Cougar Town – How much harsh truth can a friendship take?

I really do hate to revisit what I said last week, but that more people don’t watch this show is a crying shame. Jules’ very best friendships were challenged when Grayson decided to tell her about his past indiscretion with Laurie. It brought out the very deep emotional bond these women share, which added just a bit more drama to a show that usually tosses out one liners faster than a pitching machine. Frankly, I’m a little verklempt.

As a testament to just how close Jules and Laurie have become, the episodes where we see them actually working at the real estate office are few and far between; that they are coworkers is now an afterthought. All of this time, Ellie has been fighting her own feelings about Jules and Laurie, as her sacred place as Jules’ only best female friend was challenged. She still takes every opportunity to poke and jab just to see how far she can push it. Can she finally break them up and claim her rightful place as Jules’ best and only female friend?

Once the cat was out of the bag, Jules had to make a decision: which friend would be voted off her island? Using her sacred wine glasses in place of Survivor‘s torches, she told both Grayson and Laurie what they had done wrong, and right. In what could be seen coming a mile away, Ellie shouts out that she’s been wanting to explode for months. Aha! There is no greater friendship foul than keeping such an enormous secret. “Ellie Torres, hand over your glass. You may now leave the group.” Snuffed!

After watching Ellie struggling with her boot off the island, Laurie shows her love and respect for Jules by telling her that did know she liked Grayson when they slept together. It looked like a death blow. I could feel the air being sucked out of the room; the look on Jules face was raw.

While Bobby spent every free moment he had trying to see a sword swallowing street performer actually swallow the sword, he was the only person who thought Laurie’s boyfriend, Smith, was also hurting. Bobby turned his back on the sword swallower to prove to Smith he was there for him. But Smith didn’t care. As Laurie was holding her ground, demanding Jules talk it out with her, her boyfriend was realizing he didn’t really love her.

Ellie’s harsh truth to Jules: she can’t lock Laurie out of her life. She loves her. They’ve been showing the brief glimpses of friendship between Ellie and Laurie, but to hear those words out of Ellie’s lips just made me smile. She loves Jules enough to give up some room in her own friendship with her to Laurie. Wow.

As Smith breaks up with Laurie, and she just breaks. I cried right along with her. Everyone is watching this horrid moment trough the glass, and Jules can’t let another minute pass without comforting her friend. Busy Philipps was given a great scene to show her range as an actress; her crying was so genuine that I could not wait for Jules to reach her. We’ve just seen another brilliant portrayal of friendship; the truth, the pain, the forgiveness. Cougar Town delivered it all, proving it deserves a place as a truly great comedy ensemble.

Clacked by Carissa Pavlica
on Oct 13, 2010 @ 23:55 EST5EDT