Airdate: Monday, April 25, 2011 10:30PM E/P
Grade [rating=5]
After her bewildering transition in last week’s episode “Wheels,” Tara’s (Toni Collette) professor Dr. Hattaras (guest star Eddie Izzard) becomes obsessed with her condition, even to the point of ordering crab tortellini at the Olive Garden (he’s deathly allergic to crab).
Eddie Izzard as Dr. Hattaras and Toni Collette as Tara
Dr. Hattaras refuses to allow Tara to drop his class. The good doctor offers to help her despite his non-belief in the diagnosis of D.I.D. He mentions a former patient in England who believed he was a kite so he never went outside. Now that patient has a functional life. The major difference, though, is he only thought he was a kite. Tara has seven personalities vying for attention: Alice, Buck, T, Shoshana, Chicken, Gimme, and a frighteningly scary new alter that has yet to be revealed.
Did you notice that Max’s (John Corbett) name tag on his Orgalawn uniform says “Greg Maxson”? His name is Max Gregson. We know his new boss Larry (Scott MacDonald) is a bit of a boozer, but didn’t someone else order the uniforms? On top of having a drunk boss, now his wife is unwilling to accept the help of the one man who could potentially rid her of her D.I.D. Max wants to know, after the kids are out of the house, if it will be him and Tara or him, Tara, and all the alters. Fair question, but Max knew Tara had this problem when they got together, so it’s unfair of him to expect a miracle with Dr. Hattaras’ plan.
John Corbett as Max and Toni Collette as Tara
While Kate begins training to become a flight attendant, she encounters a ditzy trainee, Daisy (Riki Lindholme), and a jaded and embittered trainer, Bunny (Cathy Shambley). I want Kate to succeed so badly. She seems so lost, but she feels a sense of obligation to her mother. I know she didn’t plan the natural disaster which prevented her from going to Japan, but I think she subconsciously derailed herself because she’s afraid of being too far from home.
Toni Collette as Tara and Brie Larson as Kate
Meanwhile, Marshall (Keir Gilchrist) grows closer to Noah (Aaron Christian Howles) which puts the kibosh on his relationship with Lionel (Michael Willett). Although I’m saddened by this development, I think it’s better for them to be apart. Lionel and Marshall have different views of what it means to be young and gay, and they certainly have different ideas on what they should submit for the New York High School Film Festival. Noah seems more grounded and more understanding of Marshall’s home situation.
Some of my favorite scenes involve Charmaine (Rosemarie DeWitt). She is still adamant about not letting Tara near the baby. While I understand her concern, I think it is hurting Tara that she cannot connect with her baby niece and her only sister. After Neil is at his wit’s end with the baby’s non-stop crying, he calls his “mom” (a.k.a. Tara) to ask for advice. The funniest line comes from Charmaine: “I even killed a goat and made an offering to Satan, nothing f’ing works!”
Rosemarie DeWitt as Charmaine and Patton Oswalt as Neil
United States of Tara continues to humorously but realistically explore a dysfunctional family dealing with D.I.D. Even the wardrobe is spot on. Charmaine is a new mom who’s obviously coping with a colicky newborn so she wouldn’t be dressed in designer jeans with perfectly coiffed hair. Her hair is a hot mess while she sports baggy sweats with a raggedy T-shirt.
Tune into United States of Tara on Mondays, 10:30PM E/P, on Showtime.
Photos © Showtime, All Rights Reserved.