Amazon released all 10 episodes of binge-worthy series “Transparent” Sept. 26, in the latest move by the company to rival Netflix’s original series successes.
This intimate dramedy features the Pfefferman family’s struggle with acceptance and identity. Jeffrey Tambor stars as Maura, who struggles with coming out as transgender to her three self-absorbed if lovable grown children. While loose ends of past and present are woven together as family secrets emerge, “Transparent” offers a down-to-earth portrayal of career woes, relationship strife and self-discovery.
Though TV families have gradually begun to reflect a more modern dynamic, “Transparent” represents a particularly refreshing deviation from idealized family life. The Pfeffermans manage to evade placement into the neat categories of other televisions families — namely because the show centers around exploring gender boundaries.
Each character faces a period of monumental transition during the season. From the start, Maura’s children — Sarah (Amy Landecker), a married mother who reconciles with her old college girlfriend; Josh (Jay Duplass), an image-conscious, love-obsessed music producer, and Ali (Gabby Hoffmann), who struggles with body image and femininity— all find themselves lost in the realm of their own selfishness. Throughout the season, however, the group manages to drift back together, periodically sharing in quiet triumphs or moments of turmoil and dry humor.
There are flickers of relatability in the midst of the Pfefferman chaos. Viewers can connect with Maura’s childlike blend of uncertainty and excitement which leads up to her performance in her first talent show — and then her disappointment as she looks out into the audience and sees the seats reserved for her family unoccupied. Such situations are specific to the Pfeffermans, but the emotions they evoke are not.
The drama culminates in a slightly overwhelming final episode, which gives rise to new conflicts and delivers a number of groundbreaking revelations ( perhaps one too many). By the end of the show, viewers have seen a tangle of outrageous plot twists.
Still, among the drama, there are quiet moments of love and tender instances of understanding. In episode six, Sarah sums up the range of the show when, in a moment of reflection, Maura asks, “Remember our crazy stuff?” Sarah responds, “Yeah, but it’s all blended in with the good stuff.”
From the start, the show is delightfully weird, lacing serious issues with a whimsical, upbeat soundtrack. On many occasions, the way viewers are intended to react is unclear. Even the drama of the show’s bleaker moments incorporate comedy — further disorienting audiences’ emotions rather than serving as comedic relief.
However, this confusion invites the audience to engage with show as they try, like the Pfeffermans, to make sense of it all.
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