 09, 2012

Ray Donovan by far. It looks like it has a great cast, guest stars ans storyline.

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BrandonLillis

Dec 09, 2012

absolutely I have high hopes

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osdawaya16

Dec 09, 2012

I can watch Michael Sheen in anything. Good casting!

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ludoTV

Dec 08, 2012

I'd probably watch Liev Schreiber on just about anything... but in truth both seem to have potential so i would check at least 3 / 4 eps

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LilyGabrielle

Dec 08, 2012

My thoughts: I'd watch Michael Sheen and Liev Schrieber read a phone book. I'm in.

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bothcats

Dec 08, 2012

Both of these series look AWESOME. High five showtime!

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estella87

Dec 08, 2012

They shouldn't have spoiled about what happened to the brother of Liev Schreiber's character in the preview. Seriously... <_<

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YiWernYoong

Dec 08, 2012

to be fair...the clip had a lot more on Ray Donovan than Masters of Sex

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NeeUyank

Dec 08, 2012

I may try them both but looking at these I do not see a long future for Masters of Sex..

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dragon22a

Dec 08, 2012

I think the premise of Ray Donovan could have been better suited for a more comedic, satirical, series that focused on him being a fixer. Instead the series seems to be more dark and focused on a sort of mob type storyline.

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apostrofa

Dec 08, 2012

Hm, I'm curious about Masters of Sex but, after this first-look video, I'm not exactly sure what it's supposed to be about. What will be the premise?

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Taccado

Dec 08, 2012

I have to give credit to cable channels for signing big stars. Unfortunately, based on these short first looks, I'm not feeling either of these shows. Such a shame, I like Lizzy. I probably end up watching Masters of Sex just because of her.

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meee223

Dec 08, 2012

You may have known about these shows "forever", but I've just heard about them right now. They look good. Hope they are on early in the year, not late in the year.

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Elliot1807

Dec 08, 2012

More transphobia great :(

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No1Slayerette

Dec 08, 2012

Michael Sheen & Lizzy Caplan are two actors I like, but I'm yet to see what Masters of Sex will actually be about plot wise. I'm not a period piece fan either so I don't know whether I'll tune in or not.

Ray Donovan could be fun, but his wife's Boston accent is already annoying me, and Elliott Gould's presence doesn't do things for me either. I like the fact that he's world revolves around Hollywood types, but it'll need more than that for me to watch.

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ElisaDiaz

Dec 08, 2012

I wonder about Masters of sex as well - it is not only the danger of being just a period piece (which I don´t mind myself) but the historic background. When you work with real life characters... well, there isn´t much space for suprises. Actors look good, quality looks good, but I am not feeling a lot of interest. I hope that I will change my mind when I see the pilot :)

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alcalde

Dec 08, 2012

Yawn... No vampires, no werewolves, no zombies, no aliens... not interested. :-(

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Loooooooooooost

Dec 08, 2012

ha! that has to be the least intelligent thing I heard all day!

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ElisaDiaz

Dec 08, 2012

I think it is rather normal in times of crisis to fall into fantasy fiction (reality is tough enough, thank you). I watch shows without "magic" as well, but I do understand this kind of feeling of escaping reality :)

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KeithStammer

Dec 08, 2012

I think there should be a cage match for the title of Ultimate Fixer: Ray Donovan vs. Olivia Pope vs. Winston Wolf. May the best fixer make his two immediate threats disappear.

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darkitp

Dec 08, 2012

its a good excuse for watching porn .. when someone ask you why .. say its for science !
this is what Masters of Sex all about ..

i wish they give Masters of Horror a new season ..

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TrueTvWatcher

Dec 08, 2012

I'll check them out

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DavidJackson8

Dec 07, 2012

"But how does one follow up one's first big original drama hit?"
I'm pretty sure Dexter was their first big original drama hit. Maybe it's not as uh, glorious? now, but the first 4 seasons had great reception and were nominated all the time for the big awards. Unfortunately for them, this was also the peak of Breaking Bad and Mad Men.

Anyway, I've been looking forward to both of these shows back since they were both announced in News Briefs here. I can see Ray Donovan being a show I love, although the trailer for it here didn't look THAT great. Masters of Sex looks cool too because of, uh, well... sex. And I like Lizzy Caplan and Michael Sheen.

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daniellecio

Dec 09, 2012

"I'm pretty sure Dexter was their first big original drama hit." lol yes

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chrisdeli

Dec 08, 2012

I think they just meant "original" as Homeland wasn't based on a previous work like Dexter was? But on that note, Homeland was inspired by an Israeli show called Prisoners of War as far as I know..

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DavidJackson8

Dec 09, 2012

I thought about the "original" term too and that maybe he was referring to what you mentioned, but yes, Homeland too is based on previous work. Maybe not as closely or strictly as Dexter, but based nonetheless.

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daniellecio

Dec 09, 2012

"Homeland is a drama/thriller series developed for American television by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa. It is based on the Israeli series Hatufim (English title: Prisoners of War) created by Gideon Raff"

c&p from Homelands Wiki!

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FringeFanatic

Dec 08, 2012

Can I vote for sex?

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ElisaDiaz

Dec 07, 2012

Gee, how weird, i didn´t get an interest in any of the two shows through this video :(

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rye06p

Dec 07, 2012

I'll defo check out both, but Ray Donavon looks more like my kinda show.
I just hope Masters of Sex isn't a constant roll of sex scenes and actually has some story.

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FringeFanatic

Dec 07, 2012

Can I vote for Lizzy Caplan?

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