What I’m Watching: Transparent

Transparent: Season 3, Episode 2 “When the Battle Is Over” (B+)

After an episode entirely centered around Maura, we got to see all three of the adult children and where they are in their lives, along with their very memorable mother. Religion is playing a very big role in the lives of all but the guy who used to be engaged to a rabbi, and he’s spiraling downwards, especially since both of his sisters have no qualms about hanging out with Raquel, which isn’t easy at all for him. What he needs now is a good friend, and I’m not sure who that’s going to be aside from Ali. It’s interesting to see Sarah get so involved in her temple, and she sure overshared with the other board members about what’s happening in her personal life. She didn’t manage to say the most inappropriate thing, though, which was also the most hilarious: that the term LGBT makes one of the board members crave a BLT and equal rights for lettuce and tomato! Sarah talking about happenings at the temple during her flogging session was also strange, but at least she’s talking to people. Ali is not in a great situation with Leslie, as her colleagues clearly think very little of whoever Leslie chooses to sleep with each semester, and she had a very peculiar and intimate experience with one of her colleagues and the testosterone cream. Shelly is really getting into temple life too and seems to be doing great in her relationship with Buzz. It appears that this show’s Jewishness is going to be even more prominent now, and the addition of a cantor to work with Raquel should be intriguing too.