I am – Hercules!!
A sitcom co-created by two former Floridians -- longtime AICN contributor Kevin “John Robie” Biegel and “Scrubs” creator Bill Lawrence -- “Cougar Town” looks at a hot and horny middle-aged Florida realtor and divorcee (Courteney Cox) who decides to start scoping out male locals aged a decade or more her junior. The supporting cast includes Lawrence’s hot wife Christa Miller and the fabulous Busy Phillips, who played Kim Kelly a decade ago on “Freaks and Geeks.” Cox’s TV son is played by Dan Byrd, who was great as the star of The CW’s “Aliens in America.” Some of the critics decry “Cougar’s” vulgarity, and apparently there are still people out there who think vulgar is always a bad thing. Biegel’s resume includes a stint on “South Park,” where a penis once warbled a ballad and Oprah Winfrey’s vagina once brandished a handgun. (And that’s just basic cable; never mind what we see every week on “Weeds” and “Entourage.”) Some adults, perhaps the ones who have never subscribed to DirecTV, may be scandalized. I’m guessing most won’t bat an eye. It’s Herculean policy not to personally appraise the work of my fellow AICN contributors, but I will point out that my friend Biegel’s work is garnering more than a few strong notices. Like this one: Entertainment Weekly says:

… so brashly vulgar, it's endearing. …

USA Today says:

… Luckily, Cox has an excellent writer behind her (Scrubs' Bill Lawrence) and excellent actors around her. They all shine …

Newsday says:

… why … is "Cougar Town" such a painful belly flop? Easy answer: The glaring mismatch between material and starring actress. … "Cougar Town" will get a big number Wednesday, but do not be fooled. It doesn't deserve one.

The Los Angeles Times says:

… The maddening thing about "Cougar Town" is that it isn't completely unfunny or uncharming. Lawrence and Biegel are fine writers, and there are sparks amid the mire.

The Chicago Tribune says:

… it’s hard to see how the show will work long-term, and the screechy and semi-frenetic tone set by the pilot doesn't help. … doesn’t really capture much that feels true about female friendships. Women on this show tend to shout at each other, browbeat each other or simply announce, "Wow, you look like a whore." All of that claws-out humor is of a piece with the show's vaguely hostile attitude toward its female characters and their middle-aged dilemmas. …

The Chicago Sun-Times says:

… when it comes to cougar TV, my dears, we can do better. …

The Miami Herald says:

… downright unwatchable, an agonizingly unfunny gutter-ball that will almost certainly be the first of the new season's shows to be canceled. …

The Sarasota Herald Tribune says:

… the 30-minute pilot sets up enough promise to make you want to give it a try. …

The Waukegan Sun says:

… It's possible that "Cougar Town" could improve, if Cox's character could find a little subtlety, a little softness. "Friends" was not a fluke; Cox is funny. To a bouncer, she sputters the line, "Wow, you are really black. It's so handsome on you!" and somehow it's more endearing than offensive. That's talent. But ultimately, this is a story of desperation, not liberation. Cox is too good for this. …

The Washington Post says:

… surprisingly funny … may be the most deliciously profane network show ever made. (If there's already been a sitcom in which a teenager discovers his mom performing oral sex by the pool, do let me know.) …

The Washington Times says:

… Miss Cox, at 45, is still cute and has nice comic timing. It's just that every joke is somewhat insulting to the thousands of over-40 women who have come through their divorces just fine, have made peace with arm flab and have no problems finding a boyfriend.…

The San Francisco Chronicle says:

… Despite the title, "Cougar Town" seems more female centric, which is key to ABC's audience, and it's a little more formulaic than "Modern Family," but both are welcome new sitcoms. …

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:

… frantic … attempts to show the dilemmas faced by a fortysomething woman seeking love and affirmation, but too often the pilot defines her life only by opportunities for sex. …

The Newark Star Ledger says:

Much better than the title suggests … Has some kinks to work out, but Cox is funny and producer Bill Lawrence ("Scrubs") has put a solid supporting cast around her. …

The Arizona Republic says:

… ferociously smart comedy …

The Salt Lake Tribune says:

The return of Courtney Cox ("Friends") to comedic television must be all the more scary for her because the success of this sitcom about a middle-aged divorcee rests solely on her. Fortunately, she's up to the challenge, even if the writing doesn't display the same ambitions. … The comedy seems a bit forced in the first half hour -- the only episode available to critics before the show's debut -- but the real reason to watch is for Cox's likeable and easy-going presence, a style she has mastered on the career-making "Friends." Whether the writing and situations can catch up to her charisma is the question, but I plan to hang out with this anxious cougar a little longer to find out. …

The Boston Herald says:

… More of a sociological rant than a sitcom … In this alleged comedy …

The Boston Globe says:

… where “Scrubs’’ managed to plumb some truth about medicine and camaraderie “Cougar Town’’ is less funny, and sometimes kind of creepy. …

The Hollywood Reporter says:

… Unfortunately, the character Lawrence dreamed up for Cox to play … is shrill, unappealing (except for the whole looking like Courteney Cox thing), self-obsessed and has no filter between what she thinks and what she says. … This is a one-note premise, with a lead character no one could want to spend five minutes with, based on a passing fad …

Variety says:

… a leaden vehicle. … if the pilot is indicative of the show's direction, it's unlikely many will yearn to linger for long in "Cougar Town's" untidy litter box.

9:30 p.m. Wednesday. ABC.

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