The hostess Mistress Morgana is well informed and explains things intelligently and is very easy to understand. But she also comes across as clinical and dry. The most striking thing about her other than her corny quips of dialogue was her annoying hairdo. I found myself wanting to step into the TV and cut off the two wavy bangs hanging down in front of her face.

Mistress Morgana is not an unattractive woman, but she doesn't really exude any sensuality or sexual appeal. Or at least not to me, anyway.

The scenes are advertised as being between "real couples" but that seems to be far from the truth. Anyone who has ever watched Real Sex on HBO or a reality show on mainstream TV can tell the difference between "real people" and actors playing a part.

Overall the scenes come across as a little awkward and disjointed. The African American couple for instance, seems more worried about conveying sheepishness at admitting what they find erotic to one another, more so than just enjoying themselves. While the scene has its cute and playful moments, it hardly comes across as natural or realistic.

The scene with the lesbian couple in the kitchen is the best one thanks to its playfulness and raw passion. But thinking back on it, all I really remember about it is how they incorporated Lasagna into the mix. They certainly get an “A” for effort and enthusiasm, if not execution.

While I think this is a great intro for those who know little or nothing about S & M, it's a little too slow for my tastes. And maybe that's why I am grading and reviewing it as harshly as I am. While I am no expert, it didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know myself other than a couple of new knots to try out.

In thinking about how to describe this DVD I found myself wanting to make excuses for it, which if we're being honest, is not a good sign. While it is overall very well thought out and informative in terms of laying out the basic rules and terminology of S & M, it is not a very stimulating as a piece of erotica.

Should a beginner's/instructional guide get you aroused? While you do not expect an instructional video to be a hardcore masterpiece, it should be something that excites you and turns you on. Otherwise I am not sure it is doing its job properly.

While I applaud their intentions and enthusiasm, the overall execution is flawed, overly clinical and not very exciting or arousing.

And ultimately that is where Whipsmart falls short.