Scripted series · Prime Video
Transparent
One family. No apologies.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Jeffrey Tambor
Maura Pfefferman
40 eps
Gaby Hoffmann
Ali Pfefferman
41 eps
Amy Landecker
Sarah Pfefferman
41 eps
Judith Light
Shelly Pfefferman
39 eps
Jay Duplass
Josh Pfefferman
41 eps
Melora Hardin
Tammy Cashman
13 eps
Luzer Twersky
Mendel
3 eps
Emma Howard
Becky
3 eps
Mel Shimkovitz
Jude
5 eps
Zander Faden
Young Josh
4 eps
Ray Abruzzo
Sal
5 eps
Hari Nef
Gittel
5 eps
Richard Masur
Buzzy Rackless
7 eps
Anjelica Huston
Vicki
7 eps
Cherry Jones
Leslie Mackinaw
12 eps
Jenny O'Hara
Bryna
13 eps
Jerry Adler
Moshe Pfefferman
9 eps
Bashir Naim
Simon
6 eps
Alia Shawkat
Lila
8 eps
Folake Olowofoyeku
Lyfe
4 eps
Alison Sudol
Kaya
3 eps
Michaela Watkins
Yetta
6 eps
Cleo Anthony
Derek
3 eps
Makenna James
Young Sarah
3 eps
Cleo Fraser
Young Ali
5 eps
Ethan Sandler
Barry
5 eps
Tig Notaro
Barb
6 eps
Zackary Drucker
Eleanor
3 eps
Faith Soloway
Cantor Joy
3 eps
Bradley Whitford
Macy
8 eps
Zackary Arthur
Zack
19 eps
Ian Harvie
Dale
3 eps
Jason Mantzoukas
Dr. Steve
5 eps
Trace Lysette
Shea
13 eps
Annabel Marshall-Roth
Young Rita
3 eps
Kathryn Hahn
Raquel Fein
22 eps
Carrie Brownstein
Syd Feldman
14 eps
Alexandra Billings
Davina
24 eps
Alex MacNicoll
Colton
10 eps
Rob Huebel
Len Novak
28 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Transparent actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Transparent reads strongest on Character Depth, Humour and Serialized.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
The story
What it's about
An LA family with serious boundary issues have their past and future unravel when a dramatic admission causes everyone's secrets to spill out.
The run
Seasons
5 seasons · 41 episodes.
- Poster unavailableSpecials
Season 0 · Complete
Specials
20141 episode
Season 1 · Complete
Season 1
201410 episodes
7.4IMDbWhen the Pfefferman family patriarch makes a dramatic admission, the entire family's secrets start to spill out, and each of them spin in a different direction as they begin to figure out who they are going to become.
Best episode · S01E02 The Letting Go
Season 2 · Complete
Season 2
201510 episodes
7.1IMDbIn season two, the Pfeffermans returns with a big, white wedding - but is it really happily ever after for anyone? As their secrets surface, they stumble but persevere, moving closer toward their authentic selves.
Best episode · S02E10 Grey Green Brown & Copper
Season 3 · Complete
Season 3
201610 episodes
7.8IMDbIn season three, the Pfefferman family splinters into disparate journeys on their continued path of self-discovery. After a jarring reality check, Maura seeks to become the woman she envisions through gender confirmation surgery. All paths converge on a family cruise to Mexico, affirming that though their family history is murky, each Pfefferman is their truest self when they come together.
Best episode · S03E08 If I Were a Bell
Season 4 · Complete
Season 4
201710 episodes
7.7IMDbIn season four, the Pfeffermans take off on a spiritual and political journey as they dig deep into their family's history. Maura heads to Israel to speak at a conference and makes a startling discovery. Adrift in the desert, Maura, Ali, Sarah, Josh and Shelly set off on their own paths to find acceptance, love, and truth.
