I'm obviously one of the many who was excited about United States of Tara.  No, it wasn't because of the involvement of both Steven Spielberg and Diablo Cody, and it wasn't because Toni Collette's sure to turn out a good performance, but it's because of the premise itself.  How exactly does a family deal with the confusion of having one of its members have different personalities?  Let me expand that—how, in a way that doesn't insult, degrade or simplify the condition into a scenario in a comedy?

After seeing the pilot, I was convinced that they can do it, although obviously there's still a lot of ground to cover during the next eleven episodes.  Gathering from other critics, though—not that I'm calling myself one, but everyone's a critic nowadays, isn't it?—it's not exactly as good as it initially seemed to be.  They're not saying that Tara is a waste of time, but with these people, who probably had the chance to watch more episodes than the rest of us have, well, we might as well take their word for it.

First up, Collette: this is the Oscar-nominated actress' first outing on television, so there's a significant interest in how she turns out, especially considering she's playing what essentially counts as four characters in one body.  “It's [her] talents that tie the four people together, that makes each feel as if he or she were a complete individual and yet part of a whole,” wrote USA Today's Robert Bianco.  “She does so, remarkably enough, in a way that is sympathetic, real, touching, funny and never—well, almost never—freakish … Collette has turned the role into a real woman, and that can't have been easy.”

But some think her character(s) is the one limiting her in the long run.  “Her alters are caricatures, and while grotesque exaggeration may all too often be the case in real life, a drama requires more subtlety,” wrote The New York Times' Alessandra Stanley.  “[The show] has a big premise and some wonderful small touches, but strangely, Tara is the least of them.”

as half-rebellious daughter Kate, and Another much-discussed aspect is the rest of the cast—John Corbett as patient husband Max,  Brie Larson as half-rebellious daughter Kate, and Keir Gilchrist as affectionate son Marshall. There's praise for the way they're depicted and acted: “[Larson and Gilchrist] stand out instantly,” the Times said.  “They are Junoesque characters, funny and touching in very different ways.  Both are urbane, smart-mouthed and kindhearted.”  USA Today thinks otherwise: “The children never come across as anything other than cardboard plot inventions,” it said.  “That's not a knock on the actors … Gilchrist is immensely charming, and Larson is, if anything, too good at bringing out Kate's worst smart-mouthed attributes.”

And for Corbett, who's also known for his acting turns, especially on Sex and the City: “[his] low-key vibe is the perfect counterpart to Collette's freewheeling riffs,” pointed out The San Francisco Chronicle's Tim Goodman.

The clincher, however, is in the premise itself.  Dissociative identity disorder is not a new subject to television, but most of the time it's treated as a very serious, if not heart-breaking, thing.  Of course, Cody's approach to Juno floats in Tara, too, with the light-hearted, humorous and sensitive approach making the show stand out from its counterparts.  “Tara is depicted neither as a freak nor as a victim but as a valuable, lovable woman who happens to be burdened with more than her fair share of mood swings,” the Times thought.  “This is a series that's tackling a difficult subject with humor and warmth, but also from a fresher angle,” the Chronicle said.

But ultimately, there are some who think the series' premise is ultimately flawed.  “In the end, that willingness to go anywhere for a joke or a shock turns States into a stunt—and that's truly a shame, because Collette's performance is … a tiny masterpiece,” USA Today said.  “After a few episodes, the shtick feels like a silly Saturday Night Live skit, and yet this slow clearly wants to aim higher,” contended National Public Radio's Andrew Wallenstein.  “If anything, the show made me more inclined to understand what the disorder is like, instead of just milking it for mild laughs … but if a competing network were to turn the real thing into a reality show, it could only be an improvement.”

But of course, that's what they think.  Surely you have something to say—everybody's a critic, after all.  So, what did you think of the pilot?  And do you think it could hold after a few more episodes air?  I'll stay tuned to see if I got my first impressions right, too.


-Henrik Batallones, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: The New York Times, USA Today, The San Francisco Chronicle, NPR
(Image courtesy of Showtime)