Throughout its freshman season, Cougar Town has become quite the great escape. They’ve created this tiny, inside-jokey world, presumably somewhere in Florida but seemingly on another planet, that has nothing to do with reality. Last night’s season finale was the best. The characters drank more, danced more, and were responsible for way way way less than the usual “very little.” No one went to work, except Grayson because he works in a bar. They played Ultimate Penny Can all day, group-boozed in bed all night, and set up complicated voice recordings and balloon traps in order to more emphatically make their points. Hello, dreamworld. And it wasn’t just the characters who were having a blast. That tiny scene with Jules chasing a sprinting Bobby down a gorgeous shoreline in an ATV? Totally random. Totally worth it. That part reminded me a lot of Scrubs — I’d love some more quick-hit flashbacks like that in season 2.
One of the funniest conceits about this show, to me, is that it’s so easy for the entire gang to convene anytime, anywhere. They may as well not have their own houses! At one point, Laurie and Travis were suddenly shown at the bar color-commentating on Jules and Grayson’s discussion. Of course they were sitting and snacking in the corner. Why not? I used to think I’d like to live on Planet Mirrorballus, the otherworldly atmosphere on Dancing With the Stars. But all they do on that planet is exercise. I’ve decided I’d rather settle down on Planet Douchelon, where all I would need to bring to the table is a good attitude, a bottle opener, “It’s Part of Being a Couple (Techno Remix)” as my ringtone, and a few more ways to mock Grayson for his totally pathetic (read: super hot) collection of hipster wool hats.
Amidst the hilarity and liquor was a somewhat serious issue: Jules had to figure out a way to let Bobby know that she and Grayson are officially a couple. Off course, she attempted to pass the buck, but Andy easily won that “How well do you know your friends?” game we all remember from Friends (Ellie was the Ross) so he was out. Everything works better when you have a plan, so Grayson came up with a singles-only beach bonfire that killed two beers with one stone: Not only was the party a perfect excuse to bring everyone together for a first-season last hurrah, but the sand provided a no-exit situation for Bobby, who runs away from bad news…but can’t if his entire body is buried in the sand! The sad singleton wasn’t thrilled after they told him, but everyone sat around him and chanted his name, which happens to be one of Bobby’s favorite hobbies. So that helped a lot. “No one is laughing at you,” Jules assured Bobby, but I’m pretty sure we all were because, as he helpfully pointed out, he was just a head on the beach.
FAVORITE MOMENTS
–Andy and Ellie’s game: “She wears a surgical mask and nothing else.”
–Bobby to Kylie after she’d eaten the last piece of salami: “Aw, man! I wish I could be your mouth.”
–Jules: “Let me have this, Trav. I let you have ‘girls like guys with skinny arms.’” They’re like pool cues!
–Who knows why babies do things?
–Andy’s series of answers about how well he knows Bobby: “Francis Bacon because he sounds delicious…Uncircumcised.”
–Laurie’s facial demonstration of what happens to a woman (not a girl) when the claws come out. And then Kylie: “You skinny-armed little bitch!”
–Jules re: Bobby: “He wants to make love to an Ewok!!!”
–Ellie’s Running Man. I love how she’d probably never break a sweat. Why should she? She’s Ellie.
–Bobby: “Ha, ha. I don’t have a toilet. Warm beers!”
–Barb explains what happens on a beach: “Frolicking in the waves, your privates getting sandblasted ’til they shine like a bowling trophy.”
–Ellie spoiled Teen Wolf for Andy.
–Barb’s “swimsuit” that looked like a net
–Nice continuity with the running of fingers through the hair. Travis didn’t want to do it to Kylie, but Jules and Grayson both did it to Bobby the Football at the end.
–The song playing during the beach party: “Leave Your Boyfriends Behind” by Leona Naess
I seriously need that ringtone.
How much will you miss Cougar Town for four whole months, and what will you drink to help you through it?
All ‘Cougar Town’ recaps on PopWatch
Annie on Twitter: @EWAnnieBarrett
Such a great show! So glad that it got renewed.
“…Jules set up a singles-only beach bonfire that killed two beers with one stone.”
Come on! That was Grayson’s plan! Jules was so turned on that he’d conceived a plan that she flashed him. I thought it was hilarious that Grayson forgot what he was talking about (which is what probably allowed Jules to take credit for Grayson’s plan in the end…it all makes sense now).
Finally: “It’s Part of Being a Couple” (Techno Remix) was maybe the funniest thing I’ve seen all year.
(Psst. I love “Modern Family” and I think it’s the best new sitcom this year (and in years)…but I think the “Cougar Town” finale was better.)
“so Grayson came up with a singles-only beach bonfire that killed two beers with one stone” She said Grayson, not Jules. Sorry to be so nitty picky, but the reviewer got it right.
I think you got all the best moments Annie!
I am totally going to miss this show. I think the title/pilot kept me away, but I love it now.
Congratulations Jules, you’re the one millionth customer!
