Note: Skipping recap this week. If this blog continues next fall, I'm thinking of eliminating the recap entirely, so this is a test run of sorts.
I Liked This: Travis has always had an attraction to Laurie, dating back to the early days of the show, when the title was relevant. But tonight's episode marked the first time that the two of them pairing up became a very real possibility (Even in Hawaii, I never thought Travis and Laurie would actually end up together), and this led to an interesting, emotionally charged episode as Travis prepared to finally make his move, and Jules and the gang debated over whether or not this should happen. While much of the episode was centred on Jules trying to prevent this from happening, Travis comforting Laurie after she's found out that her army boyfriend has re-enlisted was very sweet, and the ending (for now) of him taking the place of her boyfriends body, and ultimately putting her needs above his own (Something Wade isn't doing, even with his reasonable reason for re-enlisting) was funny, but also heartbreaking and it should be interesting to see where this will go as the season heads into the home stretch. And Jules and Ellie clashing with Bobby and Andy over whether they should let this happen and deciding to settle it over a game of Celebrity was great, leading to many funny moments and a sweet moment at the end as Jules comes to peace with the possibility of Travis and Laurie dating. The event of the hurricane also added to the episode, adding an interesting dynamic to the scenes (And a good runner involving Tom waiting outside Jules house the entire time.). And Grayson's small plot involving trying to come up with a new catchphrase for his bar was slight, but entertaining.
But...: Jules being able to pull off a Perfect Storm homage in an episode that hinges a big part of the plot on her unfamiliarity with pop culture seems a little inconsistent. But the scene was funny, so it's not that big a deal.
The Bottom Line: Down South is a great episode of Cougar Town that, while not as laugh-heavy as other episodes this season, nevertheless provides a good time as Travis/Laurie suddenly looks to be a very real possibility.
Grade: 85% (Great)
Memorable Moments
-Welcome to Cougar Town. I didn't know it was back on either- Abed.
-Laurie: "I thought we were really getting serious." Travis: "Of all the relationships of people that never met each other, I really believed in this one."
-Jules: "That's the way I raised him. Taters are for laters." Travis: "She actually did say that." Jules: "I did."
-Jules: "Travis got Laurie pregnant!" Andy and Bobby: "What?!" Jules: "Maybe I took a few steps ahead, but still, it would be so horrible if those two hooked up."
-Andy: "You can't stop love. Ellie's mom didn't want her to date me, but if I didn't go for it, this magical thing but if I didn't go for it, this magical thing never would've happened." Jules: "Awww." Ellie: "He's talking about him and Bobby!"
-Bobby on hugging Travis: "I feel like I'm cheating on Andy." Travis: "I'm your son so, it's fine."
-Ellie: "I'm only an OK storm! I'm not a perfect storm!"
-Jules: "What?" Grayson: "You just sent the two people you don't want to be together to hang out in a bedroom." Jules: "Who would have sex in their mom's bed? (All indicate they would do such a thing) Shoot."
-Grayson: "What is happening to me? I used to be on top of all the cool lingo. You know how people say 'hey, you wanna come with us?' I was the guy who dropped the 'us' part. Hey, you wanna come with?" Ellie: "I wonder what those d-bags did with all the time you saved them.
-Jules: "They're killing us with moustache clues!"
-Andy: "Why did you keep stopping to do those Michael Jackson poses in the wind?" Grayson: "How could you not?"
-Ellie: "Look, next time I give a clue, just give an answer. No matter what you say, I'm gonna say it's right. That handsome actor that you love." Jules: "George DiCaprio!" Ellie: "I'll make it work."
-Bobby: "Whoa, whoa, whoa. I thought E.T was a dude." Jules: "He's both." Ellie: "Watch the deleted scenes. It's very disturbing. He tries to have sex with himself."
-Jules: "You win. We cheated." Andy: "I knew David Barstool wasn't an actor. You were just looking at things around the room." Jules: "Yeah, although I think there is a Jim Lamply." Andy: "Nope."
-Travis: "I'm breathing a lot of my own breath around here. Starting to regret that tuna sandwich from earlier".
-Grayson: "Please get out of my bar. I just wanna go home and wrap up in my cozy blanket and drink that tea with the sleepy bear on the box. And I know you hate me now, but you'll thank me later, because if you don't stop drinking, tomorrow, you're going to wake up next to that person that you're talking to right now, and you'll wish you knew how to get them out of your house, but they'll make you take them to brunch. Good night. Don't drink and drive. You might kill your dad.
Showing posts with label Cougar Town. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cougar Town. Show all posts
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Wednesday, 2 May 2012
Memorable Moments: Cougar Town: Southern Accents
Quicky Opinion: Southern Accents was another great episode of this show, combining lots of laughs with some good character development. Grayson having a daughter was a nice twist for this season, and this episode is a natural continuation of that, as Jules resists trying to get to know Holly, even though she really isn't that bad. Having Holly make out with Travis was a good twist for this storyline and I liked how Jules winds up accepting Holly. Meanwhile, Andy deciding he wants to be mayor is a good move for this character, and should give him plenty of interesting things to do for the rest of the season, plus give the chance for more appearances from Barry Bostwick, who I always enjoy as Roger Frank. And the Bobby/Laurie plot was just a delight. Another strong week, Cougar Town. Another strong week. Quicky Grade: 85% (Great)
Memorable Moments
-Grayson: "Why do you always freak out whenever Holly comes over? She's not that bad.. Am I allowed to say that about a woman I accidentally had a baby with?" Ellie: "I wouldn't."
-Jules: "I can't say no to tequila. That's why Travis exists." Grayson: "No way! Jill too!" Travis: "What an adorable coincidence."
-Hey, would you and your friends watch a show called "Pig Trials". Watch the episode, get back to us #pigtrials.
-Bobby: "Racist? Am I that bad?" Laurie: "No, sweetie. (Looks at his cookie.) Oh my God, look at your black and white cookie. You've only eaten the white part!" Bobby: "I'm a monster."
-Holly: "Stupid internet date. I thought having a baby was gonna be like, a non-stop party. Wrong. Turns out having a baby is a total crotch-block." Travis: "What a tool. Sounds like he should've put "hates babies" on his profile." Holly: "Oh, he did. I just ignored it."
-Jules: "There's got to be something you can do. I've been dreaming of having a beach wedding since like, yesterday."
-Jules: "Wow Barb, you're married. I'm so um... um... something for you."
-Jules: "This town needs a new mayor and not one that's in bed with big business: that's Barb's name for her private parts."
-Laurie: "Plus, you (Andy) would look so great kissing a baby, because you kind of look like a baby, and everyone know there's nothing cuter than a baby kissing a baby."
-Ellie: "I love the tension in this room. I just want to bake it into a big puffy thing and eat it all up." Jules: "Seriously?"
-Laurie on her new talking threat cakes: "Say a chick steals your boyfriend. You send her a cake. But then, when she opens up the lid, it's like: "I'm coming for you, bitch!" Cute, right?"
-Laurie: "So you accidentally said the wrong thing. One time, I asked this blind lady when her baby was due. Turns out, she wasn't pregnant. And she wasn't even a lady. But, he really was blind, which was good, because when he went to go throw his coffee at me, he totally missed, and he hit a real pregnant lady. And I was like, 'dude, you're such a jerk! You just hit a real pregnant lady!' And then it turns out she wasn't pregnant either." Bobby: "There are a lot of fatties in this town." Laurie: "I know, right."
-Jules: "Do you know that if Travis and Holly had a kid, my granddaughter and my stepdaughter would be sisters! That puts me in the hillbilly hall of fame, right next to my cousin Chestnut, who was murdered by his own pigs." Ellie: "The pigs might've killed him, but it wasn't murder. Murder implies forethought." Jules: "They murdered him. There might be a trial." Ellie: "Where?" Grayson: "Okay, this sounds like a good stopping point."
-Travis: "There's just something so innocent about Holly. I just want to protect her. Plus, Jill could really use a father." Grayson: "She has a father!" Travis: "I meant a good one."
-Jules: "It's like my life is flashing right before my eyes. I should've drank more wine."
-Jules: "You're both being totally... (Looks at her Word-A-Day calender) magnaminous!" Travis: "Not a bad thing. Means we're awesome." Jules: "Stupid calender!"
-Laurie: "Today, we're gonna fix racism. Hopefully before our burgers come."
-Jules: "Do you know what I've learned from my friendship with Ellie?" Grayson: "There's no such thing as too mean." Travis: "Never let your friends know for sure if you like them?" Jules: "Always hold a grudge?" Ellie: "Really?" Jules: "Sorry, I wanted to do one too."
-Jules: "Sometimes, it's OK to be selfish, right Ellie?" Ellie: "It's not". Jules: "Seriously? Now's the time you decide to be human?"
-Bobby: "Sometimes I think it would just be easier if we just separated into our own groups, you know, like blacks with blacks and white with whites." Sig: "They tried that in South Africa." Laurie: "Yeah, and thank God Bono fixed it."
-Laurie: "Oh my God, my race panel worked. If there is one thing we've learned from Michelle Pfieffer in Dangerous Minds or Sandy Bullock in The Blind Side or Hilary Swank in that movie no one ever saw, it's that all you need to fix minority problems is a really pretty white woman."
-Not even going to try and replicate Ellie's crazy list of wants as first lady.
-Holly: "You hug just like your son." Jules: "Alright, don't ruin it."
-I will replicate this though. Grayson: "Now, let's pop a little wine, and talk about this supposed pig trial, hmm? I got 9000 questions. Do they use handcuffs?" Jules: "They use rope." Ellie: "Jury of their peers?" Jules: "Maybe." Grayson: "Lawyers?" Jules: "Humans." Ellie: "Baliffs?" Jules: "Horses." Grayson: "How do they get the pig on the witness stand?" Jules: "Pig ramp." Ellie: "Do they understand what people are saying?" Jules: "They have interpretors." Grayson: "Jury ever fed ham?" Jules: "Not if they're kosher!" Ellie: "What's the maximum sentence?" Jules: "Bacon." Grayson: "Is there a pig traffic court?" Jules "Heard of it, I've never seen it." Ellie: "How do they get the pig to stop squealing?" Jules: "Gavel." Grayson: "What if a pig calls a cop a pig." Jules: "Heh, that's funny. That's funny. People laugh." Ellie: "Do the pigs wear prison jumpsuits?" Jules "No, bowties. It's really adorable".
Memorable Moments
-Grayson: "Why do you always freak out whenever Holly comes over? She's not that bad.. Am I allowed to say that about a woman I accidentally had a baby with?" Ellie: "I wouldn't."
-Jules: "I can't say no to tequila. That's why Travis exists." Grayson: "No way! Jill too!" Travis: "What an adorable coincidence."
-Hey, would you and your friends watch a show called "Pig Trials". Watch the episode, get back to us #pigtrials.
-Bobby: "Racist? Am I that bad?" Laurie: "No, sweetie. (Looks at his cookie.) Oh my God, look at your black and white cookie. You've only eaten the white part!" Bobby: "I'm a monster."
-Holly: "Stupid internet date. I thought having a baby was gonna be like, a non-stop party. Wrong. Turns out having a baby is a total crotch-block." Travis: "What a tool. Sounds like he should've put "hates babies" on his profile." Holly: "Oh, he did. I just ignored it."
-Jules: "There's got to be something you can do. I've been dreaming of having a beach wedding since like, yesterday."
-Jules: "Wow Barb, you're married. I'm so um... um... something for you."
-Jules: "This town needs a new mayor and not one that's in bed with big business: that's Barb's name for her private parts."
-Laurie: "Plus, you (Andy) would look so great kissing a baby, because you kind of look like a baby, and everyone know there's nothing cuter than a baby kissing a baby."
-Ellie: "I love the tension in this room. I just want to bake it into a big puffy thing and eat it all up." Jules: "Seriously?"
-Laurie on her new talking threat cakes: "Say a chick steals your boyfriend. You send her a cake. But then, when she opens up the lid, it's like: "I'm coming for you, bitch!" Cute, right?"
-Laurie: "So you accidentally said the wrong thing. One time, I asked this blind lady when her baby was due. Turns out, she wasn't pregnant. And she wasn't even a lady. But, he really was blind, which was good, because when he went to go throw his coffee at me, he totally missed, and he hit a real pregnant lady. And I was like, 'dude, you're such a jerk! You just hit a real pregnant lady!' And then it turns out she wasn't pregnant either." Bobby: "There are a lot of fatties in this town." Laurie: "I know, right."
-Jules: "Do you know that if Travis and Holly had a kid, my granddaughter and my stepdaughter would be sisters! That puts me in the hillbilly hall of fame, right next to my cousin Chestnut, who was murdered by his own pigs." Ellie: "The pigs might've killed him, but it wasn't murder. Murder implies forethought." Jules: "They murdered him. There might be a trial." Ellie: "Where?" Grayson: "Okay, this sounds like a good stopping point."
-Travis: "There's just something so innocent about Holly. I just want to protect her. Plus, Jill could really use a father." Grayson: "She has a father!" Travis: "I meant a good one."
-Jules: "It's like my life is flashing right before my eyes. I should've drank more wine."
