COUGAR TOWN: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON
(not rated)
MOVIE: **** (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5)
BY KEVIN CARR
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Courtney Cox stars as Jules, a woman in her 40s who has just gotten divorced and has to deal with entering the dating world again. The series begins with her taking aim at the younger men of her town, but soon the show evolves into an ensemble piece with Jules, her married neighbors, her son and ex-husband and the sexy man across the street that she secretly (and later not-so-secretly) is interested in.
WHAT I LIKED
I was a huge fan of “Scrubs,” but I haven’t been a huge fan of Courtney Cox’s post-“Friends” efforts either as actor or producer. “Dirt” was only bearable, and the Coquette reality shows have been quite awful. It was the Coquette curse that initially kept me away from “Cougar Town,” rather than the name, which producers have admitted has been a problem.
But after I learned that it was Bill Lawrence behind the show, I was a bit interested in watching “Cougar Town.” And I’m glad that I did. The show had a rough start, trying to find its footing, but that’s not uncommon with any television show. But damn, once this show got some traction, it was a hoot.
Courtney Cox does a fine job in her role, and I do commend her for having some courage to show her mid-40s body off in sometimes an unflattering light. (Though, speaking of light, she does tend to have a soft lens on the camera and bright lights to get rid of her wrinkles more often than she really should.)
Once the show got off the ground, it turned into a “Friends” in the 40s, with a sharper edge. I love a show with characters that are not very redeemable but ultimately likeable. From Jules’ ex-husband’s stupidity to her best friend’s shallowness, the show manages to walk that line between adorable sit-com and dysfunctional family. Think of it as a non-animated “The Simpsons” in less wild situations.
Don’t get turned off by the name of this show. “Cougar Town” isn’t a show about a woman on the prowl. Rather, it’s a show about people in their 40s dealing with the problems age throws at them, and it’s inappropriately funny as hell.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
Not too much. The show was a bit uneven for the first couple episodes, but it still wasn’t bad. I’d have to say that “Cougar Town” is one of the funnier new shows of last season.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
The three-disc DVD comes with bloopers, deleted scenes and several featurettes. “Taming Cougar Town” gives a standard behind-the-scenes look at the development of the series. “Ask Barb” features the real cougar of the show as she gives dating advice. “Stroking It with Bobby Cobb” is a set of in-character golfing tips from Jules’ ex-husband. Finally, “Jimmy Kimmel Live: Saber-Tooth Tiger Town” features the truly dreadful Jimmy Kimmel introducing a spoof of the show with Cloris Leachman.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Anyone who likes the “Scrubs” humor and wants to see it in a fortysomething suburban “Friends” setting.