Showtime's United States of Tara follows the life of the Gregson family: father Max, daughter Kate, son Marshall, and mother Tara/T/Buck/Alice. Winner of two Emmys and a Golden Globe, this comedy-drama stars Toni Collette as a suburban wife living with dissociative identity disorder trying to handle her marriage, two teenagers, and job -- all while just recently coming off meds. So when stress arises, she shifts involuntarily into one of her various alternative personalities: 16-year-old rebellious "T," male Vietnam vet "Buck," 1950's housewife "Alice"...
I give mad props to the show -- taking a fairly serious illness and putting the perfect spin on it. It's funny and lighthearted, yet knows how to pull off those heart-wrenching, serious moments at the right time. United States of Tara is one of those few shows that can include an abusive parent situation (though technically, Tara's alters don't consider themselves a parent of her kids) in an episode, and still leave you feeling sympathetic and understanding at the end. You
