Dude, it makes me kinda sad. Last season, even with Kate's bitchiness, the family, as a whole, were happy. They all liked and supported each other. Hell even the alters stuck up for the rest of the family (Buck kicking the shit out of that kid, and Alice telling off marshall's teacher). Now it seems like none of them can stand each other and it's saddening. The tough part is, it's hard to really get mad at anyone other than Kate. While Kate is kind of a twat for no reason, I can sympathize with the rest. I just want them all to be happy. But I guess that wouldn't make for a very interesting show. By the way, what the fuck at the dudes Kate performs for. Sitting on a cake? Popping balloons? One part of me finds it so ridiculous, but the other part thinks, "there probably really is someone out there like them."
I'm not going to throw up any links, only because I really like you folks. But yes, sitting on food/smashing food into your body is a fetish. There's a whole subculture of guys who get off on girls "accidentally" sitting on certain items. Google "Sploshing" and keep the brain bleach handy. On another note, am I the only one who wants to analyze Tara's art piece? Like y'all have already mentioned, the extreme detailing on the flag (and the fact that several characters mentioned it, like big ass red flags saying "IMPORTANT!!") is a clear indication of....something. And yet--she made an art piece out of Marshall's "Box O'Lies". Then carefully taped over the box with masking tape in order to proceed with the house-making. She....covered up the lies that house was made of? Inside the house was a wind-up mouse and a Cheez-It maze. Minus the obvious mouse-cheese thing, I'm drawing a blank. It's been years since I've been forced to analyze an art piece. Help a bitch out.
The only thing I caught in relation to her DID in this episode was Shoshana mentioning something about getting out of the basement. July '76, Tara and/or Charm were molested in their neighbor's basement. Tara lost her poncho. The lady who asked about the missing poncho was the blueprint for Alice. Tara and Charmaine made a vow to never tell anybody about it. That's what the various pieces seem to look like together, at least to me. Molestation feels a little too obvious.
Do we have any art people in this thread? Because I don't get it. This show wasn't made for economics nerds. In other news, I was thinking, someone asked me what this season was about. The only answer I could come up with is that it was about Tara. When I think about what I'm looking forward to next week there is pretty much plot twist I'm waiting to find the resolution for. What compels me is that I want to know what is going to happen next for Tara. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I'm leaning good.
I was pretty sure it was just simply about Tara being trapped in the basement of whatever happened in '76, what with the flag and the wind-up mouse who can't get out of the maze. Also it could be about an idyllic outside with a confused and erratic inside, therefore still being about Tara. The fact that the maze is made out of cheese(its) could mean that there isn't actually an end to the maze, so even if she gets out of the basement it may not fix things. I like the new weirdo Kate is dating. Have they addressed why she is still at home and not at college or something?
I would've said reconciling with yourself: Tara: has made strides with her alters, is nearing an understanding of what happened to her (potentially), and has semi-integrated with one of them (Shoshana). Kate: wants to be a grown up, and keeps taking stabs in the dark at it (the collection job + web prostitute), eventually discovering that being an adult is just about being an adult, not what job you have -- she mentioned this straight up when she was talking to the artist. Marshall: coming to grips with his sexuality. Max: discovering that he doesn't love Tara so much anymore. Charm (who is the foil for other characters, so hers is more of an anti-reconciliation): loving Neil, but being to shallow to really act on it -- she stays kind of a broken person, dancing around between Neil and her fiancé. She hasn't graduated high school yet. She finished all her courses early, but presumably would have to wait until the end of the school year to get a diploma. Which makes her 17 or 18. Which makes her dating that yogourt mogul kinda creepy.
I'm pretty sure she got her diploma in the mail though. The waiting for the end of the year thing makes sense though.
What about the recent one though. The picture of her whole family lacking faces. Something about identity or something? Don't make me start dissecting it...you guys will end up finding out just how stupid I am.
Right. So this past episode was basically just a teaser for next week--honestly, I'm so curious about Mimi (Parminder? Pommodore?) that anything less than a full explanation isn't going to satisfy me. Thoughts: 1. Tara & Charmaine's mother is a cunt. I can't believe a therapist hasn't told Tara to cut that bitch out of her life completely yet. That type of personality is incredibly toxic to a damaged adult, and it's not too difficult to see that she has greatly contributed towards Tara's issues. Women like her keep Dr. Rob in business. Still, she was scared shitless of Alice and that made me smile. On a related note: That shit Charmaine pulled on the phone with Mommy? Awesome. "Charmaine, do you do that to me? Use highly exaggerated emotions to manipulate me?" "No.....of course not!" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA 2. Marshall....bless his heart. I'm glad a semi-mainstream show is finally addressing the (slowly dissolving) rigidity of queer culture and how it affects younger gays. I watched this episode with my ex last night, and as a heterosexual/kind of homophobic/shockingly ignorant dude he was utterly unaware of the intense pressure to conform within the queer community. We had a very mind-opening discussion about it afterwards--about how homosexuals feel marginalized within a society designed for heterosexuals, how that feeling of being "Othered" leads some to heavily identify with a culture that "Others" heterosexuals, how fiercely members of that culture defend their hard-earned identity against the waves of newcomers that don't have "Othered baggage", and why the phrase "Free to be you, free to be me" is the most important message ever when it comes to personal identity and sexuality. It was a great experience to have with a close-minded conservative, and I'm glad that this show provided the platform. 3. Kate's skeezy, bossy manfriend. Glad he finally got a true reflection of himself from Kate, but did I sense regret in her speech to Marshall later? Anyhow, looking forward to T and Mimi next week. And maybe, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, some answers.
