Transparent

Stories like this only come every so often. Its subject matter is just as strong and as unique as it's cast of characters. I decided to take a chance on watching the pilot after hearing that Jeffrey Tambor plays an interesting role in this story. Beyond original, it is one of his toughest and brilliant performances in his long artistic career. The pace of the show along with it's abundance use of nudity reflects the mundane as well as the rawness Transparent showcases. It's audience is guaranteed to grow as the subject matter starts to become universal to each of the show's characters. Each of them are going through a transformation. This fantastic cast includes Gaby Hoffmann, Judith Light, Jay Duplass, Amy Landecker and Rob Huebel. Each bring a subtle interest to the show's subject matter.

At times there are moments of comedy, sadness and deep thought. Very few shows are able to capture this. Second to only House of Cards, Transparent will and should be the most watched "online" series today.

In what could have been an insight into the different lives of a culture we rarely get to contemplate we instead get to focus on a collection of ugly characters believably reflecting the current state of the self centered American psyche. The dialog is witty, the acting is convincing, and the action is believable for the country it comes from, and it's a thoroughly engrossingly unpleasant experience that eventually has you wondering "why am I watching these horrible people?". It's like a lot of American TV of recent years, deriving entertainment from pain & ugliness, and feeding back into the normalisation of that thinking. I got tricked into watching this by the interesting premise and revolted by the self centered side characters to the point of having to abandon the exercise. I don't want these people in my life.

Like many ppl already said , the last episode sucks. But hey there were 4 great seasons before that. And those were good so enjoy the show, and than open a bottle of wine for the last episode ...

I kept watching and watching, hoping that as I got to know them I would begin to care about this extraordinarily shallow, spoiled and obnoxious bunch of people - or even to laugh at them for being so relentlessly revolting - but the opposite happened. By the middle of Episode 7 I loathed every one of them so deeply that I just wished The Big One would finally come along, pull the chain, and flush the entire state of California to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean where it belongs. Then it occurred to me that I didn't HAVE to watch this crap, so I stopped.

I love the idea behind this series, and it might have been really good if only there were at least one character I could stand to watch, or laugh at, or maybe even like. There isn't.

Tambor and Hoffman are excellent in roles that fit their talents so perfectly that it's hard now to imagine either of them ever playing any other characters. I do care about those two actors - especially, now, for the first time, Hoffman. I just don't care at all about either character. I wish I wished Maura well, but I just don't. I can't. She's too dishonest and shallow and selfish.

The other actors - with one notable exception - are all right but don't bring any personal depth to their tiresome, narcissistic characters, as Tambor and Hoffman do. The exception is Judith Light, whose restrained and sensitive performance in Save Me was a revelation. Here she shows no subtlety or intelligence at all, playing a Southern California Jewish matron so shrill and strident that the human being is completely lost in the stereotype.

Most of the writing is clever, the production is excellent, and the series might have been a real treat if I could only have cared about even ONE of the profoundly revolting characters.

I repeat. Authentic.

There are only a few really good shows on television, and this is one of those few. It is not filmed with the bright lights of a movie set. There are shadows and misplaced items just like in any real home or office. The clothing looks worn, the actors bodies are imperfect.

It's perfect.

All the actors are first rate. The dialog fits in their mouths and comes easily from the gut.

Most important, this is not a one-note song. It is a symphony of harmony and, more often, dissonance. There are so many stories within this one story.

Best of all, I like being surprised. As in real life, you can not predict the characters behavior just on your own past experience. You are the unseen observer to a very real family.

I... Just... Love... This... show!