Season 3, Episode 5
Last week I spilled a considerable amount of digital ink discussing what I considered to by Bill Lawerence's misguided attempts to lure in new fans to Cougar Town by employing a star of his previous shows Scrubs (in this case Sarah Chalke). I still hold to that theory, but I want to make sure, even though I said it in my previous review, that as a fan of both shows I enjoyed it from a creative perspective, even if I didn't see in real marketing value in it. (Then again, I'm also not won over by shows who use big name guest stars as stunt casting either, so maybe I'm just not the target audience for such a move, and I will thus never buy into the logic behind it.) It's important to understand that so that you believe me when I say that I enjoyed this episode, which had even more appearance by Scrubs alums, even more – though it wasn't solely based on their appearance.
Let's see: Ted and the Worthless Peons makes four, and when you factor in cameos by Zach Braff and Robert Masachio in the tag, that becomes six Scrubs actors who appeared in tonight's episode. (I'm not counting Christa Miller, Ken Jenkins, Sarah Chalke, and Bob Cleninden because they've appeared before this episode, but if you do, that brings the total up to TEN.) Ted of course was already canonized into this show's world back in season two finale, and there exists a good chance then that any Scrubs character could in fact drop by at any time with out breaking the show's reality, but I like that the show instead with the much more satisfying tag of having Ted freak out about the fact that so many people in Florida resemble those that he knew back in California.
Yet as awesome and meme-tastic as that tag may be (or would be, if Cougar Town had enough of an internet presence to cause such memes), you're no doubt thinking that to put discussion that at the top of this review probably reads a little awkward and false, and you'd be right. That tag was like icing on a cake: it's awesome and it's a good way to present something to the public, but on taken its own the end result might make one feel less than satisfied. And yet, if I or anyone else were to try to sell this episode to a Scrubs fan who hasn't checked out this show yet, you can believe that I/we might use that as a selling point. And that's indicative of the larger problem that Cougar Town (and many other comedies) face these days, as it tries to reach beyond just gags and punchlines, yet so much of society really just bases comedies on whether they are funny or not. (I mean, how else does one explain the popularity of The Big Bang Theory?)
While I myself love Scrubs and consider it to be a large influence on my sense of humor, I'm at the point where I concede that while Scrubs is the funnier show, Cougar Town is the better written and the more satisfying week-to-week. I believe that's it's because this writer room is more committed to delivering better-written stories and have a greater grasp on who they want the characters to be.
To that end, three examples from tonight's episode:
(1) “One Story Town” was supposedly a homage to the 1966 film Gambit (I've never seen it, but that's what I hear), but you don't have to have seen it to see this episode for the well written story it was. We first see Jules describe Bobby's perfect date with Angie, and then we get to watch as the actual date goes awry. It's a perfect set piece for an episode of comedy (even if it was taken from a heist movie), and it's one that the episode uses beautifully without drawing attention to the fact that that's what they're doing.
(2) This is an episode that it all about Bobby Cobb. Sure, we can all marvel at Courtney Cox's humility is allowing what was once a starring vehicle for her become a ensemble show and allow other characters to take the spotlight any given week (remember, she is a producer on this show). But the greater triumph is how the show takes Bobby, fuck-up and philanderer, and turns him into a character that we both love and root for. (And I take back what I said last week about the show not giving Bobby enough weighty storylines. So much.)
(3) The episode ends with a glorious climax, where we see all the various bits of the episode (minus that somewhat distracting runner of Grayson's jealousy over being only the 7th best kisser Jules has had) in Bobby and Angie's kiss is underscored by the Worthless Peons signing “Kiss The Girl”, while Tom clears the Crab Festival out from the square by unknowingly employing his creepy demeanor to drive them away. It's a perfect endings to a perfect episode, and that the show managed to pull it off without any of it being telegraphed just speaks to how strong that writer's room is. (It's a one story town indeed.) Sure, we could be distracted by the fact that the song was chosen because ABC is owned by Disney, and thus the show could get the rights for the song for cheap/free, but when it matches up this well (they're at a crab festival after all), who cares?
