Posted by Dustin on 04.11.2011 at 3:26 pm

“The United States of Tara” returned recently. Tonight marks the third episode of the season.

Last season I felt the show just got way off track. I watched it, but wasn’t in love with it like the first season. It did come around at the end, but I hated all the cheating Tara and Max did.

So far I am enjoying this season. If they really ship Kate off I will be sad and miss her! I could however do with a little less of Charmaine and Neil. Finally Tara returning to college is very interesting, and her professor drives me batty! But I love Eddie Izzard. Why however do I feel Shoshana is going to sleep with him?

Posted by Dustin on 06.08.2010 at 10:37 pm

So last night was the season finale of “United States of Tara.” I like it, but thanks to the previews I guessed where they were going. Tara and Charmaine learned that dear old dad was married before and had a son, a son who wasn’t all there and molested Tara. Their mom sent them to Mimi’s while she got the son out of the house. When asked where the son is now . . . nobody knows.

So we know the whole reason Tara is the way she is . . . so what now? My guess is Tara will go in search of her half-brother next year. Again I won’t be surprised if he turns out to be just like Buck.

Kate meanwhile dumped her creepy older guy after learning he was a Republican/Ron Paul supporter who didn’t approve of Marshall’s lifestyle. Guess we won’t see him next season. Charmaine also got dumped at the altar by Nick, and ended up going out with Neil who returned at the end. I was actually pissed Charmaine didn’t dump him after he showed signs of abuse on their wedding day by grabbing her too hard and talking to her the way he did.

Posted by Dustin on 05.31.2010 at 11:06 pm

A great “US of Tara” tonight. We learned a lot from the show AND the previews. So Mimi ran a foster home for kids who were abused at home, which is why Tara and Charmaine were sent to her. Mimi was who Alice was modeled after as well. Mimi had someone working with or for her named Dwayne, which brought out T, who acted like Dwayne had molested her. However Dwayne hadn’t worked for Mimi that long.

So we know Tara clearly was molested as a kid by someone. Her father? Not so fast! Next week’s episode previews showed Charmaine’s wedding, and a scene with Tara and her father. The father, who I’m guessing is having memory issues, thought they were at Charmaine’s graduation and wished their brother could be there. Is the brother who hurt Tara? And if so, is Buck or Grimmy modeled after him? Buck could be the older nasty brother (maybe from a previous marriage?) while Grimmy could have been a mentally challenged brother that was later hidden away in a hospital. Tara’s parents definitely don’t seem to like talking about anything that doesn’t fit into their ideal world.

Posted by Dustin on 05.26.2010 at 12:43 pm

So the latest “US of Tara” was a major leap forward in the search for what happened to Tara as a kid. Mimi not only was a woman who lived on Tara’s block as a kid . . . . but is who Alice is modeled after? We know Tara also adopted another real person as an alter, Shoshana . . . . so are T, Buck and Grimmy real people (or animals) too? I’m willing to bet they are.

The previews had Tara and Charmaine meeting Mimi, and Mimi introducing them to someone else . . . her son? Immediately “T” came out remembering who he was. My guess is he did something bad to the girls in Mimi’s basement. In fact the whole episode seemed to be code for it. Charmaine made the comment about Mimi’s basement being a molesting place, Kate’s older man got weirded out realizing she really was a teenager and he shouldn’t be in her room, and Marshall got propositioned by older men at a cruising spot.

There are only two episodes left in the season, which sucks cause the show has finally gotten really good!

Posted by Dustin on 05.12.2010 at 12:20 am

So lately my favorite part of “US of Tara” has been Princess Valhalla Hawkwind, I love Kate sploshing on webcam to get a Vespa!

Marshall going postal on his psycho girlfriend who seemed determine to be with him, even though he was gay, was hilarious. Just as much as him then turning on his family and staying what needed to be said to some of them.

I cannot believe Charmaine is trying to talk her way into having Neil’s baby and trying to convince her fiancé that spiritually it is his. What a crock. She has as many problems as Tara and needs to bed told as much. Marshall tried!

