Showtime's United States of Tara ends after three seasons with "The Good Parts." Not written as the series finale, the episode opens with Tara (Toni Collette) killing her newest alter, Bryce, who has already killed off the other personalities that live inside Tara's head. One might think that would be a relief for Max (John Corbett), especially since Tara plans on seeing a specialist doctor in Boston, but instead, his frustration with the situation builds until he blows his top at dinner. As Max and Tara prepare to leave town, what will happen to suddenly emotionally distant Marshall (Keir Gilchrist) hangs in the air, and Kate (Brie Larson) considers Evan's (Keir O'Donnell) invitation to move to St. Louis.
"The Good Parts" would serve as a fine season finale, but as a series ender, it leaves much to be desired. While this season, certainly the best of United States of Tara's three, has been an amazing discovery of the trauma behind what makes Tara the way she is, it also leaves things far from resolved. Bryce's major disruption of the status quo shakes Tara into not only understanding her issues, but moving in new ways to finally solve them once and for all. Bryce's murder of Tara's alters is deeply disturbing, but it opens the door to something exciting and different for a fourth season. Definitely, progress will be made. Sadly, with Tara on her way to get help, the brief reappearance of the beat up, but somehow surviving, three main alters, T, Buck, and Alice, actually cheapens the moment. This seems like a turning point, but they reset her to square one.
Please, Showtime, isn't there any way to reconsider? While United States of Tara may not carry the audience some other series on the network do, the writing is top notch, the acting is excellent, and the story is evolving in very interesting ways that will now never be played out. It seems a shame to cancel a show at its creative peak. Maybe allow a television movie or a few, or even a shortened fourth season to wrap things up?
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