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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that adult characters do a lot of social drinking, frequently swilling wine out of large, seemingly bottomless vessels -- and occasionally making cloudy decisions as a result. There's also some mild language (mostly of the "damn," "hell," and "whore" variety) and comical violence. Sex played an important role in the pilot (with implied sex acts, women in lingerie, and some flashes of skin), although it became less prominent in later episodes.
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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?
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
- Premiere date: September 23, 2009
- Cast: Busy Philipps, Courteney Cox, Dan Byrd
- Network: TBS
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Friendship
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: April 23, 2022
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