Fall TV 2012: What to Watch and When to Watch It

I may have been absent from the Interwebs for a lot of this summer (it's strange how real life will keep you busy sometimes), but don't worry, I haven't been watching and studying any less television than usual.  In fact, I've been saving up some of my excitement and analysis for exactly this moment:  the proverbial eve of the fall TV season kick-off.  These are a few of the shows I'll be watching and reviewing subject, as always, to change (except for Parks and Rec, which I will watch/love till the end of time).  And in case you've been sitting on your sofa staring blankly at your television set and awaiting my instructions as to what you should watch, here they are for your perusal:


Mondays:

How I Met Your Mother (CBS, premieres September 24th)
*Where we left off:  Barney's future bride was revealed (it's Robin!); Lily and Marshall had a baby (and promptly brought it with them to the bar); Ted and Victoria rode off into the sunset together (sort of).
*What's next:  With the writers, at least according to recent interviews with Bays and Thomas, working as though this will be the show's last season, it seems the tying up of some loose ends is on the horizon.  We have to figure out how the heck Barney and Robin make it to the alter (remember he's newly engaged to stripper Quinn in the present), as well as how Ted ruins things with Victoria (again) and arrives at the show's titular moment at long last.  It should prove to be an interesting season, and hopefully there will be significantly less time wasted with so many plots to unravel in so short a time.
*Wish list:  I'd love to see an announcement (sooner rather than later) that HIMYM will in fact wrap up after this season.  I think 24 episodes is more than enough time to wrap up the loose ends still dangling if the writers are deliberate about it, and if Thomas and Bays are permitted to stretch this journey out any further the cracks are really going to start to show.


(NEW SHOWS!) Tuesdays:

Go On (NBC, premiered September 9th)
The primary reason this show works well is that the execs at NBC have stopped fucking around and finally returned Matthew Perry to the role he belongs:  Chandler Bing.  Yes, Chandler's aged a decade or so and he's got a different name and job and blah, blah, blah; but essentially this character is nearly identical personality-wise.  It's as though we're seeing future Chandler following the death of Monica, whom we all knew kept him grounded, and though he's surely bereaved, he's also hilarious.

Better than that, though, this show actually seems to have heart, and not in a jammed-down-your-throat kind of way.  It's ballsy for a primetime sitcom to deal with something like grief, but the level of accuracy Go On supplies in the pilot episode alone is definitely encouraging, and a good sign of things to come.  Hopefully NBC doesn't err on the side of their usual instinct, which is to water down the honesty of some of their best programs (Community and its new team of writers springs to mind, not to mention the soon-to-wrap train wreck that The Office has become), because that would sacrifice a lot of what thus far makes this show appealing.

The Mindy Project (FOX, premieres September 25th)
This is a show that seems designed to stand up well beside its lineup-mate, FOX's New Girl, which was of course one of last year's runaway hits (not to mention the source of way too much Deschanel Hype in my life).  The Mindy Project follows Mindy Kaling, who you'll recognize as Kelly Kapoor from The Office, in the early stages of her career as an OB/GYN, as well as the battle-worn (and hilarious) stage of her romantic life.  It's lighthearted, it's laugh-out-loud funny, and it's identifiable, which is really all you can hope for in a pilot episode.  I can foresee problems similar to those found in the early run of New Girl, when it became clear that the amount of "isn't-she-quirky" based humor needed to be toned down-- in The Mindy Project, it's easy to lose sight of Mindy's role as (in theory, at least) an everywoman character in the more grating aspects of the character's personality.

This one also has an excellent supporting cast going for it, and I'm hopeful that the writers will gradually shift some of the focus so expended on Mindy in the pilot to some of these already very interesting personalities.


Wednesdays:

Happy Endings (ABC, premieres October 23rd)
*Where we left off:  Season 2's finale brought us another wedding, this time between friends of the gang Derrick and Eric.  We saw Penny struggle with possible feelings for Dave, who ended the night instead with erstwhile fiance Alex, while Brad and Jane tried to come to a compromise on how to better communicate with each other.
*What's next:  It doesn't seem that this Alex/Dave/Penny triangle is going to be too much of an overwrought thing (especially with rumors of Penny getting a new semi-longterm love interest), which is excellent news for a show that's already brilliant without the addition of needless melodrama.  
*Wish list:  More of Adam Pally's Max and less of Elisha Cuthbert's Alex (mainly just less of the emphasis on her being the dumb blonde of the group); more viewers for what I guarantee is the funniest show you're not watching.


Thursdays:

Parks and Recreation (NBC, premieres September 20th)
*Where we left off:  One Leslie Knope is about to take Pawnee City Council by storm after triumphing in the season finale's election.  She'll be working on a long-term relationship with Ben, who has taken a job in Washington D.C. and who has somewhat inexplicably recruited April to work as his intern.
*What's next:  A Ben/Leslie shake-up, but according to executive producer Mike Schur it's not the kind you'd expect.  Also, some long overdue maturity for Tom, who last season appeared to backtrack a bit following his Entertainment 720 venture.  But the best news is that by the end of the season premiere, the Tom/Ann debacle will really and truly be a thing of the past.