I really hope we get more of the mystery of what happened to Tara and Charmaine as kids. Clearly Mimi’s house is a factor and possibly her basement giving Charmaine’s fear of them.

I really hated the way the last episode ended. It was bad enough when Tara cheated with Pammy, but now Max? What is next, a three way “Big Love” marriage? Booooo to this storyline. I hope we don’t see a potential break-up for Tara and Max by seasons end, but things aren’t looking so hot for them right now.

Posted by Dustin on 04.20.2010 at 7:32 pm

Last nights “United States of Tara” was probably one of the best of the new season. I felt the first few episodes were going off in an alien direction.

I am still loving the whole Princess Valhalla Hawkwind think! Kate is such a hoot! I’m not sure where the hell it’s going, but I’m loving the ride.

Charmaine, lord how does this girl keep herself together? She might crack like Tara with all these secrets and men. Now she can’t decide how to tell the real father Neil the truth, but plans to? And she thinks it will just all work out for her?

I am loving Shoshana the therapist personality, and next week it looks like a Jewish Yenta personality comes out? Where the heck is that one coming from? Is Tara part Jewish?

I loved Max coming to Shoshana/Tara of all people to “talk” about things. At the end Tara stood outside her body and watched. This seems new, as I don’t remember her ever being on the outside watching before. She always never knew what her altars were doing before.

The best part, which is getting things back on track, was Tara having memories of some Mimi woman she and Charmaine spent time with when they were little? What’s going on here? Charmaine claims not to remember this woman. A neighbor, or a grandma or aunt the family shunned? The name didn’t sound like something you just call the strange old lady on the block.

Posted by Dustin on 04.06.2010 at 12:08 am

So “United States of Tara” returned to Showtime. The first episode I was a bit bored with, the second one I felt was better. The third episode of the season just aired, which again I felt was a so-so episode. I thought I should post some thoughts before the season ends 🙂 It looks like there is no new episode next week, but rather a catch-up marathon.

First, I hate the affair Buck is having with Pammy. HATE it. I guess I also hate that they made Buck have the affair rather than someone like T. I guess we are supposed to somehow think because there is no pokey pokey going on it will be easier for her husband to handle? I think that’s why I really hate this story. Tara told Pammy the truth, but she can’t give up her Bucky man and professed her love at the skating arena while Tara and the family where all there. Oops!

I love Marshall’s storyline with the gay kids so far. It should be interesting to see where it goes. I’m not sure why he’s experimenting with that girl, but that can’t end well for her. I did however like how they again dressed the idea of labels, but like 90210 did last week. It’s nice to see shows now deciding to explore the territory.

I’m not sure what to think about the sister’s storyline working at the debt collection agency. I definitely love the artist character she met though! She’s a great new edition to the show.

Finally it’s good to see Tara’s sister is as screwed up as ever. Marrying the sexy/stable guy when she’s in love with Sully, the guy who she doesn’t think is up to her standards, is another story that’s gunna end up badly.

I wish the show would again address Tara’s past and what caused her dissociative disorder. After the big dead end last season, what could it be? Will they return to that or is it supposed to be a secret we’ll just never know?

Posted by Dustin on 03.30.2009 at 7:32 pm

So I watched the season finale of “US of Tara” this weekend. It airs next Sunday on Showtime, but if you had digital cable you can get it now via Showtime on Demand.

STOP right here if you have not seen the show and don’t want spoilers!

So the season wrapped up fairly nicely, leaving a few cliff hangery questions. Marshal learned his boy love interest did exactly what his sister said he would, start dating girls. He also realized his mom and T were protecting him from getting hurt by the guy just as his sister said. Poor guy, hopefully he’ll be luckier in love next season.

Katie’s creepy boss got fired, but is still apparently stalking her and convinced they are destined to be together. Weirdo! This wasn’t resolved, so I bet we see him next season. Buck needs to kick some ass I think!

Charmaine is dating Mr. Perfect, but seems unhappy and unsatisfied with him, thinking maybe Neil is Mr. Right For Her. Neil being everything Mr. Perfect is not of course. I think Charmaine just can’t handle not being in some kind of messed up situation personally.

