United States of Tara Smackdown: When Your Therapist Is Also Your Alter

On last week's episode of the United States of Tara, the Gregsons literally went up against Tara and one of her alters in the ring -- well, rink. The family was enjoying some afternoon ice skating, the DJ had just started playing "Get Down On It" and then Buck's spurned lover, Pammy, had to ruin the day by jumping into the rink and declaring her love for Tara's Vietnam vet alter. Let's see which of Tara's family members and alters fought back -- and which just had angry make-up sex in the backyard -- in last night's episode, "You Becoming You."

Round One: Making Up With Power Tools and Sex

"You Becoming You" opened with Tara and her husband Max discussing the ice rink incident in the comfort of their neighbor's suicide house. (If you are just catching up now, Tara and Max bought the house next door to flip after its owner offed himself.) Surrounded by hammers, mallets and weapons galore, Max gave Tara an ultimatum: "You f*cking get help. You get a therapist."

Risks: Tara tends to transition in high-stress moments so viewers would not have been surprised if her eyes went blank and she started threatening Max in Buck's baritone.

Outcome: Instead of transitioning and knocking the entire house down, the pair channeled their anger into backyard make-up sex.

Winning Personality: Tara

Round Two: Tara vs. the Rotary Phone

Back in the suicide house, Tara toys with a rotary phone and has a has a flashback (rain! orange poncho! Alice-like mother figure!).

Risks: Transitioning into any of her alters. The worst choice would probably be Buck because of his outstanding romance with his bartender flame.

Outcome: Tara pulls it together and continues to read a self-help book by her gay neighbor's former therapist Dr. Shoshana Shaunbaum. Tara assures Max that she is seeking Skype therapy from Dr. Shaunbaum also.

Winning Personality: Tara

Round Three: Tara Tries a New Therapist

Tara has been doing most of her self-exploration in the neighbor's suicide house, where she reads more of Shoshana's self-help book and claims to be having therapy sessions with her new therapist.

Risk: Serious digging and memories means the potential for an alter implosion with Tara.

Outcome: Record scratch. Max walks into the neighbor's suicide house and hears a strange woman's voice coming from the back office. Thinking that Tara is Skyping with her therapist, he knocks on the door and walks in to see -- Tara has a new alter, Shoshana Shaunbaum, a hippie therapist that looks like she stepped out of the '70s.

Winning Personality: Shoshana

Overall Score: Tara: 2, Shoshana: 1

Other Topics Bravely Explored in Last Night's Tara:

· John Corbett's bare ass (See Round One)