Fridays:

Community (NBC, premieres October 19th)
*Where we left off:  In a season finale that really would've made a great conclusion to the series, we saw everyone going their almost separate ways in relative happiness (yes, even Jeff, who decided to finally seek out his long-estranged father).  It was almost enough to make you not want a fourth season.  Almost.
*What's next:  The show's last-minute salvation last spring means that some tweaks are going to have to take place (this is even without the team of new writers and the firing of Dan Harmon, the show's creator).  We'll apparently be meeting Jeff's father, there will be an Inspector Spacetime convention, and the gang will pay homage (sort of?) to The Hunger Games in the season premiere.
*Wish list:  I don't have too many particular demands, I just hope that the show will still be recognizable as the delightful, wonderfully weird thing it is after the new writers have gotten their hands on it.


Honorable Mentions:

30 Rock, The Office (Thursdays, NBC):  Both are entering their final seasons, hopefully some laughs will be resurrected before the end.

Grey's Anatomy (Thursdays, ABC):  Yup, they're still kicking over at Seattle Grace.  And this season promises to be every bit as miserable and death-filled as you could possibly hope.


Here's to a wonderful 2012/2013 television season.

TV Review: How I Met Your Mother-- Karma

This episode is the kind of installment I watch every week holding out for, an episode that reminds us all why we loved this show in its early days, and why we've stuck with it for so long.  "Karma" may not have been epic, per se, at least not in the way we spoiled TV viewers have come to expect, but it was a solid half-hour of storytelling, and it tugged at the heartstrings while simultaneously supplying laughs, which is what any HIMYM episode worth its salt manages to do seemingly without effort.

First we addressed the whole "Barney's in love with a stripper" plot line, which is shaping up to be a lot more interesting than trite.  I think after 6 seasons and change of watching Barney deceive woman after woman, it'll be a while before I grow tired of seeing one turn the tables on him for a change.  I also think I might really like Quinn as a match for our Mr. Stinson following this episode, though I'm going to need a few more appearances before I can decide if I want to see her revealed as the bride in the flashforward we've been promised at season's end.

On the other front we had Robin's adventures in the suburbs with Marshall and Lily, as well as Ted struggling with various (disastrous) hobbies as he tried to fill the literal and figurative space left behind by his ex-roommate Robin.  My expectations being mediocre as they were, I assumed both of these would be throwaway stories used as backdrop to Barney's story this week, but in a surprise twist these two plots managed to not only twine themselves together, they provided the dose of forward momentum this show has been sorely in need of over the past few months.  Robin passed on to Ted her discovery that Marshall and Lily were not enjoying life in Long Island nearly as much as they pretended; and Ted realized that the solution to everyone's predicament was a big gesture, (thankfully) a non-romantic one this time.  Turns out he never took Marshall & Lily's names off of the lease for their apartment, and he decides to remove his own so that they can move back to the city, and even decorates Robin's room for the new baby to live in instead.  Cute, right?  Everybody wins, except Ted because he's apparently homeless, and we all know how hard it is to find apartments in NYC.

Additional thoughts:  I feel like, if Karma was using that "let's go on a date" trick with all of her customers, she would have had a host of complaints by now, and maybe even an actual manager who disliked her.  Then again, it's not like I know anything about how strip club politics work.  Also (and on a completely different note), shouldn't Ted be like, at least a little bit better at building things?  I don't think I'd trust an architect who can't even get a table right (though I did enjoy his efforts at pottery).

Overall, this episode was a peak in a season of drastic ups and downs.  At this point there's really no predicting what next week will bring.

TV Review: How I Met Your Mother -- No Pressure

While this was an admittedly more tolerable episode than the last few, I still don't think I loved "No Pressure" the way I've loved episodes of How I Met Your Mother in the past.  I'm very, very grateful for the way things resolved themselves, but the path to reach that point was rocky at best.

First let's talk about the opening.  While it did do us the service of reminding us that eventually there is going to be a woman who becomes the mother we've been talking about for so long (at least in theory), it also did one of my least favorite things on this show, which is to illustrate that the current plot line (in this case Ted and Robin and the mystery of where they'll go from here) is an exercise in near-pointlessness.

We next see Ted in the present with Robin, expanding on last week's inexplicable confession of feelings.  Robin is, unsurprisingly, struck dumb by this, but just as Ted convinces himself that his declaration was nothing more than a bout of temporary insanity, Robin shows up at his door with the full intention of getting it on.  Fortunately, (extra emphasis on 'fortunately' for those of us who'd been cringing up to this point), Robin's co-worker shows up with a very convenient departure for their trip to Russia, interrupting what might have been a very big mistake.  This leaves Ted to turn to Marshall and Lily with his dilemma.

One thing I absolutely despise about Ted and Marshall's conversation is that irksome bit where Marshall points out the "signs" we should have seen over the past few months pointing to Ted's renewed interest in Robin.  And while a careful viewer could have just maybe interpreted these nearly-microscopic indicators correctly, it felt more like the writers were talking down to the audience than anything else.  I find it more than a little annoying to be condescended to by a show that has, in many regards, lost its way this season.


