Transparent (TV series)

Transparent
GenreComedy drama
Created byJoey Soloway
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons5
No. of episodes41 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
ProducerVictor Hsu
Production locationLos Angeles
Editors
  • Catherine Haight
  • Annette Davey
  • David Bertman
  • Hilda Rasula
Camera setupJim Frohna
Running time27–31 minutes (102 minute finale)
Production companies
Original release
NetworkAmazon Prime Video
ReleaseFebruary 6, 2014 (2014-02-06) –
September 27, 2019 (2019-09-27)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

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]

At the 72nd Golden Globe Awards, the show won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, while Tambor won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. This is the first show produced by Amazon Studios to win a major award and the first show produced by a streaming media service to win a Golden Globe for Best Series.[16]

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]

  1. ^ "Amazon's new pilots: Which should you watch?". Entertainment Weekly. February 10, 2014. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  2. ^ "Amazon Has Finally Made Its House of Cards". Slate. February 11, 2014. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
  3. ^ Hess, Linda M. (January 24, 2017). ""My whole life I've been dressing up like a man": Negotiations of Queer Aging and Queer Temporality in the TV Series Transparent". European Journal of American Studies (in French). 11 (3). doi:10.4000/ejas.11702. ISSN 1991-9336.
  4. ^ Gregory, Drew Burnett (September 23, 2019). ""Transparent" Changed Me (And TV) Forever". Autostraddle. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
  5. ^ Prudom, Laura (July 12, 2014). "Amazon's 'Transparent' Season 1 to Debut Late September, 'Bosch' Premiering Early 2015". Variety. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  6. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (October 9, 2014). "Amazon Renews 'Transparent' For Season 2". HitFix. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  7. ^ Travers, Ben (August 3, 2015). "'Transparent' Season 2 (Finally) Lands Release Date; Jeffrey Tambor, Jill Soloway Preview a 'Year of Revolution'". Indiewire. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  8. ^ Haithman, Diane; de Moraes, Lisa (August 7, 2016). "Woody Allen Series Gets Title, Premiere Date As Part Of Amazon Fall Comedy Push". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
  9. ^ Loofbourow, Lili (September 23, 2016). "In Transparent Season 3, A Fragile Family Gropes for a New Identity". The Week. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  10. ^ Petski, Denise (May 31, 2016). "'Transparent' Renewed For Season 4 By Amazon". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  11. ^ "Transparent: Season 4 Premiere Date Set, Show Slams Trump's Military Ban". TVLine. July 28, 2017.
  12. ^ "'Transparent' Renewed for Season 5". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  13. ^ Lawrence, Derek (May 7, 2018). "Transparent to End with Fifth Season". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  14. ^ Schwartz, Ryan (June 5, 2019). "Transparent Musicale Finale: First Trailer Teases Maura's Death, Epic Performance by Judith Light — Watch". TVLine. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  15. ^ "Video: The Trailer Is Finally Here - Mark Your Calendars for the "Transparent" Musicale Series Finale Arriving September 27 on Prime Video". The Futon Critic. July 27, 2019.
  16. ^ "Amazon.com Announces Fourth Quarter Sales Up 15% to $29.33 Billion" (XBRL). United States Securities and Exchange Commission. January 29, 2015.
  17. ^ "Amazon.com original series Transparent coming to Sundance TV" (XBRL). Sundance. April 7, 2017.
  18. ^ "Jeffrey Tambor accused of sexual misconduct on Transparent set". TheGuardian.com. November 17, 2017.
  19. ^ "Jeffrey Tambor Exits 'Transparent' After Sexual Harassment Allegations". Deadline Hollywood. November 19, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  20. ^ "Jeffrey Tambor Officially Dropped From 'Transparent' in Wake of Harassment Claims". The Hollywood Reporter. February 15, 2018.
  21. ^ Merriman, Lucy. ""Transparent" Producers Say They "Welcome the Debate" on Casting Jeffrey Tambor". Bitch Media. Archived from the original on February 20, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  22. ^ Ito, Robert (September 13, 2019). "After Times of Turmoil, 'Transparent' Goes Out Singing". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  23. ^ Poniewozik, James (September 27, 2019). "Review: 'Transparent' and Its Unsettling Technicolor Dream Theater". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  24. ^ "A Transparent Musical".
  25. ^ "What Do Critics Think of A Transparent Musical at Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group?".