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In case you haven’t heard, ABC’s Cougar Town isn’t really about cougars—neither the predatory felines nor the aging women who stalk younger men. In fact, it didn’t take the show more than a few episodes of its first season to change from a show about a 40-something divorcee who’s looking for love into a show about a close-knit group of friends who spend a whole lot of time discussing life, love, and pop culture with a glass of wine in hand.
In the show’s second season, the members of the Cul-de-sac Crew once again weather their share of ups and downs. Jules (Courteney Cox) and Grayson (Josh Hopkins) try to figure out their new relationship, while Travis (Dan Byrd) moves away to college (across town) and ends up dating a grad student. Meanwhile, Bobby (Brian Van Holt) tries to get his life back together, Laurie (Busy Philipps) loves and loses and tries to get back on that horse, and married couple Ellie and Andy (Christa Miller and Ian Gomez) continue to bicker about everything from Andy’s family to their son’s preschool applications.
Like show’s first season, season two of Cougar Town is often side-splittingly funny, with plenty of kooky little inside jokes that pop up from time to time. It seems that, with each new episode, the writers bring in some kind of quirky game or clever catch phrase, whether they’re creating new rules for the Crew’s favorite game, Penny Can, or coining new phrases like “slap out of it” or “eat the sword.” And each show begins with a silly title card (many of which complain about the show’s horrible title).
Still, it isn’t all fun and games on the cul-de-sac. Throughout the season, the characters also face heartbreak and humiliation. They struggle with their relationships and make fools of themselves—yet their friends are always there to comfort them, pour them a glass of wine, get them back on their feet again, and (on occasion) mock them mercilessly.
Throughout it all, it’s Cougar Town’s lovable ensemble cast that keeps fans coming back to the cul-de-sac. From high-strung Jules and bossy Ellie to lovably bumbling Bobby and his devoted sidekick, Andy, they’re the kind of people that you’d like to hang out with (and probably do hang out with). Whether they’re battling creepy neighbor kids and their chalk drawings, hosting Thanksgiving dinner, or meddling in each other’s business, you’ll enjoy every one of their hilarious (and sometimes heartwarming) half-hour adventures.
DVD Review:
The three-disc DVD release of Cougar Town’s second season also includes a handful of special features—like six super-short deleted scenes and a silly, giggle-filled blooper reel.
(Still Called) Cougar Town: Season 2 is a short making-of feature that takes a fun look behind the scenes of the show’s second season, offering a closer look at the cast’s family dynamics and off-camera craziness. And Ian Gomez hosts Andy’s Dreams, a web series depicting Andy’s wacky dreams during his daily siesta. Be sure to check out “Playing for Pennies,” a fake movie trailer about an inspirational Penny Can championship, and “The Hair Up There,” in which a no-longer-bald Andy sings and dances his way across the set. The series even comes complete with its own making-of feature.
All of the features are pretty short and sweet, but I recommend starting with the making-of feature for a funny and fascinating peek inside the show’s inner workings.
