7.8/10509 votes#1 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 1/18/2009
Suburban mother and wife Tara Gregson does her best to lead a normal life while dealing with multiple personalities that include a spirited teenager called "T," a Vietnam vet named "Buck," and the perennial 1950's-style housewife, "Alice."
Director: Craig Gillespie
Writer: Diablo Cody, Steven Spielberg
7.5/10375 votes#2 - Aftermath
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 1/25/2009
Tara feels like a failure as a mother when she is unable to counsel her children about school and sex, so she turns to her perfect-homemaker personality "Alice" for help.
Director: Craig Gillespie
Writer: Diablo Cody
7.4/10331 votes#3 - Work
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 2/1/2009
When Tara and Max can’t connect in the bedroom, Tara worries Max may be more interested in her alters than her. After gaining reassurance from her therapist Dr. Ocean,Tara plans a “sex date” with Max to get them back on track. Tara’s sister Charmaine recommends she meet her new boss for a potential mural project. As Tara prepares for her “sex date” with Max, the pressure becomes too much and she becomes “Buck.” That night, “Buck” doles out advice on women and Max ends up male-bonding with his own wife.
Director: Craig Gillespie
Writer: Diablo Cody
7.7/10310 votes#4 - Inspiration
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 2/8/2009
Tara feels the best she’s felt in a long time. She loves the mural she is working on and feels she’s found a new friend in Tiffany. That night, while Charmaine, Tara, and Tiffany are out for drinks, Tiffany decides she wants to see one of Tara’s alternate personalities and begins probing Tara in a way that turns ugly. Tiffany wakes up the next morning horrified when she finds the mural is destroyed and she suspects Tara.
Director: Mark Mylod
Writer: Alexa Junge
7.7/10293 votes#5 - Revolution
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 2/15/2009
Tara turns into “T” and takes off in her car. Max and Charmaine go after her, creating the perfect opportunity for Marshall to throw a party as an excuse to be near his crush, Jason. Charmaine, Max, and “T” all return to the house to discover a raging party going on -- the buzz gets killed in more ways than one.
Director: Mark Mylod
Writer: Alexa Junge
8.0/10296 votes#6 - Transition
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 2/22/2009
The family is under the impression that Tara’s parents, Bev and Frank, are visiting to celebrate Charmaine’s birthday but when Frank approaches Max about taking the kids to live with them, Max does everything he can to prevent Tara from switching. At the party that night, Tara learns of her parents’ plan and is hurt that they think she is an unfit parent. Sweeping her feelings under the rug, she remains calm however, later that evening, Max wakes to find something that changes everything.
Director: Brian Dannelly
Writer: Brett Baer, Dave Finkel
7.8/10274 votes#7 - Alterations
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 3/1/2009
Charmaine has decided to get her breasts re-done and has asked Tara to be her caretaker while she recovers. Kate gives Marshall Love advice, telling him to play hard to get with Jason. When Charmaine wakes after her surgery, she is surprised to see “Buck” at her bedside, not Tara. While “Buck” takes care of Charmaine, she comes to appreciate him in a way she never has before.
Director: Tricia Brock
Writer: Diablo Cody
7.9/10268 votes#8 - Abundance
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 3/8/2009
Max has his hands full while “Alice” is out again. Marshall fears Jason’s father knows about his crush on Jason. The boys grow closer, albeit platonically. Max decides to embrace his time with “Alice,” even though he misses his wife.
Director: Brian Dannelly
Writer: Alexa Junge, Joey Soloway
7.9/10278 votes#9 - Possibility
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 3/15/2009
Needing a break from real life, Kate and Tara head out on an impromptu road trip. Max uses this time away from Tara to search for answers about her past. That night, Tara and Kate get into an argument causing Tara to transition into “T.” “T” heads to the nearest tattoo parlor and Kate tries to stop her before she makes a permanent mistake.
Director: Tommy O'Haver
Writer: Dave Finkel, Alexa Junge
8.2/10271 votes#10 - Betrayal
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 3/22/2009
When Dr. Ocean unexpectedly terminates her treatment of Tara, it throws Tara into a total meltdown at the spa with Charmaine. Upon coming home, things begin to unravel and one of Tara’s alters betrays Marshall in a way that could destroy the family forever.
Director: John Dahl
Writer: Alexa Junge, Dave Finkel
8.0/10258 votes#11 - Snow
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 3/29/2009
Tara decides to check into an in-patient facility that specializes in dissociation. There, Tara meets a new doctor, Dr. Holden, a charismatic expert, who pushes her to recover lost memories. The facility has support groups for significant others too, but Max is wary. As Tara tries hard to delve into her past, her alters are resistant to allowing the truth to surface, and Max learns he’ll have to be stronger than ever to help Tara take the next step in her recovery.
Director: John Dahl
Writer: Alexa Junge, Brett Baer, Dave Finkel
8.2/10259 votes#12 - Miracle
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 4/5/2009
With Max and Dr. Holden’s help, Tara meets face-to-face with an important person from her past. This meeting, while difficult, leaves Tara feeling conciliatory and expansive. Marshall finally reconciles with Tara and gives her his full support. The family, now reunited for the first time since Tara checked into the hospital, decides to partake in a family tradition – bowling but as Tara looks around at her family, she realizes she’s not who she is in spite of her alters, but BECAUSE of them.
Director: Craig Gillespie
Writer: Brett Baer, Dave Finkel, Diablo Cody
The Best Episodes of United States of Tara Season 1
Every episode of United States of Tara Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of United States of Tara Season 1!
Tara's multiple personalities include "T" the wild-child teenager, "Buck" the rough and tumble biker dude, and "Alice" the type-A homemaker. But with a family that...
Genres:ComedyDrama
Network:Showtime
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Pilot" is the best rated episode of "United States of Tara" season 1. It scored 7.8/10 based on 509 votes. Directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Diablo Cody, Steven Spielberg, it aired on 1/18/2009. This episode is rated 0.3 points higher than the second-best, "Aftermath".