A review of the “Cougar Town” season finale coming up just as soon as I ruin the ending of “Teen Wolf” for you…
“Finding Out” was a concentrated burst of everything that’s made “Cougar Town” so much fun this season. There was a fun musical gag in Ellie’s various remixes of Grayson’s relationship lecture. There was an ultimate version of Penny Can that also played off of Courteney Cox’s career (specifically, the greatest “Friends” scene ever), while also giving us more hilarious insight into both Bobby and into Andy’s obsession with him (A cheeto shaped like Bruce Willis… Boz Scaggs… uncircumcised”). There was a breakdown of relationship culture in the ladies trying to help Travis develop a defensive style. There was a little girlfriend for Dog Travis, a collection of obnoxious wool hipster hats for Grayson, more demented Laurie logic (she has a 9-day rule before she believes in relationships, hair extensions and foster parents), and good moments for everyone in this fine cast.
But perhaps most importantly, there was that long beach montage (scored to “Leave Your Boyfriends Behind,” by Leona Naess). As funny as the show has become, as smartly as it’s reinvented itself, the core of what’s made it so good is the same thing that made “Friends” work, and that made me stick with “Scrubs” through thick, thin and even zombie med school seasons: there’s such a sense of fun and cameraderie among the characters that it’s a pleasure to watch them whether or not the jokes are working – or even if there aren’t any jokes at all.
Well-done, “Cougar Town.” You figured yourself out, and became one of my most unexpected treats of the season. I look forward to seeing you in this timeslot in the fall – and continue to hope that ABC will listen to reason and change the stupid name already.
What did everybody else think?