February 6, 2014 (2014-02-06) – September 27, 2019 (2019-09-27)
Transparent is an American comedy-drama television series created by Joey Soloway for Amazon Studios that debuted on February 6, 2014.[1] The story revolves around a Los Angeles family, the Pfeffermans, and their lives after learning that their parent (Jeffrey Tambor) is a trans woman now going by the name Maura.[2]Transparent tells the story of Maura's coming out, as well as her family's personal journeys in discovering their own identities and coming to terms with Maura's identity. Transparent moves away from a solely transition-centred narrative and represents Maura's story in her role as a trans parent, grandparent, professor, partner, ex-spouse, sibling, and as an older person transitioning.[3]Transparent also includes other queer representation in the Pfefferman family. Sarah (Amy Landecker) explores her sexuality and works through relationship dilemmas throughout season one while Ali (Gaby Hoffmann) explores their gender and sexuality.[4]Transparent's first season premiered in full on September 26, 2014,[5] and its second season on December 11, 2015,[6][7] third season on September 23, 2016, and fourth season on September 21, 2017.[8][9]
Amazon picked up the series for a fourth season ahead of the premiere of the third.[10] The fourth season premiered on September 22, 2017.[11] Shortly before the premiere, Amazon renewed the series for a fifth and final season, which ultimately took the form of a feature-length finale with the subtitle Musicale Finale, which was released on September 27, 2019.[12][13][14][15]
The series began airing on Sundance TV starting August 9, 2017.[17]
In November 2017, Tambor was accused of sexual harassment on the set.[18] On November 19, 2017, Tambor stated, "I don't see how I can return to Transparent" after a second sexual harassment allegation was made against him.[19] He was officially fired from Transparent a few months later, on February 15, 2018.[20]
The series had faced earlier criticism regarding the initial casting of Tambor, a cisgender man, in the role of a trans woman.[21]
The Transparent: Musicale Finale addressed the death of Tambor's character, Maura, and examined the lives of the Pfefferman family life through the lens of Maura's former spouse, Shelly (Judith Light), and through music. The Finale, featuring music and lyrics by Faith Soloway, was developed through a series of concerts at Joe's Pub and, in addition to the regular and recurring cast, featured performers Shakina Nayfack, Lesli Margherita, Erik Liberman, and Jo Lampert.[22][23]
In 2023, the show was adapted into a stage musical, A Transparent Musical, for the Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles. The book was written by showrunner Joey Soloway and transgender playwright MJ Kaufman, with music and lyrics by Faith Soloway, Joey's sister.[24] The production received mixed reviews.[25]
Cast
The cast of Transparent. Clockwise from top left: Jeffrey Tambor, Amy Landecker, Jay Duplass and Gaby Hoffmann
Amy Landecker as Sarah Pfefferman, the oldest sibling. She is married and has two children. She leaves her husband for Tammy, a woman she fell in love with in college. She is initially the most accepting of Maura's transition. Kelsey Reinhardt portrays Sarah as a teenager.
Jay Duplass as Josh Pfefferman, the middle sibling. A successful music producer who has troubled relationships with women. He seems to have a hard time accepting Maura's transition at first. Dalton Rich portrays Josh as a teenager.
Gaby Hoffmann as Ali Pfefferman, the youngest sibling. She is perpetually unemployed and has a tendency to be immature for her age. Hoffmann also plays Maura's mother Rose in flashbacks. Emily Robinson portrays the younger version of both characters. In the series finale, Ali has come out as non-binary and changed their name to Ari.
Judith Light as Shelly Pfefferman, Maura's ex-wife and the mother of Sarah, Josh, and Ali. She has been aware of Maura's desire to express her inner femininity for years.
Kathryn Hahn as Rabbi Raquel Fein (recurring Seasons 1–2, main cast Season 3, Film), Josh's ex-fiancée and rabbi at the Pfeffermans' synagogue.
