Cougar Town – Leaving for college, take two

Hip hip hooray! Tonight was Cougar Town at its very best. The entire crew was in perfect form, zingers (and babies) were flying all around — it’s difficult not to make a post consisting of the entire 22 minutes of dialog. Luckily for you, I have my own ensemble cast telling me to SLAP OUT OF IT and luckily for me, they are a virtual ensemble, and I cannot feel the sting.

I don’t have kids of my own, and I don’t know how much I would talk about them if I did. If talking about my pets and TV shows is any indication, I’d drive everyone mad. What makes so much sense on Cougar Town is the way they integrate the kids into their lives. We watch a cast of adults who happen to have kids. That doesn’t mean they aren’t good parents, quite the opposite, in fact. The relationship Travis has with both Jules and Bobby strong and loving. And yet they can verbally beat the hell out of each other all the time for a laugh. My family wasn’t like that when I was growing up, but as we’ve aged we’ve found ourselves in the same place. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

With Travis in college (but, only 20 minutes away), he should be getting into all kinds of adventures to share with the gang. I already felt for him as his big roommate strolled in and said he would be taking the bed where Travis had already set up. Did Jules and Bobby give him the balls he’ll need to make it in the big bad world? If his quick leap off the bed is any indication, Travis is going to have grow a pair.

Thankfully we always have Andy and Ellie to show us how difficult it is for parents to remain independent adults while raising a baby. Ellie is worried if she acts like a mother, she will somehow lose everything about herself she holds so dear (like being a snarky bitch). If she goes there, she imagines she will end up “with a sensible mom haircut and jeans up to her armpits.”  Andy never lets us down in his quest to blend all the areas of life together and found yet another awesome Stan invention .. .this one treating him like a marionette so he would seem to get up and walk, wowing Ellie into bragging about him in the process. If only they had attached that harness to a ceiling fan….

The whole episode was a great combination of family and friendship, showing how important it is for families to be there for each other, but also to keep their friends integrated. I’m guessing last week’s episode with its very few witty moments turned some potential new viewers off. Especially those that tuned in only to see Jennifer Aniston. Such a shame, because if she had a cameo in this episode (and I mean cameo), new viewers would have had a dose of the true entertainment value that is Cougar Town. I think it is reminiscent of Friends, Cheers, and even M*A*S*H — where all of the characters and actors have something unique to bring to the table, and they can walk in and out of scenes with the exact timing needed to bring each to life.

Awesome quotes:

“I forget you even have a kid. You never talk about Dan.” – Grayson
“Stan” – Andy
“Who cares.” – Grayson

“What the fudge is a blog?” – Bobby

“We just spent the last hour sifting through a shoe box containing a lock of my hair from my first haircut, all my baby teeth and something that looked like a dried apricot.” – Travis
“It’s either a part of his umbilical cord or the tip of his….” – Jules”
“Umbilical Cord! Let’s just stick with umbilical cord.” – Travis

” I love the web. I mean look at this little kitty right here play the piano. Just like Bruce Hornsby. And have you ever heard the term ‘nip slip’?” – Bobby
“Bobby! It’s a Laurie Keller signature move!” – Laurie

“Do you remember the time he pooped in your mom’s purse? I mean, I had to hold it open for him, but still.” – Ellie, bragging about Stan to Andy

“I had an awesome goodbye with Travis yesterday. He gave me this computer and then we had one of those good solid man moments where everything is said but nobody’s talkin’. I call it a nonversation.” – Bobby

“I sure am gonna miss that little weirdo.” –  Bobby

Clacked by Carissa Pavlica
on Sep 30, 2010 @ 14:11 EST5EDT