‘Transparent’ Recap (Episode 205): Mee-Maws and Mad Hatters

Just when you thought no more Pfefferman family secrets could spill onto the floor of the house in the Palisades, the fifth episode of Transparent’s second season reveals more details about Josh’s past. Josh has to confront not only Colton’s adoptive parents, but also his own biological parents and their actions. “Mee-Maw,” which was written by the show’s first trans writer (the multi-talented Our Lady J), brings together more awkwardness under the Pfefferman roof when Colton announces his parents Pastor Gene and Blossie are en route to LA to meet Josh and Raquel.

The announcement causes a lot of stress around the house. Colton is generally on edge around Josh and Raquel; Raquel has pointed out that adopted kids often feel the need to perform for their parents because of their own neuroses about being unwanted, and he’s certainly walking on eggshells and yearning for acceptance from Josh and his new fiancée. But his conservative parents’ imminent arrival also influences Josh to offer a temporary ring to Raquel (ironically, Grandma Rose’s — the family heirloom he offered to Kaya last season) in order to present “the right optics” to Colton’s family.

Raquel, of course, is livid (and still reeling from her botched proposal to Josh). But she relents, probably because it’s just simpler to do so. And despite the awkwardness of the initial meeting, things seem, well… Let’s be honest, things are tense, and no one is thrilled to be there as Pastor Gene talks about hunting and Colton’s two other adopted siblings are running around in the background. And Maura’s sudden appearance to find some family heirlooms (Davina had her childhood photos “regendered,” giving Maura the idea to do it with her own memorabilia) only makes Josh even more stressed. (Pastor Gene seems blissfully naïve, saying to Maura, “You must be Colton’s Mee-Maw!”)

But all bets are off when Colton reveals that Raquel is pregnant, which sends his Bible-thumping parents into a tailspin. Pastor Gene confronts Josh (a lot of confronting on Transparent, when you think about it…) about the fact that he already got one woman pregnant and all but abandoned the child and the mother. When Josh casually reminds him that he was a teenager and had no idea about Colton, Maura conveniently chimes in and drops the news that she and Shelly not only knew about Rita’s pregnancy — she also gave a contribution to Gene’s church when he and Blossie adopted Colton.

Josh, naturally, loses it — and Raquel isn’t much help when she casually reminds Josh that he was molested by his babysitter. (“We were in love!” he shouts, et cetera.) Colton, bless his sweet little heart and absurdly built teenage body, recognizes that his presence is causing more harm than joy, and he offers to go back to Middle America with his parents. Josh doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t know what to do. And Raquel, seizing an opportunity, lays down the Pregnancy Card. “This doesn’t feel good,” she says. “I feel really stressed out. Those feelings can’t be good for a baby.” And thus, Colton departs, and Josh’s chance to be a damn grownup for once are dashed against the rocks.

Things are much less dramatic for Ali and Sarah in this episode. They go to a spa together, spend a lot of time in the nude — very casual sisterly stuff. (I haven’t seen the new Tina Fey / Amy Poehler movie yet, but I’d imagine they aren’t spreading out in hot tubs and freeballin’ it as much as these Pfefferman girls are.) Ali tells Sarah about Syd, and Sarah is all, “Oh, are you a lesbian now?” (Hi, Sarah? Remember? Last season? And the beginning of this one? Just checking.) Ali drops some pretension about her relationship with her new girlfriend (“I can’t have real emotional intimacy with someone who hasn’t suffered under patriarchy,” she says), and Sarah, who is in a perpetual state of Over It, dryly snaps. “You’re a lesbian. ‘Cause I don’t give two fucks about patriarchy.” (I honestly don’t know how much the two relate, considering Sarah’s very recent relationship history, but it’s a good line nonetheless.)

Sarah’s starting to examine her own sexual identity. Sure, she’s just fresh from a lesbian breakup — and a hetero breakup. Is she a lesbian? A bisexual? An emotional wreck of a human who has a tattered trail of tail in her wake? Who knows! Her life coach is no help (she’s very resentful that Sarah won her sessions in an auction rather than seeking out the privilege of her services), and neither is her legal drug dealer, Dr. Steve (Jason Mantzoukas), who is trying to win her affections with joints. Meanwhile, she’s having adolescent fantasies about the disciplinarian at her high school, Mr. Irons, who brandished a paddle and a surly, creepy attitude.

Ali, on the other hand, is all about that lesbian lyfe, and she and Syd go to Leslie Mackinaw’s house for a celebration of the feminine, the full moon, and glamorous white witchery in Echo Park. Even though Ali’s trying to play it cool, she’s no doubt trying to work some sort of networking magic with Leslie in an effort to be accepted into her program at UCLA.

And then there’s Maura, who finally puts her foot down about her awkward relationship with Shelly, which is bordering on a re-marriage. She returns home to Shelly’s place and announces she’s leaving — where she’s going, who knows. “This doesn’t work, and you know that,” Maura says. “We’re broken.” Shelly, naturally, is upset, and finally stands up for herself, too. “How dare do you do this to me?” she says, scowling. “Twice in my lifetime, I have to put up with you deciding I’m not good enough.”

Still, this is (mostly) Maura’s journey we’re on, and she’s breaking free — or attempting to, at least. But if we know one thing for certain, the characters in Transparent can’t go too far without having to deal with another unfortunate memory from their recent personal history.

Tyler Coates is a writer living in New York City. You can follow him at @tylercoates.

Photos courtesy Amazon Prime Video