Amazon offers its hit series “Transparent” free for a day to non-Prime members

Amy Landecker, left, and Jeffrey Tambor appear in a scene from “Transparent,” a new series on Amazon Digital. Amazon.com’s Prime Instant Video made history this week when its show “Transparent” won a Golden Globe for best TV series, a first for a web-only production. (AP Photo/Amazon Digital, Beth Dubber, File)

Amazon announced it will offer the series “Transparent” —fresh off its success at Golden Globes — to the public for free on Saturday.

Normally, “Transparent” is only available to Amazon’s Prime members, who pay $99 a year for perks such as free shipping and access to Prime Instant Video.

The one-day promotion around “Transparent” appeared aimed at drawing in more Prime members. On Saturday, Amazon said its Prime membership will be offered at a discount for $72, a nod to the 72^nd Annual Golden Globe Awards, where “Transparent” won best musical or comedy series and Jeffrey Tambor won for best leading actor in a musical or comedy series. The 10-episode series has been the top ranking title on Prime Instant Video since the show’s launch, and Amazon has signed on for a second season to air later this year.

“We’re incredibly proud of everyone involved in the making of Transparent—the team took a risk and it paid off,” said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com, in a release.  “Big kudos and congrats to Jill, Jeffrey, and all the cast and crew.” (Bezos is the owner of The Washington Post).

The series, written and directed by Jill Soloway, has brought new acclaim to Amazon’s streaming business. The company has steadily increased its investments in original programming and recently announced plans to create a dozen feature films a year through a new segment of Amazon Studios that will focus on movies. And Woody Allen recently agreed to create a series for Amazon.

Amazon doesn’t disclose financial details of its Amazon Studios division nor does it report the number of Prime members. But analysts say all of Amazon’s diversified businesses — entertainment, devices, groceries — are intended to keep consumers coming back to the site for all their shopping needs.