United States of Tara: Difference between revisions

| nameimage = United States of Tara (logo).svg

| developer =

| presenter =

| starring = {{Plainlist|

| voices =

| narrated =

| opentheme =

| endtheme =

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_seasons = 3

| num_episodes = 36

| list_episodes = List of United States of Tara episodes

| producer = Dan Kaplow

| executive_producer = [[Steven Spielberg]]<br />[[Diablo Cody]]<br />[[Alexa Junge]] (season 1)<br />[[JillJoey Soloway]] (season 2–3)<br />Darryl Frank<br />Justin Falvey<br />[[Craig Zisk]] (season 2–3)

| location = [[Overland Park, Kansas]] (setting)<br />[[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, California]] (actual filming location)

| camera = [[Single-camera setup|Single-camera]]

| runtime = 30 minutes

| company = [[DreamWorks Television]]<br />[[Showtime Networks]]

| network = [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]]

'''''United States of Tara''''' is an American television [[comedy- drama]] television series created by [[Diablo Cody]]<!--Diablo Cody is the pen name of Brook Busey; please do not change to Busey as Cody is what she uses professionally. See talk page for explanation. -->, which aired on [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] from 2009 to 2011. The series follows the life of Tara ([[Toni Collette]]), a suburban artist and mother coping with [[dissociative identity disorder]].

The series was based on an idea by [[Steven Spielberg]], who is the executive producer, under his [[DreamWorks Television]] label. Other executive producers include writers Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, director [[Craig Zisk]], and [[showrunner]]s Cody and [[Jill Soloway|Joey Soloway]]. Former executive producer [[Alexa Junge]] quit as showrunner after the first season.

[[Principal photography]] wastook filmedplace in Los Angeles, California, while the show's setting is locatedset in [[Overland Park, Kansas]]. Collette won the 2009 [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series|Primetime Emmy Award]] and 2010 [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress&nbsp;– Television Series Musical or Comedy|Golden Globe Award]] for Best Actress in a Comedy Series for her role; the opening title sequence also won an Emmy. The show's third and final season premiered on March 28, 2011.<ref name=season3.1/>

On May 23, 2011, Showtime announced that the series would not be renewed for a fourth season,<ref name="canceled">{{cite web |url=http://www.tvequals.com/2011/05/23/showtime-keeping-nurse-jackie-but-giving-united-states-of-tara-the-boot/ |title=Showtime keeping NURSE JACKIE But Giving UNITED STATES OF TARA The Boot |work=TV Equals |date=May 23, 2011 |first=Michelle |last=Carlbert |accessdateaccess-date=April 14, 2013}}</ref> and the series finale aired on June 20, 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/united-states-of-tara-cancelled-season-four-20049/ |title=United States of Tara: Showtime Comedy Cancelled; No Season Four |work=TV Series Finale |date=May 23, 2011 |accessdateaccess-date=April 14, 2013}}</ref>

When stressed, Tara may transition into one of her alternate personalitiesalters: wild and flirty teenager [[List of United States of Tara characters#T|T]]; 1950s style housewife [[List of United States of Tara characters#Alice|Alice]]; and male, loud, beer-drinking [[Vietnam veteran|Vietnam vet]] [[List of United States of Tara characters#Buck|Buck]]. A fourth personalityalter, [[List of United States of Tara characters#Gimme|Gimme]], is introduced later in the first season. During the second season, two further personalities are introduced: [[List of United States of Tara characters#Shoshana Schoenbaum|Shoshana]], Tara's therapist of sorts, and [[List of United States of Tara characters#Chicken|Chicken]], an infantile representation of Tara when she was five years old. Another personalityalter emerges in Season 3, that of Tara's previously unknown half-brother [[List of United States of Tara characters#Bryce Craine|Bryce]]. Tara is supported by her husband [[List of United States of Tara characters#Max Gregson|Max]], daughter [[List of United States of Tara characters#Kate Gregson|Kate]], and son [[List of United States of Tara characters#Marshall Gregson|Marshall]]. Her sister, [[List of United States of Tara characters#Charmaine Craine|Charmaine]], is initially not very supportive of Tara, expressing doubts about the validity of her sister's disorder, though she becomes increasingly more understanding and receptive as the series progresses.<ref name="Slate Troy"/><ref name="The Four"/>

* Max Gregson ([[John Corbett (actor)|John Corbett]]), Tara's supportive husband

* Kate Gregson ([[Brie Larson]]), Tara and Max's troubledspirited teenage daughter

