There's Something About Tara

Grade: B+

Earlier this week, I got a chance to watch the first two episodes of Showtime's new comedy, United States of Tara, which premieres tomorrow night. But you don't have to wait for the pilot, which has been on Youtube all week. With Toni Collette (Little Miss Sunshine) and John Corbett (Sex and the City) starring, Diablo Cody (Juno) writing, and Steven Spielberg producing, you'll want to try it out. Give it a look:



I have a feeling United States of Tara is going to divide critics down the middle. I can understand why someone wouldn't like the show. I mean, it is completely and utterly over the top. Tee, the first "alter" (as in alternate personality) we see, is a way over-exaggerated version of a teenager. Also, the show definitely tries too hard to fit the Showtime brand, with such a heavy focus on sex. When teenage daughter Kate is changing in the middle of a conversation, it's just like "was that necessary?"

But I'll forgive all that, because the show is funny. It doesn't pretend to be a realistic depiction of a mental illness. It's just a dysfunctional family comedy. And at times like when alter Buck and son Marshall beat up Kate's loser boyfriend, it works. Maybe that won't be the case when Diablo Cody stops writing, but it's clear she knows her TV comedy. The supporting cast is also solid, especially John Corbett as the laid-back husband and Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married) as the less understanding sister. But the show belongs to Toni Collette. Tee may be a bit too much, but Collette's total committment to all 4 of her characters is what makes the show funny. I for one found her Buck, a male, gun-toting, beer-drinking southerner, surprisingly convincing. Even if the show may just be a showcase for her, that's still one solid reason to watch.

In some ways, these first two episodes reminded me of the beginning of Big Love. It's a lot of "isn't multiple personalities wacky?" with few hints at where else the show is going. Beneath all of the Showtime effects (I'm pretty sure the house is the same one from Weeds) and the high concept premise, it's a pretty classic family show at heart. Episode two is about Marshall's trouble with a teacher (Bluth Alert! It's Tony Hale!) and Tara's trouble connecting to teenage Kate. So for now, it's an enjoyably broad comedy, but I'm not sure how long that will be enough. Since I said the same thing about Pushing Daisies, I'll be happy when I'm proved wrong.