Ep 5. Revolution

In United States of Tara season 1 episode 5, titled "Revolution," we continue to follow the lives of the Gregson family as they try to navigate their mother’s dissociative identity disorder. Tara (Toni Collette) has five distinct personalities, and in this episode, we see her struggle with the impact that her alters have on her life.

The episode begins with Tara's teenage daughter, Kate (Brie Larson), discovering a revolutionary political group while at school. She becomes passionately involved in the group and starts to bring home literature about their beliefs. When Tara discovers the literature, she becomes agitated and scared, as one of her alters, Buck, is a gun-toting, ultra-conservative, who hates anything remotely associated with liberalism. Buck's presence causes tension within the family, especially when he starts taking control of Tara's body during important interactions with other characters.

Meanwhile, Tara's husband, Max (John Corbett), is dealing with the stresses of his new job. As a mural painter, Max has just been commissioned to paint a large mural in the public library. However, he is struggling with creative block, which is causing him to miss his deadlines. At the same time, Max is trying to take care of his family, support his daughter’s newfound interest in political activism, and be there for Tara as she deals with her dissociative identity disorder.

We also see Tara's brother, Marshall (Keir Gilchrist), struggling to navigate his newly discovered homosexuality amidst the backdrop of Tara's mental illness. Marshall has a crush on a boy at school, but he is worried about how his parents will react to his homosexuality. When he finally tells his father about his crush, he is met with acceptance and support, which gives him the confidence to ask his crush out on a date.

Throughout the episode, we see Tara struggle with her alters, particularly Buck, and try to regain control of her body to prevent him from causing any harm to herself or others. We also see her try to come to terms with the negative impact that her alters are having on her life and her relationships with her family members.

As the episode progresses, we see how the themes of acceptance, tolerance, and personal growth become more relevant in the Gregson family. They are all forced to confront the limitations imposed on themselves and those around them by their own preconceived notions of themselves. And, as they navigate through these truths, it is clear that their commitment to each other and their individual desires for a better future will help them overcome any obstacles.

In short, United States of Tara season 1 episode 5, titled "Revolution," is an exploration of the complexities of a family dealing with dissociative identity disorder. The episode highlights the struggles of each family member and how they are trying to support each other through difficult times. It is an engaging and compassionate depiction of how mental illness can impact a family and affect their relationships with each other and the world around them.