Cougar Town was, by the admittance of show co-creator Bill Lawrence, an American sitcom legend, a title designed to try and generate buzz, and was constructed with tongue firmly planted in cheek. It also, quite possibly, ended up being a real barrier of entry for folks. Early on, the show had a story that hewed somewhat closely to what you think it was about. That is, if you are thinking it is about an older woman, here played by Courtney Cox, dating younger men. That could not sustain a show, and it was not asked to. Cougar Town quickly turned into a show about a group of middle aged friends hanging out and drinking wine and cracking jokes and all that stuff. Many sitcoms eventually turn into hangout shows, but usually they dont start with such a hooky premise. Alas, that name still sticks around like an albatross.