I wish I could’ve taken Grayson’s tips so I could’ve gotten ice cream too.
let me preface this by saying i really do enjoy this show, and laugh multiple times. However, being a proud resident of that part of FL – the beaches DO NOT look like that! We have gorgeous white sand! I know they film in LA and I know they weren’t going to go to the Gulf Coast for a 10 minute spot, but it really annoyed me
Yeah, you have a good point.
It would’ve been cool to see them film in Siesta Key (since it’s SUCH a distinctive beach), but I can also understand why stayed in L.A.
on the east coast our sand sometimes looks like that. Especially if the shells have been pulverized by the ocean…it is rare..but it happens
I noticed it right away — there’s no rock formation like that…and they should’ve filmed it going the other direction so the water would be on the right.
They live in Sarasota, on the Gulf coast – the water is on the left, if you’re looking at the map, though at any beach the water would be on the left or right depending on where you’re standing.
Been saying this from the beginning and totally agree. A: No beach in Florida has mountains behind it (or even hills) and B: The tan, gritty sand in L.A. more resembles sand on the east coast of Florida, not the white, powdery near Sarasota, where this supposedly takes place.
By the way, I absolutely love this show and I find the beach thing more amusing than annoying.
Happens all the time. On The Office they show exterior seens with California scenery (the LA hills, brown water-starved grass, even palm trees) yet pretend it’s Pennsylvania. You have to suspend reality for this type of thing.
Yeah, you could see the cameraman trying not to get too much LA skyline in… it was totally Santa Monica beach, the beach that’s been used as every beach in every TV show or movie that ever had a beach.
Ross was the game show host in the “Friends” episode. Phoebe was at the fertility doctor.
Thank you!
The one thing that would’ve taken the scene up another notch???? “Lightining Round!!!!”
“I am SO GOOD at lightening rounds!!”
What is Chandler’s job?!?
Wasn’t Chanandler Bong a transponster?
NOOOOOOOoooooooooo
That’s “Miss” Chanandler Bong.
Best episode of Friends ever.
Followed by the one with Ross in the leather pants.
love this show almost every episode is serious belly laugh, tears rolling down your cheeks. “he wants to have sex with an ewok killed me. The only thing that has made me laugh harder recently was the “sex robots ” scene in Date Night. Awesome, miss it already-hope they don’t change the title, it’s wonderfully un-pc just like the show itself.
They have to change the name of this show before it comes back next year – Barb is the only Cougar and she is not intigral to the show.
Ellie was Ross, not Phoebe. Phoebe was getting her brother’s embryos implanted.
Can we start a petition to get “It’s Part of Being a Couple (Techno Remix)” on iTunes?! I want!
Is it at least on Hulu or YouTube! I really want to hear it again!
This didn’t seem finale-y. I find it hard to believe that Smith/Laurie, Travis/Kylie, Grayson/Jules will all still be dating come fall. We should have seen at least one tearful breakup!
Why? Not every show has to end with some “epic” episode, cliffhanger, or major change. It’s OK to just show us quality TV episode after episode without having to try to make the last one “event TV.” They truly looked like they were having a great time on the beach and it’s OK to end on a happy note. This isn’t the kind of show where there always has to be major strife for it be compelling. Besides, breaking up a couple is so cliche.
Yea…this is a comedy…
This show is sooo awesome! who wouldn’t want to hang out with these people?!?!? Modern family is great in mimicking family situations but Cougar Town is awesome for mimicking what you want your friends to be! Love it!
Laurie’s demon face was one of the scariest things I have ever seen! And I mean that in the best possible way, kudos Busy!
Even when she just showed the mouth, it was freaky!
Absolutely loved the way she “unveiled” it by pulling off her “normal” face. Laurie was my favorite character last night.
It took a couple of episodes at the start for Bill Lawrence to really put his Scrubs-like look on this show, but he’s made it work quite succesfully. Funny writing but, most of all, a cast that seems to have instant chemistry and that all possess good comic timing, is what has turned this from just another sitcom to a show that can run awhile like Scrubs did.
No doubt at least one of the aforementioned couples will break up next season. It’s going to be interesting if they can sustain having Jules and Grayson as a couple, and also how Travis will still be featured prominently with him going off to college. Will Smith become a semi-regular next season?
I doubt Smith is going to be a regular, since the guy who plays him is one of the actors on the new Shatner sitcom on CBS in the fall, “S#!t My Dad Says”.
Part of being a couple(Techno Remix) was hilarious! I also loved when everyone made fun of Grayson and his hats when he came down the stairs. I love this show!
“Fo shizzle, Fo shizzle. Hilarious!!
i especially loved it because they totally set it up like it would be bobby coming and they were getting ready to break the news and then “fo shizzle”, i died laughing.
This show has really gotten better since they ditched the “Jules gets together with young hotties” angle. But I must say that they do drink alot on this show.
… and that’s a bad thing? MORNING DRINKING!