Transparent Season 2 Review: I Hate The Pfefferman Kids

 I FINALLY finished the last of the ten episodes of "Transparent" today. To be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about the show. I like Maura (despite her many shortcomings). I just can't stand the rest of her family. They are completely self absorbed. They continually make choices based on what is best for themselves-- regardless of how it affects others. No one seems to have a clue about what they want (plus it changes at the drop of a hat). While that makes for good TV, it leaves me emotionally exhausted. Arent the Pfeffermans a little OLD to be finding themselves? The kids are in their 30s or 40s. Maura is in her 70s. I guess they're all late bloomers.  

The season opens with the wedding of Tammy and Sarah. Everyone is there (including Mort's estranged sister Bri). Maura has not visited her mother in three years. Sarah has a breakdown and calls off the wedding. Tammy is obviously crushed. Sarah might have told Tammy BEFORE the ceremony... but ya know how that goes with Pfeffermans.  

Ali decides she's a lesbian. She starts a relationship with Syd. Just a reminder that Syd was also with Ali's brother Josh previously. Yuck! Syd wants a commitment. Ali is still "discovering herself" and doesnt want to be tied down. Ali is attracted to a lesbian professor named Dr Leslie Mackinaw (played by the always wonderful Cherry Jones). 

Some of the earlier episodes focus on Josh's newly discovered son Colton. He is the product of Josh's teenage relationship with baby sister Rita. Mort and Shelly paid Rita to leave town. She ended up at a church where the pastor and his wife adopted the baby. Colton stays with Josh and Raquel for a while. It doesnt go as hoped. Colton leaves with his adopted parents when Josh does not ask him to stay.  

Josh and Raquel are also having a baby. They decide to get married. Unfortunately she loses the baby early the pregnancy. Josh says he needs some time before trying again. Raquel leaves him. I personally never bought that a rabbi would be hooking up with a member of the amoral Pfefferman clan anyway.  

Maura has a fallout with friend Davita and her choice in men. Davita calls Maura out on her "privilege". Maura is a upper middle class retired professor. She has WAY more options than Davita who is a 50 something year old, HIV positive, former prostitute. And that kinda sums up the show in general. The Pfeffermans have the luxury of spending time "finding themselves". This is also what makes them miserable.

It looks like Shelly has found another squeeze. She meets Buzz at the synagogue during Yom Kipper. Everyone shares a tense dinner afterwards. Josh is still angry at his parents for not telling him about his son.  Ali and Syd are about to split up. Josh says Raquel lost the baby. Shelly begins sobbing. Josh becomes more furious saying this isnt about HER. Everyone else is used to Shelly's behavior. Buzz tries to comfort her. 

Josh is on the verge of a breakdown given everything he's gone through. Buzz shares a tender moment with him as Josh confronts his grief about his father's transition. Buzz seems to be a good guy. He should run screaming away from the Pfeffermans as quickly as possible. 

Sarah is her usual lost self. After leaving Tammy, she occasionally hits it with some guy. She wants him to participate in a fantasy about her school "disciplinarian". He doesnt feel comfortable. She goes to find satisfaction elsewhere.  

Maura, Sarah and Ali head to the Idyllwild Womyn's Festival. Those of us who have attended know it's a thinly disguised Michigan Womyn's Festival. The scenes may have been a bit shocking for some viewers. It was spot on in it's description IMHO. "Man on the land" is always used when crews come to empty the Port-A-Janes (not be confused with Port-A-Johns). The Pfeffermans discussing the food options was funny. The nudity was accurately depicted. You never know what you'll see there.     

How stupid of Ali not to realize the festival's "womyn born womyn" policy. Does the girl not have access to the Internet? Yes I know this was done to create drama... but still. 

I personally do not agree with the festival's stance. I understand why it was created but it is hurtful to the trans community. If a person identifies as a woman, they should be allowed to attend. It's a moot point now though since the festival has closed down (unless another group steps forward to continue it).  

Maura is again "checked" at the campfire where the women who started the festival remind her that she was privileged because she started life as a man. That was a very thought provoking scene.   

Sarah attends the S&M camp (yes it really exists). I guess she finds some of what she's looking for (by being a submissive). She continues when she gets back to town.   

I was glad Maura was able to start a relationship with a woman she meets at the festival. Her name is Vicky and she's had a double mastectomy. Is that Angelica Houston I spy? Wow, how did they get her on this show? I just love her. This is the relationship that I would be most interested in sees "Transparent" pursue. 

We see a flashback of Maura's mother Rose as a young girl in Berlin before WWII. Her transgendered sibling is Gittel. Their mother tries to get the siblings to American (where her husband already is). Gittel and Rose are resistant and think they'll be fine. The institute where they both spend lots of time is raided by the Nazis. All their books are burned and Gittel is hauled away. I shudder to think of her fate. Rose and her mother travel to the US (but her father has already started another family). We see the birth of Mort. Rose was hoping for a girl instead. Little does she know she'll get one some seventy years later. 

In the finale scene, Maura visits her mother. She, Rose , Bri and Ali all stand on the beach staring out at the water. It's a touching moment. We see how the decisions the Pfeiffermans made affected them throughout the years. And how in many ways history keeps repeating itself.   

Grade: 3 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). While there are some positive aspects of the show, I just cant bring myself to get into it. I feel bad about saying that since "Transparent" is ground breaking in it's depiction of a transgendered main character. I also appreciate it's showing "normal" people-- older folks having sex and those with less than perfect bodies. We typically do not see such things on TV (where everyone has to be young, skinny,beautiful and perfectly airbrushed).  

If they got rid of those insufferable adult children (and focused more on Maura) I'd be more enthused. But then again what would fill up the rest of the show? Am I off base about "Transparent"? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below. 

Photo Credits:
http://zap2it.com/2015/12/transparent-season-2-pre-war-flashbacks/
http://canmua.net/transparent.tag
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/21/arts/television/transparent-season-2-finale-review.html?_r=0
http://eventregistry.org/event/3358959#!?lang=eng
http://culturepop.com/film/5-best-scenes-from-transparent-season-2/

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March 6, 2016

9:09 AM