The main storyline of course was Tara’s confrontation/meeting with Trip, who was the guy that something happened with in boarding school, bringing her alters out and causing her to lose 6 months of time. All season long they had made it sound like Trip raped her. I was prepared for the opposite to come out, that it was Tara who raped him. Both accounts were basically wrong though. What happened was both Tara and Trip got drunk, and Trip admitted he did take advantage of her. However he didn’t really know her well, she was quiet, never the party type. When he called her T, that’s when the stuff hit the fan. It turned out T was the one he slept with. She came out and admitted she was in control that night, she did it with Trip and his friend Mike. She then claimed Mike and Trip did each other! Trip hurried his wife out the door at this point, we don’t know if T was just being raunchy or truthful.

What it came down to was the alters were already present when this night happened. The doctor said clearly they were there and this night brought them back out, but it was another trauma earlier in life that caused their presence to begin with. What could it be? I don’t know, but I have a feeling Charmaine does. She’s screwed up in her own way, and she never fully seemed to buy Tara’s alters at the beginning of the season. I think whatever happened to Tara, Charmaine was involved or a victim as well.

Posted by Dustin on 02.19.2009 at 7:55 pm

I’m still watching “The United States of Tara” on Showtime and loving this show! It’s hard to describe what’s been going on though, as it’s a cable show and there is a lot of adult situations.

Tara’s son is gay and in love with a fundamental Christian pastor’s kid and has basically been volunteering to help the church with a “hell house” in order to get close to the kid. This is a church version of a haunted house, except you see sinners burning in hell. Well after throwing a kick ass party he had all his hopes dashed as he found out the guy was a brainless idiot who just sat around playing a guitar while girls sighed. I don’t know, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of this story.

Tara got her sister Charmaine fired form her Vitacel job (selling vitamins in some Mary Kay like organization) because Tara had an alter come out and write . . . um basically curse words all over the wall of her boss’ apartment. Tara got a job painting a mural for the woman (she’s a decorator and an artist) and one of the alters screwed things up. Well that’s what she beleives, but as of yet we don’t know which alter did it, and most are denying they did it.

This brings us to some news! Kristin at E! has reported that this Sunday Tara gets a fourth alter. Is this one responsible for the mural defacing? Maybe! I’ve seen the episode, so if you want some spoilers . . . read on!

Read More »

Posted by Dustin on 01.26.2009 at 4:56 pm

So I just watched the first three episodes of this new Showtime show last night and fell in love with it. If you haven’t seen it, I’m sure Showtime will do a marathon soon enough. Or if you have digital cable you should be able to go to your OnDemand channel and find it under the Showtime/Series headers. You can watch in online, but like “True Blood,” I imagine there is some heavy edits (mostly for language).

Watch this show, you will not be sorry! To be honest, when I first heard the name I dismissed it, thinking it was some kind of reality show staring Tara Reid. I did not need to see that! However that is not what it is at all.

The show stars Toni Collette as Tara, a painter/decorator, wife and mother of two. She also suffers from Multiple Personality Disorder (now often called Dissociative Identity Disorder). She made the decision along with her family to go off her meds because they basically turned her into an unfeeling zombie who couldn’t eat, have sex or enjoy anything. However in doing so “the alters” would come out whenever Tara was stressed or having a hard time dealing with things. The family was prepared for this and copes with them.

Tara has three alters. The first is just known as “T” and is a 15 year old horny nympho. She and Tara’s daughter, also a rebellious teen, are fairly good friends and get into trouble. T for example bought the daughter morning after pills.

The second alter is “Buck,” who is basically a porn watching redneck who claims his equipment got blown off in Vietnam. He beat up the daughter’s no-good boyfriend in a recent episode.

The third alter is “Alice,” who is the perfect uptight 50s homemaker mom, who happens to like the cooking sherrie on the side.

The show is written by Diablo Cody, who wrote “Juno,” and is produced by Steven Spielberg. It has an amazing cast, John Corbett stars as Tara’s husband Max. Seriously, give this show a try, it’s really great. It is on Showtime though, which means adult situations and language.