'United States of Tara' - 'Open House': Alice doesn't want you to live here anymore
An old alter helps Tara fill in a gap of her history.
Charmaine (Rosemarie DeWitt) and Tara (Toni Collette) bond on "United States of Tara."
A quick review of tonight's "United States of Tara" coming up just as soon as I find a Leif Garrett record that sounds like "War Pigs"...
"People need to know." -Alice
I have to confess that I'm a little wiped out from one of my busier/longer 36-hour periods in recent memory to give tonight's "Tara" the attention it would ordinarily deserve. (I'll go more in depth with the season's final two episodes, which I've seen and liked.)
But after the marital turmoil of the last few episodes, "Open House" finds Tara and Max getting along - though not so much Buck and Max(*) - and Tara seeming more likable as she gets more proactive about finding the truth about Mimi and the secret she and Charmaine share.
(*) The song played over the end of the episode was "Kiss with a Fist" by Florence and the Machine, which was already so memorably used in the Christmas episode of "Community" earlier this season.
It was nice to see Pamela Reed return as Tara and Charm's horrific mother, and to see Alice simultaneously be a force for destruction (ruining the open house) and one for good (forcing mom to admit that she knows who Mimi was).
On the kid front, Marshall's story (with Ted coming to his rescue even after Marshall and Lionel knocked Hanny off the wagon and out of his life) remains more compelling than Kate's, but I did like her new boyfriend having the eureka moment about what it means for him to date a teenager. So many Kate stories involve her trying to hang in the adult world, and I welcome any acknowledgment that being an adult is just a role she's trying on.
What did everybody else think?
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupJWIII
May 25, 2010 at 1:07AM EST Reply to CommentI liked but I hope the show doesn't go on for more than 4 seasons.
MrB
May 25, 2010 at 3:36AM EST Reply to CommentThis is driving me crazy: Who is the actor playing the guy that goes off with Lionel when they are at the park "cruising"?
Scott I sure hope someone replies to this as we are having the same problem - we know we recognize him but he is uncredited and clearly has appeared in something before - perhaps a child actor from the 80's?
May 28, 2010 at 7:25AM ESTStephen He's Billy Jayne and he was kind of big in the 80s. He was on Parker Lewis Can't Lose and he was also the brother in the movie Just One of the Guys.
June 1, 2010 at 1:53PM ESTJanieJones
May 25, 2010 at 10:20AM EST Reply to CommentI thought it was a good episode. Pamela Reed nailed the I didn't do anything, I know nothing attitude with perfection. Instead of wanting to help her daughter's, she prefers self-preservation. Unless we learn she was trying to "protect" the girls by not telling them the truth, I feel no empathy for a parent unwilling to help their children attempt to make a breakthrough.
Gilchrist is continuing to do excellent work as Marshall. He is wonderful in showing the insecurity of teenager attempting to establish who he is (and would prefer without a label).
It appeared Max and Tara were going to sleep and she transitions into Buck, literally knocking Max out. It was a bit of shock to the system (I thought the episode was over).
I am very curious as to why the Hubbard house is a huge trigger for Tara. I hope we get some type of explanation within the next 2 episodes.
On a side note, I continue to watch NJ too. Last year, I preferred NJ more than U of T. It's a complete reversal this season. I love Falco. I think Deavere Smith and Best are more humanized. Wever is still clever. However, I have issues with the show. Alan, I know you said that you were not going to be posts regarding NJ. I just wanted to express some frustration.
SueNYC
May 25, 2010 at 2:34PM EST Reply to CommentI liked the episode, but I'm getting weary of dragging out the Mimi story. I know the root of Tara's DiD is supposed to be a deep mystery, but I'm ready to get there and then move on. I also really hate Kate's storyline this season. The only interesting part was when her mother "stole" Lynda, and they didn't really delve into it. The rest of it - the debt collecting job, the costume gig, the rich boy from the internet - all came and went too quickly to get involved.
I am really enjoying Tara and Max's relationship this season, with Max being less than perfect and Tara having to understand that with him giving her so much leeway, she has to do it in return.
One more thing:
Is Charmaine's name really Charmaine Craine?
Kitty M Personally, I am loving how they are dragging out the Mimi story - I feel like if we knew the root of the DiD, the show as it exists would be over. However, I'm not just watching to solve the mystery, since I like the writing ("You're so pretty, but you've always made decision like an ugly girl" - hilarious), love John Corbett and would literally watch Collette watch paint dry, but if we found out what caused the DID, I'd be very interested to see how they would continue the show. Mind you, the 'rape' in college turned out to be a red herring, so perhaps Mimi has nothing to do with the DiD but is an important part of Tara & Charmaine's childhood for some other reason. I wouldn't be surprised if we found out & they threw another curveball at us...
May 26, 2010 at 8:17PM ESTKitty M Personally, I am loving how they are dragging out the Mimi story - I feel like if we knew the root of the DiD, the show as it exists would be over. However, I'm not just watching to solve the mystery, since I like the writing ("You're so pretty, but you've always made decision like an ugly girl" - hilarious), love John Corbett and would literally watch Collette watch paint dry, but if we found out what caused the DID, I'd be very interested to see how they would continue the show. Mind you, the 'rape' in college turned out to be a red herring, so perhaps Mimi has nothing to do with the DiD but is an important part of Tara & Charmaine's childhood for some other reason. I wouldn't be surprised if we found out & they threw another curveball at us...
May 26, 2010 at 8:17PM ESTLJA
May 25, 2010 at 2:56PM EST Reply to CommentWow, the ending between Max and Buck was great, and it totally caught me off guard. I have said other weeks and it bears repeating that I'm really glad that the producers recognize there's no way this marriage can be as solid as they protrayed it last season. It feels much more realistic now. Last season's Max was far too much of a saint.
Kitty M
May 26, 2010 at 8:12PM EST Reply to CommentWow, I think this might be my favourite USoT yet! Loads of Collette getting to show off her acting brilliance through the subtletly of all the Tara scenes - that one where she's asking their Mom about Mimi was perfection. It's nice that they are giving Tara more screentime now, and that there is more storyline based drama than alter-hijinks related comedy. Alice was used to perfection in this episode - she just came along to say what needed to be said when Tara couldn't. And the ending literally had me gasping and sitting up on the edge of my seat. I did NOT expect that. Brilliantly done. I freaking love this show.