Will "United States of Tara" Continue to Explore Marshall's Sexuality in Season 3?

***SPOILER WARNING***

This article discusses important plot developments for the third season of United States of Tara.

One frequent criticism of shows with gay characters is that those characters often end up with little to do because, in the words of Little Britain's Daffyd, they "are the only gay in the village." And even when a gay character does get a love interest, those stories often tend to peter out after only a few episodes (think Andrew on Desperate Housewives or Eric on Gossip Girl) and that is frustrating because what really drives most romantic plots is conflict. And that conflict often comes in the form of a love triangle.

Think Elena, Stefan and Damon on The Vampire Diaries. Or Sookie, Bill and Eric on True Blood. Or pretty much any combination of characters on shows like Grey's Anatomy, 90210 or Gossip Girl. 

Now it looks like you can add United States of Tara to the list of shows with a love triangle. Only this one is gay.

According to sides for the second episode of the third season obtained by AfterElton.com, there is a new student at Marshall's high school named Noah, who is described as "a good-looking, teen John Corbett-type we'll get to know better as the season progresses." And he's also gay.

For those not familiar with "sides," these are portions of a script used by actors trying out for a part on a show. A great deal can change about a script before it is actually shot including total rewrites. Given that new episodes of USoT won't air until early next year, it is even possible the writers could cut Noah entirely and take Marshall's story in an entirely different direction. Nonetheless, the sides for the second episode — titled "Crackerjack" — give some interesting insights into how the writers are treating Marshall. 

During the first two seasons of USoT viewers watched as the very self-aware Marshall gradually came to terms with his sexuality. After first trying to make a relationship work with a girl named  Courtney, he fell for Lionel, a gay teen his opposite in almost every way.

Noah is introduced in the second episode of the upcoming season when Marshall, Lionel and Noah end up working together on a class project involving making a movie. 

But things quickly progress from schoolwork to romantic when Marshall and Lionel run into Noah at a party. After first watching two girls and a guy making out on a couch (followed by the gay teens having a discussion of the best movie threeways), the three find themselves in the laundryroom where the following unfolds:

Lionel is kissing Marshall. He stops, turns and starts kissing Noah. Then he turns back to Marshall.

LIONEL
Okay. Now you kiss him.

Marshall balks.

MARSHALL
I don't know, this is kinda...

LIONEL
Don't be such a fag, Smoosh. It's beautiful and it's natural and it's a lot f***ing hotter than that ho-hum hetro bullshit on the couch.

Marshall eyes Noah ucomforably. Noah looks down. 

LIONEL (CONT'D)
Fine. I'll be Lucky Pierre. All lips on me. 

Lionel kisses one, then the other, all the while subtley guiding them together, until Marshall and Noah are extremely close and very aware of each other.

MARSHALL
Wait. Can we shut off the lights?

Lionel smiles. 

LIONEL
Look who's bashful all of a sudden.

He reaches for the switch. Marshall and Noah lock eyes.