The first season sets the unique dynamic of Tara's dysfunctional family. It expresses her curiosity about the traumatic incident that caused her breakdown. The creator of the series is Diablo Cody, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Juno, who mostly omits unnecessary language. The series features an excellent cast, including Valerie Mahaffrey as Tara's overly stressed therapist, Patton Oswalt as Charmaine's casual lover, Nathan Corddry as Kate's very attentive boss, and Pamela Reed and Fred Ward as Tara's parents. United States of Tara is an unusual family dramedy that explores gender roles. Tara's simple boyfriend asks how many different women one must be in a day. Collette is truly wonderful to watch.