TV Review: ABC’s ‘Cougar Town’ Finally Returns With Strong Premiere

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CHICAGO – With almost every episode they’ve produced, ABC’s “Cougar Town” has turned into a better program. It’s been remarkable to watch creator Bill Lawrence and his team refine what works about this show. They’ve taken it away from the star vehicle feel of its first season to an ensemble show in its FINALLY-debuting third season, tonight, February 14th, 2012. Spend Valentine’s Day with one of the stronger comedies on TV.

Television Rating: 4.0/5.0

ABC is in an enviable position that still could spell death for “Cougar Town” — they have a wealth of quality comedy. “Modern Family” and “Happy Endings” are two of the best on TV, “Suburgatory” gets better with every episode, and “The Middle” is a solid performer. That’s four shows, which leaves no room for “Cougar Town” back on Wednesday nights. Pairing it with Tim Allen’s mediocre “Last Man Standing,” which has a very different demo, on Tuesday nights could be the end for this always-on-the-bubble show. And I question the logic of bringing it back on Valentine’s Day, a night when much of the young audience for “CT” will be out on a date. Please watch this show. It deserves more attention than it gets and I’m worried that this shortened, delayed season will be the last.

Cougar Town
Photo credit: Richard Foreman/ABC

There’s still a little room for improvement (I would run each script through the rewrite process just one more time as there’s always a joke or two that just doesn’t click…something that doesn’t happen on the best comedies on TV like “Community” and “Parks and Recreation”) but it’s rare to see a show in which you can so totally feel the entire team striving for improvement and regularly achieving it. Most notably, the ensemble on “Cougar Town” has developed into one of the best on TV. In particular, Busy Philipps and Dan Byrd are simply spectacular. Much like “Scrubs” (a former Lawrence creation) improved as the ensemble took over from Zach Braff, “Cougar Town” has gotten better as we’ve come to know and love the characters other than Jules.

Cougar Town Photo credit: Bob D’Amico/ABC

Which is not meant as a slight on Courteney Cox. In fact, she’s gotten better as well as the focus has shifted from her lack of a love life and quest for a younger man (the source of the still-awful title) to a story of friendship. The core characters on “Cougar Town” have each other’s backs, drink together, laugh together, and do stupid things together. Much like “Friends” and “Scrubs,” “Cougar Town” has worked by becoming identifiable. Not all of us can identify with being a MILF trying to find love. But there’s someone for everyone on the 2012 version of “Cougar Town” and most of us can identify with having a core group of friends that we essentially grow old with.

The season premiere of “Cougar Town,” “Ain’t Love Strange” definitely feels like a show in transition. Jules (Cox) is told that she’s a bit too predictable as even her mannerisms and responses can be forecast by her friends. She tries to break out of her routine only to find that she’s soon going to head into a crazy new chapter of her life. The Jules arc in the premiere is a perfect representative of the strengths of this show — one that builds mostly on comedy but, like the best of “Scrubs,” hits an emotional chord as well. Meanwhile, in less effective story arcs, Ellie (Christa Miller) worries that her kid may be a devil child and Bobby (Brian Van Holt) tries to get Travis (Dan Byrd) to take in his giant dog.

ABC also provided an episode from later in the season that should be of special interest to “Scrubs” fans. Not only will Sarah Chalke do an arc this season as a love interest for Bobby but Sam Lloyd (Ted) makes an appearance with his singing group. Chalke, Lloyd, and, of course, Miller even make a few references to the former Lawrence hit. But the episode doesn’t rely on the relation or the references. It finds its own rhythm and its own sense of humor. It’s come out of the shadow of “Scrubs” and its rough first season to really develop its own personality. Now if only people would watch it.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com