The WORST episodes of Transparent

Every episode of Transparent ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Transparent!

Mort gathers his three adult kids – Ali, Sarah and Joshua – for a talk about the future, but everyone is shocked to learn that it’s not a financial inheritance at stake, but rather the complex legacy of a secret life as a trans woman. Everyone’s relationship – to the world, themselves, each other, through the lens of boundaries, intimacy, sex and gender – is about to change.

Last Updated: 9/26/2024Network: Prime VideoStatus: Ended
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Musicale Finale
star
6.69
88 votes

#1 - Musicale Finale

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/27/2019

After the death of Maura, the Pfeffermans must deal with their grief – and the horror of learning that Shelly plans to stage a musical play based on the family.

Watch Now:Amazon
Standing Order
star
7.19
213 votes

#2 - Standing Order

Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/22/2017

An exciting offer draws Maura to Tel Aviv. Hoping for a fresh start, Shelly sells her condo and shacks up with Josh. Grappling with their family's weird intimacy issues, Sarah, Ali and Josh attend a sex and love addicts meeting together. Ali rents out the Pfefferman house and contends with weird AirBnBers.

Directors: Joey Soloway
Watch Now:Amazon
Babar the Borrible
star
7.33
155 votes

#3 - Babar the Borrible

Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired 9/22/2017

Sarah and Len divert a family outing to visit Lila's mother, leading to a blowup between the siblings. Ali breaks off from the group to visit her friend Lyfe in Ramallah, while the other Pfeffermans engage in some questionably authentic tourism of desert life.

Directors: Gaby Hoffmann
Watch Now:Amazon
Bulnerable
star
7.41
414 votes

#4 - Bulnerable

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/10/2015

Ali finds herself a little too close to Leslie when she seeks Leslie's advice on her UCLA application; Josh confronts Shelly about the past; Sarah uses a hard-won date night to explore some of her sexual fantasies.

Directors: Silas Howard
Watch Now:Amazon
Groin Anomaly
star
7.46
201 votes

#5 - Groin Anomaly

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/22/2017

Ali is blindsided when Leslie goes public with the details of their relationship. Sarah is ignited by a new connection with her daughter's former teacher, Lila. Josh unexpectedly encounters an ex. Shelly takes up improv. Ali joins Maura on her trip to Israel and their journey gets off to a bumpy start.

Watch Now:Amazon
Oscillate
star
7.48
402 votes

#6 - Oscillate

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/10/2015

Maura learns more about the trans experience; Josh heads down a reckless path; Ali and Sarah take Maura to the Idyllwild Wimmin's Music Festival.

Directors: Andrea Arnold
Watch Now:Amazon
Born Again
star
7.49
158 votes

#7 - Born Again

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/22/2017

Maura revisits the night that Ali was born. Davina recalls memories of her youth and comes to terms with her troubled relationship with Sal. Davina and Maura each make a deal with God.

Directors: Marta Cunningham
Watch Now:Amazon
I Never Promised You a Promised Land
star
7.51
154 votes

#8 - I Never Promised You a Promised Land

Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/22/2017

The family convenes for an unusual vacation and encounters a tribe of long-lost Pfeffermans. Ali pulls away from the rest of the family as her political convictions drive her to challenge the binary.

Directors: Jim Frohna
Watch Now:Amazon
Cherry Blossoms
star
7.51
402 votes

#9 - Cherry Blossoms

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/10/2015

Josh's bonding with Colton comes at a price; Sarah feels more like an outsider than ever following a disastrous school gala; a visit to Grandma Rose leaves Ali and Syd with questions; Maura searches for autonomy.

Directors: Joey Soloway
Watch Now:Amazon
Life Sucks and Then You Die
star
7.52
281 votes

#10 - Life Sucks and Then You Die

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 9/23/2016

Josh arrives in Overland Park and delivers difficult news to Colton. Sarah oversteps her boundaries with Raquel, putting the Hineni Seder in danger. A tough conversation with Bryna brings up some big issues between Maura and Vicki.

Directors: Shira Piven
Watch Now:Amazon
Desert Eagle
star
7.53
153 votes

#11 - Desert Eagle

Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 9/22/2017

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.

Directors: Andrea Arnold
Watch Now:Amazon
Mee-Maw
star
7.56
414 votes

#12 - Mee-Maw

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/10/2015

Davina and Shea inspire Maura to re-imagine her past; Colton's adopted family visits, leaving Josh facing a touch decision; Ali finds herself more drawn to Leslie; Sarah tries visiting a life coach.

