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United States of Tara Season 1 Episode 4

Inspiration

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AIRED: 2/8/09

Tara begins to feel better as she works on a mural project for her new friend Tiffany. Unfortunately, Tiffany becomes a little too curious about Tara's personalities and affects Tara in a bad way.

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Fan Episode Reviews (3)

Not too bad, but did anything really happen?

8.2

By JaCkKbAuEr2424, Mar 09, 2010

Besides the destruction of Tiffany's mural, this episode felt as if it had little going on. There was the usual: Marshall pining for the guy from the theater, Kate working at her new job and getting closer with the boss, Tara and Max struggling to balance things out. The most interesting moments were the ones where we learned a little bit more about Tara and her past, and what could be causing her D.I.D.

The destruction of the mural makes for some interesting tension, since we don't know which of them did it, or if it was even her at all. For a woman already confused by the numerous personalities floating through her mind, I'm sure this situation confuses her even more. After not seeing much of Charmane (spelling right? I have no idea..) in the first few episodes, I'm glad to be seeing more of her. Her jealousy over Tara's attention at times seems harsh, but the ending of the episode was a nice contrast to her drunken type rants earlier in the episode.

The episode itself was great; there was just a major lack of momentum throughout the first parts of the episode. Besides the hint of one of Tara's alters doing something to Tiffany's mural, we had no alters coming around, and while the show doesn't necessarily have to be ALL about her alters appearing, it wouldn't have hurt to see them at least a little bit.moreless
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This is the fourth episode to the new showtime season of The United States of Tara.

9.5

By connorrrrrr, Feb 14, 2009

In this episode its cool that Tara stays Tara, you dont see her turn into any alters so you can get your full 30 minutes to see who she is. This episode ending is so good and is the reason I watch the show. I wont ruin anything of course but the way they end it is perfect and I hope it happens more. This is the best episode of the season so far but there has only been 5 episodes out right now. At midnight the new epsidode (6) will be available on demand so I guess I will have to waste time untill then!moreless
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Tara gets blamed for some vandalism at Tiffany's but I'm thinking that she may have not done it. Review coming up after the jump, if you need me I'll be playing patty cake with my sister.moreless

8.5

By theplurp, Feb 12, 2009

Tara feels the best she's felt in a long time. She loves the mural she is working on and feels she's found a new friend in Tiffany. That night, while Charmaine, Tara, and Tiffany are out for drinks, Tiffany decides she wants to see one of Tara's alternate personalities and begins probing Tara in a way that turns ugly. Tiffany wakes up the next morning horrified when she finds the mural is destroyed and she suspects Tara.

We finally get to delve into some of the darker stuff related to Tara's DID, we find out that Tara may have suffered some sort of trauma, although we don't know what it is. It's also insinuated that perhaps Tara doesn't know either. We also deal with Tara and Max's sex life, or lack thereof lately. I'm sure this is going to be an ongoing issue, but should Max be allowed to sleep with Tara's alters? Or is it just weird?

More Thoughts on 'Inspiration':

- I liked the fact that we didn't really see any of the alters in this episode, and although they're fun to watch, I didn't miss them, it was good to see Tara struggle with the alters without their presence.

- I'm pretty sure I despise Tara's sister, ever since she gave Max 'sex face' in episode one, and now the way she treated Tara at dinner – just despicable. Why didn't Buck come out and kick her in the face?

- It's sad that Tara doesn't have a truly supportive friend other than Max.

- I know the scene with her and her sister was supposed to be sweet, but her sister is a selfish douche, so that ruined any type of sweet moment for me.

Bottom Line: Great episode, I like the fact that the tone of the episode was darker, and the absence of the alters didn't impact the show at all.

