First of all, hats off to what is probably the most genius pun in the history of television show titles. Transparent stars Jeffrey Tambor as a transgender parent who is not only transitioning from male to female, but also has to deal with the reactions from his three adult children. The genius of the program is how it eases the audience into the struggles of this incredibly compelling lead character. First by addressing the "parent" part of the equation, we see Maura's relatable experience as the patriarch of a difficult, profoundly troubled family. Then, equally deftly, the show has the ability to explore deeper issues of gender identity. Transparent is an engaging, absurdly humorous program that is proving how quickly nontraditional platforms like Netflix and Amazon are surpassing their network counterparts in terms of risk-taking and their willingness to properly represent minority groups frequently shunned from prime time television.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