Directors: Stacie Passon
Writer: Our Lady J
Watch Now:Amazon
Pilot
star
7.56
909 votes

#13 - Pilot

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/26/2014

An LA family with serious boundary issues has its past and future unravel when a dramatic admission causes everyone's secrets to spill out.

Directors: Joey Soloway
Writer: Joey Soloway
Watch Now:Amazon
The Book of Life
star
7.57
413 votes

#14 - The Book of Life

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/10/2015

On Yom Kippur, Sarah tries to make amends with Tammy; Maura tries to communicate with Davina; Josh tries to make peace with Raquel; Ali and Syd host a break-the-fast party.

Directors: Jim Frohna
Watch Now:Amazon
Pinkwashing Machine
star
7.61
155 votes

#15 - Pinkwashing Machine

Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/22/2017

Sarah tests a new parenting style and is shocked to discover that it works. Josh reconnects with Dr. Steve as tensions rise at home with Shelly. Drawn in by an intriguing new friend, Ali travels to Palestine. Maura makes a life-changing discovery about her family history.

Writer: Our Lady J
Watch Now:Amazon
Rollin'
star
7.61
627 votes

#16 - Rollin'

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/26/2014

Maura moves out of the family house and into a lively new apartment complex, just as Sarah needs a new home after dismantling her perfect life. Josh has to reconsider his sudden vision of starting a family. Ali finds some new boundaries to cross.

Directors: Joey Soloway
Watch Now:Amazon
They Is on the Way
star
7.62
150 votes

#17 - They Is on the Way

Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 9/22/2017

Davina's stay at the Pfeffermanhouse is rudely interrupted. The Pfeffermans float in the Dead Sea and Ali rushes to meet them but is waylaid at an Israeli checkpoint.

Directors: Joey Soloway
Watch Now:Amazon
Moppa
star
7.64
580 votes

#18 - Moppa

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/26/2014

Maura finally comes out to Ali and they join Sarah on a field trip to the mall, where they all get rude lessons in womanhood. Josh is forced to confront his past thanks to questions from Syd about his long-time relationship with Rita.

Directors: Nisha Ganatra
Watch Now:Amazon
The Letting Go
star
7.64
793 votes

#19 - The Letting Go

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/26/2014

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 to her ex-girlfriend. Josh pays a visit to his ex-babysitter. Ali gets closer to her trainer.

Directors: Joey Soloway
Writer: Joey Soloway
Watch Now:Amazon
New World Coming
star
7.66
451 votes

#20 - New World Coming

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/10/2015

Josh and Raquel ask Colton to move in; Maura and Ali meet a feminist scholar—and Maura's former nemesis—at UCLA; Sarah launches a sexual fantasy life with a domineering figure from her past.

Directors: Marielle Heller
Watch Now:Amazon
Looking Up
star
7.70
537 votes

#21 - Looking Up

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 9/26/2014

Maura finds solace with ex-wife, Shelly, and the two hatch a plot to help Ed realize his wishes. Sarah spends time with her ex-husband and begins to question their breakup. Raquel finally breaks through to Josh. When all members of the family are summoned to Shelly's, they are in for a few surprises.

Directors: Nisha Ganatra
Watch Now:Amazon
Wedge
star
7.71
584 votes

#22 - Wedge

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/26/2014

When Shelly's husband goes missing, Sarah, Josh and Ali set out to find him but instead find themselves lost in their past. Ali can no longer keep Maura's secret from Josh, which sends him into a tailspin. When Maura runs into a Pfefferman family friend she takes a stand for her new identity.

Directors: Nisha Ganatra
Watch Now:Amazon
Cool Guy
star
7.71
159 votes

#23 - Cool Guy

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/22/2017

Maura and Ali uncover new truths about their family. Shelly gets bold in her improv class. Sparks fly between Sarah, Lila and Len and they set off to hatch a plan. Josh is haunted by the past.

Directors: Sarah Gavron
Writer: Gabe Liedman
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Best New Girl
star
7.73
557 votes

#24 - Best New Girl

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 9/26/2014

In a flashback, Mort escapes with a friend to a cross-dressing retreat in the woods, and becomes captivated with a very accepting woman. Left alone after cancelling her Bat Mitzvah, 13-year-old Ali finds trouble with an older man at the beach.

Directors: Joey Soloway
Watch Now:Amazon
When the Battle Is Over
star
7.73
350 votes

#25 - When the Battle Is Over

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/23/2016

After a health scare, Maura confronts death and her relationship to her body. Sarah hopes to join the MidCity Temple board. Shelly plans a onewoman show with Buzzy. Dissatisfied with their lives, Josh and Ali play married couple.

Directors: Silas Howard
Writer: Jessi Klein
Watch Now:Amazon