The rating goes to the three former cycles. At the end of Season 3, with all the family on board that cruise ship, and Shelly giving a heartfelt performance in the ship's ballroom, one witnessed the round-up feelings and emotions of all the characters, who traumatized one way or another were trying to come to terms with themselves and keep walking. And this was a perfect finale - or a could-be, that is.And then came numero quattro. Skin-deep and superficial, having nothing at all to add to the drama - on the contrary, it smashed all the culminated quality of the seasons before it. Stupid text, even rocks were either gay or in transition mode, not to mention Ali's pseudo-philosophical/-political awareness in Israel or Sarah's ongoing vaginal saga amidst millions of um's and like's. So painful to watch.So - will there be a number 5 with Maura gone because of being naughty? Hope not.

If you have a little patience, you'll soon see the progression of an honest family deemed dysfunctional due to its sheer transparency. The title, cast , story arc , rhythm; literally everything is so perfectly captured in its true essence! To know that so many writers and directors were given the power to experiment in the making of this show and yet remain within each and every character's boundary is another remarkable aspect of this show. I can't help but gulp every episode in an instant. Not going to lie, but perhaps it gives me a relief to know that there are worse scenarios that can invade families than my own issues surrounding my own family; and I know that this story line has to originate from some truth if not the entire truth and still I can dig it. Keep up the work... This is not to be missed.. Specially on the basis of educating the world about gender ambiguity and the trials of transgender people.

I love Jeffry Tambor. His work in Larry Sanders and Arrested Development is timeless. He is one of my favourite actors, but, even his talent cannot save this show. I hate it so much. I even watched two full seasons. The first to give it a real chance and the second to see if it resolved in any meaningful way. The problem is all of the characters are just such horrible people. I hate them all so much. They all keep making such terrible decisions. I wouldn't mind if their hearts were in the right place, but, they aren't. These people are bunch of self centred, over privileged coastal elites who are so screwed up that the old man in a dress is still the most balanced and level headed. It certainly is different, but, I really didn't like it.

I did like it at first. As many have pointed out the first season was pretty good but it went down hill in the second season. The oldest sister fighting with her husband seemed very realistic about how a lot of married couples interact. Everyone on TV in the past 7-8 years or so is a lesbian. You can't watch a streaming drama, movie or TV show, set in the present time without a lesbian couple or two. 15 years ago you never saw it or once in a blue moon. The lesbian angle is not shocking and ground breaking and cutting edge. No instead it is the cliché' of the '10s. The way it is presented on these shows it would appear that 50% of all women are lesbians. Now BOTH sisters are lesbians? What was the whole point of the younger Ali meeting the guy at the beach? What a waste of film, it had no point. Ali is a total spoiled brat and doesn't even look for a job. Ack I feel like I should finish all of it though, I am at the end of season 2 but I'm getting more and more annoyed with the idiotic plots and the annoying people. Like they were really going to kill Ed? They were all yapping about doing something that is illegal? Maura is great but his kids suck ass! That rabbi would not look twice at the ugly and non-religious son. His son Colton looks nothing like him, just not believable at all. I am going to plow through but Ali bedding Syd just is ridiculous and the Feminist professor plot line is also ridiculous.