UNITED STATES OF TARA “Dr Hatteras’ Miracle Elixer” Season 3 Episode 5 – Everyone has troubles: Marshall has boy troubles, Max has work troubles, Tara has Tara troubles, Charmaine has baby troubles and Kate has stewardess troubles in a jam packed episode of some truly fine television. Last week we left off with a devastating scene: Tara, alone in the middle of an exam, scribbles all over her body, over sheaves of paper as she confronts the fact that she may well be insane.
I thought Dr Hatteras had finally accepted the notion that DID was a real condition. This week he emphasises that he is still a non-believer, yet he wants to help Tara overcome her disorder. The catch is that he wants to publish a paper based on his studies with Tara: he’ll give her an A, she’ll give him another stepping stone on the career path. Eddie Izzard manages to be an indifferent egoist and a slimeball opportunist without making himself wholly unlikeable. His scenes with Toni Collette match their acting styles nicely: when she’s with him as Tara, she’s quiet, subtle, whereas he leans more towards the scene chewing. Dr Hatteras is sure to have some slimy schemes up his sleeves, and I don’t doubt that his efforts into his academic research will help him more than his subject.
Tara’s other struggle was to redeem herself (or rather, T) for endangering Charmaine and inducing an early pregnancy. Of course by the end of the episode Tara is holding the baby, so I’m glad that was not dragged out longer than these last two episodes, but it was a good plot. Tara’s alternatives are dangerous. The fact that Charmaine could have miscarried thanks to T was never acknowledged, but the implication is clear as day. But despite the fact that Charmaine has every right not to trust Tara with her baby in case she turns into one of her alters (as unfair as it is) Tara is still family and, as every schmuk like me knows, you have to forgive family.
My favourite storyline this week involved Marshall, who suddenly, inexplicably, cheated on Lionel for Noah. Lionel can be grating, but I had no idea Marshall could be so cold: handing Lionel the $180 was more like watching him leave the money on the nightstand, not exchanging it for the camera. Marshall has for so long been the “glue”, the support beam for his unstable family, Moosh. Three seasons in and we see another side to his person: this is why I love this show.
What did you think of this episode of United States of Tara? Sound off in the comments below.
Follow me on Twitter @CiaraMoyna
Please make sure to read our comment policy before posting a comment.