Raising a glass to "Cougar Town"

TV critic Neal Justin reports from Hollywood on "Cougar Town," "Parks and Recreation" and Conan O'Brien

January 13, 2011 at 8:45PM
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Courteney Cox

When you visit the set of "Cougar Town," best expect to wash down your lunch with some vino. Courteney Cox and company offered glasses of wine and lots of dish on the season. This show has settled into one of the grooviest grooves on television - or maybe I'm just being influenced by that second glass of chardonnay...

Got a tour of the set of "Parks and Recreation," another much improved series, by Aziz Asnari, Nick Offerman and the charming Rashida Jones. More on that visit in Thursday's Variety section...

Anyone who think Conan O'Brien has gotten over "The Tonight Show" hasn't talked to him personally. O'Brien was personable and open in conversation from his set, but when the subject of NBC comes up, he still looks borderline suicidal. Will he ever get over it? Letterman never did...

The set for "Lopez Tonight", just a football field away from O'Brien's set, may be the most impressive late-night digs I've ever seen. George Lopez said he was inspired by the bearded O'Brien to grow some facial hair of his own....

Forest Whitaker talked passionately and poetically about his new series, "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior." If only the series can live up to his excitement. The pilot suggests the show needs some work....

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nealjustin