Air Date: Monday, April 11, 2011 10:30PM E/P on Showtime
Grade : [rating=5]
With a variable “hoard” of things going on in “The Full ‘F*** You’ Finger,” it’s hard to focus on a main storyline. Everything seems to have significance in future episodes. I guess the one that catches my attention the most is Max’s (John Corbett) mother Sandy (guest star Frances Conroy), who is a hoarder.
Frances Conroy as Sandy
It’s been a couple of years since he’s seen or spoken to his mother but because he’s had to sell the family-owned business, he has no choice but to pay her a visit. It’s so funny how she ‘baby-talks’ to him as if he is still a little boy. You can sense Max’s frustration and concern as he pushes his way through the front door and sees his mother’s hoarding has reached chaos personified. Max brings Marshall (Keir Gilchrist) with him to help pack up a few things, and I find what Sandy says to Marshall very interesting. “Gregson boys just have to have them some crazy.”
Keir Gilchrist as Marshall and Frances Conroy as Sandy (and yes, it's a Christmas room in the middle of summer)
Apparently, Max’s father had enough of Sandy’s brand of crazy and ran for the hills. What’s more interesting is when Marshall asks Max if he ever thinks about leaving. Max doesn’t reply but gives him a look instead – a look that says, “Are you kidding, of course I have.” At least that’s what it looked like to me. I have no doubt leaving has crossed Max’s mind but is it true – do all the Gregson men have a penchant for crazy women?
John Corbett as Max
So I’m just going to say it – Charmaine (Rosemarie DeWitt) is a bitch. Yes, I know she’s ready to pop out the baby and is hormonal but she’s just so selfish and downright neurotic! She pushes poor Tara (Toni Collette) to transition more than once in this episode all for the sake of her baby shower despite Tara being exhausted from studying for her exams. Buck does make an appearance of his own accord, however, because he’s still looking for the long lost half-brother, Bryce. And things get a little crazy when T steals Tara’s car, causing Charmaine’s water to break.
Ah, my sweet Kate (Brie Larson). Has fate intervened in Kate’s future? Her big plans to teach English in Japan are stopped short when a massive earthquake hits the tiny island. How weirdly prophetic is this episode? While season three of United States of Tara was filmed months ago, I think it’s eerie since the real thing happened just a month ago. But not even an earthquake will stop Kate. However, when she meets a beautiful flight attendant (Bellamy Young) in the bathroom on her second flight out who tells her it might not be such a good idea to go, she begins to let doubt seep in.
I could gush on and on about how much I love this show. From Collette’s seamless transitions into her alters and DeWitt really nailing the ‘bitch’ part of her character to Corbett’s non-verbal expressions that speak volumes, I think it’s one of the best shows on television. The dark comedy really hits the spot with me. And if you’re wondering what’s up with the title – do you give the full finger or half finger when you flip someone off? As Tara says with a half finger, “This is f*** you, that was just a finger.”
Tune into United States of Tara Mondays at 10:30pm E/P only on Showtime.
For more on the show, visit http://www.sho.com/site/tara/home.sho.
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