I like 'Cougar Town.' Do you?

I've been trying to figure out why some people (including me) have really been enjoying "Cougar Town" (Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. on ABC) and some people loathe it with a passion I reserve for shows like "Accidentally on Purpose" and "The Ex List."

Sure shows and performances have divided us before and certainly one person's favorite show is another's most hated. We all don't like the same things nor should we. But for some reason I didn't expect this kind of dividing line to be drawn with "Cougar Town." I thought once people saw it - and got past the tongue-in-cheek title - they would either find it funny or not, but wouldn't have such a strong reaction. Some readers have written to me that they find the show offensive and too vulgar. In general, scripted television offends me much less that reality TV does (for example nothing scripted will ever be as offensive to me as people who allow their children to be part of reality TV shows - the family edition of "The Amazing Race" being the rare exception). Do I think children should be watching "Cougar Town?" No I don't but I don't find the show offensive at all. I kind of think the characters talk and joke about things people do in real life but rarely do on television.

Also I've heard the complaint that Courteney Cox is completely unbelievable as Jules a somewhat insecure woman pinching the fat on her stomach, worrying about her face in the magnifying mirror and obsessing over the heels of her feet. But I totally believe it. Maybe it's because I, too, have one of those evil magnifying mirrors, but who among us hasn't fretted about some aspect of our appearance? No matter how good we look. I actually find it somewhat comforting that someone who looks like Jules is just as neurotic as the rest of us.

Plus I think the show is really funny. I couldn't help but laugh when Jules' son Travis (Dan Byrd) and his father Bobby (Brian Van Holt) drove around town in a golf cart. Or when Jules explained how she gets up an hour early to put on make up so that when Josh (Nick Zano) wakes up he thinks that's how she always looks. And I really like her rapport with Grayson (Josh Hopkins), the across the street neighbor she's obsessed with making her friend. We do live in a double standard society where it is easier for a man to re-enter the dating world at 40 than it is for a woman. Why shouldn't Jules be annoyed with that? I love that the show is exploring this topic in its own humorous way. This week, this get even more annoying for Jules when Bobby and Grayson become friends. (As a side note, is Grayson going to be the name of TV season kind of like Logan was a few years ago. It's now on both "Drop Dead Diva" and "Cougar Town").

Do I still think Christa Miller is too much like her character she played on "Scrubs." Absolutely. Do I think Cox is playing a version of Monica Geller if Monica had gotten married young and now was trying to re-live the years she missed out. Absolutely. But I wanted to defend and support "Cougar Town" as the hilarious, promising series I think it is. We have so few good comedies on TV and those of us who watch a lot of TV know how hard it is to make a viewer laugh. I'm thrilled "Cougar Town" was picked up for a full season. Do you agree with me? Disagree? Talk about it below.

Ask TV Gal

Why has Rachel Griffiths been missing from Brothers & Sisters for several episodes? With Tommy gone, that's huge chunks of the Walker clan missing, and it shows. Any news on Southland getting picked up by a cable network? Jason

Rachel Griffiths gave birth to her third child at the end of June and was written out of the early episodes this season to accommodate her maternity leave. But we'll be seeing more her now that Sarah's back from Paris and her French fling (Gilles Marini) followed her back to Pasadena. As for "Southland" there is some good news. Executive producer John Wells is apparently in talks with two different networks to pick up the show. Since production on the series has been shut down, the network that acquires the series will most likely air the seven episodes from last season and the six from this season that have already been shot as one complete season. Right now, the most likely candidate is TNT. I'm cautiously optimistic but I definitely don't want to count my TiVos before they're on. So let's all just keep our fingers crossed.

I know the fourth season of Friday Night Lights is about to start airing on DirecTV. Have you seen any of it? Do you know if it is going to continue to be one of the best shows on tv or is it something I should add to my dvr and watch it later list? Thanks, Katie

Katie your question is perfectly timed because I just received the season four premiere of "Friday Night Lights" in the mail. The show premieres on DirectTV's the 101 network next Wednesday, October 28 at 9 p.m. The season will kick off with Coach Taylor as the coach of East Dillon High and having to build up a football team now that the entire town has undergone redistricting. Meanwhile Tami is still the Principal of West Dillon High. I haven't watched the episode yet but I'll definitely have a review of the season premiere in next Monday's column. The entire fourth season will air on NBC in late spring/summer 2010.