Easier for me to swallow is Lily's reaction, because she spends this episode serving as the sole voice of reason (at least until Robin returns to her senses later, but more on that in a moment).  Lily expresses my feelings (and, I'm guessing, more than a few others') about this backtracking perfectly, pointing out that although Ted has not, in fact, found the future Mrs. Mosby yet, he hasn't moved any further into a relationship with Robin, either.  Ted continues to be hardheaded and whiny, however, insisting that Lily is rooting against him because of a bet she and Marshall made concerning the couple in question. 

And because it apparently isn't enough to make me want to throttle Ted, Robin, and Marshall (but just a little bit; he's trying to look out for his BFF after all), we next see Ted thrust the blame for his and Robin's current predicament on Barney, who has a surprising reaction.  He spills the details to Ted about what went down back in the fall (when this season appeared to have a more defined direction for itself...) between him and Robin, and insists that he's not waiting around for her when she doesn't feel the same.  Barney also tells Ted that if he (Ted) can be the one to make Robin happy, then that is all right with him. For me this scene proves that Barney has officially become the superior character, and perhaps the better man.


Fortunately, when Robin returns from Russia she seems to have gained some perspective, and she and Ted finally have a heart to heart conversation (the majority of which we, fortunately, don't have to listen to).  When Ted asks her point-blank if she loves him, she thankfully says no and saves us all from a continuation of this awful, awful story line.  What follows is one of my favorite scenes in recent memory on this show, between Marshall and Robin.  Marshall plays the part of best friend possibly better than he ever has, telling Robin that despite the brave face he might put on, Ted is crushed by this rejection.  He also tells her what she already knows:  if things are ever going to get better for anyone involved, Robin needs to move out of Ted's apartment.

The episode closes not on this conclusive note, but with a scene between Marshall and Lily that left me scratching my head.  When Lily insists that it is now finally time for Marshall to pay up on their bet concerning Ted and Robin's relationship, he stoutly replies, "not yet."  I can't tell now if this is simply Marshall's unwavering optimism, or if it is the writers' attempt (in a very lazy move, if it is the case) to leave the door open just a crack should they want to (heaven forbid) revisit this plot again in the future.  As for me, I'm hoping for the former.

The Art of Quitting While You're Ahead: A Case for 2 TV Favorites to Bow Out Gracefully

When it was recently announced that FOX's House would be drawing to a close this spring, my initial thought was that it was about darn time.  However, upon reading that it was the show's creator and lead actor who were largely behind the decision to close the doors of Princeton-Plainsboro, both my interest and my respect spiked.  According to various sources, the network would have likely been game for another season of House, despite its dwindling ratings and sub-par execution in the last year or so.  The show runners, however, knew that it was time to quit, and gave themselves enough time to write a (hopefully) satisfactory ending to a show that still has a fervently loyal fan-base as well as some seriously talented performers.  This of course got me thinking of a few other shows that might consider saying their goodbyes in the near future...

The Office

As I wrote nearly a year ago in this post, The Office was just about unimaginable without the genius of Steve Carrell to steer the ship.  And while the show has had some shining moments in an otherwise uneven season (the past few weeks' episodes featuring Dwight's leadership arc have been surprisingly hilarious), on the whole it has flattened in much the way I (and many others) anticipated.  The show runners attempted to fill the void left by Michael Scott with James Spader's Robert California (whose every appearance many dread, as he is hugely unlikeable, and not in an exciting way) and a handful of other guest players who just haven't gelled with the Dunder-Mifflin/Sabre staff they way those in charge clearly hoped.  And with news of a potential Dwight spinoff and the news that Mindy Kaling has been tapped for a pilot on FOX, not to mention the escalating film careers of John Krasinski and Ellie Kemper, it is quickly becoming a question of which cast members will remain and continue to put their best efforts and energies into the show.  Not to mention this past Thursday's series low rating, disappointing for a show which, just a few years ago, was the centerpiece of NBC's Thursday night lineup.

I think that if the show's writing staff were to make peace with the idea of wrapping the show up either this season or next (preferably the former), it would allow them the time to pen a truly satisfying ending to the show.  As it stands we're seeing some weak efforts to keep the week-to-week buzz going (the Andy and Erin saga can only continue for so long, and I'm still 100% sure Jim will not cheat on Pam despite the show thrusting this plot line at us), and I think it might benefit everyone involved if they had the opportunity to wrap up the dangling threads in a satisfying way, and give long-time viewers a conclusion befitting the show we all fell in love with way back in 2005.  I would rather see a moving, unified sendoff for our favorite paper pushers than a slow trickling out of the characters I've come to enjoy so much, and much more than seeing them replaced by lackluster newcomers (the last addition to the cast who really managed to win me over was Ellie Kemper as Erin, and that is a testament to her talent rather than what she's been given to work with).  I'm sure the still-struggling NBC is reluctant to pull the plug on one of the shows for which it is still so widely recognized, yet I think they do a disservice to the talented minds who make the show each week by keeping them around past their prime.