-Jules: "You're both being totally... (Looks at her Word-A-Day calender) magnaminous!" Travis: "Not a bad thing. Means we're awesome." Jules: "Stupid calender!"
-Laurie: "Today, we're gonna fix racism. Hopefully before our burgers come."
-Jules: "Do you know what I've learned from my friendship with Ellie?" Grayson: "There's no such thing as too mean." Travis: "Never let your friends know for sure if you like them?" Jules: "Always hold a grudge?" Ellie: "Really?" Jules: "Sorry, I wanted to do one too."
-Jules: "Sometimes, it's OK to be selfish, right Ellie?" Ellie: "It's not". Jules: "Seriously? Now's the time you decide to be human?"
-Bobby: "Sometimes I think it would just be easier if we just separated into our own groups, you know, like blacks with blacks and white with whites." Sig: "They tried that in South Africa." Laurie: "Yeah, and thank God Bono fixed it."
-Laurie: "Oh my God, my race panel worked. If there is one thing we've learned from Michelle Pfieffer in Dangerous Minds or Sandy Bullock in The Blind Side or Hilary Swank in that movie no one ever saw, it's that all you need to fix minority problems is a really pretty white woman."
-Not even going to try and replicate Ellie's crazy list of wants as first lady.
-Holly: "You hug just like your son." Jules: "Alright, don't ruin it."
-I will replicate this though. Grayson: "Now, let's pop a little wine, and talk about this supposed pig trial, hmm? I got 9000 questions. Do they use handcuffs?" Jules: "They use rope." Ellie: "Jury of their peers?" Jules: "Maybe." Grayson: "Lawyers?" Jules: "Humans." Ellie: "Baliffs?" Jules: "Horses." Grayson: "How do they get the pig on the witness stand?" Jules: "Pig ramp." Ellie: "Do they understand what people are saying?" Jules: "They have interpretors." Grayson: "Jury ever fed ham?" Jules: "Not if they're kosher!" Ellie: "What's the maximum sentence?" Jules: "Bacon." Grayson: "Is there a pig traffic court?" Jules "Heard of it, I've never seen it." Ellie: "How do they get the pig to stop squealing?" Jules: "Gavel." Grayson: "What if a pig calls a cop a pig." Jules: "Heh, that's funny. That's funny. People laugh." Ellie: "Do the pigs wear prison jumpsuits?" Jules "No, bowties. It's really adorable".
Thursday, 19 April 2012
Memorable Moments: Cougar Town: Ways To Be Wicked
Quicky Opinion: Sorry for the lateness of this opinion. Technical errors and stuff. Anyways, I really enjoyed Ways To Be Wicked. The introduction of Betsy serves to provide new layers to Ellie and why she is the way she is, which is good. Meanwhile Grayson helping Laurie fulfill her dream of starting a cake business was nice to watch (It also added more depth to Laurie), and it should be interesting watching Laurie pursue this over the next couple of episodes. And Travis, Zig, and Kevin teaming up with Bobby and Chick to steal the cougar statue was just there for humor (And to bring Chick in as part of the Jules/Ellie plot), but it was all great humor with things like dentist ghosts and a meta-rant by Zig wondering why the school statue is a cougar. All in all, another great episode for, what has so far been a really great season of Cougar Town. Quicky Grade: 82% (Great)
Memorable Moments
-Bobby: "Sorry you had to meet Mr. Belly-Face, ma'am".
-Ellie: "Did you hear her? She has to go check on Stan, cause' what? I pay so little attention to him that he might just walk out the door and knock down some neighbor's mailbox?" Jules: "Well, that did happen, yesterday, to my mailbox." Ellie: "You know what I mean!"
-Ellie to Grayson: "You've always been dead to me, but now you're even deader.
-Pay attention. The title: Cougar Town almost makes sense this week.
-Jules: "How bout' we all agree not to talk about our moms. I mean, it's easy for me, my mom is dead." Grayson: "Mine too." Jules: "Dead mom high-five!"
-Ellie: "I know my mom seems nice, but she's like that cartoon frog that sings and dances when nobody's looking, only instead of singing and dancing, she tells me I have lesbian legs."
-Laurie shows pictures of her cakes: "Here's my bunny cake. That's a gayke. Gays love cake. There's a mermaid cake, pregnant mermaid cake for baby showers, pie cake, um, there's my puppy cake, my Bruce Willis cake, Alan Rickman cake- I had just watched Die Hard-, unicorn cake, burrito cake, oh and these tiny ones are boob-shaped cupcakes. I thought they would sell twice as fast because it'd be weird for someone to come in and just buy one, right?
-Elle: "You're my best friend. All I ask is that you have blind faith in me and that you hit me with a shovel if I ever got a toe ring".
-Zig: "Why does this school even have a cougar? Nothing here has anything to do with cougars."
-Laurie: "I was going to bake a red velvet baby, but then I thought it might be weird to eat your own baby."
-Jules: "Grayson is a self-centered pretty boy with a bastard child and eyes so tiny, you could blindfold him with a bead necklace.
-Travis: "Nice horse trailer." Chick: "I conceived your mom in there." Travis: "There's the first scar of the night."
-Betsy: "My first husband was a real triple threat. He combined alcoholism and no personality with severe ugliness. Once the cash was gone, so was I." Jules: "Those may be the darkest thoughts I ever heard strung together."
-Jules on meanness: "It's like a drug but you don't see fireworks or cartoon ponies." Laurie: "Jules has never tried drugs." Ellie: "Clearly."
-Andy: "And I have learned two lessons. One: Grayson is a lot faster than he looks, and two: (turns around to show his wedgie): he still thinks wedgies are funny." Laurie: "Ha ha, yes they are. Andy, why don't you just pull that thing down." Andy: "They don't go down. They're in me."
-Laurie: "Laurie Keller isn't scared of anything. Except for old people smiling at me. I swear, it's like they want to steal your soul."
-Travis learns something very important about college: "Campus cops will forget anything for twenty bucks." Campus Cop: "They will."
-Jules: "Dad, you never let me do anything." Chick: "I just let you commit a felony tonight."
-Jules: "Since Ellie's mom couldn't do it, no one gets any wine until you say something nice about Ellie." Laurie: "I'm going to a bar."
-Ellie: "NO WINE FOR YOU!"
Memorable Moments
-Bobby: "Sorry you had to meet Mr. Belly-Face, ma'am".
-Ellie: "Did you hear her? She has to go check on Stan, cause' what? I pay so little attention to him that he might just walk out the door and knock down some neighbor's mailbox?" Jules: "Well, that did happen, yesterday, to my mailbox." Ellie: "You know what I mean!"
-Ellie to Grayson: "You've always been dead to me, but now you're even deader.
-Pay attention. The title: Cougar Town almost makes sense this week.
-Jules: "How bout' we all agree not to talk about our moms. I mean, it's easy for me, my mom is dead." Grayson: "Mine too." Jules: "Dead mom high-five!"
-Ellie: "I know my mom seems nice, but she's like that cartoon frog that sings and dances when nobody's looking, only instead of singing and dancing, she tells me I have lesbian legs."
-Laurie shows pictures of her cakes: "Here's my bunny cake. That's a gayke. Gays love cake. There's a mermaid cake, pregnant mermaid cake for baby showers, pie cake, um, there's my puppy cake, my Bruce Willis cake, Alan Rickman cake- I had just watched Die Hard-, unicorn cake, burrito cake, oh and these tiny ones are boob-shaped cupcakes. I thought they would sell twice as fast because it'd be weird for someone to come in and just buy one, right?
-Elle: "You're my best friend. All I ask is that you have blind faith in me and that you hit me with a shovel if I ever got a toe ring".
-Zig: "Why does this school even have a cougar? Nothing here has anything to do with cougars."
-Laurie: "I was going to bake a red velvet baby, but then I thought it might be weird to eat your own baby."
-Jules: "Grayson is a self-centered pretty boy with a bastard child and eyes so tiny, you could blindfold him with a bead necklace.
-Travis: "Nice horse trailer." Chick: "I conceived your mom in there." Travis: "There's the first scar of the night."
-Betsy: "My first husband was a real triple threat. He combined alcoholism and no personality with severe ugliness. Once the cash was gone, so was I." Jules: "Those may be the darkest thoughts I ever heard strung together."
-Jules on meanness: "It's like a drug but you don't see fireworks or cartoon ponies." Laurie: "Jules has never tried drugs." Ellie: "Clearly."
-Andy: "And I have learned two lessons. One: Grayson is a lot faster than he looks, and two: (turns around to show his wedgie): he still thinks wedgies are funny." Laurie: "Ha ha, yes they are. Andy, why don't you just pull that thing down." Andy: "They don't go down. They're in me."
-Laurie: "Laurie Keller isn't scared of anything. Except for old people smiling at me. I swear, it's like they want to steal your soul."
-Travis learns something very important about college: "Campus cops will forget anything for twenty bucks." Campus Cop: "They will."
-Jules: "Dad, you never let me do anything." Chick: "I just let you commit a felony tonight."
-Jules: "Since Ellie's mom couldn't do it, no one gets any wine until you say something nice about Ellie." Laurie: "I'm going to a bar."
-Ellie: "NO WINE FOR YOU!"
Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Cougar Town: You Can Still Change Your Mind
What Happened, Yo!:
-Jules is looking for a photographer for her wedding, as this is probably her last chance to get good wedding photos. Travis wants to do it, but when he shows Jules some of his work, the pictures are gross, morbid, and terrifying, makes Jules wonder if Travis will be able to do this. Angie assures Jules that Travis is really good, but also that it'll porbably be tough for Travis to make a living doing photography. This worries Jules, who doesn't want Travis to suffer, so she decides to say no to him, hoping it will defer him for photography. Travis gets upset at her and Grayson points out that this probably won't keep Travis from following his passion if he really wants to do it. Angie also later tells Jules that struggle or not, Travis is talented and that's what really matters. Jules realizes she was wrong to reject Travis and offers him the job, which he accepts. She also admits (Though she denies it at first) that she'll lend Travis money whenever he needs it.
-Meanwhile, Bobby is feeling really good about his relationship with Angie until he sees her kissing another guy. He finds out that she didn't think they were exclusive, but he tells her that his kisses meant they were exclusive. He breaks up with her, but she later sneaks on his boat naked and they wind up getting back together. Andy helps Bobby realize that he doesn't want a relationship like that anymore though, and after Angie admits that she's not really wanting anything serious, they break up for good.
-Also meanwhile, Grayson unjams one of Jules old drawers (so he can babyproof it for his new daughter), to find a buch of stuff from the 80's and 90's, including a Simon game. Ellie takes it when Laurie's looking at it, saying it's not for Jellybeans. Later, she lets Laurie to try it in order to watch her fail, which pleases Ellie. Laurie gets upset because she had never thought that Ellie actually thought that she was dumb. Ellie later on assures her that she doesn't think she's dumb, and everyone had their blindspots (For example, Ellie can't do complex math and Grayson can't remember bar orders.).
I Like This: You Can Still Change Your Mind was a funny episode of Cougar Town with lots of good moments. While I'm sad to see Sarah Chalke go, her exit was well-handled here and her and Bobby's relationship ended for a very good reason: he wants something exclusive and real, and she just wants to have fun (And kiss other guys). This story is also a testament to how far Bobby has come since the beginning of the series. Before he wouldn't have minded a casual relationship, but now it looks like he's finally growing up a bit. The plot also allowed for funny moments like the revelation that two bums apparently come and go as they please on the boat. Travis wanting to be the photographer at Jules wedding was also a good story, as it went from Jules worrying that Travis' photos would be as terrifying as some of his other work (He strives to remove beauty from beauty) to Jules worrying that Travis taking photos at her wedding would be the first step to a hard life, where he would struggle to make a living. It's another good, natural complication and the resolution was also sweet. The story also had plenty of comedy though, including Grayson trying to give parenting advice, despite only being a dad for two days. And the Ellie/Laurie plot was less essential then the other stories, but it did offer the origin of the nickname Jellybean, which was funny and in character with season 1 Ellie's opinion of Laurie.
But...: While there was plenty of humour and emotion in this episode, both elements weren't executed quite as strongly as they had been in the last couple episodes (Particularly in the Ellie/Laurie plot). Also, I kind of wish we had gotten another episode with Angie, so her exit could've been better set-up.
The Bottom Line: You Can Still Change Your Mind wasn't the strongest effort of Cougar Town, but it was still a funny episode with lots of good moments for the Cul-De-Sac crew.
Grade: 78% (Good)
Memorable Moments
-Jules: "Sometimes I do feel a little, oh, (motions to Ellie) what is it?" Ellie: "You're not crazy about the ditzy, trashy, fake blonde, fake tan, fake boob, club skank you one-night-standed to make that baby." Jules: "She says it better." Grayson (to his daughter): "That is not true Jill. Your mommy and I had a one afternoon stand."
-Seriously, we spend more time coming up with these title cards than we do writing the show. Cougar Town.
-Laurie (To Jules): "When I get married, I hope I'm just as pregnant as you."
-Grayson on Jules old wedding album: "Did your photographer suck or do you just know a lot of people without heads?" Jules: "That's Bobby's uncle. He was really sweet, but when we opened our photographs, there was, like, nine pictures of his penis. He's actually in jail now."
