Review: Cougar Town ‘Runnin’ Down A Dream’ – I Haven’t Ferked In So Long

On paper, ‘Runnin’ Down A Dream’ is a terrific episode of Cougar Town: it has some of the season’s best running jokes, and incorporates some very interesting ideas about careers and success into each of its story lines. On screen, everything translated well except the core ideas, which feel a little out of place given the sudden importance of everyone’s professional life.

Every now and then, Cougar Town mentions Jules and Laurie’s real estate business, but it oddly becomes the focal point of ‘Running Down a Dream’ when Jules feels unsatisfied with her career. For her, what used to be ferk has become serk, partly thanks to an annoying couple who’ve seen a house a half dozen times, but can’t decide if they want it. First of all, the show did this story line for multiple episodes back in season one with Scott Foley’s character – so that situation becoming some kind of revelatory personal experience for Jules comes across as a little contrived. And again: it’s hard for the audience to be invested in a story line about these character’s professional lives because it’s NEVER important.

The theme of unsatisfying careers is something adult comedies and dramas use a lot – but Cougar Town is a show about interpersonal relationships, and splitting everyone up to work for the majority of the episode feels dissonant to the normal tone of the series. I like the ideas that Cougar Town plays with – Jules taking her son down a notch was a particular highlight – but for the most part, the realities characters are faced with become subjected to the episode’s jokes. Bobby’s Burgers is hilarious when it’s first seen, but it doesn’t really build to much – and neither does Andy’s attempts to discredit Laurie and Travis, something that felt out of character for a guy who usually embraces anything outside the everyday mundane concerns of his life.

‘Runnin’ Down A Dream’ does redeem itself a bit with some great jokes, topped off with Jules yelling “that’s how you pour a glass of wine, bitch!” to a patron in Grayson’s bar. And it’s not that the material of the episode was poor – but making the real estate business the embodiment of her internal desire to be needed (she explains that her joy selling houses came from being able to provide for her family) is an odd choice. With a lack of any meaningful resolutions between the others (Travis apologizes to Andy for being smug, and Grayson gets peace and quiet from Jules), it’s just not as satisfying.

Grade: B

Other thoughts/observations:

– anything interesting with Grayson and him enjoying his career, gets buried underneath this week’s marriage drama: Jules working in the bar, bartering prices and ringing the bell constantly. A lot of this season is just Grayson reacting to Jules, and I’m starting to miss the more free-spirited character of earlier seasons.

– the episode was co-written by Justin Halpern, author of Shit My Dad Says. Ellie’s plot line makes a lot more sense in that context – either way, it’s poorly executed, and her hurling insults at people to relieve stress isn’t really that funny.

– Stranger Touch < Penny Can.

– Bobby’s nickname of the week is Quadzilla (for Andy), with E-Train (Ellie) coming in a distant second.

– Laurie’s heart dress is hilarious.

– Lil’ Choke doesn’t like caramel… oh, and he’s dead. I’m loving the little Latin Kings jokes in every episode.

– “Cup-fakes??!!”