Transparent Episodes 1 Thru 3 Recaps: The Best New TV Show Thats NOT On Television

After hearing some many rave reviews about "Transparent", I decided to check it out for myself. "Transparent" is available on Amazon Prime. There are 10 30 minutes episodes (so 5 hours of viewing time total). I must confess that I watched all the episodes at once but I'll do the intro here and review other episodes later. "Transparent" is too good to spend just one blog entry on.

"Transparent" (written and produced by Jill Soloway) tells the story of the Pfeffermans family in Los Angeles. There's father Mort, ex wife Shelly and their three adult children-- Sarah, Josh and Ali.

Mort who is a retired political science professor surprises his family with the announcement that he is a woman and wants to be called Maura. This is not an all-at-once announcement at a family dinner. It's a slow reveal that stretches out over several episodes. We also see a number of flashbacks showing that Mort/Maura has been struggling with this issue for many years.

Jeffrey Tambor's performance is subtle and at times heart wrenching. Folks, we have our Emmy winner. The importance of this show in bringing issues of gender identity to a larger audience cannot be overlooked. Other shows featuring trans characters include "Orange Is The New Black" (Laverne Cox is excellent) and "Orphan Black".

http://www.enter.co/cultura-digital/entretenimiento/amazon-lo-apuesta-todo-con-la-serie-transparent/

Life Is Not Easy For A Later-In-Life Transexual

Let's be honest. Maura is not an attractive woman that can easily pass in public. That fact is deal with in several scenes. The world is not a very accepting place for later-in-life transexuals who wear caftans. Maura is able to find some support at the local LGBT center. Thanks goodness since if she had to rely on her family for real support she'd be out of luck.

I found myself wanting to reach into the screen (I started to say TV but this is not on television) and slap her children. Despite Maura's transition, she is the most stable of the bunch. The kids are a mess. Yes they are adults but they dont act like it. Sarah is married with three children but ends up cheating on her husband with her old girlfriend Tammy (who is also married to another woman and has a child). Josh has a good job as a record producer but has intimacy issues with the ladies. Ali is the youngest and is the most unstable of the children. She's jobless and lives off her parents. I dont think we ever see her actually looking for a job. She just goes to Mort/Maura when she needs more money. Mort's ex wife Shelly lives with her second husband Ed. He has dementia, is not able to speak and wanders off at times.

Grade: 5 Monsters (out of 5). Should you watch "Transparent"? A definite "yes"! This is not just a show about transitioning. It's about a family of all too flawed people. You'll laugh, you'll cry and sometimes you'll cringe (because it hits way too close to home).