-Travis: "The helmet's gone!" Grayson: "You had a helmet?" Travis: "God, I really thought that would be a bigger deal." Actually, in the two weeks the show was off the air, I had completely forgot about the helmet.
-Travis: "There's just so much beauty in photography, I just wanted to take that notion, and turn it on its head. So the theme of my work is: taking the beauty out of beauty." Jules (looking at the picture): "You really cannot see the beauty."
-Jules: "Okay, I love this. I am going to put this on my wall." Travis: "You're actually holding it wrong. (Turns the picture around) It's a severed toe." Jules: "Well, it's the best picture of a severed toe that I have ever seen. Yeah, I can't stop looking at it."
-Laurie: "Luckily, I can control my gag reflex. (Looks at Ellie.) Nothing?" Ellie: "I don't swing at soft balls."
-Ellie (To Jules): "It's weird. I have dishes in my sink, and you have chicken bones, tissues, a pair of broken sunglasses, and diapers." Jules: "Grayson baby-proofed my trash can. I have a house full of things that I can't open, including my toilet. Ellie, I had to teetee in the yard." Ellie: "Why didn't you just go in the shower?" Jules: "Gross."
-Jules: "Look, this is probably the last time that I'll have a chance to get great wedding photos." Grayson: "Probably?"
-Angie: "You never said that you wanted to be exclusive." Bobby: "Yes I did. Every time I kiss you, my lips are saying: (uses his fingers to make his lips move) Angie, I want to be exclusive." Angie: "Why do your lips need your fingers to make them talk?" Bobby: "I don't know!"
-Bobby: "I thought we had something special, but I was wrong. We're through. I'd be storming out right now if I hadn't just ordered a cheeseburger."
-Laurie: "Jules told me never to ask, but why do you call me Jellybean?" Ellie: "Well J.B., when Jules first hired you, I thought you were so simple-minded she could convince you that jellybeans were more valuble in gold, and subsequently pay you in jellybeans. This concept was eventually shortened into your nickname: Jellybean."
-Bobby: "Now I know exactly how you felt when I cheated on you all those times." Jules: "Feels a little different. I mean, she's been your girlfriend for two weeks and she kissed a dude, and well we were married, and you banged a thousand waitresses." Bobby: "Is it the waitress part that makes it different?" Jules: "Sure, why not."
-Laurie: "Why do I suck at this?" Ellie: "It's not your fault. When you were a fetus, your mom existed on funnel cakes and motorcycle fumes. Consider it a victory you don't have a tail."
-Bobby: "Angie, how'd you get in here?" Angie: "Your door is held shut with suspenders. When I came in I found a bum making a sandwich." Bobby: "Well, that's just Gary... or Dennis. Did he have a beard or a huge beard?" Angie: "I don't know, I was screaming." Bobby: "That sounds like Gary."
-Jules: "I just, I cannot stand the thought of [Travis] having a crappy life. Why couldn't he be a drug dealer. At least they have cool cars."
-Jules: "Wow, he's really angry with us." Grayson: "Us?" Jules: "Yeah." Grayson: "You told him it was my decision, didn't you?" Jules: "Yeah, and he's still mad at me. That's crazy."
-Andy: "So she found your weak spot?" Bobby: "If that means my ding dong, then yeah."
-Ellie: "I can't do math. I can do basic math, like if the nanny breaks a glass, then that's minus seven dollars from her paycheck."
-Ellie: "I don't think you're dumb. I just think you have a blindspot for Simon." Laurie: "Simon and airport baggage carousels. Everyone else just takes their luggage so easy, I just end up running laps." Ellie: "You have to wait for it."
-Jules: "Hey, what are you up to?" Travis: "I have three midterms next week. What do you think I'm up to?" Jules: "Some nerdy computer thing?" Travis: "Correct."
-Jules: "I'm not going to give you money whenever you need it." Travis: "Yes, you will." Jules: "Yes I will. We should probably open a joint bank account."
-Jules is looking for a photographer for her wedding, as this is probably her last chance to get good wedding photos. Travis wants to do it, but when he shows Jules some of his work, the pictures are gross, morbid, and terrifying, makes Jules wonder if Travis will be able to do this. Angie assures Jules that Travis is really good, but also that it'll porbably be tough for Travis to make a living doing photography. This worries Jules, who doesn't want Travis to suffer, so she decides to say no to him, hoping it will defer him for photography. Travis gets upset at her and Grayson points out that this probably won't keep Travis from following his passion if he really wants to do it. Angie also later tells Jules that struggle or not, Travis is talented and that's what really matters. Jules realizes she was wrong to reject Travis and offers him the job, which he accepts. She also admits (Though she denies it at first) that she'll lend Travis money whenever he needs it.
-Meanwhile, Bobby is feeling really good about his relationship with Angie until he sees her kissing another guy. He finds out that she didn't think they were exclusive, but he tells her that his kisses meant they were exclusive. He breaks up with her, but she later sneaks on his boat naked and they wind up getting back together. Andy helps Bobby realize that he doesn't want a relationship like that anymore though, and after Angie admits that she's not really wanting anything serious, they break up for good.
-Also meanwhile, Grayson unjams one of Jules old drawers (so he can babyproof it for his new daughter), to find a buch of stuff from the 80's and 90's, including a Simon game. Ellie takes it when Laurie's looking at it, saying it's not for Jellybeans. Later, she lets Laurie to try it in order to watch her fail, which pleases Ellie. Laurie gets upset because she had never thought that Ellie actually thought that she was dumb. Ellie later on assures her that she doesn't think she's dumb, and everyone had their blindspots (For example, Ellie can't do complex math and Grayson can't remember bar orders.).
I Like This: You Can Still Change Your Mind was a funny episode of Cougar Town with lots of good moments. While I'm sad to see Sarah Chalke go, her exit was well-handled here and her and Bobby's relationship ended for a very good reason: he wants something exclusive and real, and she just wants to have fun (And kiss other guys). This story is also a testament to how far Bobby has come since the beginning of the series. Before he wouldn't have minded a casual relationship, but now it looks like he's finally growing up a bit. The plot also allowed for funny moments like the revelation that two bums apparently come and go as they please on the boat. Travis wanting to be the photographer at Jules wedding was also a good story, as it went from Jules worrying that Travis' photos would be as terrifying as some of his other work (He strives to remove beauty from beauty) to Jules worrying that Travis taking photos at her wedding would be the first step to a hard life, where he would struggle to make a living. It's another good, natural complication and the resolution was also sweet. The story also had plenty of comedy though, including Grayson trying to give parenting advice, despite only being a dad for two days. And the Ellie/Laurie plot was less essential then the other stories, but it did offer the origin of the nickname Jellybean, which was funny and in character with season 1 Ellie's opinion of Laurie.
But...: While there was plenty of humour and emotion in this episode, both elements weren't executed quite as strongly as they had been in the last couple episodes (Particularly in the Ellie/Laurie plot). Also, I kind of wish we had gotten another episode with Angie, so her exit could've been better set-up.
The Bottom Line: You Can Still Change Your Mind wasn't the strongest effort of Cougar Town, but it was still a funny episode with lots of good moments for the Cul-De-Sac crew.
Grade: 78% (Good)
Memorable Moments
-Jules: "Sometimes I do feel a little, oh, (motions to Ellie) what is it?" Ellie: "You're not crazy about the ditzy, trashy, fake blonde, fake tan, fake boob, club skank you one-night-standed to make that baby." Jules: "She says it better." Grayson (to his daughter): "That is not true Jill. Your mommy and I had a one afternoon stand."
-Seriously, we spend more time coming up with these title cards than we do writing the show. Cougar Town.
-Laurie (To Jules): "When I get married, I hope I'm just as pregnant as you."
-Grayson on Jules old wedding album: "Did your photographer suck or do you just know a lot of people without heads?" Jules: "That's Bobby's uncle. He was really sweet, but when we opened our photographs, there was, like, nine pictures of his penis. He's actually in jail now."
-Travis: "The helmet's gone!" Grayson: "You had a helmet?" Travis: "God, I really thought that would be a bigger deal." Actually, in the two weeks the show was off the air, I had completely forgot about the helmet.
-Travis: "There's just so much beauty in photography, I just wanted to take that notion, and turn it on its head. So the theme of my work is: taking the beauty out of beauty." Jules (looking at the picture): "You really cannot see the beauty."
-Jules: "Okay, I love this. I am going to put this on my wall." Travis: "You're actually holding it wrong. (Turns the picture around) It's a severed toe." Jules: "Well, it's the best picture of a severed toe that I have ever seen. Yeah, I can't stop looking at it."
-Laurie: "Luckily, I can control my gag reflex. (Looks at Ellie.) Nothing?" Ellie: "I don't swing at soft balls."
-Ellie (To Jules): "It's weird. I have dishes in my sink, and you have chicken bones, tissues, a pair of broken sunglasses, and diapers." Jules: "Grayson baby-proofed my trash can. I have a house full of things that I can't open, including my toilet. Ellie, I had to teetee in the yard." Ellie: "Why didn't you just go in the shower?" Jules: "Gross."
-Jules: "Look, this is probably the last time that I'll have a chance to get great wedding photos." Grayson: "Probably?"
-Angie: "You never said that you wanted to be exclusive." Bobby: "Yes I did. Every time I kiss you, my lips are saying: (uses his fingers to make his lips move) Angie, I want to be exclusive." Angie: "Why do your lips need your fingers to make them talk?" Bobby: "I don't know!"
-Bobby: "I thought we had something special, but I was wrong. We're through. I'd be storming out right now if I hadn't just ordered a cheeseburger."
-Laurie: "Jules told me never to ask, but why do you call me Jellybean?" Ellie: "Well J.B., when Jules first hired you, I thought you were so simple-minded she could convince you that jellybeans were more valuble in gold, and subsequently pay you in jellybeans. This concept was eventually shortened into your nickname: Jellybean."
-Bobby: "Now I know exactly how you felt when I cheated on you all those times." Jules: "Feels a little different. I mean, she's been your girlfriend for two weeks and she kissed a dude, and well we were married, and you banged a thousand waitresses." Bobby: "Is it the waitress part that makes it different?" Jules: "Sure, why not."
-Laurie: "Why do I suck at this?" Ellie: "It's not your fault. When you were a fetus, your mom existed on funnel cakes and motorcycle fumes. Consider it a victory you don't have a tail."
-Bobby: "Angie, how'd you get in here?" Angie: "Your door is held shut with suspenders. When I came in I found a bum making a sandwich." Bobby: "Well, that's just Gary... or Dennis. Did he have a beard or a huge beard?" Angie: "I don't know, I was screaming." Bobby: "That sounds like Gary."
-Jules: "I just, I cannot stand the thought of [Travis] having a crappy life. Why couldn't he be a drug dealer. At least they have cool cars."
-Jules: "Wow, he's really angry with us." Grayson: "Us?" Jules: "Yeah." Grayson: "You told him it was my decision, didn't you?" Jules: "Yeah, and he's still mad at me. That's crazy."
-Andy: "So she found your weak spot?" Bobby: "If that means my ding dong, then yeah."
-Ellie: "I can't do math. I can do basic math, like if the nanny breaks a glass, then that's minus seven dollars from her paycheck."
-Ellie: "I don't think you're dumb. I just think you have a blindspot for Simon." Laurie: "Simon and airport baggage carousels. Everyone else just takes their luggage so easy, I just end up running laps." Ellie: "You have to wait for it."
-Jules: "Hey, what are you up to?" Travis: "I have three midterms next week. What do you think I'm up to?" Jules: "Some nerdy computer thing?" Travis: "Correct."
-Jules: "I'm not going to give you money whenever you need it." Travis: "Yes, you will." Jules: "Yes I will. We should probably open a joint bank account."
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Cougar Town: Something Big
(Note: Due to a time crunch, I am omitting the recap for this week. But don't worry recap lovers, it'll be back next time.)
I Like This: In a way, Something Big is a sequel to last season's two-part Hawaii episode, Something Good Coming. While the Cul De Sac crew is back home this time around, two of the major elements of Something Good Coming (Jules and Grayson dealing with Jules not wanting more kids and Laurie using her relationship with Travis to get him to come back home) return tonight in Something Big, a swell episode that brings a intriguing new element to the show in the form of Tampa, Graysons daughter. This creates an interesting conflict between Jules and Grayson, which drives the episode in an interesting way. I'm glad that the writers didn't forget about Grayson's sleeping with younger women, which was a big part of his character for much of season 1. Mom Holly is an interesting character and it's funny that she's friends with Laurie. Of course she is. And I liked the conclusion with Jules accepting the presence of Tampa, which was sweet. Also sweet was the Travis and Laurie plot. I liked Travis' speech about not being able to let himself get that flirtatious with her again and him ultimately taking part in the big step dance at the end to show that he'll never stop trying to make Laurie smile, even if things have changed was very funny and sweet. There were plenty of laughs to be had this week too, which is always nice.
But: Ellie and Bobby's story was the weakest of the night (Though still funny), and wasn't quite as interesting as the other two stories.
The Bottom Line: Something Big is another great episode of Cougar Town that introduces an interesting (and promising) complication into Jules and Grayson's relationship and brings up the fascinating possibility of a Laurie/Travis pairing once again.
