Transparent Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Wedge
Amanda Wolf
at
.
Updated at
.
On Transparent Season 1 Episode 5, Ed goes missing and no one seems to be to concerned about it, after all, he might have just gone to live with someone else, like the Pferffmans' long lost cat.
The lack of Ed in this episode did bring the characters' narcissism to a whole new level, and we got to spend a lot more time with Judith Light.
The narcissistic tendencies of our characters is nothing new in this show. Remember when the three Pferffman children argued over whether their parent had cancer or not at the dinner table?
Initially I found their narcissism appalling, but I have gradually come to look at it as real life people finally being portrayed on TV. While most of us certainly may have more tact and maybe are not as big of narcissists as these characters (so we like to think) these characters are closer to real people than most on TV. They are especially more real than those in the repeating sitcoms and family dramas that are served up each fall.
This makes the Pferffmans a delightful family to watch. I don't have to feel like their perfect or unrealistic character is judging my own. Don't take this to mean that I hate television; in fact, I appreciate this awesome disparity of characters on television. Kudos to Amazon for giving the okay for them to come onto our small screens.
When Ed goes missing the only one who seems to be concerned about his actual safety is Ali, who is appalled that no one seems interested in looking for him. Although to their credit, he evidently does this all the time.
Yeah, we probably should because the temple is sending over a Rabbi later to check on me and if they find out he is missing I'll be the talk of the temple. The lady who misplaced her husband.
Shelley
Shelley worrying that she would become known as the woman who lost her husband was my favorite Transparent quote by her in this episode. Is it safe to say that maybe the Pferffman children didn't fall too far from the self-obsessed tree? We all caught that Shelley got a pedicure during the time Ali was out looking for Ed right?
Speaking of Ali, I think the concern she has shown for Ed is adorable, but I also wonder about its placement. I wonder why she cares so much for Ed.
As the series goes on, I think it is also evident that Ali is getting more frustrated with all of the secrets surrounding the Pferffman family. At the lunch table, while she is becoming more and more upset and aggravated, she reveals to Josh Maura's secret.
Once that big secret is out of the bag we get the best scene of the episode -- the whole family in turmoil at Shelley's house, complete with the presence of the very confused Rabbi Raquel.
Shelley's irritation that a rabbi was coming over was amazing. I love this family's lack of a relationship with being Jewish.
Shelley: Are those Jewish books?
Raquel: Hot off the presses 2500 years ago.
Shelley: No. He wouldn't like that. He likes Dean Koontz. Got any Dean Koontz?
The big family fight scene in Shelley and Ed's house is amazingly natural. Everyone is yelling at the same time and volleying personal attacks at each other. It's so funny and so relatable to how families actually fight, with no boundaries and no sacred lines that can't be crossed. It's not like we can't not forgive each other anyway.
Shelley's second best line was in response to Josh telling her about Maura.
Oh that. Of course I knew that. You think I am a dummy. Its his thing. Its his little private kink.
Shelley
The whole fight was pushed forward by the disappearance of Ed. It was fitting and hilarious that he came back home during the middle of it completely on his own. It appeared he was just out having a good time eating cotton candy and making what kids these days are evidently calling a suicide.
I got your APB. Individual in question was just spotted down the street hanging at the 7-11, making what the kids call a suicide.
Tiffany
For me this episode was when I really started to understand Ali better. I like that Sarah found out that Maura was trans early on, but it took Josh half of the season to find out. I think we can now look forward to scenes where the Pferffmans are reacting to this news all together and Maura can also comfortably be herself now that all of her children are in the know.
How do you think Josh will deal with the news? As always if you think I missed something in this review or have thoughts of your own feel free to discuss in the comments section below! I would love to hear reader opinions on this show.
If you haven't seen this show yet, remember you can watch Transparent online via TV Fanatic.
