Customer Reviews

United States of Tara: The Second Season

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Since I loved the first season of United States of Tara so much, I was surpirsed to find out that creator/lead writer Diablo Cody wasn't really happy with it, and felt the need to, if not revamp, perhaps tweak the series. Since I thought it was great the way it was, if it ain't broke, why fix it, right?

The main difference, right off the bat, is in Tara. Although the titular character, in Season 1 Tara herself was usually subdued, frazzled, overwhelmed, or embarrassed, and it was the alters who stole the show. It seems like Season 2 finds the show taking great pains to make Tara more interesting, even without her alters. I'm not sure this always works. Like the Bob Newhart of her personalities, Tara is perhaps better off playing straight man and letting T, Buck, Alice, etc play their outrageous archetypes for all they're worth.

The storylines in Season 2 probably succeed about 2/3 of the time. And even when they don't, they're not terrible. Tara's creation of an alter who's a New York psychiatrist is one of the season's best storylines, as well as how it ties into the revelations that finally allow Tara to find the source of her DID. Buck's romance with a barista, Marshall's awkward attempt at heterosexuality, and Kate's friendship with an eccentric artist are all some of the season's other highlights. Charmaine's wedding storyline is probably the weakest, and a waste of Rosemarie DeWitt's acting chops, and the introduction of the Gregson family's gay neighbors added nothing.

The performances are what continue to elevate the series and compensate for any unevenness. Toni Colette continues to knock it out of the park, while playing what is really a series of distinct roles. (She's like a subtler Tracy Ullman.) And the actors who play Marshall and Kate are probably two of the best and most underrated actors on television.

I was compelled to write this review after reading some of the other reviews for the second season of United States of Tara. I absolutely loved the first season of U.S. Tara and I have been anxiously awaiting the second season. I do not have Showtime so I had to wait until the DVD set of season two was released this week. After having watched all of season two (in one night)...my opinion is that on a scale of 1-10, season one was a 10, and season two is a 75.

Before seeing season two myself I read the reviews on here that noted that "Tara is faltering," that this season was altered or tweaked, etc. I too also read the interview where creator Diablo Cody said that she was not happy with season one and wanted to make some changes. I was nervous, as I didn't think there was anything wrong with season one. Well now I have seen the changes made to the show and the result is that season two is much deeper, more complex, more interesting, and overall much more richer than season one.

One reviewer said that in this season they try to make Tara "more interesting" and that it doesn't work. Well it's not that the writers are trying to make her "interesting," but rather they are delving deeper into the character and exploring her struggles and pain. In season one Tara was mostly a one-dimensional character, and frankly she is not dramatically different in season two, but she has much more depth and we begin to relate and empathize with her emotionally. We get a look inside at how this woman has handled living her entire life with her disorder.

In my opinion the people that are not fond of season two would prefer that United States of Tara be nothing more than a circus act where Tara's alters appear, dress up, and act up a bunch of comical shenanigans. While that is entertaining, I am personally glad that Diablo Cody decided to take the show up 20 notches and delve deeper into all the characters...instead of simply parading around Tara's alters as cheap and easy comical entertainment.

Now does this mean that season two is perfect...well, no. There are some weak storylines...I found Kate's storyline for the season to be simply an attempt to keep her part of the show, and also I felt that the Charmaine, Neil, and Nick storyline could have been explored more, instead of being resolved rather quickly. I enjoyed Marshall's storyline with Courtney and Lionel...and I was thrilled to hear that Lionel will be back in season three. From the other reviews I had expected to find Max's behavior completely out of character in season two, but now after watching the season I felt they did an excellent job of showing Max reach his breaking point, but not betraying the core of his character.

Overall, I was blown away by season two and I think Diablo Cody deserves immense praise and recognition for taking a great show and making it even greater.

This is not a show that you can jump into the middle of. If you have seen season 1 I would say buy season 2. It is even funnier than the first season. Tara and the whole gang are back. Hilarious and touching moments throughout this whole season. Tara and her family get closer to figuring out what happened to Tara that caused her personality to split. Her kids are coming into their own, her sister is stumbling her way through romances while her husband is always there. A great great show!

Loved this series. Toni Collette is excellent as is John Corbett. Crazy story line but the actors really pull it off and sometimes its just laugh out loud funny! Hope they're doing a third season ...

Loved Season 1 & 2, When does Season 3 Start? We are Hooked...Can't wait to see if Tara has anymore hidden personalities, or if she just totally turns into BUCK and forgets all the other alters.. Collette and Crew must have a Royal Blast on set..Great Show Diablo Cody!

Like many of the reviewers, I couldn't wait for this season to come out. I loved season 1 and couldn't wait to see what season 2 had in store. It felt odd to me that, for some reasons yet unknown, when Tara began getting triggered, it was Buck who surfaced, not Gimme, nor T. nor Alice. I am trying to understand why Buck needed to have an affair at this time.