Grade: 88% (Great)
Memorable Moments
-You know what would be cooler than this title card bit? A new title. Cougar Town
-Travis: "So, what brings you to the Phallus Palace?" Laurie: "That would be such a good name for a gay bar." Travis: "Then we shall find a new house name."
-Travis: "I think I'm going to ride out my last week of humiliation here in the Nut Hut." Laurie: "Nope." Travis: "Yeah, that's worse."
-Grayson: "Ohh, she wrote down Narcissist but doesn't say which one of us she means." Both: "I'm sure it's me."
-Grayson: "Thanks for using your influence at the hospital to get us these so fast." Tom: "The head nurse would only give them to me if I could beat her at arm wrestling so I had to steal it."
-Ellie: "You promised Graymond you'd have a kid but you don't want to." Jules: "You don't know that. Maybe I do." Ellie: "Then have a kid." Jules: "I don't want to."
-Grayson: "Holly let you take her?" Jules: "She yelled from the shower it was fine. I'm not even sure she knew it was me."
-Enjoyed Grayson's song about Bobby and Ellie enjoying surfing at the end.
I Like This: In a way, Something Big is a sequel to last season's two-part Hawaii episode, Something Good Coming. While the Cul De Sac crew is back home this time around, two of the major elements of Something Good Coming (Jules and Grayson dealing with Jules not wanting more kids and Laurie using her relationship with Travis to get him to come back home) return tonight in Something Big, a swell episode that brings a intriguing new element to the show in the form of Tampa, Graysons daughter. This creates an interesting conflict between Jules and Grayson, which drives the episode in an interesting way. I'm glad that the writers didn't forget about Grayson's sleeping with younger women, which was a big part of his character for much of season 1. Mom Holly is an interesting character and it's funny that she's friends with Laurie. Of course she is. And I liked the conclusion with Jules accepting the presence of Tampa, which was sweet. Also sweet was the Travis and Laurie plot. I liked Travis' speech about not being able to let himself get that flirtatious with her again and him ultimately taking part in the big step dance at the end to show that he'll never stop trying to make Laurie smile, even if things have changed was very funny and sweet. There were plenty of laughs to be had this week too, which is always nice.
But: Ellie and Bobby's story was the weakest of the night (Though still funny), and wasn't quite as interesting as the other two stories.
The Bottom Line: Something Big is another great episode of Cougar Town that introduces an interesting (and promising) complication into Jules and Grayson's relationship and brings up the fascinating possibility of a Laurie/Travis pairing once again.
Grade: 88% (Great)
Memorable Moments
-You know what would be cooler than this title card bit? A new title. Cougar Town
-Travis: "So, what brings you to the Phallus Palace?" Laurie: "That would be such a good name for a gay bar." Travis: "Then we shall find a new house name."
-Travis: "I think I'm going to ride out my last week of humiliation here in the Nut Hut." Laurie: "Nope." Travis: "Yeah, that's worse."
-Grayson: "Ohh, she wrote down Narcissist but doesn't say which one of us she means." Both: "I'm sure it's me."
-Grayson: "Thanks for using your influence at the hospital to get us these so fast." Tom: "The head nurse would only give them to me if I could beat her at arm wrestling so I had to steal it."
-Ellie: "You promised Graymond you'd have a kid but you don't want to." Jules: "You don't know that. Maybe I do." Ellie: "Then have a kid." Jules: "I don't want to."
-Grayson: "Holly let you take her?" Jules: "She yelled from the shower it was fine. I'm not even sure she knew it was me."
-Enjoyed Grayson's song about Bobby and Ellie enjoying surfing at the end.
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Cougar Town: A One Story Town
What Happened, Yo!:
-Jules is surprised one morning by Ted and his band, who Travis informs her are going to be staying with her for the next week while on their way to audition for Disney World. Jules reluctantly agrees.
-Plenty of Quebecers are in Gulfhaven for the annual Crabfest. Bobby reveals his first meeting with Angie went terribly, as he wasn't good at talking to her, and she got chased off by bees (which she is allergic too.). Jules reveals that Bobby is always a nervous wreck around women he really likes until the first kiss, so she plans a perfect date (Champagne on the golf cart, Penny Can with his best friend and adoring son, a romantic movie, drinks with friends, and a romantic sunset on the beach) where Bobby won't have to do much talking, but will still get the kiss at the end, which will leave him good to go. Meanwhile Jules will run the whole thing from her kitchen with the non-help of Ellie. But things quickly start going wrong with problems popping up at every turn, and despite Jules best attempts to constantly salvage the situation, Angie winds up having burned legs (Bobby accidentally spilled soup on her at the bar because he ordered a bread bowl and tried eating the bread first), and emotional scars (She and Bobby see dead Manatees on the beach, and nothing makes Angie sadder than dead animals. It doesn't help matters that she also loves Manatees). Bobby lets her leave, but Jules is still desperate to save the date, so after convincing Ellie to help by picking up Angie, Jules fetches Ted and his band, and gets both Bobby and Angie to the Crab Festival, where Ted's Band sings the song Kiss the Girl, and Bobby finally gets that first kiss, restoring his confidence.
-In the last scene, Ted is freaked out by how much everyone in town (Ellie, Angie, and Tom in particular) reminds him of people from his old job and really freaks out when Chick wanders in, causing him to hit the screen door, bewildering a pizza guy (Played by Zach Baff) and gaining sympathy (and a high-five) from a pool boy, who may or may not actually be The Todd. Man, Scrubs was great.
I Liked This: And Bam! Two episodes after I was really impressed by Lover's Touch, I get blown away by A One Story Town, a tour de force of everything Cougar Town's good at and a near masterpiece. With only one real plot for the episode to follow, the writers manage to pull everyone into Jules attempts to get Angie to kiss Bobby on the first date (Which will calm his nerves and allow him to act like himself around her.) with great results. There's tons of set-up, pay-offs and callbacks as almost every joke or piece of information from the first part of the episode (Quebeccers in town for Crabfest, Andy's desire to put a racing stripe on Travis' helmet, Laurie loving hot wings, Angie's love of manatees and sadness at dead animals, etc.) comes into play in the second part at just the wrong time to derail Bobby's date with Angie. And when all seems lost, a few more callbacks (Tom's crowd exploding abilities, Tom Cruise running, The Worthless Peons practicing Disney Songs), come into play to save it. It's masterful and really funny. Even the Scrubs reunion that was promised in the description for the episode doesn't derail the episode, as Ted is brought in smoothly, used sparingly throughout the episode (Though I think he got more screentime then Andy and Travis this week) and then let loose in the last scene (which admittedly was only funny if you had a love and/or working knowledge of Scrubs, but since I had both those things, I didn't care if anyone else got it.). And the emotional core of the episode was really effective, as I bought into Jules attempts to help her ex-husband get a shot at happiness and bought into the central dilemma of Bobby's nervousness. And Sarah Chalke continues to be a good addition to the cast, even if she was mainly a reactionary presense this week. So, stellar job Cougar Town. Keep up the great work!
But...: No real problems this week.
The Bottom Line: A One Story Town was a superb episode of Cougar Town, bringing everyone together in a fantastic way and delivering tons of laughs and an amazing Scrubs reunion of sorts.
Grade: 94% (Almost Perfect)
Memorable Moments
-Ted: "Aww, you said that'd be funny." Ellie: "It is. Look how mad she is."
-Things that make Jules wanna die in ascending order: Books, Snakes, PBS, A capella. Later, Laurie's birth story is added to the list above A capella.
-Jules can't explain why Quebecers are attracted to Gulfhaven's crab festival.: "It's one of those unexplainable things like, you know, magnets, volcanoes." Travis: "Those are actually explainable."
-It was a good episode for this title card gag: Welcome to Cougar Town. No, it's not just Scrubs in Florida with lots of wine.
-Andy: "New rule [for Penny Can]! Miss 10 in a row, and anyone wearing a helmet gets a racing stripe." Travis: "How does it apply to anyone but me?" Andy: "It don't."
-Bobby: "So.... what's your sign?" Angie: "Um, Capricorn. What's yours?" Bobby: "Don't got one. Where are ya from?" Angie: "France. You?" Bobby: "France." Angie: "Really?" Bobby: "No."
-Jules: "Okay, we have to help Bobby get this girl." Grayson: "He seems to be fine getting girls on his own." Laurie: "Yeah, he was awesome at it when you guys were married."
-Jules: "You know what happened after that kiss?" Laurie: "He put a baby in you?" Jules: "No, that was a couple days later."
-Laurie: "I love spicy food so hard. I think it's because my mom gave birth to me after a night of pounding Bloody Marys at a White Snake after party. I was a jacuzzi baby. Born.. and conceived in one."
-Laurie: "Wait, so part of your fantasy involves bragging to me that it would work?" Jules: "Yeah." Laurie: "But I never said it wouldn't work." Jules: "Who cares?"
-Jules: "Okay, are you wearing your sports coat?" Bobby: "I am." Jules: "Great. Are you also wearing pants?" (Cut to reveal Bobby in a sports coat and shorts.) Bobby: "Turning around."
-Bobby tries complimenting Angie's dress: "Wow, my Grandmother got buried in a dress just like that." Angie: "I can- I can go change." Bobby: "No, she's not dead. I don't even know why I said that."
-Angie: "Nothing makes me sadder than dead animals." Bobby: "For me, it's my dead Grandma. She did die, I just didn't wanna bring you down earlier.
-Angie: "Bobby, I don't understand why you took your shirt off." Bobby: "Well, you can't break up a fight with your shirt on. I mean, haven't you ever seen Roadhouse? I don't wanna call you a dummy or anything, but dammn."
-Jules: "You know, wearing this headset makes me look like Sigourney Weaver in the movie with the alien." Ellie: "It was called Alien." Jules: "Nope, I'm thinking of a different movie." Ellie: "You're not..."
-Jules: "Hi, you must be Angie. I'm Bobby's ex-wife Jules and this is Bobby's friend Grayson, who's also me fiance." Grayson: "Sometimes it sounds weird when you say facts out loud."
-Tom: "Nice gams. Do you play soccer?" Jules: "Um, Tom? Less creepy, more doctory." Tom: "Oh, right."
-Angie has a Chinese tattoo on her thigh. It means Vegas. She's not proud of it.
-Laurie: "Stupid Canadian kids and your holes!"
-Jules: "Fine, if this is going to stop you from being an insecure little baby, then: (sarcastically) you're the kiss master. Happy?" Grayson: ...Yes! Kiss master in the hiz-house. (To Ellie) Burn!"
-Ellie: "To me, people are just bags of skin that slow down my day."
-Angie: "Who are you?" Ellie: "I'm Sarge!"
-Bobby: "You'll never make it." Jules: "Yes I will." Bobby: "How?" Jules: "Tom Cruise run". Great callback gag in an episode full of them.
-The Blanks got all kinds of opportunities to show off their chops in this episode with Disney tunes, which was nice.
-Ted: "This is weird, man. Everyone here looks like someone from my old job. (Looks at Angie) Old you was nice to me. (Looks at Ellie) Old you hated me." Elle: "I kind of feel the same way now." Ted: "That's exactly what old you would say! (Angie blows her bangs out of her eyes. Ted looks at her again.) That's exactly what old you would do!" Chick (Who has just wandered into the room): "Anybody see Junebug?" Ted: "Oh dear God in heaven!!" (He runs into the glass back door. A pizza boy played by Zach Braff enters the room and looks at him.) Z.B: "Hey man, did you order a pizza? (Ted on the floor backs up further against the wall) Why are you so sweaty?" (A pool boy who's possibly The Todd enters and looks at Ted) Pool Boy: "Are you all right five? (They high-five, while Ted still looks shocked) From the big dog." Oh, Scrubs goodness.
-Jules is surprised one morning by Ted and his band, who Travis informs her are going to be staying with her for the next week while on their way to audition for Disney World. Jules reluctantly agrees.
-Plenty of Quebecers are in Gulfhaven for the annual Crabfest. Bobby reveals his first meeting with Angie went terribly, as he wasn't good at talking to her, and she got chased off by bees (which she is allergic too.). Jules reveals that Bobby is always a nervous wreck around women he really likes until the first kiss, so she plans a perfect date (Champagne on the golf cart, Penny Can with his best friend and adoring son, a romantic movie, drinks with friends, and a romantic sunset on the beach) where Bobby won't have to do much talking, but will still get the kiss at the end, which will leave him good to go. Meanwhile Jules will run the whole thing from her kitchen with the non-help of Ellie. But things quickly start going wrong with problems popping up at every turn, and despite Jules best attempts to constantly salvage the situation, Angie winds up having burned legs (Bobby accidentally spilled soup on her at the bar because he ordered a bread bowl and tried eating the bread first), and emotional scars (She and Bobby see dead Manatees on the beach, and nothing makes Angie sadder than dead animals. It doesn't help matters that she also loves Manatees). Bobby lets her leave, but Jules is still desperate to save the date, so after convincing Ellie to help by picking up Angie, Jules fetches Ted and his band, and gets both Bobby and Angie to the Crab Festival, where Ted's Band sings the song Kiss the Girl, and Bobby finally gets that first kiss, restoring his confidence.
