United States of Tara: Difference between revisions

The show is a representation of a seemingly typical American family who must cope with the daily struggles of [[dissociative identity disorder]] (DID). [[List of United States of Tara characters#Tara Gregson|Tara Gregson]] is a wife and mother of two children in [[Overland Park, Kansas]], a suburb of [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]], who has been diagnosed with [[dissociative identity disorder]] (DID). Suffering side effects from the medication, she is depressed at her inability to focus, to feel, to be intimate, to create art, and to progress in therapy to discover the painful source of her dissociation. With approval from her therapist, she discontinues the medication, knowing that multiple personalities will reemerge.<ref name="Slate Troy"/><ref name="The Four"/>

When stressed, Tara may transition into one of her alternate personalities: 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 personality, [[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 personality 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. The show is a representation of a seemingly typical American family who must cope with the daily struggles of dissociative identity disorder.<ref name="Slate Troy"/><ref name="The Four"/>

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 | accessdate=February 6, 2020 | website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

Series creator [[Diablo Cody]] said she was "nervous" about making the pilot funny but not a sitcom, while being sensitive to a mental disorder.<ref name="The Four"/> She didn't expect itthe 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’s Cancellation: ‘If I Do TV Again, I Would Do It 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 | accessdate=February 5, 2020}}</ref>