How I Met Your Mother

I've hinted at this one in a couple of my recent reviews, and I stand by it even more firmly as Season 7 continues to (in more ways than one) unravel.  How I Met Your Mother is renewed for next season already, which seeing the inconsistency of this season seems like a hasty decision (it was confirmed before this season even began) on the part of CBS.  Then again, this is the network that continues to push reality-giant Survivor on us in its 24th(!) season. 

The real problem with HIMYM lies in the ambitious nature of the show itself.  By beginning the show back in 2005 (are you seeing a common thread here?) with the notion of telling "a love story in reverse," the creators and writers knowingly committed to a narrative structure which requires a commitment and skill beyond nearly every other sitcom on television.  That doesn't mean that the show always has to be better or funnier than its competition, but it absolutely does mean that the story has to unfold in a certain way, and with a certain consistency.  And as the show has rumbled along into its seventh season, it has become clear just how restrictive its chosen structure can sometimes be.  Bays and Thomas (the show's 2 creators) openly admit that they never expected the show to continue for this long, and have had to adapt as it has received repeated renewals.  That's all well and good, but there have been entire episodes in which it really feels to even casual viewers like the minds in charge no longer have a plan for the show and its characters.  I think imposing an end-date on the series ASAP would really help in moving away from this problem.  I'll cite as examples the show runners over at ABC's LOST, who gave themselves a deadline for concluding the series early on, a move which allowed them to tell the story they intended without continuing to waste episodes on irrelevant plots (as we saw in the second and third seasons of that show).  LOST

When you think about it, there are really only a few plot threads (I remember reading somewhere that one writer counted 18 loose ends, which seems like an overestimate) that need to be resolved by series' end.  We need to find out who Barney and Robin, respectively, end up with (if anyone).  We need to see Marshall and Lily have their baby.  We need to see how Ted winds up in the right place at the right time, with that yellow umbrella in hand, and finally, after literally years spent sitting on that sofa listening to the story, tells his children how he met their mother.  Whether the writers go the literal route of closing the series at that exact moment or allow us time to get to know the mother as a character (I think the latter would be a greater payoff for seven-plus years of fan investment), there is more than ample time to wind this series to a close by May 2013. 

Oh, and of course, there are two slaps remaining...

TV Review: How I Met Your Mother-- Drunk Train

Okay, honesty time. I didn't review last week's episode, not because I forgot or was busy, but because it was so gosh-damn boring I couldn't even think of things to say about it.  I was also hesitant to write anything on this week's installment, given that I've already expressed my frustrations with a certain story arc concerning Ted and Robin (here).  However, there were a few good features of "Drunk Train," including a promising plot line for Barney and his newest love interest.

The first big surprise in this episode comes relatively early on, with perpetually too-smitten Kevin asking Robin to marry him.  First, haven't they only been dating a few months, at the very outside?  And second, you would think that if Kevin feels they know each other well enough to get married, he would know Robin well enough to be familiar with her views on marriage and children.  But ignoring that (just as the writers apparently have), we see that at least Robin is thinking somewhat straight, telling Kevin she needs time to think it over before giving her answer.

Fortunately, Marshall and Lily are around to lend a pair of listening ears, being more useful in their brief exchange with Robin than they have in weeks.  Robin spills the secret about her infertility and cites it as the reason she does not want to marry Kevin.  While I am very glad that she's found someone to confide in, I take issue just a bit with the use of this twist as the sole reason for turning Kevin down.  I think that, even prior to finding out she can't have children, Robin never showed signs of being 100% invested in the relationship (especially when she, you know, cheated on him with Barney), and I also think it's possible that the writers didn't want to rehash the issue of Robin simply not wanting to get married (a stance which few television shows seem brave enough to validate, even in this day and age).  In any event, Marshall and Lily rightfully advise her to be honest with Kevin, and he responds in a manner that is either charming or kind of desperate, depending on your level of cynicism (I tend toward the latter), insisting that he still wants to marry her.

The other major arc in this episode involves Barney and a girl he met whilst out serving as Ted's wingman a few nights ago.  While I am fully on board with the idea of Barney getting another serious girlfriend (especially if he's set to walk down the aisle by season's end), I think the writers were a bit heavy-handed with the hints that Barney likes Quinn in a more serious way than his usual conquests.  A few seasons ago this would have absolutely been necessary, but in the face of all of Barney's growth as well as his relationships with Barney and Nora, the possibility of seriously dating a woman didn't need to be treated as so unusual for him.  That said, I like Quinn as a character based on what we've seen here.  She started out a bit too reminiscent of Nora on her introduction, dismissing Barney's tactics, but the plot twist that emerged in the tag (that she's in fact a stripper at Barney's regular haunt) seems like it might be just the thing to keep this relationship interesting. 

