As the first major conflict surrounding Maura’s identity, this scene rewards some more intense scrutiny. Think about the way the camera holds on Maura, not even showing the door to the bathroom, just her face, holding, unmoved, as Maura stares. Sarah reenters the frame, dragging Maura into this new, feminine world, one where Maura’s performance of her true gender identity will receive far more scrutiny than Divina telling her to carry herself better. I haven’t said much about the direction of the show because it’s been so consistent, but this shot captures something important about the motivation between many of Soloway’s choices (or, in this case, Nisha Ganatra)—they’re mimicking the emotional states of the characters, approximating a sort of formal empathy. The camera’s paralysis is Maura’s paralysis, and Sarah’s emergence to help Maura move into the spaces that will define her new life is a movement that doubles as a breath of fresh air, suggesting that maybe this family is capable of helping each other after all. http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/transparent-rollinmoppa-210028