United States of Tara Recap: Season 3, Episode 4 “Wheels”
(04/18/2011)
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As a journalist/critic, I’d like to think that it’s my
personal obligation to not sound like an idiot week-to-week. So while I don’t
typically allow the opinions of fans or other critics to affect my own, I do
take the time to browse around other recaps and reviews to see how my thoughts
match up against others. So in doing that, I realized a pretty big discrepancy
between my grade for the week and other critics’ reviews. To which I say: meh.
I’ve watched it again, and I still don’t think that it held much merit,
especially compared to the two before it, and the one tonight, which I think is
the best so far this season. Maybe I missed something, but every viewer
experience is different. Do with that what you will.
In the past few weeks, it’s been interesting to continue
diving into the alters of Tara that continue to deconstruct her life. Though
the show has a comedic tone to it, it’s getting progressively more difficult (in
a good way, I suppose) to watch Tara’s friends struggle with whichever crazy
version of her they’re bound to get at any time- especially when they need the
real Tara. This is even more interesting than I thought it’d be- since this is
my first season with Tara, I was prepared to watch a show that was zany and
adventurous. I got something a little more grounded in reality, which makes it
that much more interesting.
So Charmaine goes into a T-induced labor, and through
C-section, gives birth to Cassandra, aka “Wheels” (thanks, Patton Oswalt). Charmaine-
rightfully so- really doesn’t want
Tara to be involved with the baby at all, a heartbreaking decision but a great conflict
that I really want to watch unfold in the coming weeks. Here I was, thinking
that Tara going back to school would be the most impressive story told, but
this arc has real potential. Meanwhile, Kate has an epiphany and realizes she
doesn’t want to go to Japan, but through a series of equal epiphanies, learns
that she wants to be a flight attendant. I was pretty reluctant towards this
storyline last week, but if this season for Kate ends up being all about trying
to figure out who she wants to be, I can get on board with that. I was afraid
there would be no reward in her simply giving up and going home, but it looks
like we’re in for more here. Which is good.
Marshall has serious thoughts about his increasingly
vulnerable household (“Are we completely
screwed up as a family?”), concerns that don’t seem to bother Tara as much
until she has a confrontation with Max that reveals his frustrations with the
things he sacrifices to make his home life work, while Tara still has the
ability to pursue whatever she wants. When she presses him to just leave her
(like his dad did, apparently), his response is that he would never do that
becauses he loves Tara. It was all a little obvious, but it really worked for
me: I understand Marshall’s concerns as a child for the safety of his family
and Tara’s insecurities as a wife (and a crazy person), but Max doesn’t seem
like the type to up-and-leave. Still, with everything that’s been going on with
this delicate bunch, I think this was an important space to visit.
Tara finally talks to the alters in her head, and says that
she is in control, end of story. She draws up a contract with everyone to get
what they want from her or else she’ll go back on the drugs. Unfortunately for
her, this all went down during the test she spent the episode studying for, and
her douchebag professor saw the entire act. Whoops. Guess he has to believe her
now!
Tonight was the first episode of the season for me that
really worked on every level and every arc. I’m still gonna go around and
gather the collective thoughts of my peers- but that’s my story, and I’m
sticking to it.
Grade: A-
Leftovers
I JUST REALIZED I KNOW MARSHALL! He (Keir Gilchrist) was totally in last year's It's Kind Of A Funny Story! He looked familiar! #win
For the record, I think Wheels is a pretty awesome nickname.
This is the first time where I looked forward to next week,
and just watched it anyway: I like Tara
now. And I’m two episodes ahead of all ya’ll.
Marshall and Lionel were one of the reasons I skipped ahead
to next week, because I simply didn’t understand what happened tonight. But I
get it now, and I’ll say this: they take a suprising turn. I can’t spoil it,
but… let’s just say that I didn’t see it coming.
“I’m sorry, what’s the proper medical term for Batshit
Insane?”
“Cassandra is a beautiful name!” “It’s got the word ‘ass’ in
it!”
“I will clean out your sh*tbox.” “Tempting.”
“Sleep just replaced sex as my favorite thing.”
“What the hell is going on down there?! It looks like Abe
Lincoln after he got shot in the face!”
“We just got a real big basketball, real small hoop.”
“I’m sorry, mysterious poos really freak me out.”
“How is that win-win?” “Uhh… I win twice.”
“Ducks made of soap?” No, soap made of ducks.”
“Thank you, God, for making me gay.”
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