Transparent (S2)

I recently finished the second season of Transparent. Although I tremendously enjoyed the first season last year, this one seemed much deeper, more nuanced, complex, and beautiful. The pacing seemed a bit slower, and the tone seemed less comedic and more focused on small moments of insight. The acting was brilliant all around.

Like last year, my favorite character is Maura, who Tambor plays with great delicacy. To me she had a somewhat haunted, lost look on her face in many scenes, but there were moments when her smile conveyed so much sweetness. The other characters all grew on me and I felt more connected to their different struggles. S2 wove several themes together throughout the season, such as explorations of sexuality and Jewish culture in the 21st century US.

Without any spoilers, a few beautiful scenes that stood out for me: The adult siblings having an underwater tea party; the mother breaking down at a family dinner; Maura hugging her friend Shay (?), and the final moment of the final scene hit me so hard I burst into tears.