United States of Tara: The First Season

Remarkably accurate, but not typical
I have worked with DID patients for over 20 years and have conducted much research on DID and dissociation. I approached this television show with trepidation because DID has so often been distorted and sensationalized by previous films and television programs. To my very pleasant surprise,the United States of Tara has presented a remarkably accurate portrayal of an admittedly uncommon presentation of DID (i.e., highly visible and public displays of switching from alter to alter). In contrast, the alter personalities of most persons with DID are quite hidden; the alters intentionally avoid public exposure. That said, the creaters and writers of the United States of Tara sought extensive consultation from experts on DID and have done an excellent job of presenting the symptoms, psychological issues, family interactions, and the difficulties in the therapy of persons with DID. Similarly, the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, which has provided professional...

Nothing like this!
This is the most original show I have seen in a long time. It is an amazing look at what life with a person suffering from multiple personalities could be like. At the same time, a lot of the issues dealt with this in this show every family deals with. It shows the struggle a family faces in defining themselves as a family as well as individuals. A classic in the making. Set your TIVO!

Loved the show, DVD set is OK but misprinted & sparse
I have had customers asking for this set since June so I was more than happy to finally get it in this week. I cranked through the episodes in a few days and loved everything Toni Collette has made on screen here. Her performance was amazing and in the end, carries the set.

The set is spanned over two discs with the both the PC and DVD supplements placed on disc 2, including:

* Sitting Down with Diablo Cody, 2:30 minutes. An ambush style interview that had some candid and funny moments but was way too short.
* Tara's Alters, 4 clips totaling 7 minutes. Each alter is briefly described by Collette or Corbett with Buck and Alice getting the longer cuts. T and Gimme only get a brief minute.
* Tudors episode 301. That set is already available so I guess they are trying hard to push this series.
* Sweepstakes entry, 3 minutes. A ad promo clip for travel to Collette's "home town" of Sydney. Have to admit I enjoyed seeing the luxury options available to...

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