Getting back to Robin and Kevin, we finally got a scene with some real honesty, however harsh.  Kevin again reiterates his desire to marry Robin despite her infertility, but doesn't realize she not only can't have kids, she doesn't want them.  This is (finally) a dealbreaker for Kevin, and the two part ways, concluding one of the more tedious relationships this show has ever thrown at us.  But the fun (and by fun I mean nonsense) isn't over yet...

The episode's last scene opens with Robin on the roof of the apartment, looking sad about her breakup.  She is quickly joined by a possibly still drunk Ted, who listens as she tells the whole story of her and Kevin's unraveling.  And instead of saying something reassuring or even just offering a hug (you know, like a good friend would do), Ted makes not one but two completely illogical statements.  When Robin laments that she doesn't think any guy will ever be able to look past her non-desire for children, Ted responds thus:  "I could.  I love you, Robin."

Now, as we've previously established, I am completely against another walk down this road.  Ted and Robin's romance was, in my opinion, put to rest seasons ago, and as of this moment there is no discernible narrative reason to revisit it.  Additionally, I am extremely bothered by the way Ted makes this proclamation.  First of all, he has always, always wanted children.  It's been in his plan since the very beginning, and there has been absolutely no indication that this has changed in the intervening time.  Second, while there have been moments that could conceivably be stretched to indicate a renewed interest in Robin, I simply cannot buy that Ted is now so in love with her again that he would be willing to give up his dream of having kids in order to be with her.  I'm hoping that this was simply a drunk, irrational Ted making his usual too-sweeping declarations, and that it will be resolved in next week's episode, but the fact that I can't be sure of that worries me.  For now we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed that Robin knocks some sense into him, and that this whole story line can be resolved in a minimally annoying way.

Trouble Ahead? How I Met Your Mother's Sweeps Plans

Mr. Thomas, Mr. Bays, I certainly hope you know what you're doing.  We've trusted you so far, after six and a half seasons of edging only incrementally closer to finding out the identity of (at least, theoretically) the most important character on your show.  It's been a funny, heartfelt journey, and so we've forgiven you the occasional backward step or joke falling flat.  But if the rumors of what you've got in store for this month are true, that trust, slightly wavering in the face of an uneven season seven so far, might just run out.

For those of you wondering what I'm referencing, I'd refer you to this article (with accompanying photos for those who don't mind being spoiled), which reveals that the HIMYM writers appear to be headed back down a road already traveled, and that Ted's February sweeps story line will involve none other than his roommate and BFF, Robin.  Talk about beating a dead horse.

To be clear, I didn't have a problem with the early buzzings of this plot, because I am fine with Ted using his relationship with Robin, the longest one he's had since we met him in the pilot, to assess where he's been, where he is, and where he's going.  However, I am concerned by the fact that this seems like a bit more than that, like maybe Ted's thinking he and Robin should give things yet another go.  Hopefully she sets him straight (the photos of her with a suitcase seem to support this theory), because if she doesn't, I'm not sure I can stay on board.  A Ted and Robin redux would be a blatant stalling mechanism, a huge step backward in a season that is supposed to be preparing Ted to finally meet the woman he'll marry.  It has been confirmed a dozen times over that there is no possibility Robin is this woman, and to revisit a romance with her in season 7 just seems insulting to those of us who have been invested in finding out how this all will end.

Whether or not Robin reciprocates Ted's apparently resurrected feelings, it does seem that this will be part of what causes the casually referenced strife between Robin, Ted, and Barney.  I have to admit I didn't really consider the possibility that Ted and Barney would be at odds with each other over Robin (mostly because it's been done before), but given that this season has already given us a heavy dose of Barney/Robin suspense, this thing with Ted is going to be a bit jarring to everyone, not just those of us watching the show.

The biggest problem with a significant step backward at such a critical moment in Ted's story is the growing concern that we are running out of time.  Yes, the show has been renewed through next season, but beyond that I'm not sure about its chances at surviving for a 9th season (I'm also on the fence as to whether it should).  If we assume that the writers will (hopefully) begin scripting a slope toward the series finale within the next year, then this plot emerges as an unnecessary roadblock.  There are so many loose ends to tie up (and not just with Ted), that it's hard to believe the writers are finding time to waste.

TV Review: How I Met Your Mother-- Tailgate

Aaand we're back!  First episode of 2012, and it was... well, not the greatest.  But while it didn't drive plots forward in the same way as the last few installments, this episode was a goldmine of HIMYM call backs and minutiae for the longtime fans. 

I had a lot of mediocre thoughts on the mediocre developments of this episode, but then this was pointed out to me:
Puzzles the Bar Official Web Site

That's all we really need to take away from this episode.

2011: The Run-Down

Continuing with tradition, I've decided to rehash some of my favorite things in 2011 (mostly in pop culture, admittedly), and take a look back at the year that was.
*Fun fact: While compiling this list, I realized I might be one of the only people in America who earnestly did not pay any attention to coverage of the Royal Wedding.

