"United States of Tara": Pick a favorite
Think of the publicity opportunities for “United States of Tara."
Showtime could run a poll: Name your favorite alter (the term used for Toni Collette’s multiple personalities). Would it be T, the 16-year-old girl who dresses trashy and wants to party all night long? How about Buck, the beer-swiging trucker who isn’t afraid to get into a bar fight? There’s also Alice, a ’50s homemaker out of a Douglas Sirk film that still thinks baking a cake is the remedy for everything that ails? Or just Tara, a wife and mom who’s constantly trying to get a handle on her life that’s constantly being affected by her Disassociative Identity Disorder.
“I can’t make a decision who I like most,” Collette said. “I would be like a bad parent choosing a favorite kid. Getting into costume, hair, makeup all helps, but it’s about empathy and what I read on the page that make the characters as real as possible.”
Creator-writer Diablo Cody discussed a question as to whether Tara is doing the viewing public a disservice by going off her medication, which would help control her DID.
“I don’t want to portray Tara as irresponsible," Cody said. "I want to make clear that she had not been receiving proper medical treatment. Her medication had made her feel completely numb and she wanted one chance to reconcile. She’s living with her disorder and not muting it.”
Series, which begins Sunday at 10 p.m. and co-stars John Corbett and Rosemarie DeWitt, could
easily be the next hit for Showtime. Early reviews and buzz have been excellent.
-- Stuart Levine
Variety's Team TV -- Cynthia Littleton, Stu Levine, Jon Weisman, Andrew Wallenstein and A.J. Marechal -- provides a roundup of stories big and small, as well as opinions and analysis from across the TV dial.
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Totally agree, horrible show. At first glance from the bilboards, it looks like a bad Fox sketch comedy show.
Posted by: That guy | January 27, 2009 at 12:57 PM
Ok, I hate to say it - - but Tara stinks so far!! I can't believe people are going on and on about how great it is...talking awards next year!!! It's awful! The actors aren't relating....the writing is off...it's just NOT gelling. We have two actors and a writer in our household - we keep hangin in but it's PAINFUL. Kudos for trying to broach an important topic like DID and I would imagine Diablo or someone close to her has struggled with that issue....but I hate to say it - it isn't working...we don't care about the characters and they don't care about each other. The only scene that's worked so far is Alice with the teacher - THAT was funny - with some actual relating going on....AND the son somehow seems real in all this mess. Good luck - we're hangin in - but it is BAD so far....someone needs to just say it!!!!
Posted by: notgonnasugarcoatitforyou | January 26, 2009 at 09:06 PM