When the 9th episode begins, we see that Maura (Jeffrey Tambor), Ali (Gaby Hoffmann), and Sarah (Amy Landecker) have joined the music festival. The trio gets their tent set up, before smoking a little weed. They soon head out into the party and jam out to the band. They group eats together, before Sarah and Ali head on their separate ways. Maura is left to wander the festival alone. She quickly runs into Vicki (Anjelica Huston) and the pair chats for a short period. During the conversation, Maura learns that the women at the festival shun transvestite women. This sends Maura into a tail spend.

Meanwhile, Ali meets up with Leslie (Cherry Jones). Conveniently, both women have just broken up with their girlfriends. Sarah meets up with an old colleague, who tells her that nobody cares about her sorrows. Sarah prepares to entry a holistic healing tent, but heads in the other direction, when she catches another woman with a paddle. At the same time, Maura waits in line to use the bathroom, while works come to flush out the waste. The others waiting in line hound the men, because they’re men. Sarah meets up with the dominant woman and agrees to be her little obedient puppy. That night, Ali and Leslie chat with a few others around a fire.

Eventually, Maura joins the group and a battle breaks out regarding trans women. Maura learns the group angrily and attempts to meet back up with Sarah. Unfortunately, Sarah is busy being whipped, by her new friend. Ali leaves after her father, but is unable to catch up with him. During her trip, she has a flashback involving Nazis burning books, harassing Rose (Emily Robinson), and Gittel (Heri Nef) being arrested. Instead of returning to look for Maura, she returns to Leslie and the pair make out. While walking out of the camp and cursing feminists, Maura is picked up by Vicki and driven away.

When the finale begins, we see Maura and Vicki in a motel room together. They snuggle together, before one thing leads to another. Afterwards, we see Rose and her mother, Yetta (Michaela Watkins), leave for America. During the trip, Yetta gives her daughter Gittel’s ring back. Meanwhile, Ali and Sarah head home and jump in the pool. Moments later, they’re joined by Josh and the trio performs an underwater tea party. Meanwhile, Maura and Vicki take things to the next level and have intercourse. The others get out of the pool and watch television together. During their chat, Ali acquires Rose’s ring.

Afterwards, Maura and Vicki get breakfast. Maura speaks about her mother and invites Vicki to meet her. Maura admits she hasn’t seen her mother in years, before Vicki insists she cannot go, since it would feel like too much too fast. Meanwhile, Ali gets dressed up and heads to the university to chat with Leslie. At the same time, Sarah meets back up with her spanker. She is whipped, before paying her fee and leaving. Josh pays a visit to Shelly, but finds Buzz (Richard Masur) and decides to hangout anyway. Next, Leslie asks Ali to be one of her teacher assistants next year. She admits they cannot be together, if Ali remains enrolled in the school, and basically encourages her to drop the class and become the TA, so they can still sleep together.

Meanwhile, Josh hangs out with Buzz and the pair shares a drink. During their chatter, Buzz spots a wounded duck and they decide to rescue it. Ali meets up with Maura and talks about her academic future. Maura attempts to convince her to steer clear of the gender studies class. Moments later, they arrive and meet with Rose (Rae Riordan). We flashback and witness Yetta and Rose visiting Rose’s father. The pair quickly grow angry and lash out at Haim (Michael Stuhlbarg), when they learn he has a new baby and family. After a brief fight, they spit in his direction and quickly flee. Sarah meets up with Len (Rob Huebel) and gives him a makeup palette to make up for the trouble she has caused.

Unfortunately, Sarah learns that Len’s girlfriend broke up with him. Meanwhile, Josh and Buzz nurture the duck in the bathroom. Buzz offers Josh the opportunity to grieve the loss of his father and he cries on Buzz’s shoulder. Afterwards, Sarah pays a visit to Raquel (Kathryn Hahn). Maura and the others take Rose to the beach and a flashback begins. In the flashback, we see Rose giving birth. Outside of the delivery room, Yetta speaks with the father, which insists they’re going to name the baby Fay. Unfortunately for them, it turns out to be a boy.

 

Transparent Season 2 Review

The last two episodes of Transparent left a lot to the imagination, which will justify a 3rd season for anyone, who actually enjoyed this season. Unfortunately, the quality of this season dropped dramatically from the previous. Although the flashbacks were fairly intriguing, they were nearly incomprehensible, until halfway through. Also, none of the characters can be sympathized with. The show even managed to make me despise Maura at certain points. The others were never likable to begin with.

The season could’ve been excellent, but it mainly got bogged down in social justice and feminist issues. In this department, it bit off far more than it could chew and attempted to tackle feminism with Ali and Leslie, while juggling Sarah’s spanking fantasy. Maura’s transition, which was so dramatic and heartfelt in the previous, took a backseat to the insanity and the season was truly a mess.

I am not sure how the critics came up with their scores. 100s out of 100 is truly insane and those that shelled out those scores should lose their jobs with USA Today and Variety. Of course, those entities were most likely slipped a little green for their troubles. This season was terrible in all sense of the word. It was slow, drug out and strayed from the core elements, which made the first so great. Instead, we got drugs, hairy bushes and a few near pedophile scenes. Sadly, this season gets a 5 out of 10 and that may be a little too generous. If you wish to punish yourself, be sure to catch up with previous recaps of Transparent right now.