S01.E01: Transparent

[ApathyMonger]

An Amazon Original Pilot: Created by Jill Soloway (Six Feet Under, United States of Tara). An LA family with serious boundary issues have their past and future unravel when a dramatic admission causes everyone's secrets to spill out.

My favourite of the pilots, but I'm sure a lot of people will hate it. It feels like the type of show that runs for two or three seasons on Showtime or HBO with low ratings (like USofTara). Not the type of role I'd expect to see Jeffrey Tambor in, but I want to see more of it. Nice to see Gaby Hoffman in a role very different to her current run on Girls too.

Spoilers for the big reveal, for those who want to know:

Tambor's character, the patriarch of the family, is getting ready to come out as a woman to his family.

I really can't see it being a big hit with the public, but hopefully they pick it up anyway.

[ApathyMonger]

I watched this almost a full day ago, and have only now realised why its called Transparent. I'm not clever.

[TravisNelson76]

Oooooh.  Trans-parent?  I am not clever either.

[David T. Cole]

It's clumsy at parts (mostly the brother) but this is easily the best of the pilots IMO.

[ApathyMonger]

Amazon picked up all the adult pilots except for The Rebels: http://variety.com/2014/digital/news/amazon-to-order-four-series-including-drama-from-x-files-creator-exclusive-1201129456/

[Snakelite]

Thought I might not like this show, but I do very much. The half-hour format makes me immediately think "comedy" but the tone of this is very much like "Six Feet Under". Funny moments, but essentially a family drama that takes its subject matter seriously.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The beginning was a bit slow but I like how realistic the relationships between the characters are. They really feel like a family, from the siblings bickering to the dad's exasperation and his conversation with Ali (including giving her money and them Ali immediately leaving).

[Fisher King]

Late to the party but I made it.  I thought the pilot was good.  Love the cast and music. Loved Jill Soloway's contribution to SFU and Tara.

 

Don't know if I'll be a fan of the brother yet.

[JohnnyBravo]

Only seen this first episode so far and cracked up at the end scene.

"Hello Girls" - Ahahahaa!!

Thought it was a little obscure but amusing and watchable.  Will have to catch up with the rest at some point

[Fisher King]

"Obscure" is one word for it.  "Entertaining" is another one. I want to rush through and watch them all but I really want to try and savor at much at possible. We'll see.

[stillshimpy]

I will fully admit that it's one of those days where I'm freezing my backside off inside the house, had to drag myself through every second of a long workout.  That might be why I found this pilot rather profoundly sad in so many areas. I liked it, but the scene in her support group, talking about "How did I raise such self-centered people..." the line delivery on that had me crying on the freaking elliptical.  

 

Tambor's delivery on that line was layered with about three decades worth of emotional agony.  

 

Wow, knocked my socks off.  

 

I'm only one episode in and I took roughly forever to get to this one, but I'm glad I finally did.  The characters felt familiar without being cliches, which is tough to pull off.  I felt like I recognized everyone in this, except for the brother who was just hard to take.  

 

I'd heard a piece on NPR about this show and that there was some backlash that Tambor's character isn't being played by a transgender person (how awesome is it that transgender doesn't set off my spellcheck, by the way? ) , and the showrunner willingly and openly talked about that.  She basically said that when they were casting, it didn't actually occur to them how important that might be for transgender people, but she could see the point.  

 

I can see the point also, but I'm rather glad that it didn't occur to her, because Tambor's performance is already so gripping for me.  

Edited January 11, 2015 by maraleia
removed the ed from transgender (incorrect terminology)

[paramitch]

I thought this was pretty strong, and Tambor honestly just floored me. Just such a gentle, interesting character, and she's the person to me that's worth getting to know.

 

I had a few nitpicks -- I was incredibly distracted in the barbecue dinner scene. Everyone's faces were just so over-the-top messy, it was like they'd all just stuck their faces into the plates. And the continuity was off throughout that scene as well. I was just really bothered by the big schmears across all the faces -- which, okay -- but nobody was wiping them off except for the older sister, and that just -- aghgh. I have issues.

 

I wish I liked the kids more, but I'll see how they develop. I disliked the brother and (worse) I feel like I've seen his character dozens of times. And the unconscious privilege of the kids' situations does bother me -- Maura's writing checks, giving away houses, the youngest is evidently perpetually unemployed and sort of wandering around and not terribly stressed by that... I just hate the way families in these kinds of stories never seem to have to worry about money.

[ChicksDigScars]

This is the only episode I watched. I missed the free window that Amazon gave non-subscribers yesterday and only caught the first episode for free. It's interesting. I'm putting off paying for Amazon Prime, as I already pay Comcast and Netflix, I need to reduce my Comcast bill (buh-bye Showtime and Cinemax) before I pick up Amazon.

 

I do want to watch the other episodes for Amy Landecker (Sarah). I grew up as a Midwestern kid listening to her father on the radio at night on WLS.  I have an overwhelming urge to hold down Gaby Hoffman and pluck those eyebrows, otherwise, the show looks interesting. Well, except for the son going to sex up his old babysitter. That was disturbing. He's an asshole.