-In the last scene, Ted is freaked out by how much everyone in town (Ellie, Angie, and Tom in particular) reminds him of people from his old job and really freaks out when Chick wanders in, causing him to hit the screen door, bewildering a pizza guy (Played by Zach Baff) and gaining sympathy (and a high-five) from a pool boy, who may or may not actually be The Todd. Man, Scrubs was great.
I Liked This: And Bam! Two episodes after I was really impressed by Lover's Touch, I get blown away by A One Story Town, a tour de force of everything Cougar Town's good at and a near masterpiece. With only one real plot for the episode to follow, the writers manage to pull everyone into Jules attempts to get Angie to kiss Bobby on the first date (Which will calm his nerves and allow him to act like himself around her.) with great results. There's tons of set-up, pay-offs and callbacks as almost every joke or piece of information from the first part of the episode (Quebeccers in town for Crabfest, Andy's desire to put a racing stripe on Travis' helmet, Laurie loving hot wings, Angie's love of manatees and sadness at dead animals, etc.) comes into play in the second part at just the wrong time to derail Bobby's date with Angie. And when all seems lost, a few more callbacks (Tom's crowd exploding abilities, Tom Cruise running, The Worthless Peons practicing Disney Songs), come into play to save it. It's masterful and really funny. Even the Scrubs reunion that was promised in the description for the episode doesn't derail the episode, as Ted is brought in smoothly, used sparingly throughout the episode (Though I think he got more screentime then Andy and Travis this week) and then let loose in the last scene (which admittedly was only funny if you had a love and/or working knowledge of Scrubs, but since I had both those things, I didn't care if anyone else got it.). And the emotional core of the episode was really effective, as I bought into Jules attempts to help her ex-husband get a shot at happiness and bought into the central dilemma of Bobby's nervousness. And Sarah Chalke continues to be a good addition to the cast, even if she was mainly a reactionary presense this week. So, stellar job Cougar Town. Keep up the great work!
But...: No real problems this week.
The Bottom Line: A One Story Town was a superb episode of Cougar Town, bringing everyone together in a fantastic way and delivering tons of laughs and an amazing Scrubs reunion of sorts.
Grade: 94% (Almost Perfect)
Memorable Moments
-Ted: "Aww, you said that'd be funny." Ellie: "It is. Look how mad she is."
-Things that make Jules wanna die in ascending order: Books, Snakes, PBS, A capella. Later, Laurie's birth story is added to the list above A capella.
-Jules can't explain why Quebecers are attracted to Gulfhaven's crab festival.: "It's one of those unexplainable things like, you know, magnets, volcanoes." Travis: "Those are actually explainable."
-It was a good episode for this title card gag: Welcome to Cougar Town. No, it's not just Scrubs in Florida with lots of wine.
-Andy: "New rule [for Penny Can]! Miss 10 in a row, and anyone wearing a helmet gets a racing stripe." Travis: "How does it apply to anyone but me?" Andy: "It don't."
-Bobby: "So.... what's your sign?" Angie: "Um, Capricorn. What's yours?" Bobby: "Don't got one. Where are ya from?" Angie: "France. You?" Bobby: "France." Angie: "Really?" Bobby: "No."
-Jules: "Okay, we have to help Bobby get this girl." Grayson: "He seems to be fine getting girls on his own." Laurie: "Yeah, he was awesome at it when you guys were married."
-Jules: "You know what happened after that kiss?" Laurie: "He put a baby in you?" Jules: "No, that was a couple days later."
-Laurie: "I love spicy food so hard. I think it's because my mom gave birth to me after a night of pounding Bloody Marys at a White Snake after party. I was a jacuzzi baby. Born.. and conceived in one."
-Laurie: "Wait, so part of your fantasy involves bragging to me that it would work?" Jules: "Yeah." Laurie: "But I never said it wouldn't work." Jules: "Who cares?"
-Jules: "Okay, are you wearing your sports coat?" Bobby: "I am." Jules: "Great. Are you also wearing pants?" (Cut to reveal Bobby in a sports coat and shorts.) Bobby: "Turning around."
-Bobby tries complimenting Angie's dress: "Wow, my Grandmother got buried in a dress just like that." Angie: "I can- I can go change." Bobby: "No, she's not dead. I don't even know why I said that."
-Angie: "Nothing makes me sadder than dead animals." Bobby: "For me, it's my dead Grandma. She did die, I just didn't wanna bring you down earlier.
-Angie: "Bobby, I don't understand why you took your shirt off." Bobby: "Well, you can't break up a fight with your shirt on. I mean, haven't you ever seen Roadhouse? I don't wanna call you a dummy or anything, but dammn."
-Jules: "You know, wearing this headset makes me look like Sigourney Weaver in the movie with the alien." Ellie: "It was called Alien." Jules: "Nope, I'm thinking of a different movie." Ellie: "You're not..."
-Jules: "Hi, you must be Angie. I'm Bobby's ex-wife Jules and this is Bobby's friend Grayson, who's also me fiance." Grayson: "Sometimes it sounds weird when you say facts out loud."
-Tom: "Nice gams. Do you play soccer?" Jules: "Um, Tom? Less creepy, more doctory." Tom: "Oh, right."
-Angie has a Chinese tattoo on her thigh. It means Vegas. She's not proud of it.
-Laurie: "Stupid Canadian kids and your holes!"
-Jules: "Fine, if this is going to stop you from being an insecure little baby, then: (sarcastically) you're the kiss master. Happy?" Grayson: ...Yes! Kiss master in the hiz-house. (To Ellie) Burn!"
-Ellie: "To me, people are just bags of skin that slow down my day."
-Angie: "Who are you?" Ellie: "I'm Sarge!"
-Bobby: "You'll never make it." Jules: "Yes I will." Bobby: "How?" Jules: "Tom Cruise run". Great callback gag in an episode full of them.
-The Blanks got all kinds of opportunities to show off their chops in this episode with Disney tunes, which was nice.
-Ted: "This is weird, man. Everyone here looks like someone from my old job. (Looks at Angie) Old you was nice to me. (Looks at Ellie) Old you hated me." Elle: "I kind of feel the same way now." Ted: "That's exactly what old you would say! (Angie blows her bangs out of her eyes. Ted looks at her again.) That's exactly what old you would do!" Chick (Who has just wandered into the room): "Anybody see Junebug?" Ted: "Oh dear God in heaven!!" (He runs into the glass back door. A pizza boy played by Zach Braff enters the room and looks at him.) Z.B: "Hey man, did you order a pizza? (Ted on the floor backs up further against the wall) Why are you so sweaty?" (A pool boy who's possibly The Todd enters and looks at Ted) Pool Boy: "Are you all right five? (They high-five, while Ted still looks shocked) From the big dog." Oh, Scrubs goodness.
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Cougar Town Full Moon Fever
What Happened, Yo!:
-The cul-de-sac is being terrorized by a group of kids who zip through it on their way to the new mall that just opened behind the neighborhood. Andy is hoping to stop them, as he sees himself as the king of the neighborhood, but Jules quickly takes the title of king from him, and gets the rest of the crew to back her up. She tries making a fake policeman to scare off the kids, but Andy exposes it as fake. She comes up with a plan to stop the kids again and gets Andy back for foiling her first plan (and spraying her with water), causing Andy to concede the title to her, but he doesn't leave before giving a speech about how he's never in charge of anything. Andy sinks into a slump and Laurie convinces Jules that she needs to lift him up and make him feel like king. She talks Andy into helping her stop those kids and he talks her into letting him do a Braveheart homage. They trick the kids into going into a sand trap (and when the cops show up because kids get hurt, they get away with being charged because the kids were trespassing) and Andy feels validated as king of the neighborhood.
-Meanwhile Travis is cheating on a photography assignment of taking photos of a stranger in their environment by taking pictures of Bobby (his helmet makes it impossible to do the assignment correctly, because people notice him and call him things like Dork Vader.). His teacher Angie really likes the photos, and when Bobby catches a glimpse of Angie, he falls for her and wants Travis to set him up with her. Travis doesn't want to because he'll be caught cheating and Bobby tells Travis he won't go after his teacher, but he is definitely broken up about it. Grayson points out to Travis that this is the first time in a long time that Bobby has liked someone this much, which convinces Travis to introduce Bobby and Angie (who has been finding herself attracted to the Bobby she sees in the photos.). They both see each other and smile, and the story is left to continue next week.
-Also meanwhile, Laurie tries to prove that sending a naked photo of herself online will cause good things to happen to her by sending it to an army guy in Afghanistan whose been tweeting her. She strikes up a relationship with the guy (even though she barely knows anything about him, including his race) and it quickly becomes serious. Ellie and Grayson mock it and Ellie refuses to see it as a real relationship, until herself and Grayson recite a series of tweets between Laurie and Wade and see how much they care for each other, despite not knowing much about each other. This convinces them to support the relationship.
I Liked This: Full Moon Fever was once again, a splendid episode of Cougar Town. The show is truly on a roll right now and hopefully it won't let up anytime soon. As I've previously mentioned, I'm a big fan of Scrubs so I was excited when I heard Sarah Chalke would be doing an arc as Angie, Travis' photography teacher and Bobby's new love interest. Angie didn't show up that much tonight, as this episode was setting up her as a love interest for Bobby, but she made the most of her limited screen time tonight. Her saying things she wanted to do to Bobby in french, only to find out that Travis knew a bit of french was great. Bobby also had some great stuff this week (his proper usage of the word "idealization" was a highlight.) and I'm excited to see what will happen to his character through these next few episodes.
As for the other stuff, Jules and Andy (One of the more underused combination of characters on the show) also had some great stuff tonight as they clashed against each other and the bicycle gang. The big homage to Braveheart at the end was great, and Ian Gomez was fantastic channeling his inner William Wallace as the crew made their big stand. And Laurie stumbling her way into a new serious relationship was a slight plot this week, but it led to good laughs whenever it had screentime and Laurie and Grayson's recitation of a twitter conversation between Laurie and Wade that started off like they thought it would and ended in a way that sold the two of them on their relationship was probably the best scene of the night (Though the Braveheart scene is a very close second.). And finally, wine fountain! I really hope that comes back because it's a great joke.
But...: No real issues with the episode this week.
The Bottom Line: Full Moon Fever was another great episode of Cougar Town that kept the laughs coming and also had Sarah Chalke and a Braveheart homage to boot. Rock on, Cougar Town. Rock on.
Grade: 85% (Great)
Memorable Moments
-Andy: "Great, they're grossed out by the thought of us naked." Ellie: "Not 'us', my friend."
-Welcome to Cougar Town. Your name isn't that great either.
-Tom: "The Bicycle Boys are bad news Jules. They write 'Don't' on the Stop Signs, they call anybody over twenty Grandpa. They... made my garden gnomes gay." (Cut to kissing garden gnomes) Jules: "Heh, actually that was me, Tom."
-Jules: "Kings didn't build the Pyramids, slaves did... Or aliens."
-Grayson after trying to get Bobby to purse his lips for the photos: "What? It's- it's what we did when I was an underwear model for Montgomery Ward." Bobby: "You just tried to slip that one in there, didn't ya?" Grayson: "There are two types of underwear models: front guys and butt guys. I was both." Travis: "He said proudly."
-Laurie: "The whole world saw Paris Hilton's "Bert's" and "Ernie's" and now she's rich!" Grayson: "Yeah, and now she's rich." Laurie: "Jules put naked pictures of herself online." Jules: "That was an accident. Apparently anyone can call themselves an online dermatologist. Now I have Ellie check my downstairs moles."
-Angie to Travis: "Look at me... wow, it's not easy having an honest moment with a kid wearing a helmet. I'll push through."
-The Green Screen makes a triumphant return tonight! Good to see.
-Jules: "Do you really wanna see a middle-aged woman pee in the middle of the street? Yeah, I'd wanna see that too."
-Laurie: "Guess what? ... The army guy and I stayed up all night tweeting and now we're dating. It's actually pretty serious." Grayson: "It's healthy when things move that fast."
-Laurie: "I wonder what he looks like. I hope if he's black, he's super black. Dark black is hot. Is that racist?" (Grayson and Ellie huddle for a second.) Grayson: "No, but it makes us uncomfortable."
-Bobby: "I mean, haven't you ever felt an instant connection with someone you just met?" Ellie: "Never." Grayson: "Once..." Laurie: "Several times a week."
-Penny Can also makes a triumphant return tonight. This time with a new thing to say when clean-up time comes. "Penny Pick-up!"
-Andy: "You win. You're king of the neighborhood." Jules: "Andy, please don't do that thing where you turn something small into something serious. I'm begging you." Andy: "I never get to be in charge of anything in my life!" Jules: "And here we go."
-Andy: "My heart feels like your sad face." Bobby: "My face feels like your sad eyes."
-Bobby: "Look, I know the way I feel about this woman is classic idealization. (Everyone looks up) Surprised I know what idealization means?" Everyone: "Yeah." Bobby: "Me too. I have no idea how it got in there."
-Ellie about Wade's photo: "He looks sweet. He's naked, but still sweet."
-Jules: "Is Braveheart a movie?" Grayson: "He's a famous Indian Chief." Jules: "I knew it!" Once again, Jules lack of knowledge about movies is a great source for laughs.
