Fourth time out for the comedy-drama
Jeffrey Tambor is no stranger to critically acclaimed cult TV shows — he was the scene-stealing Hank Kingsley in The Larry Sanders Show and the conniving George Bluth Sr (and his gentler twin brother, Oscar) in Arrested Development. But arguably his greatest role — which has won him two Emmys and a Golden Globe — is as Maura Pfefferman in Transparent, which returns for a fourth season.
If you’re new to the acclaimed comedy drama series, it follows Maura, a retired academic who was born Morton. Transparent began with her telling her adult children, Sarah (Amy Landecker), Josh ( Jay Duplass) and Ali (Gaby Hoffmann) that she identifies as a woman, and has followed the clan as they have come to terms with the news and dealt with their own issues.
We’ve also been provided with insights into the Pfefferman’s family history through the story of Maura’s mother Rose (Hoffman again), who was forced to leave Germany due to the rise of the Nazis. The new series will see the 21st-century Pfeffermans digging even deeper into their past as they embark on a political and spiritual journey.
It begins with Maura heading to Israel to speak at a conference, and leads to Ali, Sarah, Josh and Shelly ( Judith Light) setting out on their own paths towards love, acceptance and truth.
A fifth season has already been confirmed. Creator Jill Soloway will be stepping down as showrunner, although staying on as a writer, director and producer.