Recap: United States of Tara Ep. 1 (Everybody loves Marshall)

I camped out this past rainy Monday, a perfect night for the return of Showtime's United States of Tara. And good thing. Season two opened with a bang and a gay introduction.

It's been three months since Tara's last switch, which raises some anxiety because we know Tara doesn't go too long without rocking another personality. We also find out that the bang coming from next door was the neighbor killing himself. Tara finally meets her gay neighbors, Ted and Hanny, and they decide a block party is the best way to deal with the news.

Hopefully, we'll see more of Ted and Hanny as things progress. Something tells me that the Gregsons won't be the only ones getting the neighbor's attention this season.

Marshall's closet continues to implode as sister Kate plays around his queerness. "I'm sure you'll see Marshall in a gown eventually," Kate says when Max mentions that she graduated without a cap and gown.

At school, out and proud Lionel takes Marshall under his wing, dubbing him "such a Jonas!" Lionel also informs Marshall that he belongs in the "fruit bowl" with the other gay kids.

"Red is for love, pink is for like, yellow is for 'I j**ked you off at church camp, but now we pretend it never happened," Lionel later says. He wants Marshall on board with his plan to add purple carnations for the gay kids to send on Sweetest Day. "Love is love," Marshall replies, insisting that red carnations are enough. But, Lionel returns with: "Not according to the government, Marshall. When the legislation colors us all the same then we'll use the same colored flowers." Marshall later hears Lionel talk to the school admins about adding purple carnations.

But, in true "Tara" capriciousness, Marshall has a change of heart and gives out purple flowers (even one to Lionel) that his dad helped him buy. Could this be the beginning of romance between Marshall and Lionel or with they remain friends? Lionel could be just what Marshall needs after all, especially as he continues to ride the fence. When Marshall tells Kate that he sat at the "gayble," she replied that it "so isn't your style." Marshall says that he's not sure if it is or isn't.