No TV Show Has Ever Cast A Family Better Than ‘Transparent’

Transparent, Amazon‘s hit dramedy, is a special show in many ways. Its sensitive, darkly humorous approach to depicting an American family has been nothing short of groundbreaking; from Jeffrey Tambor‘s breathtakingly subtle, nuanced performance as transgender woman Maura to the dysfunctional Pfefferman family dynamic and all the issues that come with it, the show never shies away from heavy subject matter and manages to shine a new light on arenas rarely depicted on television. There’s a reason all of these storylines hit home so well: the perfect casting of the Pfefferman family.

The obvious heart of the show is Tambor’s Maura, who serves as both the rock of the family and the catalyst for its change when she begins her transition. Maura is brave and determined, she’s occasionally selfish and unlikable, but Tambor tells us volumes with just his eyes. She’s an incredible leading lady, one unparalleled by any other character on television – and that’s largely thanks to Tambor’s performance.

Maura shares three adult children with ex-wife Shelly (Judith Light): Sarah (Amy Landecker), Josh (Jay Duplass), and Ali (Gaby Hoffmann), three remarkably different individuals. It is this core group that make every episode of Transparent an indisputable delight; whether with the sparky chemistry shared between the leads, brilliant comedic sequences, or painful dramatic developments, the actors manage to bond together as the Pfeffermans in a way that makes it hard to believe they aren’t all related in real life.

As Shelly Pfefferman, Light delivers a simultaneously sympathetic and totally ignorant performance that makes the character both fun and cringeworthy to watch. When Maura transitions, Shelly’s bitter. She’s been aware of these desires for years, but there’s a selfish aspect of Shelly’s behavior that prevents her from being as supportive as she can be. She had three children with and gave most of her life to this person – so it’s not hard to see why she feels a little hurt or betrayed, but at the end of the day, it’s not a shocking development – so it’s hard to feel for her on occasion. Shelly is a truly unique matriarch, one whose erratic, fragile persona lends itself to a fascinating storyline, because she’s finally fighting for her own story (even if that means putting her troubled kids on the back burner).

Shelly’s relationship with Maura – and the dynamic Light shares with Tambor – drives a lot of the series’ initial conflict. There’s an ebb and flow to how individuals adjust to Maura’s transition, even when it seems like they’ve all come to terms with it. The decision to portray a transition later in life – with three adult children involved – ensures a lot more dramatic weight and intrigue to every scene, because there are so many factors in the lives of these five adults.

Landecker’s often vexing Sarah, initially the most seemingly accepting of Maura’s transition, soon reveals her surface-level perfect life to be tearing apart at the seams. Sarah’s impulsivity, selfishness, and visceral insecurity is played in a way that allows her to be grating and relatable (a Pfefferman family trait, it seems). Landecker’s chemistry with Hoffmann and Duplass – whether it be hostile or affectionate – hammers home every scene. Duplass’ performance allows Josh to be a sad puppy dog and an oblivious dick, and his reliance on (and frequent frustration with) his sisters only works and never borders on feeling hokey or creepy because of the connection these three actors seem to share. Hoffman is aloof, loving, and immature, but frequently the wisest of the group. She’s willing to give chances when others don’t, and her overall zen presence on screen is the perfect foil to Landecker’s zany energy and Duplass’ emotional drive.

On many family-centric television series, there is often one member relegated to the role of black sheep and another the golden child, but on Transparent, everyone is undergoing their own journey of depth and pain. Even some of the best family dramas have never cast a group this in sync – and it’s largely what pumps life into every line of dialogue, every small glance, every wordless exchange. Every dysfunctional moment is rife with chemistry and connection. Every single one of the Pfeffermans, played to beautiful, moving, and frustrating effect by Tambor, Light, Landecker, Duplass, and Hoffmann, is undergoing their own transition – and without the perfect cast behind them, the show may never have been as successful.

Where to Stream Transparent