I am consistently amazed at how much of a cunt Tara's mom is. I have a really hard time believing that a mother can be like that, but I guess people like that do exist.
Well at least one thing is abundantly clear, Mimi is the inspiration for Alice. Do the other alters have sources too? Need answers now. You know I bet they could easily keep this show compelling if they made each season an exploration of an individual alter.
At first I thought maybe the alters are all former babysitters, but T doesn't really fit into the era and Buck doesn't seem like the kind of person a parent would entrust their children to. We know all of them came before she went to college. Let's make speculations on where each alter came from.
Okay, writers of UST, I'm getting really fed up with all the question-answering-generating-more-questions bit. Just kidding, I love it. But seriously, what the hell? Tara and Char were adopted? I wonder if they're even real sisters then. Marshall and Lionel are adorable. However, Kate's boyfriend, I predict, is going to turn scary-controlling instead of benign-controlling very quickly.
Wait, how do we know they all came before college? We knew T did and now we know Alice did as well (and Chicken too). I'd like some exploration into what causes Tara to absorb personalities. As in, what is significant about the personalities she absorbs that makes her absorb them? Clearly Tara and Charmaine were fucked with pretty bad for them to end up in Mimi's care. I would think that the abuser would be significant enough to be absorbed? In that case, could that be Buck? However, we have seen while Buck can be a dick, he also has a soft side. It's hard to imagine an abuser like Buck. I don't know, this is all so speculative. I was sort of hoping to see Mimi's evil side the way Alice has that mean streak. What the hell is the deal with this Dwayne guy? He wasn't there when Tara and Charmaine were but T has some sort of vendetta against him? In short, WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON. Also, Rox, I'm with you about Kate's boyfriend. There is something off about that guy. In addition to general creepiness/obsessiveness he is making my gaydar go off with the way he speaks. It seems like Kate is really only into him because he is loaded but how long can that happiness last? She is especially screwed if she moves into that condo. I wouldn't be surprised if this guy has a couple of women living in various condos. Lastly, Neil is leaving???????? Nooooooooooo.
I got into this show a few weeks ago and am finally current. I'm feeling a little thrown off by the way the writers are advancing the story. After all this build up about Mimi we find out that Mimi is a real person but not at all responsible for Tara's MPD. So the girls are adopted? Were in foster care but Mimi is a dead end. If they're not adopted and were taken away from her parents when they were little this would explain quite a bit, and also why the mother is such a cunt.
You're right, I guess they're not all from before college. The alters are kind of supposed to be her protectors from her past memories, so I agree that Buck wouldn't be her molester. I don't think she would absorb someone negative. I think the personalities she absorbs are people she sees as positive aspects of her life. Mimi was a caretaker. Chicken may have been an escape personality from when she was 5. She even absorbed a shrink to help her deal.
So I'm guessing that season 3 will be about Buck, or I hope it is. I think T seemed to be a way for Tara to get through boarding school and of course Alice is the caretaker she absorbed from Mimi. I really liked how it seemed like Mimi was going to be the real answer to Tara's problems, but then they sidestep again and introduce the half-brother, just like last season with the guy who raped her. I hope it doesn't become formulaic though. I'm glad Kate sent the weird guy packing and that Max decided to return to his senses. It really is sweet how with all of their family problems, they manage to stay close and connected. The writers were spot-on setting the show in Kansas, because I don't see a Portland family having their same rate of success.
Yeah it seems like Bryce will be Buck...at least that is what they set it up to seem like. I really liked Charmaine this episode. When Nick walked out on her I expected her to throw a crazy tantrum and start berating Tara. Instead she sort of took it all in stride, almost as if she saw it coming. Maybe she is finally growing up. Overall, I think this season was a little below the level of the first. I certainly enjoyed watching it and will definitely be back for the next one. That said, the first season had a clear, linear, narrative that led up to a climax. It was well written and purposeful throughout. This season was a bit more circumlocutious. There were points where I had no idea what was going to happen next(not in the good way) and had no idea where the story was going, if anywhere. They did manage to bring it together in the end, but even the climax was a little lackluster. The scene with them all dancing was a little too cheesy. Max's little speech to Tara was touching and them dancing was nice too, but when Kate and Marshall joined in it got to be a bit much for me. I can't believe we have to wait like 10 months now until the next season.