Cougar Town – Saying goodbye to a dear friend

Cougar Town‘s two episodes this week were both very funny, showing that the show is at the top of its game as the two-par season finale approaches. I find it easiest to take each episode separately.

“Square One”

This episode was all about the gang using competition with each other to work out their personal issues.  Jules and Bobby’s competition over keeping their shirts white shows that there are still issues between them about how their marriage ended. Meanwhile, Grayson can’t trust Jules not to lie to him now that they live together. While it was all funny, these are really issues people getting remarried deal with, and I am glad the show keeps itself rooted in that kind of humanity.

People who are married also have to deal with sex getting boring as Ellie and Laurie’s sexiness competition reveals. It becomes clear that Ellie, with her wild past, is Laurie’s future; Laurie wants to eventually get marred and stop trying so hard sexually. This idea brings together two characters who seem very different and ostensibly don’t get along, though I think they are both starting to rely on their hate/love relationship to keep them on their toes. Travis helped them out, showing how insightful he is. I hope they make Travis less pathetic soon, and have him find a girl his age, even though Dan Byrd plays the young sad sack character brilliantly.

Notes and Quotes:

• The Bobby vs. Jules white shirt challenge mainly shows how solid Bobby and Andy’s bromance is. Andy even calls in sick to help keep Bobby’s shirt clean. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.
• Jules’ excuse for forgetting to flush: “It’s called being green.”
• Ellie’s description of Laurie’s description of her own sexual prowess: “I feel sorry for all the unemployed drifters that have had to watch you flail around naked like you’re being electrocuted. Zzz zzz.” Ellie on her own sexual prowess: Ellie: “I’m like the Dexter of sex. I love you and then I will kill you.” Well, gentlemen (and some ladies), which sounds more appealing to you?
• Grayson on finding out that Jules has to shave her knuckles: “I just got negative goosebumps … please tell me you don’t use my razor to shave your hands.”
• Travis’ proclamation that Laurie is sexier than Ellie: “Weighing in at a weight a woman her height would feel good about … The undisputed trampion of the world, Laurie Keller!”
• Title card gag: “Welcome to Cougarton Abbey.” Now I really want to see the Dowager Countess sharing some wine with Jules and company.

 “It’ll All Work Out”

This episode is a bit lighter than the last one, until towards the end when Ellie has to face up to the fact that her mothering skills kinda suck … thanks to the shocking demise of Big Carl at Stan’s hands. (RIP 2010-12.) While it’s clearly ridiculous that Big Carl was one of Jules’ best friends, including  the fabulous memorial at the end, I like that the show uses it to make Ellie face the very serious fact that Stan (one letter away from “Satan”) is running wild.  The show allows the child to seem like devil spawn, and to let Jules and Grayson react like he is when Ellie wants to put him in the wedding … but at the same time, it acknowledges that something needs to be done about him.

The Fakesgiving plot was cute. The show got to make some meta jokes at the expense of how the network has treated it, but  I am not sure if there was a point beyond that. However, that’s okay — sometimes, Cougar Town is allowed to just be fun.

• This episode gives us the return of Andy’s campaign, which allows for some Andy-Grayson bonding time. I’d like to see the show pair them more because, as Grayson rightly points out, they will need each other once Grayson is marred to Jules. I also hope this means we will see more of  Barry Bostwick, who is so good at playing mayors on Bill Lawrence shows.
• The meta jokes about the moving of Thanksgiving were fast and thick during the teaser. Laurie: “Remember our schedules got all mixed up. We all went away, and none of us really knew when we were coming back.” Jules: “What if we’re not around next fall? What if a new group comes in and replaces us?” I suppose this was being written around the time when the show’s future was very uncertain. At least they can relax and know that they will be on TBS next year.
• Bobby explaining why the Fakesgiving doesn’t work for him: “Tomorrow’s nickel taco at Nickel’s Tacos, not to be confused with Nickel Taco, which sells tacos everyday for a nickel but they’re just not as good.” Say that five times fast!
• Jules’ best attempt at wedding vows: “Grayson, there are so many great things about you. For instance, I have never seen you hit a child.”
• Bobby’s attempt to be romantic: “Beer, other drinks may get me drunk, but only you intoxicate me.”
• Grayson on Stan: “The only way devil baby is going to be in our wedding is if we Hannibal Lecter him to a dolly.”
• Laurie’s best attempt at vows: “You’re so hot that I don’t have to pretend that you’re Matt Damon when we do it. I just pretend that he’s watching.”
• Loving descriptions of Big Carl include Jules saying, “I love that I can fit a whole bottle of wine in you and carry you around.”and Ellie saying, “I remember when I first met if Carl. He was the base of a lamp.” Laurie then pours one out for the departed homey. Luckily, Jules acquires a new friend: Big Lou.
• Title Card gag: “Is this show still on TV?”

Clacked by Christina Furtado
on May 16, 2012 @ 07:58 EST5EDT