Favorite Performers:

Ryan Gosling:  I think pretty much everyone else on the planet can think of at least one reason why he makes the list, but I’ll try to jog the memory of anyone drawing a blank.  First of all, he was everywhere at the movies this year, from Blue Valentine to Crazy Stupid Love to Ides of March to Drive.  He’s just plain awesome in 99% of his public appearances, from bringing his dog to Jimmy Fallon’s show for an interview to intervening in a brawl on the streets of New York.  Not to mention the unf factor.  I mean, seriously, have you LOOKED at the man?

The HP Trio (aka Dan Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson):  True, it’s very possible that none of them will really have a career to speak of now that the biggest franchise of their lives has drawn to a close, but even if these three never do anything of note again, all the memories they’ve given us are more than enough to last a lifetime.  I know I’m not the only one who enjoyed every minute of growing up alongside them while they brought my favorite stories to life.  I’ll miss all the hype and the anticipation of a new HP film every two years, but it’s undeniable that these three absolutely went out on top.  So to Daniel, Rupert, and Emma—thanks for a decade of magic.

Amy Poehler:  Ms. Poehler has always been both hilarious and extremely innovate (and very underrated-ly so), but she really took 2011 by storm.  Parks and Recreation aired its entire flawless 3^rd season during 2011, and continued its winning streak in season 4.  As if that weren’t enough, Amy also delivered a commencement address at Harvard this spring, in which she imparted her unique brand of wisdom to an audience of young people who genuinely need to live in the same spirit of passion, determination, and kindness that is evident in everything this fantastic woman does.

People I’m Sick of Hearing About:

Anyone with the last name Kardashian (second year in a row, congrats ladies!). 
All the batshit crazy Republicans running for President in 2012. 
Anyone who is or has been a contestant on Dancing with the Stars.

Best Shows:

Parks and Recreation
How I Met Your Mother

Great Episodes:

Parks and Recreation:  “Road Trip” and “The End of the World”
Community:  “Remedial Chaos Theory”
Modern Family:  “Phil on Wire”
The Office:  “Goodbye Michael”
How I Met Your Mother:  “Symphony of Illumination”

Top 5 Films:

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part Two
2. The Ides of March
3. Contagion
4. Bridesmaids/Horrible Bosses (tie)
5.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Disappointments:

Codes and Keys:  Death Cab doesn’t work when Ben Gibbard is happy.  There, I said it.  This album is boring and repetitive.  Additional note:  now that he’s divorcing Zooey D, maybe the magic of DC’s initial gloom will return (silver lining, yes?)

America/the American economy:  No jobs, no money, no concern from the men in charge; no wonder the 99% have taken to the streets.

Honorable Mentions (no category, but they kept me interested/intrigued/excited throughout the year):

ADELE:  Remember the first time you heard Someone Like You?  Did you cry in public a little bit, like I did?  This woman’s voice is magic.  Case closed.

Steve Carrell:  Since he didn’t get an Emmy, I’m giving him my equivalent.

The cast of Parks and Recreation (especially Aziz Ansari and Adam Scott):  Flawless, and the fact that they didn’t snag a SAG nod for their work as an ensemble is criminal.

Jason Sudeikis:  This is rumored to be his last season on SNL, and I’m psyched to see if the career momentum he’s had recently continues.

Alexandre Desplat:  If he doesn’t get an Oscar (or at least a nomination) for the DH2 soundtrack, I’m considering it a crime.

Arrested Development:  It’s coming back!!!

JK Rowling:  Always and always, because none of the magic would’ve been possible without her.

Seth Meyers:  Killed it at the White House correspondent’s dinner, head writer at SNL in his 11^th year, remains absolutely charming in everything he does.

That's all I've got!  Here's hoping that 2012 brings even more laughter, epic moments, and joy (and you know, not that pesky apocalypse).  Happy New Year, and thanks for reading!

TV Review: How I Met Your Mother 7.12-- Symphony of Illumination

It's difficult to articulate what I felt about this episode after only one viewing (and a lot of reading other people's opinions on it), because yes, it was controversial, but it was a lot of other things too, and I think those things are more important.  There is a huge divide over whether this episode is fantastic or terrible, and I may be the only one who is hovering somewhere in the middle.  And I don't mean it was mediocre or forgettable, I just mean that it felt each minute like it could be tipped either way, and then the episode ended without leaning fully one way or the other.

As a seasoned (and borderline obsessive) viewer of this show, I knew there was no way that opening could be real.  Dropping a bomb like that about the endgame of the show in the first ten seconds of an episode is far too easy for a show that has been notoriously twisty and trickster-y since the pilot.  Therefore I spent most of the next two commercial breaks speculating wildly on what the twist would be, my favorite prediction being that perhaps future-Robin was at a memorial service for Barney, and telling stories about him to console his kids (I was stuck on the fact that she next explicitly said they were her kids, she just kept naming Barney as the father).  Of course, I was outsmarted once again by the magicians behind this show, and I think I'm okay with the way things went.  I know many many people felt cheated or betrayed by the reveal that Robin was imagining the kids, (and this must be the thing that Thomas and Bays worried would turn some viewers away), but I liked it because of the way it punctuated the journey Robin takes in this episode. 

