I watched the second season of Transparent in less than 24 hours and am happy to report that the sophomore year is better than the first. First, the character development has improved tremendously. Maura has become a more complex and imperfect character. Josh’s story arc is equal parts joyful and tragic. Sarah is still awful, but since she owns her awfulness, it is bearable. I appreciated Ali moreas the family’s steward of memories, but I don’t see why anyone would want to date her or have her as their assistant. Her enthusiasm is overshadowed by her capriciousness and carelessness with respect to others’ feelings. Rita comes across as more selfish and cruel this season, and not in a way that is misguided in an effort to serve others such as her children, but herself.
Second, the parallel story line was really haunting, especially since it is basically locked away in a broken mind and completely unknown to the rest of the family. The choice between identity and survival is devastating, and Transparent does seem to suggest that the trauma has never been erased, but continues to echo through the generations.
Third, I really appreciate how Transparent asserts its characters’ Jewish identity and how it still impacts daily life: at the wedding, in the interaction with the adopted parents, the pain at Purim.
Fourth, Transparent was really beautiful to watch. One notable scene is the great tracking shot from right to left of the hotel rooms to the balcony in the first episode that shows each character private going through their own struggles. Amazon clearly spared no expense on the camera work or found an economical way to keep things looking beautiful.
Transparent isn’t for everyone. Transparent deals with LGBT issues. There is nudity, explicit sex, though less than the first season, and drug use. If you enjoyed the first season, you should definitely stop lolly gagging and watch the second season. It won’t take long.