The Television Critics Association summer 2018 press tour is in full swing, and that means, news, news, and news. This weekend, the head of Amazon Studios Jennifer Salke dropped lots of little nuggets going on in her world including the fate of the once-critically-adored “Transparent.”
“We are planning a Season 5 of the show,” Salke told reporters. “What form it takes, we haven’t quite announced yet, but it exists, and we’re very excited about [it].” She added “we know exactly what it is creatively,” and she recently met with creator Jill Soloway, who has ideas “beyond ‘Transparent.’”
“We were just with Jill this week,” Salke said. “I think I’m going to take it upon myself to just tease that Jill came in with sort of what she’s excited about beyond ‘Transparent,’ and I think you can stay tuned in the next week or two to hear more about what that is. But it’s something we’re incredibly excited about. And so, all good. We’re going to give the ‘Transparent’ fans the closure that they and we long for, and do what’s right by, you know, those fans.”
READ MORE: Amazon Says ‘Transparent’ Season 5 Could Be A Movie Or A Short Series Of Episodes
Last we heard, there were several designs for how “Transparent” could end: as a movie (though not one to likely hit theaters) or a short series of episodes, but it sounds like there won’t be a traditional full season five of the Amazon show.
Given the emphasis on everything Soloway is planning beyond “Transparent”—likely entirely new shows for Amazon— it’s a good bet they’re trying to think of the quickest way to put the series to bed while satisfying its fans at the same time.
READ MORE: Series Creator Confirms That ‘Transparent’ Will End After Next Season
“Transparent” hit the biggest snag imaginably last year when its lead Jeffrey Tambor, who played the transgender matriarch of a dysfunctional family, was accused of sexual misconduct by some of its cast and crew.
While Tambor did admit to some “difficult” behavior on his part, he denied all sexual misconduct allegations. Nevertheless, he was ultimately removed from the show and so “Transparent” is set to wrap itself up without the character that willed it into existence into the first place which must be a daunting task.
How will they write Tambor out of the show? Salke wouldn’t say and insisted she wanted to allow Soloway “to be able to own that space.” At one point there was talk of hiring Tambor back for some quick flashbacks, presumably to shoot a death scene, but those ideas were nixed entirely. It’s entirely conceivable, the show will be able to use existing old footage to craft some kind of tale and or employ those same kinds of flashback concepts, but none of them will be new.
The end of “Transparent” for Amazon must be strange, surreal, bittersweet and even awkward. The show burst onto the scene in 2014, and season one immediately gained feverous critical acclaim and traction and then four months later won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy. Tambor, who would go on to earn 22 nominations in various significant award shows, also won Best Outstanding Actor (Comedy or Musical) for his performance on the show and would be nominated twice more. Tambor also won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series two years in a row and was nominated for a third in 2017.
The show, which unfortunately dipped in quality even before it was assailed with this controversy was notably absent from the 2018 Primetime Emmy Award nominations. With Soloway already looking ahead to what’s next, it’ll be interesting to see what shape or form “Transparent” takes for its final outing. I’d personally give my right leg for any “post-Transparent” Soloway project to be a revival of her tremendous, but shortlived Amazon show “I Love Dick,” but considering its non-existing ratings that seems unlikely. [The Wrap/Variety]