Parents' Guide to

Cougar Town

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Boozy comedy is less about "cougars," more about friendship.

TV TBS Comedy 2009
Cougar Town Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 9 parent reviews

Jenair013
Jenair013 Adult
August 10, 2021
age 12+

Newly Separated

So while there is a lot of sex talk, this show has been a blessing for my daughters and I (10&14). I'm currently in the divorce process and this has been a fun outlet and discussion starter for us all. We don't feel so alone and isolated and can kinda laugh about the pain together. As silly as it is, I think it sets a happy viewpoint. Def has sex, swearing and drinking...but imo it's an adult show that I don't mind my kids watching with me...so it's not "too much".

This title has:

Great messages
Chellie33
Chellie33 Adult
February 2, 2021
age 18+

Sad remake of Friends

This show is a sad remake of friends that sneaks in under the premise of funny mid life dating then quickly spins into a show about 6 friends hanging out drinking wine every day and being narcissistic, awful people. At least the characters on friends were somewhat likable, but these characters are complete narcissists and just go through life drinking and being self obsessed. It’s honestly disgusting. I would not let my child see this, there is nothing uplifting or moral about it. Does this sound familiar? 3 women, one black haired super OCD girl, played by Courtney cox. One blonde girl raised in disadvantaged circumstances without a normal family who says dingy things and tells stories about crazy past experiences she’s had. And one brown haired girl, who is way bitchier than Rachel, so yay there’s a deviation. For me, Christa Miller made the show Ok now for the guys... one bumbling cutie who’s kinda dumb, one serious narcissist, and a funny guy. Yeah this shows been done already and way better. I can’t stand Jules and Grayson any longer, they’re some of the most awful self obsessed people I’ve ever seen. This show has nothing positive or good in it. All it does is teach that it’s normal to drink all day, be an alcoholic, and care more about your giant wine glasses than any thing real. My only remaining question is why on earth would genius Abed like this piece of crap? No way!

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 9 parent reviews

What's the Story?

COUGAR TOWN is a comedy centered on Jules Cobb (Courteney Cox), a middle-aged mom to son Travis (Dan Byrd), who's reentered the world of dating post-divorce and eventually found love with her divorced neighbor, Grayson (Josh Hopkins). When she's not running her Florida-based real estate business, Jules generally spends her time drinking with friends -- a boozy group that includes her assistant (Busy Phillips), her married neighbors (Christa Miller and Ian Gomez), and, occasionally, her immature ex (Brian Van Holt) -- and finding ways to keep life interesting.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (9):
Kids say (6):

Cougar Town has strayed a long way from its initial premise, in which Cox cheerfully acted out the wince-worthy "cougar" stereotype by chugging martinis, picking up recent college grads, and blathering on about her "coochie cooch." And that's a relief for those who were willing to cut Cox a break because they loved her in Friends -- because now they don't have to work so hard to defend her taste in projects. In fact, the best part about Cougar Town's evolution is that it really has nothing to do with its original title (a title so bad that network execs even toyed with the idea of changing it).

Now it's less about whom Jules is sleeping with -- or how old they are -- and more about the dynamic between Jules and her friends, which makes more room for hilarious plots involving The Usual Suspects, Enrique Iglesias, and a neti pot. Maybe you ruled this one out before, but it's definitely worth a second look.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Cougar Town's take on drinking, particularly when it comes to adult friendships and social situations. Where's the line between liking to drink with your friends and having a drinking problem? How much is too much?

  • What's your take on Jules? What are her strengths and weaknesses professionally and personally? How does she compare as a role model?

  • How has Cougar Town changed since it first premiered in terms of its tone, plot, and characters? Was the show's evolution for better or for worse?

TV Details

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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