Highlights of the Week Ahead

All times listed are Eastern Standard Time for October 19-25

Will this be the episode where "How I Met Your Mother" (Monday, CBS, 8:30 p.m.) gets its mojo back? I hope so. Barney tries to convince Robin to become a U.S. citizen and I'm also hearing that they'll be another significant plot development tonight as well.

Will Wheaton, who we just saw on an episode of "Leverage," guest stars as himself on "The Big Bang Theory" (Monday, CBS, 9:30 p.m.). It seems that Sheldon has, no surprise, a gripe with him. Meanwhile, Wolowitz wants to be set up with one of Penny's friends. The show is doing a great job of having Penny and Leonard together without it affecting the overall dynamic of the show. I think that's partly due to the fact that the Penny/Leonard potential romance never dominated the show and that Penny and Leonard together annoys Sheldon even more.

I think I've told you guys this story before, but when the original "Beverly Hills 90210" first premiered, I didn't watch the show. It aired opposite "Cheers" and so I never checked the show out. But one Thursday, "Cheers" was in repeats and I tuned into the episode that had the gang dressing up for Halloween - remember Donna as a mermaid? I was hooked. So I have high hopes for this week's episode of "90210" (Tuesday, CW, 8 p.m.) which will be Halloween themed (think Adrianna as Marilyn Monroe). Also it looks like Dixon will try to end his relationship with Sasha this week - emphasis on the word "try." Dixon is about to head into a very familiar teen soap opera story line.

Daphne Zuniga returns to "Melrose Place" Tuesday at 9 p.m. on the CW. Jo is still a photographer and just guess who has been hired to do Riley's photo shoot? Crazy coincidence, right?

Alicia must prove that a train company, and not its engineers, was responsible for a train crash on "The Good Wife" (Tuesday, CBS, 10 p.m.). Martha Plimpton, who we just saw as the mother of the teenage boy with inexplicable pain in the two-hour season premiere of "Grey's Anatomy" guest stars as the attorney for the train company. I continue to really enjoy the story line of Alicia's personal life. Last week, when she realized a gift from her husband may have been a bribe he received from someone else was so gut wrenching. Julianna Margulies is great at playing a woman who is trying to hold it all together and not let anyone else see how difficult her whole situation is. I also think the cases of the week are getting stronger. They're still not what gets me to tune into the show but they are entertaining.

Finn being naïve about Quinn's pregnancy doesn't bother me as much as the Will/Terri story line on "Glee" (Wednesday, FOX, 9 p.m.). I'm okay with a high school student being that clueless. This week, everyone finds out that Quinn is pregnant and it turns the school's most popular couple into outcasts. We'll also learn a little bit more about Sue's personal life.

Last week's "Modern Family" (Wednesday, ABC, 9 p.m.) was the best yet. It was wonderful to watch Shelley Long's humor fit right in with the rest of the family. Here's hoping she's back soon. It seems like every episode offers up something that still makes me chuckle days later. Last week, it was Phil screaming "I've got Gloria" during the fight between Gloria and Dede. This show just makes me so happy because every week it's funny. It sounds so simple, but it's true. Make me laugh and I'm a happy TV Gal. This week, Gloria and Phil have the family over for a cookout and, as you might expect, all does not go well.

Like a lot of you, I definitely thought "The Office" suffered with both Jim and Pam out of the office. I liked that they weren't there in the sense that it was true-to-life that they would be on their honeymoon, but without Jim and Pam the show just isn't as funny. They're back this week and Pam finds out who her mother has been dating at 9 p.m. on NBC.

Don't forget Will Arnett is back on "30 Rock" Thursday at 9:30 p.m. on NBC.

So what did you think of "Ugly Betty" (Friday, ABC, 8 p.m.)? Guest stars abound this week. Hamish Linklater (Christine's brother on "The New Adventures of Old Christine") guest stars as a designer, Adam Ferrara (the chief on "Rescue Me") pops up as Hilda's customer and Jamie-Lynn Sigler ("herself" on "Entourage") is a woman Daniel meets in his bereavement group.

We'll find out why Sierra entered the "Dollhouse" this Friday at 9 p.m. on FOX.

That's all for today. I'm back on Friday with a review of new USA drama "White Collar," this Friday's episode of "Monk" (featuring Sharona), this week's familiar faces, quotes of the week, and more. Have a question? Seen a familiar face? Want to nominate a quote of the week or a topic for discussion? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com or follow me on Twitter. Talk to you on Friday.