-Tom: "You put wine in my fountain?" Jules: "You're welcome." Tom: "But it looks like a fountain of blood. People are going to think I'm creepy." Ellie: "I think the ship's sailed on that one big guy."
-The cul-de-sac is being terrorized by a group of kids who zip through it on their way to the new mall that just opened behind the neighborhood. Andy is hoping to stop them, as he sees himself as the king of the neighborhood, but Jules quickly takes the title of king from him, and gets the rest of the crew to back her up. She tries making a fake policeman to scare off the kids, but Andy exposes it as fake. She comes up with a plan to stop the kids again and gets Andy back for foiling her first plan (and spraying her with water), causing Andy to concede the title to her, but he doesn't leave before giving a speech about how he's never in charge of anything. Andy sinks into a slump and Laurie convinces Jules that she needs to lift him up and make him feel like king. She talks Andy into helping her stop those kids and he talks her into letting him do a Braveheart homage. They trick the kids into going into a sand trap (and when the cops show up because kids get hurt, they get away with being charged because the kids were trespassing) and Andy feels validated as king of the neighborhood.
-Meanwhile Travis is cheating on a photography assignment of taking photos of a stranger in their environment by taking pictures of Bobby (his helmet makes it impossible to do the assignment correctly, because people notice him and call him things like Dork Vader.). His teacher Angie really likes the photos, and when Bobby catches a glimpse of Angie, he falls for her and wants Travis to set him up with her. Travis doesn't want to because he'll be caught cheating and Bobby tells Travis he won't go after his teacher, but he is definitely broken up about it. Grayson points out to Travis that this is the first time in a long time that Bobby has liked someone this much, which convinces Travis to introduce Bobby and Angie (who has been finding herself attracted to the Bobby she sees in the photos.). They both see each other and smile, and the story is left to continue next week.
-Also meanwhile, Laurie tries to prove that sending a naked photo of herself online will cause good things to happen to her by sending it to an army guy in Afghanistan whose been tweeting her. She strikes up a relationship with the guy (even though she barely knows anything about him, including his race) and it quickly becomes serious. Ellie and Grayson mock it and Ellie refuses to see it as a real relationship, until herself and Grayson recite a series of tweets between Laurie and Wade and see how much they care for each other, despite not knowing much about each other. This convinces them to support the relationship.
I Liked This: Full Moon Fever was once again, a splendid episode of Cougar Town. The show is truly on a roll right now and hopefully it won't let up anytime soon. As I've previously mentioned, I'm a big fan of Scrubs so I was excited when I heard Sarah Chalke would be doing an arc as Angie, Travis' photography teacher and Bobby's new love interest. Angie didn't show up that much tonight, as this episode was setting up her as a love interest for Bobby, but she made the most of her limited screen time tonight. Her saying things she wanted to do to Bobby in french, only to find out that Travis knew a bit of french was great. Bobby also had some great stuff this week (his proper usage of the word "idealization" was a highlight.) and I'm excited to see what will happen to his character through these next few episodes.
As for the other stuff, Jules and Andy (One of the more underused combination of characters on the show) also had some great stuff tonight as they clashed against each other and the bicycle gang. The big homage to Braveheart at the end was great, and Ian Gomez was fantastic channeling his inner William Wallace as the crew made their big stand. And Laurie stumbling her way into a new serious relationship was a slight plot this week, but it led to good laughs whenever it had screentime and Laurie and Grayson's recitation of a twitter conversation between Laurie and Wade that started off like they thought it would and ended in a way that sold the two of them on their relationship was probably the best scene of the night (Though the Braveheart scene is a very close second.). And finally, wine fountain! I really hope that comes back because it's a great joke.
But...: No real issues with the episode this week.
The Bottom Line: Full Moon Fever was another great episode of Cougar Town that kept the laughs coming and also had Sarah Chalke and a Braveheart homage to boot. Rock on, Cougar Town. Rock on.
Grade: 85% (Great)
Memorable Moments
-Andy: "Great, they're grossed out by the thought of us naked." Ellie: "Not 'us', my friend."
-Welcome to Cougar Town. Your name isn't that great either.
-Tom: "The Bicycle Boys are bad news Jules. They write 'Don't' on the Stop Signs, they call anybody over twenty Grandpa. They... made my garden gnomes gay." (Cut to kissing garden gnomes) Jules: "Heh, actually that was me, Tom."
-Jules: "Kings didn't build the Pyramids, slaves did... Or aliens."
-Grayson after trying to get Bobby to purse his lips for the photos: "What? It's- it's what we did when I was an underwear model for Montgomery Ward." Bobby: "You just tried to slip that one in there, didn't ya?" Grayson: "There are two types of underwear models: front guys and butt guys. I was both." Travis: "He said proudly."
-Laurie: "The whole world saw Paris Hilton's "Bert's" and "Ernie's" and now she's rich!" Grayson: "Yeah, and now she's rich." Laurie: "Jules put naked pictures of herself online." Jules: "That was an accident. Apparently anyone can call themselves an online dermatologist. Now I have Ellie check my downstairs moles."
-Angie to Travis: "Look at me... wow, it's not easy having an honest moment with a kid wearing a helmet. I'll push through."
-The Green Screen makes a triumphant return tonight! Good to see.
-Jules: "Do you really wanna see a middle-aged woman pee in the middle of the street? Yeah, I'd wanna see that too."
-Laurie: "Guess what? ... The army guy and I stayed up all night tweeting and now we're dating. It's actually pretty serious." Grayson: "It's healthy when things move that fast."
-Laurie: "I wonder what he looks like. I hope if he's black, he's super black. Dark black is hot. Is that racist?" (Grayson and Ellie huddle for a second.) Grayson: "No, but it makes us uncomfortable."
-Bobby: "I mean, haven't you ever felt an instant connection with someone you just met?" Ellie: "Never." Grayson: "Once..." Laurie: "Several times a week."
-Penny Can also makes a triumphant return tonight. This time with a new thing to say when clean-up time comes. "Penny Pick-up!"
-Andy: "You win. You're king of the neighborhood." Jules: "Andy, please don't do that thing where you turn something small into something serious. I'm begging you." Andy: "I never get to be in charge of anything in my life!" Jules: "And here we go."
-Andy: "My heart feels like your sad face." Bobby: "My face feels like your sad eyes."
-Bobby: "Look, I know the way I feel about this woman is classic idealization. (Everyone looks up) Surprised I know what idealization means?" Everyone: "Yeah." Bobby: "Me too. I have no idea how it got in there."
-Ellie about Wade's photo: "He looks sweet. He's naked, but still sweet."
-Jules: "Is Braveheart a movie?" Grayson: "He's a famous Indian Chief." Jules: "I knew it!" Once again, Jules lack of knowledge about movies is a great source for laughs.
-Tom: "You put wine in my fountain?" Jules: "You're welcome." Tom: "But it looks like a fountain of blood. People are going to think I'm creepy." Ellie: "I think the ship's sailed on that one big guy."
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Cougar Town: Lover's Touch
What Happened, Yo!:
-Travis convinces Jules that instead of worrying about him, she should be wrapped up in planning her wedding and spend all her time doing that. So Jules begins devoting most of her time to wedding planning, only to be interrupted when Travis gets into an accident while being pulled on his skateboard by dog Travis. Jules cares for Travis and tries to keep him in a good head space, planning on delaying her meltdown until after Travis is fine. Travis is worried about how this injury will affect his image and becomes more worried when he's told he has to wear a helmet for two months while his skull heals. Jules again tries to make him feel better about this, and seems to have avoided her meltdown, only for the panic to creep back when Travis says he doesn't plan on wearing his helmet at college.
-Meanwhile, the boys have invented a game called Dominance Ball, where you try to hit someone with a ball when they aren't working to assert dominance. Laurie doesn't want to play, but becomes offended when she finds out it's just for dudes. She teams up with Ellie and the pair (with help from Jules) start competing against the boys in a game of Dominance Ball that doesn't end until someone cries. The girls are ruthless, but the boys plan to fight back.
-While Laurie is talking to Travis, they throw a ball at her, but it almost hits Travis right in the skull when Jules catches it. She pleads with Travis to keep wearing the helmet, and when Travis tells her not to worry about him, she snaps that she will never stop worrying about him. She asks for him to wear the helmet so she can sleep at night and he agrees, but laurie wonders if Travis will still wear the helmet when they can't see him.
-Meanwhile Jules manic wedding planning is making Grayson long for touch and intimacy. Andy (who is used to a lack of touch and intimacy) goes from mocking him to trying to help him adjust, but Grayson still thinks he's one of Jules main priorities, until he sees he's only number 5 on Jules speed dial. Grayson starts longing for touch (Though he doesn't try to get it from the dog park, like Andy does), even from random bar patrons. Grayson and Andy lament how they wish they could get attention when they want it and then be left alone the rest of the time, when the opposite always seems to happen. Eventually though, Jules does make time for Grayson after Andy gets Grayson to act like he doesn't want it.
I Like This: Season 3 is 3 episodes old, but Lover's Touch already has a spot as one of my favorites of the season. For starters, we learned plenty of stuff about Tom that we didn't know before, making him a more three dimensional character (Though still a pretty creepy one). And Jules constantly forgetting what his last name was was quite funny. This episode also marks the debut of Travis' helmet which he apparently has to wear for several weeks because the writers hated Dan Byrd's hair last season. True story. The sight gag of Travis in the helmet may get old by the end of the season, but it works splendid right now. And the story of Travis trying to convince Jules she doesn't need to worry about him and should focus on her wedding, only for Jules to break down at the end with her touching speech about how she'll always worry about him was great and true to Jules character. She can't control Travis life anymore, but that doesn't mean she can't care about what he does in his life. And Grayson and Andy proved to be a great team this week, as Grayson grapples with his newfound need for intimacy and touch, while Andy tries to help him through it. Their "treat us like babies" conversation was full of funny moments (Andy spying on Grayson is a great idea that should be explored further) and helped to illustrate how far Grayson has come since the start of the show. And the visits to the dog park never got old.
But...: Dominance Ball turning into a battle of the sexes felt like it was from a different episode of the show completely, because outside of the last scene where it serves as the catalyst for the emotional climax, it doesn't really fit in the episode (Though it was pretty funny).
The Bottom Line: Lover's Touch was yet another great episode of Cougar Town and probably my favorite of the season so far (Though the season is only 3 episodes old.). Here's hoping this greatness streak continues!
Grade: 85% (Great)
Memorable Moments
-Grayson after Jules and Travis start eating Caveman style: "Did you at least wash your hands?" Travis (in fake British accent): "Oh, the king of England wants to know if our hands are clean."
-Welcome to Cougar Town: This is not The Simpsons chalkboard bit. This is not The Simpsons chalkboard bit. This is not The Simpsons chalkboard bit.
-Laurie: "I would totally date a guy with no feet. It'd just be one less gross thing for me to deal with." Andy: "Are you trying to tell me I shouldn't wear flip-flops?" Laurie: "No. (She takes a look at Andy's feet) Oh God, yes! They're all big toes."
-Bobby: "Don't worry. D-ball is just for dudes. Laurie: "Nothing's 'just for dudes' anymore. Not NASCAR, not cigars, not even peeing standing up."
-Grayson: "We're gonna get crazy on our wedding night, aren't we?" Jules: "Oh, yeahh. (beat) Maybe. I get really tired at weddings."
-Grayson: "No woman can ignore... The Truth." Andy: "Did you just call your body 'The Truth'". Grayson: "I did and I did it unironically."
-Ellie: "Hey Tom. It's sweet you came, but why don't you leave the medical stuff to the doctors". Tom: "I am a doctor. I'm the head neurosurgeon here."
-Tom: "Do you people not even know my last name?" Jules: "Of course we know your last name. Tom Gazelian: Then say it. They just said it on the intercom two seconds ago." Ellie: "Who cares?" Laurie: "Galifanaskis?" Andy: "Gabbagabbahey?" Bobby: "Gazoo?" Jules: "Gazoinks." Tom: "You think my name is Tom Gazoinks?" Jules: "Tom, I've had a rough day. Can't I get a pass?" (They hug.) Tom: "Can I still be mad at them (motions to everyone else)" Jules: "Go nuts."
-Jules: "I am so glad you're okay." Travis: "I fractured my skull."
-Ellie: "Back in college, I was a sucker for injuries. If a guy had a scar or a missing finger or just did stuff. I miss being a ho." Laurie: "You want back in? Because we'll take you back."
-Travis: "Yeah, I'm sure panties will drop when girls find out I was being pulled by my dog on a skateboard, saw a monarch butterfly and said 'Hey, you're not native to Florida'. CRASH"
-Jules: "So Travis, you get to head back to college and jump into life like nothing ever happened." Tom: "And here's your helmet." Travis: "My what?"
-Laurie: "This is an exact replica of the helmet Amelia Airhart wore when she invented airplanes." Travis: "Uhuh" Laurie: "When her baby got stolen!" Travis: "Nope."
-Andy:"Can't even go back to being an emotionally walled-off cyborg. That's how you messed up your first marriage. Stopped sharing your feelings. Spent hours trying to fix a bread maker that wasn't broken just to avoid another silent dinner." Grayson: "How? I didn't even know you back then." Andy: "When I got bored, I'd get a chair and sit outside your window. I really liked your hair back then." Grayson: "Thanks, so did I but Jules likes it like this."