It's just too bad that Angie is only around for two more episode, because the show sold that kiss perhaps too well, and it made me think that she might be a perfect addition to the show. Oh well, and if the post-Angie episodes can be this strong, will any of us really care?
Yet as awesome and meme-tastic as that tag may be (or would be, if Cougar Town had enough of an internet presence to cause such memes), you're no doubt thinking that to put discussion that at the top of this review probably reads a little awkward and false, and you'd be right. That tag was like icing on a cake: it's awesome and it's a good way to present something to the public, but on taken its own the end result might make one feel less than satisfied. And yet, if I or anyone else were to try to sell this episode to a Scrubs fan who hasn't checked out this show yet, you can believe that I/we might use that as a selling point. And that's indicative of the larger problem that Cougar Town (and many other comedies) face these days, as it tries to reach beyond just gags and punchlines, yet so much of society really just bases comedies on whether they are funny or not. (I mean, how else does one explain the popularity of The Big Bang Theory?)
While I myself love Scrubs and consider it to be a large influence on my sense of humor, I'm at the point where I concede that while Scrubs is the funnier show, Cougar Town is the better written and the more satisfying week-to-week. I believe that's it's because this writer room is more committed to delivering better-written stories and have a greater grasp on who they want the characters to be.
To that end, three examples from tonight's episode:
(1) “One Story Town” was supposedly a homage to the 1966 film Gambit (I've never seen it, but that's what I hear), but you don't have to have seen it to see this episode for the well written story it was. We first see Jules describe Bobby's perfect date with Angie, and then we get to watch as the actual date goes awry. It's a perfect set piece for an episode of comedy (even if it was taken from a heist movie), and it's one that the episode uses beautifully without drawing attention to the fact that that's what they're doing.
(2) This is an episode that it all about Bobby Cobb. Sure, we can all marvel at Courtney Cox's humility is allowing what was once a starring vehicle for her become a ensemble show and allow other characters to take the spotlight any given week (remember, she is a producer on this show). But the greater triumph is how the show takes Bobby, fuck-up and philanderer, and turns him into a character that we both love and root for. (And I take back what I said last week about the show not giving Bobby enough weighty storylines. So much.)
(3) The episode ends with a glorious climax, where we see all the various bits of the episode (minus that somewhat distracting runner of Grayson's jealousy over being only the 7th best kisser Jules has had) in Bobby and Angie's kiss is underscored by the Worthless Peons signing “Kiss The Girl”, while Tom clears the Crab Festival out from the square by unknowingly employing his creepy demeanor to drive them away. It's a perfect endings to a perfect episode, and that the show managed to pull it off without any of it being telegraphed just speaks to how strong that writer's room is. (It's a one story town indeed.) Sure, we could be distracted by the fact that the song was chosen because ABC is owned by Disney, and thus the show could get the rights for the song for cheap/free, but when it matches up this well (they're at a crab festival after all), who cares?
It's just too bad that Angie is only around for two more episode, because the show sold that kiss perhaps too well, and it made me think that she might be a perfect addition to the show. Oh well, and if the post-Angie episodes can be this strong, will any of us really care?
Quotes and Other Thoughts:
Today in title cards: “No, it's not just Scrubs in Florida with wine.”
“Or as Bobby would says, 'dat's imprassible'.”
“And I said 'Spit out your dip, I'm comin' in'.”
“I was as jacuzzi baby – born and conceived in one.”
“Are you wearing your sports coat?” “I am” “Are you also wearing pants?” “Turning around.”
“You can't break up a shirt with your shirt on. Haven't you ever seen Roadhouse. I don't want to call you a dummy, but damn.”
“Stupid Canadian kids and your holes!”
“I don't even think you would need a chainsaw for that. That thing's so rotten, you could probably karate chop right through it.”
“Kissmaster, out.”
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