Cougar Town Episode 2.13 Lost Children

The Cougar Town phrase of the moment is: Friend Test. Jules explains, "It's when you call your entire friendship into question and force them into doing something." Jules uses this test to force Ellie to come over for movie night after she's done shopping for Big Present Day. Her most recent self-given gift of gargantuan proportions is a big red and white pickup truck. Everyone let out their best trucker yell. Woo-hoo!

RANDOM BARB SCENE: Jules gets caught in Barb's tractor beam and is forced to listen to another one of her sex stories. The subject is unimportant (okay, it's about a Cuban sandwich where two cousins serve as the roll). Anyway, the highlight of the chat is when Jules explains to Barb that she's no longer a 40-something hottie chasing after younger men. She says, "What do I have to do? Change my name?!" Love it!

Bobby's bummed when he learns that the movie Waiting for Superman doesn't feature anyone hailing from the planet Krypton. No worries. Movie night is on hold because Jules messed up the TV. Ellie suggests they cruise around in her new truck, but Jules overrules. She wants to play Sardines in a Can. It's like hide-and-seek, but if you find the hider, you must then hide with them. The last person left looking is the loser. How fun is that?!

Ellie volunteers to hide first so that she can call Jules on her cell to say she's a bossy-pants control freak who makes everyone do what she wants. Odd neighbor Tom is the first to find Ellie hiding in the bed of her new pickup. Travis escapes his mom's relentless arguments as to why she's so NOT a controlling dictator to also make his way into the truck. Hey, shouldn't that boy be away at college?

Andy takes things personally when Grayson starts talking smack during a rousing game of Penny Can. When Andy refuses to talk about it, Grayson ties him to a tree with a hoodie. He heads to the back of the pickup where Ellie informs him that her hubby used to be teased endlessly by pretty boys just like him. The G-man finally gets it. He frees Andy from the tree, they both make nice and later join the others in the truck.

Bobby and Laurie sneak off to share some steaks and champagne at Grayson's place. They both love beef and bubbles. By the way, Beef and Bubbles would be their detective names if, you know, they were detectives. Bobby says he's been keeping his new girlfriend, Sam, away from the cul-de-sac crew because they tend to be too judgmental. Laurie promises they'll be cool, so Bobby calls Sam, who joins them in the back of Ellie's truck. Of course, all bets are off when Sam dumps him.

Jules is the last Sardine in a Can player out there. She stands in the middle of the cul-de-sac ready to snap. It's dark and she's tired of being alone. Her only recourse now is a Friend Test. Ellie has no choice but to show herself by standing up in the back of the truck. The rest of the cul-de-sac follows her lead. That Friend Test is a powerful weapon.

Jules apologizes for being such a dictator. The truth of the matter is that no one really minds. If they had to pick a group leader, Jules would win in a landslide. She's the one who brings all these sardines together in the same can or, in this case, truck. To celebrate this revelation, they can either play another round of Sardines in a Can or go inside and drink some wine. Any idea as to which idea wins out?