* Marshall Gregson ([[Keir Gilchrist]]), Tara and Max's gay cinephile son

The show was conceived by executive producer Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw, while discussing the compartmentalization of the typical human psyche. The staff members were challenged with making a comedy show that is counteracted by the unknowable but believable anguish of severe mental illness. They wanted a widely relatable story of fragmentation of the self, and of the loving perseverance of the family. Executive producer Alexa Junge said, "It never comes from making fun of a woman who can't control herself." Series creator [[Diablo Cody]] said she was "nervous" about making the pilot funny but not a sitcom, while being sensitive to a mental disorder. Therefore, the disorder was researched and then the scripts were reviewed by [[dissociative identity disorder]] expert and medical school professor, Richard Kluft.<ref name="The Four">{{cite web | title=The Four (at Least) Faces of Tara | date=January 9, 2009 | first=Jeanne Dorin | last=McDowell | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/arts/television/11mcdo.html | accessdateaccess-date=February 6, 2020 | website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

[[Portia Doubleday]] was cast as Kate in the pilot episode of ''United States of Tara''. Doubleday was replaced by [[Brie Larson]] when the series' creative team chose to go in a different direction with the character.<ref>{{Cite news | last = Ouzounian | first = Richard | title = Portia Doubleday: Michael Cera's transformer | newspaper = [[Toronto Star]] | location = [[Toronto]] | date = January 5, 2010 | url = https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/article/745966--portia-doubleday-michael-cera-s-transformer | accessdateaccess-date = January 7, 2010}}</ref>

Diablo Cody didn't expect the pilot to reach series status, so she considered "three seasons in the lion's den" to be exceptional. She emphatically appreciated the writers, but was pressured with the expectation of writing more "gobbledygook banter" as seen in her recent hit movie ''[[Juno (film)|Juno]]''; she disliked the institution of the writers' room and wished that it had been primarily a solo effort. She said Steven Spielberg was "incredibly involved", offering "his soul and his input" to the series. She was sad to learn of the cancellation especially without a proper finale, but was fairly satisfied with "a nice, natural end".<ref name="Differently">{{cite interview | title=Diablo Cody on United States of Tara’sTara's Cancellation: ‘If'If I Do TV Again, I Would Do It Differently’Differently' | website=Vulture | date=May 25, 2011 | interviewer=Patti Greco | first=Diablo | last=Cody | url=https://www.vulture.com/2011/05/diablo_cody_on_united_states_o_1.html | accessdateaccess-date=February 5, 2020}}</ref>

The series premiered on the US network [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] on January 18, 2009. On February 10, 2009, after only four episodes had aired, [[Showtime Networks]] president of entertainment Robert Greenblatt announced that ''United States of Tara'' would be renewed for a second season, to consist of twelve episodes and air in early 2010. He said the early renewal decision came after the show averaged 2.67 million viewers per week, giving the network its highest ratings since 2004, when [[Nielsen Media Research]] began counting original shows on [[pay television|premium channels]] in its [[prime time]] ratings.<ref name=seasontwo>{{cite journal|url=http://www.multichannel.com/article/173970-Showtime_United_With_Tara_For_Second_Season.php |title=Showtime United With Tara For Second Season |journal=[[Multichannel News]] |date=February 10, 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214045815/http://www.multichannel.com/article/173970-Showtime_United_With_Tara_For_Second_Season.php |archivedatearchive-date=February 14, 2009 }}</ref> Season two premiered on March 22, 2010.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://blogs.courant.com/roger_catlin_tv_eye/2009/11/nurse-jackie-tara-both-back-ma.html |title='Nurse Jackie,' 'Tara' Both Back March 22 |newspaper=[[Hartford Courant]] |date=November 6, 2009 |first=Roger |last=Caitlin |accessdateaccess-date=April 14, 2013}}</ref>

On March 25, three days after the season 2 premiere, it was announced that it would be picked up for a third season which aired in spring 2011.<ref name=season3>{{cite web |url=http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2010-3-25-showtime-renews-nurse-jackie-united-states-of-tara |title=Showtime renews 'Nurse Jackie,' 'United States of Tara |work=[[HitFix]] |date=March 25, 2010 |accessdateaccess-date=April 14, 2013}}</ref> Season 3 officially premiered on March 28, 2011.<ref name=season3.1>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvequals.com/2011/01/18/nurse-jackie-and-united-states-of-tara-season-3-premiere-date-announced/ |title=NURSE JACKIE and UNITED STATES OF TARA Season 3 Premiere Date Announced |work=TV Equals |first=Michelle |last=Carlbert |date=January 18, 2011 |accessdateaccess-date=April 14, 2013}}</ref> On May 23, 2011, it was announced that the series would not be renewed for a fourth season.<ref name="canceled"/>

Critical response to the show was positive, with many reviewers praising Collette's acting. According to [[Metacritic]], which assigns a rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the show's first season holds a score of 63 out of 100, indicating "generally favorable reviews", based on 24 reviews. Season 2 has 79% with 10 reviews, and Season 3 has 84% ("universal acclaim") with 5 reviews.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/unitedstatesoftara |title=United States of Tara - Season 1 Reviews |accessdateaccess-date=April 14, 2013 |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |work=Metacritic}}</ref>