-Grayson: "I just want her to give me attention when I want it and leave me alone when I don't. Andy: "Like a baby." Grayson: "Yeah, just treat me like a baby."
-Andy: "You know, you should really let people see those paintings you've been working on in your room." Grayson: "Stop spying on me." Andy: "Stop being so talented."
-Laurie: "You know, I almost died once in an amusement park. I got strangled by an animatronic bear. Turns out when you throw a whole cup of soda on it, those things go crazy. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but they actually had to shoot it."
-Jules: "I will never stop worrying about you. When you're 80 and I'm telling everyone that I'm 90, and getting away with it by the way, I will still lay awake at night in the nursing home where we live together, waiting for you to get home."
-Jules: "Someone added a name to the guest list. T Gazelian? Who the hell is that?"
-Travis convinces Jules that instead of worrying about him, she should be wrapped up in planning her wedding and spend all her time doing that. So Jules begins devoting most of her time to wedding planning, only to be interrupted when Travis gets into an accident while being pulled on his skateboard by dog Travis. Jules cares for Travis and tries to keep him in a good head space, planning on delaying her meltdown until after Travis is fine. Travis is worried about how this injury will affect his image and becomes more worried when he's told he has to wear a helmet for two months while his skull heals. Jules again tries to make him feel better about this, and seems to have avoided her meltdown, only for the panic to creep back when Travis says he doesn't plan on wearing his helmet at college.
-Meanwhile, the boys have invented a game called Dominance Ball, where you try to hit someone with a ball when they aren't working to assert dominance. Laurie doesn't want to play, but becomes offended when she finds out it's just for dudes. She teams up with Ellie and the pair (with help from Jules) start competing against the boys in a game of Dominance Ball that doesn't end until someone cries. The girls are ruthless, but the boys plan to fight back.
-While Laurie is talking to Travis, they throw a ball at her, but it almost hits Travis right in the skull when Jules catches it. She pleads with Travis to keep wearing the helmet, and when Travis tells her not to worry about him, she snaps that she will never stop worrying about him. She asks for him to wear the helmet so she can sleep at night and he agrees, but laurie wonders if Travis will still wear the helmet when they can't see him.
-Meanwhile Jules manic wedding planning is making Grayson long for touch and intimacy. Andy (who is used to a lack of touch and intimacy) goes from mocking him to trying to help him adjust, but Grayson still thinks he's one of Jules main priorities, until he sees he's only number 5 on Jules speed dial. Grayson starts longing for touch (Though he doesn't try to get it from the dog park, like Andy does), even from random bar patrons. Grayson and Andy lament how they wish they could get attention when they want it and then be left alone the rest of the time, when the opposite always seems to happen. Eventually though, Jules does make time for Grayson after Andy gets Grayson to act like he doesn't want it.
I Like This: Season 3 is 3 episodes old, but Lover's Touch already has a spot as one of my favorites of the season. For starters, we learned plenty of stuff about Tom that we didn't know before, making him a more three dimensional character (Though still a pretty creepy one). And Jules constantly forgetting what his last name was was quite funny. This episode also marks the debut of Travis' helmet which he apparently has to wear for several weeks because the writers hated Dan Byrd's hair last season. True story. The sight gag of Travis in the helmet may get old by the end of the season, but it works splendid right now. And the story of Travis trying to convince Jules she doesn't need to worry about him and should focus on her wedding, only for Jules to break down at the end with her touching speech about how she'll always worry about him was great and true to Jules character. She can't control Travis life anymore, but that doesn't mean she can't care about what he does in his life. And Grayson and Andy proved to be a great team this week, as Grayson grapples with his newfound need for intimacy and touch, while Andy tries to help him through it. Their "treat us like babies" conversation was full of funny moments (Andy spying on Grayson is a great idea that should be explored further) and helped to illustrate how far Grayson has come since the start of the show. And the visits to the dog park never got old.
But...: Dominance Ball turning into a battle of the sexes felt like it was from a different episode of the show completely, because outside of the last scene where it serves as the catalyst for the emotional climax, it doesn't really fit in the episode (Though it was pretty funny).
The Bottom Line: Lover's Touch was yet another great episode of Cougar Town and probably my favorite of the season so far (Though the season is only 3 episodes old.). Here's hoping this greatness streak continues!
Grade: 85% (Great)
Memorable Moments
-Grayson after Jules and Travis start eating Caveman style: "Did you at least wash your hands?" Travis (in fake British accent): "Oh, the king of England wants to know if our hands are clean."
-Welcome to Cougar Town: This is not The Simpsons chalkboard bit. This is not The Simpsons chalkboard bit. This is not The Simpsons chalkboard bit.
-Laurie: "I would totally date a guy with no feet. It'd just be one less gross thing for me to deal with." Andy: "Are you trying to tell me I shouldn't wear flip-flops?" Laurie: "No. (She takes a look at Andy's feet) Oh God, yes! They're all big toes."
-Bobby: "Don't worry. D-ball is just for dudes. Laurie: "Nothing's 'just for dudes' anymore. Not NASCAR, not cigars, not even peeing standing up."
-Grayson: "We're gonna get crazy on our wedding night, aren't we?" Jules: "Oh, yeahh. (beat) Maybe. I get really tired at weddings."
-Grayson: "No woman can ignore... The Truth." Andy: "Did you just call your body 'The Truth'". Grayson: "I did and I did it unironically."
-Ellie: "Hey Tom. It's sweet you came, but why don't you leave the medical stuff to the doctors". Tom: "I am a doctor. I'm the head neurosurgeon here."
-Tom: "Do you people not even know my last name?" Jules: "Of course we know your last name. Tom Gazelian: Then say it. They just said it on the intercom two seconds ago." Ellie: "Who cares?" Laurie: "Galifanaskis?" Andy: "Gabbagabbahey?" Bobby: "Gazoo?" Jules: "Gazoinks." Tom: "You think my name is Tom Gazoinks?" Jules: "Tom, I've had a rough day. Can't I get a pass?" (They hug.) Tom: "Can I still be mad at them (motions to everyone else)" Jules: "Go nuts."
-Jules: "I am so glad you're okay." Travis: "I fractured my skull."
-Ellie: "Back in college, I was a sucker for injuries. If a guy had a scar or a missing finger or just did stuff. I miss being a ho." Laurie: "You want back in? Because we'll take you back."
-Travis: "Yeah, I'm sure panties will drop when girls find out I was being pulled by my dog on a skateboard, saw a monarch butterfly and said 'Hey, you're not native to Florida'. CRASH"
-Jules: "So Travis, you get to head back to college and jump into life like nothing ever happened." Tom: "And here's your helmet." Travis: "My what?"
-Laurie: "This is an exact replica of the helmet Amelia Airhart wore when she invented airplanes." Travis: "Uhuh" Laurie: "When her baby got stolen!" Travis: "Nope."
-Andy:"Can't even go back to being an emotionally walled-off cyborg. That's how you messed up your first marriage. Stopped sharing your feelings. Spent hours trying to fix a bread maker that wasn't broken just to avoid another silent dinner." Grayson: "How? I didn't even know you back then." Andy: "When I got bored, I'd get a chair and sit outside your window. I really liked your hair back then." Grayson: "Thanks, so did I but Jules likes it like this."
-Grayson: "I just want her to give me attention when I want it and leave me alone when I don't. Andy: "Like a baby." Grayson: "Yeah, just treat me like a baby."
-Andy: "You know, you should really let people see those paintings you've been working on in your room." Grayson: "Stop spying on me." Andy: "Stop being so talented."
-Laurie: "You know, I almost died once in an amusement park. I got strangled by an animatronic bear. Turns out when you throw a whole cup of soda on it, those things go crazy. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but they actually had to shoot it."
-Jules: "I will never stop worrying about you. When you're 80 and I'm telling everyone that I'm 90, and getting away with it by the way, I will still lay awake at night in the nursing home where we live together, waiting for you to get home."
-Jules: "Someone added a name to the guest list. T Gazelian? Who the hell is that?"
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Cougar Town: A Mind With A Heart Of Its Own
What Happened, Yo!:
-Now that Jules and Grayson are engaged, Jules begins planning the wedding. She asks Ellie to be her <aid of Honor and Ellie accepts, on the condition that Jule not be a people pleaser when it comes to her wedding and be selfish. Jules goes to tell Laurie that she's a bridesmaid, but Laurie (who assumes Jules is asking Laurie to be Maid of Honor) tells her that Ellie should be the Maid of Honor and asks if Jules could make them both Co-Maids of Honor. Jules accepts and tries to pass it off to Ellie as her idea. She fakes asking Laurie again without telling Laurie what's up, but Ellie catches on when Lauries makes the two of them Co-Moh (It's an abbreviation) shirts less than an hour after allegedly accepting the offer. Laurie gets mad and says she's out as Maid of Honor but Jules tells her to just accept it and start writing the toast (the only thing Ellie has to do).
-Meanwhile Bobby has made a zip-line to connect Jules and Grayson's houses as his wedding gift and as a metaphor that he's cool with them getting married. Andy doesn't think it's a good idea, but feels bad when Jules also doesn't like it. But Jules (who was on the roof when she told Ellie she couldn't quit being Co-Maid of Honor) winds up using it when Ellie starts to cross the street to tell Laurie the truth. Jules injures herself, causing Bobby to take it down) but she appreciates the gesture.
-An injured Jules tells Ellie she's mad because Ellie is acting like she's flawless, but she points out Ellie can be mean. She also points out that she likes being a people pleaser and that Ellie doesn't mind when she's the one Jules is pleasing. Ellie apologizes, but Jules is still mad so they stage Ellie's fake murder to bury the hatchet.
-Meanwhile, Travis is visiting his grandfather and Jules makes Grayson go so he can ask permission to marry Jules. He asks, but Chick isn't ready to give him permission yet. He tells Grayson that Grayson seems to care about Jules like he cares about his horse before trying to make Grayson shoot the horse to prove his love. Grayson won't do it, and also doesn't know that Chick's horse is fine and he's being tricked. Chick later tells Travis he's torturing Grayson because he failed Jules by letting her marry Bobby and he doesn't want to do that again. Travis tells him Grayson is a good guy and Chick agrees, but they then have to stop Grayson who they see going back to shoot the horse.
I Liked This:
A Mind With A Heart of Its Own was another funny episode of Cougar Town, once again being quite funny (The Two-Man Sad Zip-Line) with some good running gags (Jules not knowing anything about movies and the fake murders come to mind, as does "Thanks, babe".) and also having plenty of heart (The reason Chick's been messing with Grayson.). The main plot with Jules letting Laurie being Co-Maid of Honor and trying to deceive Ellie about it was a good one and I enjoyed how it tied in with the whole zip-line thing (Jules falling onto the car was great). Meanwhile, Ken Jenkins returned as Jules father and the results were quite funny indeed. I was a big fan of Ken Jenkins on Scrubs and I enjoy him on Cougar Town too, so I enjoyed him messing with Grayson. Who doesn't enjoy a storyline where a man is being forced to shoot a horse as a test to show he'd do anything for his fiance? And I enjoyed the sentiment at the end of the story too. Bobby is a good person, but he was a bad husband, so it's natural that Chick would be apprehensive about Grayson at first.
But...: Ir's too bad we didn't get more stuff with the zip-line. Zip-lines are awesome.
The Bottom Line: A Mind With A Heart Of Its Own was a solid episode of Cougar Town with plenty of laughs and plenty of Ken Jenkins.
Grade: 82% (Great)
Memorable Moments
-Titles We Liked Better Than Cougar Town: Sunshine State, The Drinking Age, Cougar City, Mid-Life
-Laurie: "Ohh. You're getting married. It's so romantic, like that movie Inception when Leo loved his wife SO much, but then she gets mad and moves to that weird city where there's like, no people and earthquakes all the time. Then he ends up on Snow Mountain and falls in love with Juno". Ellie: "Aw, Jellybean. You didn't understand that movie at all, didja?" Laurie: "No, but I cried so hard at the end."
-Laurie: "I got those guys THE best engagement gift. It's a giant portrait of them, but it's made entirely out of chocolate. You know, they're way better as a black couple." Bobby: "Most people are." Laurie: "Truth.
-Bobby: "What's a better way of telling them I'm cool with everything?" Andy: "How bout' just tell them?" Bobby: "Well, that's dumb."
-Laurie: "Jules is skittish about stuff you build. Ever since you tried to kill her with those 'tub speakers'". Bobby: "Well, I said she could take bath OR listen to music."
-Jules: "As my Co-Maid of Honor-" Laurie: "Oh, just say Co-moh. It's a new abreev I came up with. Total T-Saver."
-Bobby: "Just come on up here so I can push you off the roof." Jules: "No! Wait, that's just not big enough. Noooo!"
-Travis: "Grayson, you're acting like you've never shot a horse before!" Grayson: "I haven't!" Travis: "That's kind of weird. you're a full grown man."
-Jules: "I mean, why do they even make thongs for kids?" Ellie: "That wouldn't have been a thong on a six-year-old." Jules: "Mean."
-Ellie: "I said people-pleasing annoys me. Not Ellie-pleasing. I love that."
