In Defense of Tara

There are some of you out there who have complained about Tara since the second season, and while everyone has their likes and dislikes, I felt that Tara was getting a bad rap. I just feel the need to defend Sookie’s BFF a bit.

I like Tara a lot and I’m enjoying watching her grow. When we first met her, she was a tough, mouthy, bitter young woman who dared you to pluck her last nerve. Many people liked seeing that and I admit, I liked seeing such a strong female character on the show. Sookie hadn’t really gotten there yet, but she didn’t have a drunk, abusive mother to deal with either.

When really bad things started happening to Tara we started to see her breaking down. This is where many people gave up on her. I just couldn’t though. I kept thinking, “What would I do if I had been rejected by my childhood crush, drugged and used in some crazed maenad’s twisted ritual, and bitten and sexually abused by a wacked-out vampire who had a really sick view of love?” I’m pretty sure I’d be re-thinking my tough chick, in-your-face attitude. I don’t think I’d have the strength left to be that tough anymore.

Yet there were so many people that commented on how tired they were of seeing this weak Tara who cried all the time. I did not understand this. Facing down a drunk mother who throws empty bottles at you is far different from facing down an insane vampire who’s strength is ten times your own and faster than you could physically be. Tara’s former strength was no match for the things she went through, although what she was able to retain did help her to survive and finally come out of it all alive.

So Tara leaves Bon Temps at the close of last season, and invents an entirely new life for herself. She changes her look, her name, her sexual preference. When annoyed by a drunk in the alley outside of the fight cages, she handles the situation with a new calm but no-nonsense approach. She’s still tough, but more in control of her anger and herself. This is a dangerous Tara that we haven’t seen yet and I’m looking forward to seeing more as the season unfolds.

I get that we all have our favorite characters on the show, and everyone wants to see only that one favorite dominate the screen. I love the many layers and flavors of True Blood and Tara is one of the interesting characters that is being given the golden opportunity of showing us what good character development means. Well done, Rutina Wesley, Alan Ball & Staff!