Call it the “Friends” curse. For the ten years the sitcom graced the airwaves, and the show’s cast were some of the most popular stars on television. But since the series ended in 2004, each cast member has had their share of trouble getting their career back on track.

The struggles continue for Courteney Cox in her latest attempt, “Cougar Town”. Cox stars as Jules, a recently divorced 40-year-old real estate agent and the mother of a 17-year old boy. She claims that she doesn’t want to turn into one of those older women who preys on younger men, but quickly sees herself heading in that direction.

In the pilot, Jules is reluctant to start dating once again, but her ditzy and over-the-top sidekicks Laurie(Busy Phillipps, “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”) and Ellie (Christa Miller, “Scrubs”) are eager for her to find some excitement upon her newly single status. After an awkward meeting in a bar Jules proceeds to bring a much younger man back to her house only to have her son Travis (Dan Byrd, “Heroes”) walk in and interrupt them. However, at the end of the episode, Jules finds delight in the fact that she hasn’t lost her sex appeal.

The idea of creating a show based on the cougar concept might have had potential, but that potential has been all but shattered in this pilot. Like many other new sitcoms, “Town” is just trying too damn hard. The jokes are immature and desperate, and the characters are nowhere near realistic (No 40-year-old mother should tell a man in a bar that he is “hot as balls”).

It is really a shame because Cox (along with certain members of the supporting cast) is just better than the material. Their talent is wasted on a poor and awkward script, which is seriously lacking in continuity.

Another problem with the show is that it really isn’t clear where the plot will go. It seems so underdeveloped that there may just be no hope to become a full-fledged series. An older woman can only seduce a young man so many times before it gets really old.

If the show is lucky enough to continue, the lines need to be made more natural and the plot needs to be toned down. Yes, the whole concept of cougars is a bit over the top, but in order to make the show anywhere close to reality, it needs to be at least slightly rational. The outrageous characters of this show just as unbelievable as they are forgettable. The women of “Cougar Town” are desperate housewives who are only desperate to get a laugh.

“Cougar Town” airs Wednesdays at 9:30/8:30c on ABC.