The story
In Los Angeles, the three grown-up Pfefferman children are each busy making a mess of their own lives when their parent, a retired political science professor, reveals that she is a trans woman and will now live as Maura. Her coming out sets off a chain reaction, pushing her children and her ex-wife, Shelly, to question their own relationships, desires and sense of who they are.
Why it matters
Transparent was Amazon's first real awards breakthrough and the first show from a streaming service to win the Golden Globe for best series. Behind the camera, its trans-inclusive hiring policy saw more than 80 trans people work on the show, although casting a cisgender actor as Maura drew criticism that Soloway later came to share.
Notable facts
- The pilot was released free in February 2014 as part of Amazon's second pilot season, and a ten-episode season was ordered the following month. (source)
- It was the first show produced by a streaming service to win a Golden Globe for Best Series. (source)
- Under a 'transfirmative action program', more than 80 trans people worked on the show. (source)
- The story concluded with Transparent: Musicale Finale, a 102-minute musical episode released in September 2019. (source)