-
-Now that Jules and Grayson are engaged, Jules begins planning the wedding. She asks Ellie to be her <aid of Honor and Ellie accepts, on the condition that Jule not be a people pleaser when it comes to her wedding and be selfish. Jules goes to tell Laurie that she's a bridesmaid, but Laurie (who assumes Jules is asking Laurie to be Maid of Honor) tells her that Ellie should be the Maid of Honor and asks if Jules could make them both Co-Maids of Honor. Jules accepts and tries to pass it off to Ellie as her idea. She fakes asking Laurie again without telling Laurie what's up, but Ellie catches on when Lauries makes the two of them Co-Moh (It's an abbreviation) shirts less than an hour after allegedly accepting the offer. Laurie gets mad and says she's out as Maid of Honor but Jules tells her to just accept it and start writing the toast (the only thing Ellie has to do).
-Meanwhile Bobby has made a zip-line to connect Jules and Grayson's houses as his wedding gift and as a metaphor that he's cool with them getting married. Andy doesn't think it's a good idea, but feels bad when Jules also doesn't like it. But Jules (who was on the roof when she told Ellie she couldn't quit being Co-Maid of Honor) winds up using it when Ellie starts to cross the street to tell Laurie the truth. Jules injures herself, causing Bobby to take it down) but she appreciates the gesture.
-An injured Jules tells Ellie she's mad because Ellie is acting like she's flawless, but she points out Ellie can be mean. She also points out that she likes being a people pleaser and that Ellie doesn't mind when she's the one Jules is pleasing. Ellie apologizes, but Jules is still mad so they stage Ellie's fake murder to bury the hatchet.
-Meanwhile, Travis is visiting his grandfather and Jules makes Grayson go so he can ask permission to marry Jules. He asks, but Chick isn't ready to give him permission yet. He tells Grayson that Grayson seems to care about Jules like he cares about his horse before trying to make Grayson shoot the horse to prove his love. Grayson won't do it, and also doesn't know that Chick's horse is fine and he's being tricked. Chick later tells Travis he's torturing Grayson because he failed Jules by letting her marry Bobby and he doesn't want to do that again. Travis tells him Grayson is a good guy and Chick agrees, but they then have to stop Grayson who they see going back to shoot the horse.
I Liked This:
A Mind With A Heart of Its Own was another funny episode of Cougar Town, once again being quite funny (The Two-Man Sad Zip-Line) with some good running gags (Jules not knowing anything about movies and the fake murders come to mind, as does "Thanks, babe".) and also having plenty of heart (The reason Chick's been messing with Grayson.). The main plot with Jules letting Laurie being Co-Maid of Honor and trying to deceive Ellie about it was a good one and I enjoyed how it tied in with the whole zip-line thing (Jules falling onto the car was great). Meanwhile, Ken Jenkins returned as Jules father and the results were quite funny indeed. I was a big fan of Ken Jenkins on Scrubs and I enjoy him on Cougar Town too, so I enjoyed him messing with Grayson. Who doesn't enjoy a storyline where a man is being forced to shoot a horse as a test to show he'd do anything for his fiance? And I enjoyed the sentiment at the end of the story too. Bobby is a good person, but he was a bad husband, so it's natural that Chick would be apprehensive about Grayson at first.
But...: Ir's too bad we didn't get more stuff with the zip-line. Zip-lines are awesome.
The Bottom Line: A Mind With A Heart Of Its Own was a solid episode of Cougar Town with plenty of laughs and plenty of Ken Jenkins.
Grade: 82% (Great)
Memorable Moments
-Titles We Liked Better Than Cougar Town: Sunshine State, The Drinking Age, Cougar City, Mid-Life
-Laurie: "Ohh. You're getting married. It's so romantic, like that movie Inception when Leo loved his wife SO much, but then she gets mad and moves to that weird city where there's like, no people and earthquakes all the time. Then he ends up on Snow Mountain and falls in love with Juno". Ellie: "Aw, Jellybean. You didn't understand that movie at all, didja?" Laurie: "No, but I cried so hard at the end."
-Laurie: "I got those guys THE best engagement gift. It's a giant portrait of them, but it's made entirely out of chocolate. You know, they're way better as a black couple." Bobby: "Most people are." Laurie: "Truth.
-Bobby: "What's a better way of telling them I'm cool with everything?" Andy: "How bout' just tell them?" Bobby: "Well, that's dumb."
-Laurie: "Jules is skittish about stuff you build. Ever since you tried to kill her with those 'tub speakers'". Bobby: "Well, I said she could take bath OR listen to music."
-Jules: "As my Co-Maid of Honor-" Laurie: "Oh, just say Co-moh. It's a new abreev I came up with. Total T-Saver."
-Bobby: "Just come on up here so I can push you off the roof." Jules: "No! Wait, that's just not big enough. Noooo!"
-Travis: "Grayson, you're acting like you've never shot a horse before!" Grayson: "I haven't!" Travis: "That's kind of weird. you're a full grown man."
-Jules: "I mean, why do they even make thongs for kids?" Ellie: "That wouldn't have been a thong on a six-year-old." Jules: "Mean."
-Ellie: "I said people-pleasing annoys me. Not Ellie-pleasing. I love that."
-
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Cougar Town: Ain't Love Strange
When Cougar Town first came out, I'll admit it: I was one of those people who wouldn't watch it because of it's title. Even after learning that the show had changed and strayed away from it's initial premise, and even as I saw it get more and more critically acclaimed, and even as one of my favorite shows Community began promoting the show, I just couldn't bring myself to watch it out of some sort of apathy. But when Cougar Town was held back from the ABC midseason schedule days after Community was taken off NBC's schedule, I realized that maybe I had made a mistake. Cougar Town was in the same boat as Community, so I should at least give it a chance. And I'm glad I did, because I quickly grew attached to Cougar Town and found myself anxiously awaiting the show's return. So now it's back and as I prepare to kick off my opinion of the season 3 premiere, I want to promise right now that I will never judge a show I hear good things about based on it's title alone again. So with that out of the way, let's get started:
What Happened, Yo!:
-After Jules yells at some skateboarders, Grayson tells her he knew she would do that because she's predictable. She gets mad at this and tries to prove she's unpredictable to no success. After the skateboarders apparently shark her car, she decides to get back at them by TPing what she understands to be their house late at night with Tom. Laurie also comes along, but when they hear police sirens, Laurie (who has an ankle monitor and two strikes) bolts and Tom tries to make a distraction, only to start yelling about being Tasered. Jules comes out in the open and starts to explain to the police officer what's been happening when it turns out the officer is Grayson, there are no police, and Tom and Laurie are both present and fine. Grayson reveals he sharked her car, because he knew what she would do and that the house she TPed is actually one of her listings. The rest of the gang shows up and Grayson proposes (after using Tom to figure out how Jules would want to be proposed to because Jules just wrote the whole thing off as Tom being creepy.). Jules accepts.
-Meanwhile Travis has moved into off-campus housing with 8 other guys in a 2-bedroom apartment. It also has a green screen, which is awesome. Bobby swings by and tries to encourage Travis to take Dog Travis in as a sort of house pet, while getting Dog Travis accustomed to the house. Travis is reluctant to take the dog in. Andy asks Bobby why he doesn't just ask Travis to take in Dog Travis and Bobby says he's worried Travis will say no because he might feel he doesn't owe Bobby anything because he was a bad dad for so long. Eventually he does ask Travis after a heart-to-heart (and after setting the green screen so it looks like this is happening outside in the rain) and Travis says yes.
-Also meanwhile, Stan has become a bit of a "Devil Child", and Ellie is worried he will grow up a terror. She grows more concerned when Stan takes a shine to Laurie and they bond. Laurie tells Ellie that with two amazing parents (Something she didn't have) Stan will probably be fine, though he still may remain a complete terror.
I Like This: Cougar Town at it's best is a nice mix of wonderfully funny and wonderfully sweet and that was definitely shown off here. Grayson's proposal to Jules was a very nice moment and I'm glad to see that the show isn't interested in keeping these two apart. Also, as a fan of recurring player Tom, I was glad to see him be a pretty active part of this episode. Sleeping nude sounds like something he'd do. And his attempt at putting his arm around Laurie was a great moment of comedy after the slight sadness of watching Bobby's reaction to the proposal. I also liked Travis and Bobby's storyline a lot. The green screen is awesome and provided plenty of laughs and I hope it becomes a recurring comedic element in the fashion of Big Carl or Penny Can. Travis' new living situation also should make for some good stories down the road. And Laurie bonding with Stan was pretty funny too, and the scene of her reassuring Ellie (while still pointing out that Stan could turn out wrong) was a nice scene, which shows us how far these two characters have come since their initial animosity (which is still there, sort of).
But...: No notable or easy to identify flaws this week.
The Bottom Line: Ain't Love Strange is a great start to Cougar Town's third season and I'm excited to actually watch the show as it airs this time around.
Grade: 86% (Great)
Memorable Moments
-I quite enjoy the title card gags. "Yeah, it's still called Cougar Town. We're not happy about it either."
-I really hope the wine necklaces come back. It's a great visual gag.
-Grayson's slightly extended version of Jules morning routine song was funny and helped illustrate one of the episode's points.
-Jules: "When it comes to love I'm a street rapping poet, yo".
-Laurie: "Of course, some devil-babies are just devil-babies.”
-Jules: “Don’t leave me! Prison’s great. You can get those neat teardrop tattoos.”
-Grayson: "I thought you wanted to do all the talking". Jules: "I'm speechless". Grayson: Really? You?"
-Housemate of Travis: "Dude, how often is your mom gonna come over?" Travis: "Probably more often than I'd like"
What Happened, Yo!:
-After Jules yells at some skateboarders, Grayson tells her he knew she would do that because she's predictable. She gets mad at this and tries to prove she's unpredictable to no success. After the skateboarders apparently shark her car, she decides to get back at them by TPing what she understands to be their house late at night with Tom. Laurie also comes along, but when they hear police sirens, Laurie (who has an ankle monitor and two strikes) bolts and Tom tries to make a distraction, only to start yelling about being Tasered. Jules comes out in the open and starts to explain to the police officer what's been happening when it turns out the officer is Grayson, there are no police, and Tom and Laurie are both present and fine. Grayson reveals he sharked her car, because he knew what she would do and that the house she TPed is actually one of her listings. The rest of the gang shows up and Grayson proposes (after using Tom to figure out how Jules would want to be proposed to because Jules just wrote the whole thing off as Tom being creepy.). Jules accepts.
-Meanwhile Travis has moved into off-campus housing with 8 other guys in a 2-bedroom apartment. It also has a green screen, which is awesome. Bobby swings by and tries to encourage Travis to take Dog Travis in as a sort of house pet, while getting Dog Travis accustomed to the house. Travis is reluctant to take the dog in. Andy asks Bobby why he doesn't just ask Travis to take in Dog Travis and Bobby says he's worried Travis will say no because he might feel he doesn't owe Bobby anything because he was a bad dad for so long. Eventually he does ask Travis after a heart-to-heart (and after setting the green screen so it looks like this is happening outside in the rain) and Travis says yes.
-Also meanwhile, Stan has become a bit of a "Devil Child", and Ellie is worried he will grow up a terror. She grows more concerned when Stan takes a shine to Laurie and they bond. Laurie tells Ellie that with two amazing parents (Something she didn't have) Stan will probably be fine, though he still may remain a complete terror.
I Like This: Cougar Town at it's best is a nice mix of wonderfully funny and wonderfully sweet and that was definitely shown off here. Grayson's proposal to Jules was a very nice moment and I'm glad to see that the show isn't interested in keeping these two apart. Also, as a fan of recurring player Tom, I was glad to see him be a pretty active part of this episode. Sleeping nude sounds like something he'd do. And his attempt at putting his arm around Laurie was a great moment of comedy after the slight sadness of watching Bobby's reaction to the proposal. I also liked Travis and Bobby's storyline a lot. The green screen is awesome and provided plenty of laughs and I hope it becomes a recurring comedic element in the fashion of Big Carl or Penny Can. Travis' new living situation also should make for some good stories down the road. And Laurie bonding with Stan was pretty funny too, and the scene of her reassuring Ellie (while still pointing out that Stan could turn out wrong) was a nice scene, which shows us how far these two characters have come since their initial animosity (which is still there, sort of).
But...: No notable or easy to identify flaws this week.
The Bottom Line: Ain't Love Strange is a great start to Cougar Town's third season and I'm excited to actually watch the show as it airs this time around.
Grade: 86% (Great)
Memorable Moments
-I quite enjoy the title card gags. "Yeah, it's still called Cougar Town. We're not happy about it either."
-I really hope the wine necklaces come back. It's a great visual gag.
-Grayson's slightly extended version of Jules morning routine song was funny and helped illustrate one of the episode's points.
-Jules: "When it comes to love I'm a street rapping poet, yo".
-Laurie: "Of course, some devil-babies are just devil-babies.”
-Jules: “Don’t leave me! Prison’s great. You can get those neat teardrop tattoos.”
-Grayson: "I thought you wanted to do all the talking". Jules: "I'm speechless". Grayson: Really? You?"
-Housemate of Travis: "Dude, how often is your mom gonna come over?" Travis: "Probably more often than I'd like"
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