Troy Patterson of ''Slate'' gave high praise to [[Diablo Cody]]'s infamous style of snarky pop-culture dialog, and to the cast, concluding that "The most elusive of the personalities is Tara herself, and that's as it should be."<ref name="Slate Troy">{{cite web | title=The United States of Tara | first=Troy | last=Patterson | date=January 15, 2020 | website=Slate | url=https://slate.com/culture/2009/01/the-united-states-of-tara-reviewed.html | accessdateaccess-date=February 6, 2020}}</ref> Emily Nussbaum of Vulture saw ''Tara'' as "the true sister act" to ''[[Dexter (TV series)|Dexter]]'', Showtime's other hit show at the time, with a more feminine focus on the allegorical roots of mental illness. She said it "has slowly taken its premise deeper, bolder places than I ever expected, all while maintaining an arch-comic tone that could sour if it weren’t so smart. Far more ambitious than bloated award bait like ''[[Boardwalk Empire]]'', it has become a truly original series, a dark comedy about sexual abuse, swinging at existential questions about its heroine's struggle to become a real girl."<ref name="New Dexter">{{cite web | website=Vulture | title=TV Review: Is United States of Tara the New Dexter? | first=Emily | last=Nussbaum | date=March 28, 2011 | url=https://www.vulture.com/2011/03/united_states_of_tara_5.html | accessdateaccess-date=February 5, 2020}}</ref> Alan Sepinwall of HitFix said that ''Tara'' has "gotten deeper, darker and just plain better as it's gone along" where sometimes "the Gregson family seems in danger of splintering as badly as Tara's psyche".<ref name="Different paths">{{cite web | title=Review: Showtime's 'United States of Tara' & 'Nurse Jackie' take different paths in season 3 | url=http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/posts/review-showtimes-united-states-of-tara-nurse-jackie-take-different-paths-in-season-3 | url-status=dead | archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111014170029/http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/whats-alan-watching/posts/review-showtimes-united-states-of-tara-nurse-jackie-take-different-paths-in-season-3 | archivedatearchive-date=SeptemberOctober 14, 2011 | first=Alan | last=Sepinwall | date=March 28, 2011 | accessdateaccess-date=February 5, 2020}}</ref>

In a 2014 retrospective, Ariana Bacle at ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' said that she was "still not over" the show's premature cancellation. She said the show portrays mental illness in a realistic, humanizing, and normalizing way that gives appropriate weight to the lives of all the family members who were overwhelmed but not totally consumed by one's mental illness. She found it "dark" but "consistently funny, never taking itself too seriously". She praised Toni Collette's "flawless" transition between personalities that are so multilayered yet "insanely distinct" that they could have each been a different actor.<ref name="Still Not Over">{{cite webmagazine | title=I'm Still Not Over... 'United States of Tara' getting canceled | first=Ariana | last=Bacle | date=February 10, 2014 | url=https://ew.com/article/2014/02/10/im-still-not-over-united-states-of-tara-cancellation/ | websitemagazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] | accessdateaccess-date=February 5, 2020}}</ref>

| {{won}}<ref name="emmys">{{cite web |url=http://www.emmys.com/shows/united-states-tara |title=United States Of Tara |accessdateaccess-date=June 9, 2013 |publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]] |work=Emmys}}</ref>

* [[DVD region code#1|Region 1]]: December 29, 2009<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/United-States-Tara-Season-1-Delay/12762 |title=United States of Tara - A Change Comes to 'Tara': DVD Delayed, Extras Revealed |work=TVShowsonDVD.com |date=October 5, 2009 |accessdateaccess-date=April 14, 2013 |last=Lambert |first=David |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009151810/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/United-States-Tara-Season-1-Delay/12762 |archivedatearchive-date=October 9, 2012 }}</ref>

* Region 1: December 28, 2010<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/United-States-Tara-Season-2/14369 |title=United States of Tara - The 2nd Season DVDs: Date, Bonus Material, Cover Art |work=TVShowsOnDVD.com |date=September 7, 2010 |last=Lambert |first=David |accessdateaccess-date=April 14, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016043913/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/United-States-Tara-Season-2/14369 |archivedatearchive-date=October 16, 2012 }}</ref>

* Region 1: August 2, 2011<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/United-States-Tara-Season-3/15399 |title=United States of Tara - 'The 3rd Season' Announced: Date, Details and Early Cover Art |work=TVShowsOnDVD.com |date=May 16, 2011 |last=Lambert |first=David |accessdateaccess-date=April 14, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019092341/http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/United-States-Tara-Season-3/15399 |archivedatearchive-date=October 19, 2012 }}</ref>

* {{Official sitewebsite|http://www.sho.com/united-states-of-tara}}

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