United States of Tara Multiple-Personality Smackdown: 'Trouble Junction'

Last week, Movieline found its ringside seats for season two of Diablo Cody's United States of Tara. The premiere pitted reigning champion Tara against Buck, the only one of her personalities to survive her anti-psychotics, and despite taking a few broken beer battles to the head, Tara tossed Buck over the ropes and into the loving arms of a bartender played by Joey Lauren Adams. Last night though, Tara returned to the arena to clothesline more of her inner demons while Max, her ever-attentive husband, belted out Air Supply hits in her corner.

After the jump, Movieline declares the winner of last night's bloody smackdown in the second episode of the season, "Trouble Junction."

Round One: The Morning After

After waking up in the bed of the perky Cat Five waitress (Joey Lauren Adams) who flirted with Max in last week's season premiere, Tara collects Buck's belongings and begins a sweaty jog of shame back to her house.

Risks: Her family discovering that her alters have returned for the first time after starting anti-psychotics.

Outcome: When Tara returns to the Gregson household, Charmaine is waiting outside with her new engagement ring and miraculously/maddeningly does not realize that the woman jogging bra-less towards her in work boots and men's jeans is not OK.

Winning Personality: Tara (barely) because of Charmaine's inability to see past her cushion cut.

Round Two: Supermarket Showdown

When Pammy stops Tara in the supermarket the next day to thank her (or Buck) for the one-night stand, Tara is confused.

Risks: Pammy's feelings, bursting Charmaine's post-engagement bubble.

Potential Weapons of Destruction: Shopping carts, the bleach products in Aisle 5.

Outcome: Tara tells Pammy in the parking lot that whatever happened between them will not happen again. Tara retreats back to her house where she flips out into her video recorder and then locks herself in a closet.

Winning Personality: Buck.

Round Three: Dual Personalities Over Dinner

During a family dinner, Tara imagines that Buck is standing across the table yelling at her.

Risks: Her family discovering that anti-psychotics have not tamed her personalities, scaring Marshall's lady friend.

Outcome: Tara hightails it out of the living room citing "bad octopus." Safely inside her bedroom, Tara and Buck battle over Tara's body until Buck emerges and finds his way back to Pammy's apartment.

Winning Personality: Buck.

Overall Score: Tara: 1, Buck: 2

Cautionary Lesson Taken From Tonight's Episode: Whenever a one-night stand tells you, "Nothing else is going to happen between us because I'm trouble," it probably won't happen again -- unless your fling suffers from dissociative identity disorder, in which case you just don't know.

Complimentary Diss: (to use on any friend threatening to revirginize herself) "What're you going to do? Crochet yourself a new hymen?"