Best episode · S04E08 Desert Eagle
Season 5 · Complete
Season 5
20191 episode
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S02E10
Grey Green Brown & Copper
Maura reconciles with her lineage, both past and present; Ali talks to Leslie about her academic future; Josh looks to Buzz as a father figure; Sarah tries to tie up loose ends.
- Directed by Andrea Arnold
- Written by Noah Harpster, Micah Fitzerman-Blue
S01E02
The Letting Go
Maura embraces her new journey, but nothing about life as a woman is easy -- making friends, finding a new community, and above all, coming out to her children. Sarah introduces her husband (Rob Huebel) to her ex-girlfriend Tammy (Melora Hardin). Josh pays a visit to his ex-babysitter Rita, as Ali gets closer to her trainer.
- Directed by Joey Soloway
- Written by Joey Soloway
S04E08
Desert Eagle
Maura yearns to forge a new relationship but finds the connection strained. Ali is drawn to rejoin her family. Out in the vast desert Josh tries his hand at shooting a gun, leaving Shelly rattled.
- Directed by Andrea Arnold
- Written by Ethan Kuperberg
S03E01
Elizah
While working at an LGBT suicide hotline, Maura receives a distressing call from a young trans woman, Elizah. Afraid that Elizah will hurt herself, Maura goes on an odyssey through South Central LA to find the troubled teen and lands herself in the hospital.
- Directed by Joey Soloway
- Written by Ethan Kuperberg
S01E10
Why Do We Cover the Mirrors?
A funeral brings all the Pfeffermans together and reunites them with their past - Shelley and Maura with old friends, Sarah with her ex, and Josh with his teenage babysitter - who brings a 17-year-old boy. Just when they thought there were no more secrets, the family busts out a few more.
- Directed by Joey Soloway
- Written by Joey Soloway
S02E02
Flicky-Flicky Thump-Thump
Josh has a pool party for his new band, but he and his siblings are caught off-guard when Maura and Shelly arrive together; Ali reconnects with an old friend; Sarah finds her past catching up with her.
- Directed by Joey Soloway
- Written by Noah Harpster, Micah Fitzerman-Blue
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S05E01
Musicale Finale
- Directed by Joey Soloway
- Written by Joey Soloway, Faith Soloway
S04E05
Born Again
- Directed by Marta Cunningham
- Written by Stephanie Kornick
S04E01
Standing Order
- Directed by Joey Soloway
- Written by Faith Soloway
S04E02
Groin Anomaly
- Directed by Allison Liddi-Brown
- Written by Ali Liebegott
S04E03
Pinkwashing Machine
- Directed by Allison Liddi-Brown
- Written by Yona Speidel
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
Joey Soloway
Showrunner
- Photo unavailable
Victor Hsu
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Bridget Bedard
Executive producer
Andrea Sperling
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Stephanie Kornick
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Yona Speidel
Writer
Ethan Kuperberg
Writer
Noah Harpster
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Arabella Anderson
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Ali Liebegott
Writer
Jessi Klein
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Faith Soloway
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Micah Fitzerman-Blue
Writer
Gabe Liedman
Writer
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Victor HsuExecutive Producer
- Victor HsuProducer
- Noah HarpsterProducer
- Joey SolowayExecutive Producer
- Bridget BedardExecutive Producer
- Andrea SperlingExecutive Producer
Writing
- Stephanie KornickWriter
- Yona SpeidelWriter
- Ethan KuperbergWriter
- Noah HarpsterWriter
- Arabella AndersonWriter
- Joey SolowayWriter
Direction
- Silas HowardDirector
- Andrea ArnoldDirector
- Jim FrohnaDirector
- Stacie PassonDirector
- Rhys ErnstDirector
- Nisha GanatraDirector
Recognition
Awards
1 win
BAFTA Awards
1 win · latest 2016
- WinnerBritish Academy Television Award for Best International Programme2016
Transparent · Transparent
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Amazon Prime VideoStreaming
- Google Play MoviesBuy
- Amazon Prime Video with AdsStreaming
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