The understanding is that Tara was on her meds and "better", hence the donating of the alters clothes. Did she suddenly leave therapy? If she was on some kind of meds, wouldn't she need to be monitored by a psych doc? There were just some holes in the story lines that were disappointing.

Moosh finally announcing himself as gay was something he needed to do for himself. Kate....well...I can't wait to see what they have her doing in season 3 because Princess Vahalla Hawkwind doesn't seem like a lasting sort of viable employment. Charmaine...I can surmise from the flashbacks Tara had that the half brother must have harmed Tara and she protected Charmaine...at least that's my best guess from the freakouts in the basement.

All and all, it was an ok season. Lots could be reworked differently. I hope to see more of her alters...not parading around, but genuinely trying to understand one another and communicate.

I love this show. I loved season 1 and felt like I had to wait for this season forever. I don't feel, like many other reviewers do, that this season is inferior to the first. Maybe some people felt like that because some of the excitement or novelty wore off for them. For me, though (again, maybe because I had to wait forever) this season was as interesting and exciting as the first.

I like this show because it's sweet and sad and smart. It's like reading a really good book, where you almost feel like you could cry but you're happy at the same time. Maybe I'm overly sensitive, but I got so attached to the characters on this show. Every one of them is compelling in some way. Also, it's such a unique concept.

I agree that all of the characters evolved this season. I especially loved getting to see more of Kate. Some of the evolving happened a little too quickly for me, though. Part of that was probably because there were only 12 half-hour episodes. *SPOILER ALERT* Kate breaking up with her rich boyfriend didn't ring true, possibly because it happened so fast. I get that she was being defensive of her family, but he was disapproving of them all along and she was planning on moving out. Also Moosh's relationship suddenly beginning with someone he mostly disliked before also seemed forced. Whatever - still enjoyed the season.

I hope other people are watching this show.

Ok so season 1 was better, but some important things occured in season 2 that needed to.

Moosh going straight for a second really irked me. Then his coming out to his folks jesus ... they already KNEW he was gay. Anyways, I do see where this needed to happen? (I'm a gay, btw.)

Kate's character really expanded and grew up and that was needed.

Max became short and angry with Tara and we needed this to happen too.

I forsee some real turbulence with Max and Tara coming in season 3.

All in all if you liked season 1 you cannot skip season 2. This series in genius.

Too bad Showtime axed it without and ending episode. Once more, don't buy a series until they tie it up with a concluding episode.

I anticipated Season 2 very much. After Season 1 ended, it was like I was waiting to get my "Tara" fix. I have Season 1 on DVD, and I've watched that I don't know how many times. So okay, I love the show.

But I agree with the above reviews that it was a little anti-climatic in some regards. Where was "T" the whole season? Supposedly, "wandering the streets of Seattle." Well, that was a funny explanation (and if you know the literature on DID, then you could say that Tara has a "Seattle" in her "Third Reality") but I still missed seeing T---T contributed to a good deal of the humor in Season 1.

And in the story line, Max has been married to Tara for 17 years. As far as we are shown (up until Season 2) he has stood by her, for better or for worse. Yes, Buck has an affair with the lady bar tender, but it's also revealed that Tara's alters have slept with numerous people over the years. But wait. Max has still been super supportive up until now. So why does he go off the deep end over this particular infidelity while being understanding with the other infidelities? Max and Tara do eventually reconcile and he loves her again for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, in the end (and it's very sweet---I really loved that). But again, he went way off track for a while there. He even became violent. And, in one scene, he had this weird/awkward angry sex scene with Tara (in the context of Tara and Max just having a fight, and Tara appearing to be afraid of Max at that particular time). To me, that was a bit upsetting---it reminded me more of a rape than a loving husband/wife relation (Tara was willing, but it was just aggressive, and potentially triggering/upsetting to other people in that way).

I like the storyline about Charmaine better than the Princess Vahala Hawk Wind thing, but that's my opinion. I liked the wedding story though.

Anyway, the point is that I love the show, and I look forward to Season 3, but there were some disappointments with this season, and there's some potentially triggering material (never mind them showing other graphic things I didn't mention here) that was NOT essential to the story lines. Period. The audience will understand the story even if we don't see certain things. This show is meant to entertain, but also to raise awareness. The show's creators should also keep in mind that traumatized people (such as DID patients who may be triggered) are watching the show, and that more people (wider audience = more awareness) could watch the show if they would leave out some of the unnecessary graphic things. Okay, I know people do/say X, Y, and Z in "real life" and the show's creators want "US of Tara" to be "realistic" but I think you can be realistic while also being considerate, that's all. And I think that the show and its premise are good enough that Showtime really doesn't need to use "shock value" to "improve" it. It would be good enough (if not better) without the stuff that you know they only put in to shock people.

So, see ya next season, Tara. I hope next season is better.