After the success of Showtime's Emmy-winning Weeds, which centered on a suburban mother of two (Mary-Louise Parker) who deals marijuana to support her family, the premium cable network aimed to replicate its success with another quirky half-hour dramedy with a woman lead: United States of Tara.
Created by the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Juno, Diablo Cody, and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, United States of Tara premiered 15 years ago this week on January 18, 2009, and featured Toni Collette as Tara Gregon, a mom and interior designer living with dissociative identity disorder in Overland Park, Kansas. Tara lives with her husband, Max (John Corbett), their children, Marshall (Keir Gilchrist) and Kate (Brie Larson), and, initially, three identities known as "alters," including a Vietnam vet biker named Buck, a flirty teenager named "T" and a 1950s homemaker named Alice. (Collette would go on to win an Emmy for her performance in the pilot.) As the series progresses and fresh challenges abound, new alters for Tara develop, which leads to complications with her loved ones, including her sister, Charmaine (Rosemarie DeWitt).
For three seasons, with Transparent creator Joey Soloway showrunning the second and third, Tara offered a unique and compelling portrayal of mental health unlike any television had seen before. In honor of the series' 15th anniversary, here is a quick snapshot of its most essential episodes (in order of airing).
"Transition" (Season one, episode six)
While Tara begins with an examination of how the main character's mental illness affects those living under her roof, "Transition" is the first time we see Tara's parents on screen and, along with them, the major and minor anxieties that accompany a family party. Tara's parents hatch a plot to take Tara's kids, in hopes of easing her stress, unaware that their presence can be a burden. The episode ends with the revelation that Tara has a brand new, id-driven alter named Gimme, the first "new" personality to make an appearance on screen since the pilot. Collette's complex performance as Gimme is not only comedic, it's the first truly shocking moment of a series that has plenty more to offer.
"Betrayal" (Season one, episode ten)
Tara's alters reflect both how her psyche helps process a past trauma and the many roles women often play in their lives. In "Betrayal," an alter named Alice pops out when Tara struggles with being both wife and mother. And Alice isn't alone: "T" reveals herself at a key moment when Tara hits a wall with her children. This episode adds an emotional layer to the alters and demonstrates that they are capable of experiencing real heartbreak, which provides Collette with many riveting scenes to showcase her considerable range.
"To Have and to Hold" (Season two, episode eleven)
"Is every single thing just lurking beneath the surface?"
Together with her sister, Charmaine, Tara finds herself struggling to answer the above question that she asks herself near the top of this pivotal episode — which leads the siblings to someone they thought was their babysitter but turns out to be their foster mother. Emotions are high as this revelation excavates more of Tara's past trauma regarding sexual abuse at a very young age, which then, in turn, manifests another alter — her five-year-old self, Chicken.
"From This Day Forward" (Season two, episode twelve)
"From This Day Forward" is a pivotal season two episode, with some of the biggest narrative (and emotional) swings of the series. Secrets are revealed and old wounds reopened when Tara's father confesses that Tara and her sister have a half-brother that the women didn't know existed.
"Bryce Will Play" (Season three, episode nine)
Leading into the series finale, "Bryce Will Play" centers on Tara realizing that her newest alter is her abusive step-brother, Bryce. Compounding this revelation is what it means for the work Tara and her new therapist, Dr. Jack Hattaras (Suzy Izzard), do — especially when both discover that Bryce is setting out to "murder" the rest of Tara's alters. At the time this memorable episode aired viewers didn't know that United States of Tara would not return for a fourth season. But, thankfully, the events of "Bryce" set the stage for a fulfilling conclusion.
All episodes of United States of Tara are now streaming on Paramount+.
