The Worst Episodes of Transparent
Every episode of Transparent ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Transparent!
An LA family with serious boundary issues have their past and future unravel when a dramatic admission causes everyone's secrets to spill out.
Lowest Rated Episodes Summary
The worst episode of "Transparent" is "Musicale Finale", rated 6.3/10 from 490 user votes. It was directed by Joey Soloway and written by Faith Soloway, Joey Soloway. "Musicale Finale" aired on 9/27/2019 and is rated 0.8 point(s) lower than the second lowest rated, "Standing Order".
6.3/10 490 votes#1 - Musicale Finale
Season 5 Episode 1 - Aired 9/27/2019
A dazzling two-hour movie musical fantasia. When the Pfeffermans face a life-changing loss, they begin a journey hilarious and melancholy, brazen and bold. As they face this new transition, they confront grief and come together to celebrate connection, joy, and transformation.
Director: Joey Soloway
Writer: Faith Soloway, Joey Soloway
7.1/10 230 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.
Director: Joey Soloway
Writer: Faith Soloway
7.3/10 207 votes#3 - 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.
Director: Allison Liddi-Brown
Writer: Our Lady J
7.3/10 182 votes#4 - Babar the Borrible
Season 4 Episode 7 - Aired 9/22/2017
Sarah and Len divert a family outing to visit Lila's mom, 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.
Director: Gaby Hoffmann
Writer: Ali Liebegott
7.4/10 319 votes#5 - Bulnerable
Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 12/11/2015
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.
Director: Silas Howard
Writer: Bridget Bedard
7.4/10 289 votes#6 - 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.
Director: Silas Howard
Writer: Jessi Klein
7.4/10 214 votes#7 - 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.
Director: Allison Liddi-Brown
Writer: Ali Liebegott
7.4/10 190 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.
Director: Jim Frohna
Writer: Bridget Bedard
7.5/10 1,067 votes#9 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/26/2014
An LA family with serious boundary issues have their past and future unravel when a dramatic admission causes everyone's secrets to spill out. Starring Jeffrey Tambor, Judith Light, Amy Landecker, Jay Duplass, and Gaby Hoffmann.
Director: Joey Soloway
Writer: Joey Soloway
7.5/10 519 votes#10 - 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, while Ali finds some new boundaries to cross.
Director: Joey Soloway
Writer: Bridget Bedard
7.5/10 354 votes#11 - New World Coming
Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 12/11/2015
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.
Director: Marielle Heller
Writer: Faith Soloway
7.5/10 271 votes#12 - Just the Facts
Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 9/23/2016
Maura gets an exciting peek at the future with a visit to the plastic surgeon's office but fails to muster the same enthusiasm from Vicki on a fun night out. Josh visits an unusually upbeat Rita while Ali and Leslie struggle with intimacy. Sarah finds distraction from her personal troubles by spearheading an unorthodox approach to Judaism.
Director: Silas Howard
Writer: Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster
7.5/10 178 votes#13 - They Is on the Way
Season 4 Episode 9 - Aired 9/22/2017
Back in Los Angeles, 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.
Director: Joey Soloway
Writer: Bridget Bedard
7.5/10 184 votes#14 - House Call
Season 4 Episode 10 - Aired 9/22/2017
Feeling compelled to learn more about herself in Israel, Ali stays back as the rest of the family returns to Los Angeles. Sarah, Len, and Lila reevaluate their complicated relationship. Josh confronts his sex and love issues head on. Maura and Davis reclaim the Pfefferman house from an unwanted guest.
Director: Rhys Ernst
Writer: Ethan Kuperberg
7.6/10 597 votes#15 - 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 (Rob Huebel) to her ex-girlfriend Tammy (Melora Hardin). Josh pays a visit to his ex-babysitter Rita, as Ali gets closer to her trainer.
Director: Joey Soloway
Writer: Joey Soloway
7.6/10 337 votes#16 - Cherry Blossoms
Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 12/11/2015
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.
Director: Joey Soloway
Writer: Arabella Anderson
7.6/10 265 votes#17 - Off the Grid
Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 9/23/2016
After reconnecting with Colton, Josh decides to move to Overland Park, until a concerned Ali travels to him, intending to bring him home. Feeling abandoned, Sarah has trouble controlling her rage. Shelly confronts Buzzy about his spending, leading to some unforeseen revelations. Newly single Maura has an exciting, surprising night out.
Director: So Yong Kim
Writer: Stephanie Kornick, Bridget Bedard
7.6/10 193 votes#18 - 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.
Director: Marta Cunningham
Writer: Stephanie Kornick
7.7/10 328 votes#19 - Oscillate
Season 2 Episode 8 - Aired 12/11/2015
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.
Director: Andrea Arnold
Writer: Bridget Bedard
7.8/10 482 votes#20 - Wedge
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 9/26/2014
When Shelly's husband Ed goes missing, Sarah, Josh and Ali set out to find him, and 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.
Director: Nisha Ganatra
Writer: Ali Liebegott
7.8/10 440 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, while Raquel finally breaks through to Josh. And when the entire family is summoned to Shelly's, they are in for a few surprises.
Director: Nisha Ganatra
Writer: Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster
7.8/10 287 votes#22 - The Open Road
Season 3 Episode 6 - Aired 9/23/2016
Josh hits the road with an unlikely copilot, stirring up some undeniable chemistry along the way. Back at home, Shelly becomes wary of Buzzy's outlandish spending while Ali sees God during a nitrous induced trip at the dentist's office.
Director: Joey Soloway
Writer: Bridget Bedard
7.8/10 271 votes#23 - 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.
Director: Shira Piven
Writer: Ali Liebegott
7.8/10 206 votes#24 - 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.
Director: Sarah Gavron
Writer: Gabe Liedman
7.8/10 199 votes#25 - 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.
Director: Andrea Arnold
Writer: Ethan Kuperberg