Next week: Tara's family tries to find out which alter vandalized Tiffany's mural

More at www.theplurp.commoreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Toni Collette	Tara Gregson
John Corbett	Max Gregson
Keir Gilchrist	Marshall Gregson
Brie Larson	Kate Gregson
Rosemarie DeWitt	Charmaine

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Rob Moran	Pastor Hitch Maurio	Guest Star
Jessica St. Clair	Tiffany	Guest Star
Jadin Gould	Kimmy	Guest Star
Nathan Corddry	Gene Stuart	Recurring Role
Andrew Lawrence	Jason	Recurring Role
Valerie Mahaffey	Dr. Ocean	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (4)
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- Music: "Lucky" by Kat Edmonson
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- Tara believes that Alice plays the piano.
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- Nicknames: Kitty (Kate) by Gene
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- Goof: When Charmaine has the waiter pour her wine, he finishes pouring once. The shot goes to Tara and then it goes back to Charmaine and the waiter finishes pouring again.
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QUOTES (9)
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- Tara: Once in a while, what you do for work is what you do for love. And when that happens, it's heaven.
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- Kate: (picks up Hell House poster) Oh, Marshie. I think you're a liar. I think you're joining the God Squad in order to get closer to Jason. And mystery solved. His dad's the pastor. My God! I can't wait to dance at your ass pirate wedding!
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- Dr. Ocean: Maybe, Tara needs space to take it all in.
  Tara: Take all what in?
  Dr. Ocean: Well, look at you. You're facing life head on. You've got satisfying work. You've got a new friend. You should be so proud of yourself!
  Tara: So is this, uhm, does this qualify as a breakthrough?
  Dr. Ocean: Yeah.
  Tara: Well, smell me.
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- Tara: Max and I haven't been very connected.
  Tiffany: Well, I'm sorry. But I don't know how that's any different from any other couple who've been married for a while.
  Tara: Really?
  Tiffany: I hate to disappoint you, but that is like the centrifical forces of unsexy daily life plus biology. You name me one couple your age who has sex more than once a week, who are not TV characters.
  (Tara can't come up with any.)
  Tiffany: Thank you. And this is why we drink.
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- Tara: How can you make a lifetime of memories with someone when the person you're spending it with is not even there?
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- Charmaine: If I had a nickel for every guy I had drunk-sex with when I didn't want to, well, I wouldn't be selling Vita-fucking-sell.
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- Charmaine: Look, I watch 20/20, okay? I believe that bad things happen that people can't remember. But I mean, how come whenever it's D.I.D. thing, the abusers are always hooking up electrical boxes to the kids' genitals? I mean, who has electrical boxes ready to go?! Can I get... can I get an electro-genital torture... (to waiter) Hi. (continues rant) ...at Walmart? (to waiter) Thank you.
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- Alice: (praying beside the bed) God bless Max, Katie, and Marshie. God bless Charmie and Tara. God bless T. (sighs) God bless Buck. God bless... (sighs and shakes her head)
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- Tara: I'm sorry I left the iron on. I'm sorry I don't remember leaving the iron on.
  Max: Babe...
  Tara: It isn't just that I can't remember whole chunks of my childhood or almost killing our children. And it doesn't always happen when the alters are out and doing stuff that I don't know about. I've been fading in and out forever, Max. Until I quit the meds, I didn't even know how much I'd lost. How much good stuff. I remember I met you at a party, but that's it. My head is so messed up, I literally have no memory of our first date.
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NOTES (2)
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- International Air Dates:
  Latin America: October 13, 2009 on Canal Fox
  Sweden: October 15, 2009 on Kanal 9
  Germany: March 10, 2011 on ARD
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- This episode is rated TV-MA for brief nudity, adult language and adult content.
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ALLUSIONS (2)
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- Max: No, no, it's good. I like it. It's very Rhett Butler.
  
  Rhett Butler, a fictional character created by Margaret Mitchell in her novel Gone With the Wind, was popularized by Clark Gable in the 1939 film adaptation.
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- Movie Mention: Marshall was planning on watching Brief Encounter, a 1945 David Lean film about a suburban wife recounting her illicit affair, as he was recovering from his bee sting allergic reaction.
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