Netflix, help us bring back the United States of Tara!

My name is Janell Baptista. I, along with thousands of other fans, am livid over Showtime's decision to cancel “United States of Tara” or USOT. When a show handles material of this nature and gives viewers a realistic glimpse into mental illness at its best/worst via the painfully honest and beautiful portrayal of the Gregson family, it is incredibly disappointing that the show’s cancellation was announced. This disappointment was further exacerbated by the fact that there will not be a final season that will ultimately provide closure for USOT’s faithful viewers. This show is the only platform that genuinely portrays mental illness, specifically DID. The voices of these characters symbolize a larger voice in a marginalized community that in most cases is unable to get the help they need because of insurance and limited resources.

This show has opened up a dialogue between many people in this world who could not previously even speak about DID and mental illness and how it has affected them. That message is universal, and in many ways, it affects all of us. I think Showtime needs to think about this premature decision, while specifically focusing on the show’s timeslot, the amount of viewers each week, and if the two are correlated. I know a lot of people who had not heard about the show's cancellation in the first place, and it was only when I started the campaign to save USOT that some of my friends and colleagues learned about the show’s cancellation. Why is that? Why was it that a majority of people did not know the 3rd season had premiered when it did? What a disservice to the cast, crew, and all the fans that have invested emotionally to the unique experience that USOT provides!

Please consider that we are only lobbying for closure both for this family and for the viewers. Because of the intensely personal nature of the subject matter and the superb acting, the viewers – myself included – are psychologically invested in the minds of all the characters; moreover, viewers want to continue along with Tara as she discovers herself. Isn’t this the story that you intended to tell when developing the series? You clearly understood that USOT offered a story that needed to be told from beginning to end, handled with the utmost respect, sensitivity and heart, which USOT has in spades. With the cancellation of USOT, you are now alienating a community and a giving up on story that you were once committed to telling, one that has a massive impact on a community of people shunned because people think they are crazy for the way they are and for what life/people did to them. Sexual abuse affects millions of people; I’m one of them! Many of these people suffer in silence because of how people perceive their experiences. If anything, this show was a glimmer of hope to a lot people, and your abrupt cancellation of USOT is certainly jarring.

USOT is an amazing show that resonates with the fans. While some may be unable to view the show on account of it being on a premium channel or may dislike the show, please know that the show’s fan base cares about what the show represents. We watch and pay for Showtime, OnDemand, Tivo, and DVR. For some of these services, ratings are not even a consideration! We buy your DVDs, make videos for exposure, even create campaigns like this one that gives USOT free publicity – the publicity that was never given to the 3rd (and arguably the strongest of the series) season.
How can you not give your viewers a conclusion? How can you not promote this show at all this past season? Did you give up at Season 2? Was it because Toni Collette was pregnant and halted promotion? We see “Nurse Jackie,” “Weeds,” and “Dexter” promotions everywhere; my team to Save Tara has come up with the most amazing work and promos that could have given your team a run for its money. You gave us an amazing show and we all thank you for the limited visibility that you have given fans that love USOT. Please help us Netflix you're our only hope! Thanks for reading!