Grade: A
Finding quality shows on streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime can sometimes be a bit of a crapshoot.
For every “Orange is the New Black” out there, there are several duds like “Bad Samaritans.”
When these services develop a great show, though, the rewards that we, the viewers, get to experience may be even greater than if that show were on cable.
We all joke about binge-watching shows, but when programs such as Amazon Prime’s “Transparent” come out, it is definitely a relief knowing I don’t have to wait another week to spend some time with my new friends.
“Transparent” tells the story of a family once it is revealed that the father, played by Jeffrey Tambor, is transgender.
The show was a part of Amazon Prime’s pilot test program in February in which subscribers could view a show and give a rating. “Transparent” had the most buzz surrounding it and eventually was developed into a full season that was released in September.
The beauty of the show lays in the way it takes a premise that is likely unfamiliar to the average TV viewer and grounds it in the concept of family to establish itself as one of the most relatable shows I have ever watched.
If it is not clear, I am giving this show two thumbs up and both my big toes up, as well.
Tambor’s character, Mort but now known as Maura, is divorced and has three adult children.
All three of these children are messed up in their own ways.
They aren’t psychotic or charity cases, but they are all lost in trying to understand who they really are.
The same way we all are.
“Transparent” does a good job of displaying that the kids’ issues do not directly stem from the discovery that their father is transgender. The kids have their issues as a result of a strange upbringing that involved a father who never was able to express who he really was.
It actually takes the revelation of who their father is for these characters to start addressing the issues in their life that they have also swept under the rug to sustain some “normalcy.”
The show is a perpetual back-and-forth of sadness and joy, but not in the soap opera type of way. It is more in the little happenings of life that hurt our feelings or make us feel at home.
The situations may not be relatable, but the family dynamics are what keep you along for the ride.
A normally comedic actor, Tambor dominates in this role due to all of the quality subtleties in his acting.
He never oversells anything . He is simply playing a kind man who is scared and sad and trying to be happy with who he is.
This show won me over quickly. The only downside to the streaming service dynamic is I will have to wait a long time to watch some more.