After the previous episode, I worried that by going the baby route the writers were doing Robin's character a serious disservice-- she's always been adamant about not having kids, and the show (and her friends) have always seemed okay with that decision.  Most importantly, Robin was secure in that choice, and I loved that about her (of course, I'm biased because I happen to feel the exact same way).  The way this plot was executed allowed the writers to stay true to her character, and really flesh out how she feels.  With Robin it's always been kind of a stock answer that she doesn't want to marry and have kids, but they've never delved into the emotional underside of that decision.  By first taking away the opportunity to one day change her mind, then having her confront the idea of her potential kids in the most direct way possible, we the viewers got to accompany Robin on a journey through the ways she's changed over the seasons, and the ways she hasn't.  She tells her imagined kids that she's glad they aren't real, and you know what?  I'm glad too.

And I love that they gave Ted that moment at the end.  I was half-expecting Barney to have done something nice for Robin (and okay, maybe hoping a little), but I'm really glad it was Ted.  He hasn't had a whole lot to do this season, but this was a nice little touch for his character, reminding us that when Ted's not wrapped up in his own drama he's a really great friend.  It also shows the importance of these characters in each other's lives, and why his friends are such an integral part of the story of how he met the mother.

Overall, this episode served almost the same purpose as "Bad News" back around this time last year.  It gave us a tone and a hinge upon which the rest of the season will hang.  Keep in mind that we still have to find out what's going to go down with Barney, Ted, and Robin as well as who the heck Barney's marrying at that future wedding.  I have no doubt that this episode's events will influence both of those plots, and whether it will be for better or worse remains to be seen.

TV Discussion: A Controversial Prediction for How I Met Your Mother

If you haven't seen the most recent episode of How I Met Your Mother (which aired two weeks ago, begging the question of what, exactly, you're doing with your life if you haven't watched it), you probably don't want to read this, as I'll be discussing a particular plot point in heavy detail.

In my initial review, I proposed several possibilities concerning Robin's pregnancy and what it means for the show.  I felt equally not-confident in each prediction, but now having thought it over and (more importantly) gathered some revealing intel, I have reached two possible outcomes, and I'm not sure what to make of either one.

First, let's go over what we know.  In my excitement over the possibility of a Robin/Barney baby and subsequent reunion, I forgot that narrator Ted has previously told us that "Aunt Robin" doesn't have children of her own.  This was pointed out to me in a discussion, and though I have yet to corroborate it by tracking down the exact episode Ted says it, I do vaguely recall getting this information.  Therefore, unless the writers plan to unravel a thread established long ago, the options for Robin have diminished to two: abortion or miscarriage.

I have narrowed it down thus far because of a couple tidbits revealed by promotional materials and interviews with the executive producers of the show, Craig Thomas and Carter Bays (who I just realized I've been referring to on this blog as "Carter and Bays" for some reason, oops).  The first is that, much to my relief, the baby can't possibly be Kevin's, because according to Robin the two haven't had sex yet.  Additionally, Thomas and Bays dropped the revealing hint that Ms. Scherbatsky "really is pregnant, but whether she'll stay that way is the question."  In another article they are quoted as adding that this episode (presumably revealing the fate of Robin's potential child), is controversial, and that "some people might stop watching" the show in its aftermath.  Now, I can see the case for this being an obvious hint at an abortion storyline, but I'd argue that done in a certain way, miscarriage is still a possibility.  Let's break it down:

If she miscarries:  The reason for this turning audience members away seems obvious-- it might simply be too dramatic for a show that is predominantly a comedy.  Yes, part of the brilliance of season six was the somber storyline about Marshall's father, but that helped push all the characters into some positive character development and maturing.  I think a Robin miscarriage might be something that would just leave a dark mark on both her and Barney's characters, and maybe even the group as a whole.  It's difficult to imagine the gang bouncing back from something like that.  Also, if we want to get into a bit of a feminist debate, you could argue that the writers having Robin lose the baby takes away from the power of the choice she'd made, way back prior to season one, to not have children and pursue a career instead (that is, pulling the decision out of her control might imply that she would have inevitably had the baby if she could, and that doesn't necessarily jive with what we know of her character).

If she has an abortion:  The reason I'm hoping it isn't this (and simultaneously the reason I feel in my gut it's more likely), is because I don't think Barney would be able to forgive her.  Yes, it is absolutely Robin's choice and you will not see me fault her for it, but I'm thinking of it from a character development/writing standpoint. Barney has made huge leaps in terms of his views on family in past year (and the promos show him being excited about the prospect of fatherhood, though this could be taken out of context), and I think this kind of blow from the woman he loves would completely unseat him.  And that hint from narrator Ted at the beginning of the season is poking at the back of my mind again: what if this has to do with why Ted, Robin, and Barney can't all co-exist in harmonious friendship?  This would also be controversial for viewers because (apart from the obvious loss of staunch pro-lifers who are watching the show), over the course of the show we've primarily seen Robin softening as a character, becoming more well-rounded and even, in a few instances, motherly.  To have her return completely to her stance of kids not even being a vague option might feel to some viewers like a step backward, or something that makes her less likable (again, to be clear: arguing this from a TV standpoint, not debating the ethics of abortion).

