"American Dream Plan B" is the first episode of Cougar Town's sixth season.
Laurie is struggling to deal with her pregnancy and the effects it has on her body. Jules tries to help her cope with it, first by showing her how to use her pregnancy to get away with things. After Laurie gets busted by a police officer for stealing things in the Plaza, Jules promises Laurie that they won't drink until she can, but she and the rest of the group struggle to go without it. Ellie and Andy go to Tom's new garage bar to drink in secret. They're quickly joined by Jules, but when Tom reveals he's been tweeting about it the whole time, Laurie shows up moments later and goes on a rampage with nickel socks. Later, in the plaza, Jules apologizes but explains to Laurie that she can't fix it, and that Laurie just needs to get through her pregnancy.
Travis worries he can't be trusted to take care of a baby, and enlists Grayson to give him parenting tips (after being reminded that Grayson is, in fact, a father). He helps Travis with "baby practice", using Tom's new pig and a baby bjorn, in a Matrix-themed practice run. Just as Travis learns to start using his "dad instincts", he loses the pig, which Jules helps him get back.
Tom reveals his newly-renovated garage, which he put a bar in. When Jules bans wine, he invites the gang to do a 20's-style speakeasy in it, which Ellie and Andy participate in to hide from Laurie.
This episode contains examples of:
- The Bus Came Back: Tampa/Jill and Holly return in The Stinger for a scene with Grayson, reminding people that he still sees his daughter regularly.
- Chekhov's Gun: Laurie mentions that one the ways she passes the time without alcohol is by following Tom on twitter. Later, it's revealed that Tom has been posting pictures of their speakeasy on twitter, and Laurie shows up moments later with baby socks filled with nickels.
- Couch Gag: "Season 6! Is it too late to change the title?"
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Andy lampshades this when he asks what happened to Barb.
- Embarrassing Superpower: Jules can do a "pig call", which she learned growing up on the farm, but is extremely ashamed of it.
- Heroic BSoD: Jules gets this after she helps Travis and Laurie, and they mention they can rely on her to help them with parenting. She realizes there's a possibility that Travis and Laurie won't be able to handle it at all, and she could end up raising her grandchild if they can't do it.
- Inevitably Broken Rule: None of them can even go a day without drinking. Ellie doesn't even try, and even Jules violates her own ban on drinking.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Everyone forgetting about Grayson's daughter, who was last seen in Season 4, and was likely forgotten by many viewers as well.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Ellie agrees with Tom that Jules' ban on drinking is "horsecrap". Lampshaded by Jules, who invokes "Things Ellie Never Says" and goes for a high five, but it's serious enough that Ellie refuses.
- Let Us Never Speak of This Again: Jules insists on this before she gets Tom's pig back.
- Long Bus Trip: lampshaded in reference to Grayson's daughter Tampa, and Barb.
- Parody: Grayson's "baby practice" for Travis is one of The Matrix; Grayson himself resembles Morpheus, complete with the jacket (given to him by Tom earlier in the episode) and sunglasses.
- Pet the Dog: Ellie agrees with Tom about Jules' ban on drinking, goes to his speakeasy to drink in secret, and even says "this is the coolest [he's] ever been" (although claims it's not necessarily a compliment).
- Put on a Bus: Bobby's playing in a golf tournament in Georgia, which sets up his departure from the series for most of the season.
- Lampshaded by several characters when discussing Grayson's daughter.
- Also lampshaded by Andy when he asks what ever happened to Barb.
- Running Gag: Laurie's Nickel socks, throughout the episode.
- Everyone forgets that Grayson has a daughter, who hasn't appeared in over a season. Tampa/Jill and her mom, Holly, return in The Stinger.
- Ellie's "Imaginary Hat" gag returns, and nobody else gets it yet. This time, Laurie uses "imaginary maracas".
- "Things Ellie Never Says" makes a return.
- The Stinger: Grayson's daughter and Holly return.
