Transparent

Last night I finished watching the 10-part first season of Transparent, a new Amazon Prime series. The plot focuses on a family in LA, all grown children, and centers on the father who is in his 60s and just coming out as trans. She is played by Jeffrey Tambor and this performance really elevates the whole series, which, though strong, has a few weak spots. In the chaos of high pitched self-absorption surrounding Maura, Tambor's sensitive, quiet, at times pained performance, becomes the heart of the whole thing.

There are many excellent strands of plot lines in the grown kids lives -- the new lesbian relationship of the older daughter, the son's past relationship with his babysitter, bits and pieces of the younger daughter's aimless life... They all had a level of obliviousness to others that was at times very annoying, and at times borderline cruel/sad. The character that I liked the least was the mom. I don't know who the actress was, but she played the character entirely through mannerisms and with a frantic annoying energy.

I would have liked more of Maura's experiences and am very much looking forward to the second season.