What I’m Watching: Transparent (Season Premiere)

Transparent: Season 2, Episode 1 “Kina Hora” (B)

It’s clear that since Jeffrey Tambor won the Emmy last year for his performance as the patriarch turned matriarch of one of television’s most fascinating family, this show has become immensely popular and respected, receiving numerous Golden Globe and SAG nominations last week. Expectations were understandably high for what this premiere would be like, and it was definitely a packed and development-filled episode. The all-white wedding theme helped to start it out on a subtle but stark note, as the chaos of everyone gathering in front of the hapless photographer for a family picture was dominated by so much shouting and Maura stealing the thunder by asking the photograph where he wanted her chin. There was a big dramatic undercurrent in this episode related to Sarah’s complete lack of commitment to her new marriage and the fact that she felt like she was in way over her head in terms of this binding relationship. Naturally, it took until after the nuptials for her to fully make that realization. The news that Rabbi Raquel is pregnant is big, and Josh did a great job swiftly spreading the word about that secret. The sudden flashback to 1933 Berlin felt out of place, and also came about in a strange way given that there was no warning for it and no explanation after the fact, but this show has never been one to uphold convention. I didn’t love this installment but I’m looking forward to seeing how this season plays out over the next couple of months.