Cougar Town: "Lonesome Sundown"

Season 2, Episode 18

Yet another example of why more people need to give this show a chance

At this point, I’m getting really tired of trying to convince people to watch Cougar Town/defending my choice to watch it over a sea of snickers. There’s only some much I can say in person to convince people that it’s gotten so much better since it’s eschewed past its original hacky premise. (Actually, since I tend to be averse to ruining episodes for people, and thus I refrain from telling them plotlines, that and “Penny Can” are they only real arguments I’ve got going for me at the this point.)

But maybe I should just show them this episode. Will they be moved the way that I was by Travis and Kirsten’s breakup? No, because they haven’t seen the two as a couple, and haven’t had a chance what a good couple they make and how sad it is to see the two part ways. But Dan Byrd did such good work at playing out Travis’ heartbreak, that they would have to see that there’s something there, that CT can bring the pathos along with the humor? Right? RIGHT?

Speaking of humor, everything else was just spot on tonight, and playing off of the Travis plotline, I would first like to focus on Grayson’s role tonight. The show has often played for laughs the antagonistic relationship between the two (there are a few great moments in this compilation), but it’s something that’s a real issue for the two and keeps them from connecting like the rest of the group does with one another. Quick personal aside: After my parents got divorced and started dating other people, I was a real dick to my mom’s new boyfriend, even though I rationally knew he was a nice guy and he was never anything but kind to me. It’s hard for a child getting used to a parent dating someone new, and I get why Travis makes all of the passive-aggressive jokes that he does.

But dammit if Grayson doesn’t keep trying (even if it’s only cause he’s whipped) to connect with Travis, and Josh Hopkins was on fire tonight, both in his early sarcastic comments and when he had to turn on his more serious side when Grayson was trying to protect Travis from potential heartbreak. There seem to exist a lot of similarities between Travis and Grayson, and (sliding right by whatever weirdness this implies about Jules) I hope that the show can use this to mine some great moments from the two over the next few weeks, when the show it sure to be Travis-heavy as he deals with emotional fall out. (I mean this in a good way; I’m really looking forward to the show getting its hands dirty.)

Elsewhere, the other instances of humor, while funny and lightweight, holds some interesting promise for the show’s future. Laurie’s creation of The Council was yet another goofball reason for the group to bounce off of one another and play to the show’s character-based strengths, but the real highlight here was the house-swapping of Jules and Bobby. Yes, the idea itself is a little tired, but it led to two great, surreal, hilarious moments – Bobby’s sumo wrestling and Jules’ Jaws-inspired moments on the boat – that could be some new avenues going forward.

I’m not saying that CT should be the next iteration of Scrubs or anything, but it’s worth the show looking into doing more surreal moments like this one, if only to see if can be done. The show has us on the hook already, there’s no reason they can’t use this time to experiment a little. After all, the best shows are those that take chances – just ask anybody who’s been watching Community lately.

Quotes, Etc.:

This Week in Title Cards: Sorry, We Still Cringe at the Title

Much like Julia’s broken arm a few weeks back on Parenthood, I have to assume Jules’ use of a cane was due to some injury Courtney Cox sustained. However, the show was able to pull some great jokes out of it. I wonder how many more weeks of cane-related humor we can look forward to.

“’You better pay my bitches.’ Hey, that’s fun.”

“Isn’t it enough that I wear these tight t-shirts that you bought me? People automatically assume that I know Farsi.”

“One soy latte for Lady J. Love Explosion.”

“Girl, I got stuff for you…”

“You just got Pancaked!”

“Remember spark good, fire bad. That little rhyme might save your life.”

“Just me, a vase full of wine, and a smell wet bear that just threw up a flip-flop.”

“Tell him, Kev.” “So real.”

“Love did this…that’s a new song.”

“I once sold a turquoise bolo tie to Lou Diamond Phillips.” “What we he like?” “Even more handsome in person.”

“Didn’t you mom ever teach you bums always win wine fights?”

“It’s time to uterus up.”

“Damn you, Little Richard!” “Wooooo!”