Soloway felt inspired to create Transparent after their parent came out as trans.[26] They created the pilot for Amazon.com, which became available for free streaming and download on February 6, 2014 as part of Amazon's second pilot season.[27][28] Amazon Studios picked up the pilot for Transparent in March, 2014, ordering a ten-episode season.[29][30][31]
Transparent premiered all ten episodes simultaneously in late September 2014.[34] In Canada, where Amazon's video streaming service was not available, the series premiered on the Shomi platform on January 23, 2015.[35]
Religious themes
The series depicts several Jewish characters and deals with spiritually and culturally Jewish themes. Joey Soloway, the series' primary creator, is Jewish and consulted Rabbi Susan Goldberg of Wilshire Boulevard Temple. They also sought advice from Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie of New York, describing him as "a God-optional patriarchy-toppling Jewish modern mind. There's a mandate among religious and spiritual thinkers to be thinking about the binary, the gendered, the feminist, the goddess, and Amichai reminds me of that every day."[36]
Production
Soloway said that they hoped to use the series to explore ideas of gender identity through a "wounded parent being replaced by a blossoming femininity" and that they pictured Tambor as Maura when writing the character.[5]
Soloway, the writers, and the cast developed, workshopped, and rehearsed both seasons with consulting producer Joan Scheckel at Joan Scheckel Filmmaking Labs.[37]
As part of the making of the show, Soloway enacted a "transfirmative action program", whereby trans applicants were hired in preference to non-trans ones.[30] Over eighty trans people worked on the show, including Zackary Drucker and Rhys Ernst, trans consultants and co-producers.[30][38] Despite this, the main character Maura was played by Tambor, a man. In 2014, when the show debuted, Soloway defended their casting choice, citing Tambor’s “ability to embody a sort of very dignified feminine way of being.”[39] However, in 2016, Soloway recanted this perspective, saying that casting a man as a trans woman is unacceptable and that no one should make the same casting decision again, citing such a decision as an "insult" to trans women.[40]
In 2014, Our Lady J was chosen as the first openly trans person to be a writer for the show.[41] All the bathrooms on set were gender-neutral.[42]
The original pilot made available in February 2014 (with Gillian Vigman in the role of Tammy) was partly reshot after the series was approved.[43]
On November 19, 2017, Tambor quit the show amidst sexual harassment allegations made against him.[44]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season held an approval rating of 98% based on 59 reviews, with an average rating of 8.8/10. The site's consensus read: "As much about a change in television as it is about personal change, Transparent raises the bar for programming with sophistication and sincere dedication to the human journey, warts and all."[45] On Metacritic, the first season received an average rating of 92 out of 100, based on 29 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[46]
Alan Sepinwall from HitFix named Transparent the best new show of the Fall 2014 season and Amazon's "most impressive volley yet".[57] He added:
"... [The] show looks gorgeous and displays an instant command of both tone and this particular pocket of life in Los Angeles; Soloway is incredibly confident in introducing us to the parts of the show that are more universally relatable (a marriage gone sour, a disappointing child), knowing that we'll then follow her into more unfamiliar territory—not just with Maura, but the many disreputable behaviors her kids get tangled up in."[57]
Season 2
The second season held a 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 42 reviews, with an average rating of 9.2/10. The site's critical consensus read: "Transparent's second season ups its dramatic stakes while retaining the poignancy and humor that have made the series such a consistently entertaining example of the best that modern serial drama has to offer."[47] On Metacritic, the second season received an average rating of 94 out of 100, based on 28 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[48]
Season 3
The third season held a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 38 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The site's critical consensus read, "Uniquely its own, and compelling and poignant as ever, Transparent continues to transcend the parameters of comedic and dramatic television with sustained excellence in its empathetic portrayal of the Pfefferman family."[49] while Metacritic granted the season an average rating of 90 of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[50]
Season 4
The fourth season held a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 22 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The site's critical consensus read, "Transparent's fourth season forsakes tight narrative discipline for an absorbingly unwieldy continued exploration of the show's uniquely ambitious themes."[51] while Metacritic granted the season an average rating of 74 of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[52]
Film
Transparent: Musicale Finale held a 68% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 25 reviews, with an average rating of 5.6/10. The site's critical consensus read, "Though it won't be for everyone, Transparent's singular musical finale grants its audience closure while giving its groundbreaking characters something they never expected: something resembling a happy ending"[53] while Metacritic granted the finale an average rating of 55 of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[54]
International broadcast
In Australia, the first two episodes of the series premiered on the Nine Network on January 27, 2015, and all subsequent episodes premiered on streaming serviceStan upon its launch.[58]
As Prime Video was not available in Canada at the time, the series launched on the Shomi platform.[59]
On December 11, 2014, the series was nominated for a Golden Globe Award in the category Best TV Comedy.[60] On January 11, 2015, Transparent won two Golden Globe awards for the first season of the series. Tambor dedicated his win for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series to the trans community,[61] while Soloway dedicated their award to the memory of Leelah Alcorn.[62]
^Klein, Amy (September 2016). "Jill Soloway on Jews and 'Transparent'". Hadassah Magazine. Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc. Retrieved May 17, 2017.
