Parents' Guide to

The United States of Tara

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Smart but mature dramedy about living with mental illness.

TV Showtime Comedy 2009
The United States of Tara Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 2+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Marisal30
Marisal30 Parent of 9 and 24-year-old
March 5, 2009
age 2+

GENUIS-from a Producer in Film

I love the writing-I love the characters...and Toni and John are surreal parents...that make this project rock. Even though you deal with a sensitive subject disassociation disorder-Toni pulls it off via her lovely persona-and the writer blends and taps into each character-and dazzles us. THANK YOU!!! Mary Gleeson
Counselor02
Counselor02 Adult
February 2, 2009
age 2+

Before you view

Just to set the record straight, there is no "DID medication." The therapeutic process in learning to live with DID is painful, arduous and long. The reasons that people develop DID are horrific. While people with DID should not be ostracized or feared, we need MORE understanding of the facts, not this glossed-over version that asserts that DID can be managed with a pill! Get real!
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Produced by Steven Spielberg and Juno writer Diablo Cody, THE UNITED STATES OF TARA is a dark comedy about a woman struggling to balance her family life while living with dissociative identity disorder (formerly known as multiple personality disorder). After going off her DID medication to avoid its debilitating side effects, Tara Gregson (Toni Collette) must face the resurgence of her alter egos: 15-year-old "T," tough talking biker guy "Butch," and sassy retro housewife "Alice." As Tara tries to live as normal a life as possible, her husband Max (John Corbett) and teenage kids Kate (Brie Larson) and Marshall (Keir Gilchrist) must learn to keep up with the unpredictable appearances of her different personalities and the occasional chaos they cause. The family must also face the social stigma associated with mental illness, made more challenging by Tara's sister Charmaine's (played by Rosemarie DeWitt) inability to accept DID as a real disorder. Still, despite the intense challenges she faces, Tara -- along with her "alters" -- manages to be there for her family.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (4):

This sensitive, smartly written dramedy successfully addresses the seriousness of DID while normalizing its existence through humor. But although there are many funny moments, the series also highlights how difficult it can be to live with a mental illness and/or to live with someone who has psychiatric problems. It also addresses the embarrassment and shame often felt by those whose lives are impacted by a mental disorder.

The series also uses DID as a metaphor for the multiple roles that all women play in their daily lives as they juggle things like careers, motherhood, and marriage. As a result, viewers may find themselves relating to Tara's character despite some of her alters' over-the-top behavior -- including drinking, smoking, swearing, and engaging in some violent and/or sexually provocative behavior. Overall, the show succeeds in de-stigmatizing a very misunderstood condition and provides some thoughtful, heartwarming -- albeit mature -- entertainment.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the show's teenage characters. Do they seem more or less realistic than teens on other TV shows? Why? How does the show present teenage sexuality? Parents, talk to your teens about how seeing sex in the media can affect behavior. Families can also discuss how the media typically portrays people who are mentally ill. Does the media offer a fair and accurate representation of people who struggle with emotional, psychological, and/or psychiatric disorders? Why or why not? Is this show different? How?

TV Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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