Cougar Town

Anyone else up for a lively game of "Co-Co Rock?"

Hawaii sure is a popular location for sitcoms who want to shake things up with a vacation episode. Sometimes it works splendidly; sometimes it's barely tolerable. Just last year, Modern Family took a raucous trip there, with uproarious results. Who can forget, though (much as we might like to), the classically awful Brady Bunch and Full House island adventures?

With the dreamer, the schemer, the queen bee, the damaged goods, the iron fist, and the one we all feel sorry for along for the ride, Cougar Town's sojourn to the sandy beaches surfed the wave alongside its current network counterpart.

Show of hands: how many of you were also hoping just a little bit for Jules to blurt out "It's the humidity?"

The comedy was in peak form throughout "Something Good Coming." It's impossible not to love an episode that featured Bobby as a vacation "sugar kid" (surrogate) for Ellie and Andy, Grayson's performance of Jules' morning routine song (complete with Tom's background killer moves), Jules' improvised drinking urn, Big Kemo (gotta get me one of those) and Ellie's "Don't Bother" shirt (gotta get me one of those, too).

And then there was "The Buck." Oh, Ted Buckland, how I have missed thee. What a sensational way to reprise the beloved, put upon character from Scrubs, having him living on the beach playing his guitar for tourists. His teary take on "Love Shack" was sheer brilliance. The only thing that could have made his presence better would have been to have Jules' father along for the ride. Imagine THAT encounter.

Continuing in the ongoing saliva swap between Cougar Town and Community, Danny Pudi's cameo was pure awesome. It's a good thing his lingered a bit longer than that of Busy Philipps and Dan Byrd on his show, because I didn't notice him right away. I have no idea what the logistics involved would be, but it makes me yearn for a full-on crossover between the two shows.

What really made the episode stand out, though, were the more dramatic moments.

Jules and Grayson struggling to figure a way out of their yay-or-nay baby predicament was touching, especially when they were on the beach together, trying - yet failing - to mask their feelings by making light of it. As much as I do not want to see a pregnancy storyline interrupt the good time vibe of the Cul-De-Sac crew, I loved that Jules (with a little help from "The Buck!") ultimately told Grayson she'd go with him on any adventure. These two are in for the long haul.

Ah, what could be. Travis and Laurie looked really great together, didn't they? Their chemistry is crazy good, and even though it's probably not right for the show at this stage, a little part of me wants to see them explore a relationship. Regardless, it was both brave and harsh of Laurie to risk her friendship with Travis by leading him on for a day to show him how fickle his heart is at this stage and that major decisions shouldn't be made on a whim, as she well knows. Who better to help nudge him in the right direction than someone who's been there?

Thankfully, they mended fences before next season. I don't think I would have survived the elongated wait otherwise.

It's not that I want to see all the characters on the show coupled up, but I do feel badly for Bobby.  I've been the odd man out on vacations with couples before - and it's muy no bueno. Even though he has good friends like Ellie and Andy to lean on when he hits a rough patch, I wouldn't complain about him getting a girlfriend long term.

Especially before Andy does leave Ellie for him.

I thought Courteney Cox really shined throughout the episode, but particularly during her scenes with Byrd. I love their dynamic, creepy as it may sometimes be, and appreciated Travis speaking up for his independence, then Jules ultimately letting him have it. After all, the lessons you teach yourself are usually the ones that you learn the best.