Quick Take: Cougar Town, "Wake Up Time"
"The guys are playing emotional chicken. Whoever cries to this song first loses." – Jules
Review: Cougar Town, "Wake Up Time"
(S0120) I love the oddball universe that is Cougar Town. Case in point: it's a place in which when someone walks into a room, "Cats in the Cradle" might be playing in the background, and Jules (Courtney Cox) is observing two men (Grayson, played by Josh Hopkins, and Andy, played by Ian Gomez) facing off, staring at each other intently.
"The guys are playing emotional chicken," Jules says. "Whoever cries to this song first loses."
Yes, this probably proves out how oddball I am, but there it is. This show works on a uniquely weird and funny level. After enduring two episodes of How I Met Your Mother recently, a return to Cougar Town is like a reunion with a quirky band of misfits that you can call your own, if only in a television fiction-y probably need to get outside more kind of a way.
When Jules is not officiating cry-offs, she has engaged herself with comforting son Travis (Dan Byrd) after a bad breakup with Kylie, which escalates into her doing such things as visiting the poor girl at school, with requisite mimes of having her face ripped off. However, mama Jules is surprised to find out that her angel is not so angelic, as it seems he has cheated his way into the breakup.
This segues into a High Fidelity-esque journey for Jules to investigate how many exes have cheated on her (just as Bobby did in the past). If nothing else, it's an excuse to bring Scott Foley back as Jeff.
Sheryl Crow guest stars as Sara, a wine merchant who is dating Bobby (Brian Van Holt). Sara is unsure of whether or not she should be concerned about a potential Grayson-Jules pairing, asking Grayson if he is "saving" Jules. "She's not a cupcake," Grayson replies.
Sara breaks up with Grayson by the episode's end, realizing that he's not going to fully commit to her. As she leaves his house, Grayson sees Jules (conveniently) standing across the street.
"Are we playing emotional chicken?" Jules asks. It's a nice moment that takes the Jules-Grayson relationship to a new place, and rounds out a bit of character development on what was otherwise a pleasing and often funny spin through Cougar Town.
More thoughts on "Wake Up Time":
Video: Cougar Town, "Wake Up Time"
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Recap: Cougar Town, "Wake Up Time"
Jules is thrilled for the chance to take care of Travis after his first big break-up, on ABC's "Cougar Town," WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14 (9:30-10:01 p.m., ET). But when Jules discovers the truth about the break-up, she comes to an unwelcome realization about herself. Meanwhile, Sara considers whether Jules threatens her relationship with Grayson and turns to Ellie for guidance; and Andy searches for any resemblance between himself and son Stan.
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