I was uncomfortable watching Sean make it with the sex doll too, but I was uncomfortable and embarrassed for Sean, that a sex doll was an outlet for him.
Although it turned out okay – he got rid of some bad feelings without hurting anyone.
I just started watching the show and I like how they’re handling the sex. It is pretty hot for a non-premium-channel program though.
I’m glad to see (from next week’s previews) they aren’t just dropping the sub plot with the “life coach.” That woman caused more problems by being in the right place at the right time than anyone else on the show so far. I’m interested to see why her son is the way he is; I get the really ooky feeling she’s having sex with him, too.
Sean and Kimberly. Now that is truly pathetic. For both of them, really. And Sean doesn’t get that his revenge sex with her had zero impact on Christian.
The sex in this show is very much woven into the plot line. I have noticed that the more sensitive points are never shown, only alluded to. Thank whoever, because that allusion is more than enough sometimes (Christian’s moster adopted father, the rape of the victim of Matt’s hit & run, etc.)
It made him look kind of pathetic, but then when he got to have sex with the real girl I felt bad for him too. This was only my second episode, so the first one I saw was when his wife told him she had slept with his best friend all those years ago and that their son wasn’t his. Poor guy. I felt zero sympathy for her when she got herself mixed up with the guy who thought she was a hooker.
I don’t think he’s her son, I think he’s her “son” (there was a line when Julia invited them over for dinner).
I think I shuddered a bit more at J. Jonah Jameson, er … J.K. Simmons (as Ike) showing off his new set of boobs more than Sean having sex with a doll. After the show, I thought of Simmons in the Jameson character saying, “Hey, Parker! Did’ja get a load of these? How’s THIS for a front page?” Just me.
I must have missed something. I thought it was just that they were saying Matt was spending the night with his “friend”, her son. Really? They’re not related? That is a HUGE relief.
Indygrrl, I have very little empathy for Julia’s character, but I can see how she’s gotten here from there. Her own hopes of becoming a doctor were put on the back burner so she could get a couple jobs and help support her husband and family while he was finishing his own schooling and residency. After seeing her mother (OMG, whoever is playing that character is wonderful, I loathe her), I can understand where she gets this need to be as anal as she is. Plus she’s been carrying around this huge secret for 17 years and it just got outed by someone she barely even knows.
Her mother is played by Joely Richardson’s own mom, Vanessa Redgrave. Which makes their interactions even more interesting. There were some moments where it wasn’t quite clear if they were actually acting, IYKWIM.
As for the OP… yes. Yes they are. Especially the scene last week with the prostitute. The more we get to see Julian McMahon’s ass, the more content I am. 
I just wanted to add that I don’t think the sex in this particular show is gratuitous either. A major part of how we feel about ourselves – and what we like or don’t like – is often wrapped up in/around our sex lives. You see characterization through sex scenes in this show nearly every episode. For me, that’s one of the things that makes this show refreshing – it doesn’t pretend that people don’t pee or have sex lives.
This close examination of intimacy is also a juxtaposition against what you’d stereotypically think about when you say, “Miami plastic surgeon.” Sean and Christian really address some deep-seated psychological issues instead of just always doing assembly line lipsuctions or botox parties. The whole point of the show, I think, is to emphasize that beauty is only skin deep.
Do the not-gratuitous sex scenes need to be that graphic? (I’m thinking of the three-way with the prostitute.) Eh… probably not but we are talking about characters who are Miami plastic surgeons. That’s like doing a show about Jesus in Bethlehem – everybody wants to know these characters.
On second thought… maybe that wasn’t the best analogy. :dubious:
It was the voice that made me realize who it was. I cracked up!
I’m surprised how many people were disturbed by the doll. I mean, ultimately it is a sex toy, just like a vibrator is a sex toy.
Interesting observation:
FX will show a man’s breasts even if they are surgically modified to mimic a woman’s breasts, but not show a doll’s breasts (note the doll had her arm discreetly covering her breasts when she was lying in bed 
). Kind of a funny juxtoposition.
Man boobs? Are you guys saying they showed full-frontal man boobs on regular cable? I’m calling the FCC right now, dammit. I know you sneer, but the children! Ghastly!