I'll admit that I'm relieved we aren't going to have two babies introduced to the show at once (it's a notorious comedy killer), but I am anxious to see what this story line will do to the characters and relationships most concerned.  One thing I will say is that I don't think any outcome will make me stop watching (and I suspect many other viewers feel the same); I've come too far on this journey with Ted and the gang, if you think I'm not holding out until we actually meet the mother (maybe sometime in like... 2015), then you're nuts.

TV Review: How I Met Your Mother 7.11-- The Rebound Girl

I have to say, as much as I love NBC's lineup, if there is a November sweeps MVP this year, it's got to be How I Met Your Mother.  This show has pulled out every conceivable stop this month, throwing viewers on a roller coaster ride that I, for one, was not entirely expecting.

Speaking of expecting... (see what I did there?), we should probably talk about that teeny tiny little line that ended the episode and threw us all for a loop.  Our favorite former commitment-phobe, Robin, is pregnant!  Or at least, she seems to think she is.  She also seems to think Barney is the father, as he is the recipient of this cut-to-black bomb drop. 

This episode's first twenty or so minutes were pretty hilarious, and this would have been an okay installment even without that last-minute cliffhanger.  We see Marshall and Lily wavering in their decision to sell the house in the suburbs left to them by Lily's grandparents, contemplating the virtues of leaving city life behind to raise their kid.  Robin is adamantly against this possibility, absurdly so until you put it together with her later revelation.  She locks herself in the bathroom in protest, while Lily and Marshall wait for a sign from the universe that they ought to uproot their lives to make way for baby.

Also contributing to the laughs, Barney and Ted drunkenly lament their woes with women, first wishing they could just be gay together, and ultimately arriving at the conclusion that they should adopt a kid together and embark on a happy lifetime of "bro-parenting".  It's perfect-- all of the great parts of having a kid, with none of the romantic drama!  The plan veers out of control right around the time Barney shows up at Ted's with a mystery baby he appears to have stolen (don't worry, it's later revealed to be his niece, whom his brother asked him to babysit), and both Ted and Barney come to the conclusion that they really do want families, but with the "right" person.

But of course, the focal point for me is Robin's announcement at the episode's end.  I kind of wish she would have apologized to Barney for her behavior last week, or at least tried to explain, but it's clear that she's got more than a few things on her mind at the moment.  What does a Robin pregnancy mean for the rest of this season, for the overall arc of the show, and most importantly, for her and Barney?  Let's look at our options, which include, but are not limited to, the following:

1) It's a false positive.  This would be almost too easy, and kind of a huge let down after the way the set up the reveal.
2)  It's Kevin's.  Unlikely, since Kal Penn's arc on the show is almost over with no additional episodes contracted (of course, that can easily change); and I can't really see him walking away from his kid.  Also, he just doesn't mesh as well with the gang as he could, and I feel like Ted would have given us some kind of indication in his narration that Keven is part of Robin's future if that were the case.
3)  It's Barney's.  This is the one I think many fans are rooting for, but it will not be an easy road even if it turns out to be true.  Several factors are working against our favorite couple here, the first being that a casting announcement was recently made about a new long-term love interest for Barney with episodes beginning in January.  I personally am predicting that he may rush into a marriage with this girl in order to "compete" with Robin's pregnancy (assuming she keeps the baby), and that's the wedding we saw in the flashforward in this season's premiere.  Remember that Barney was feeling slightly conflicted in those scenes; that could easily be because he's still torn about lingering feelings for his friend (and possible baby-mama) Robin.
3a)  It's Barney's, and Robin is the girl he's marrying in the flashforward.  And everyone lives happily ever after.  And then we meet the mother, which shifts the focus back to Ted full time.  Actually...this could maybe, just maybe, be a real possibility.  Maybe the writers (and future Ted) have set up the story in a way that sort of "settles" everyone else's lives before launching into the endgame tale of Ted meeting his own future bride.  Then again, this show and many of the fans seem to thrive on Barney/Robin drama, so I'm not sure they're willing to give that up any time soon.

There are a hundred possible ways this story line can unfold, and my predictions may be way off target.  However, I do think this is part of the "huge season" for Robin that the writers were mentioning back in the summer, so I do think she'll go through with the pregnancy, whoever the father may be.  It's possible she'll simply go it alone for now, and any development with Barney or another suitor will come along later.  Based on everything they've done so far, though, one thing is certain: I trust the writers to tell this story, and I can't wait to see what they do next.

TV Review: How I Met Your Mother 7.10-- Tick Tick Tick

Every so often there is an episode of a television show where I'm sure the writers have targeted me personally.  "Andrea," they hypothetically say, "we decided to write 20 minutes of television with the sole intention of taking your heart, squeezing and releasing it a hundred times, and ultimately shattering it into a million pieces."  This is that episode.

Needless to say, if you haven't watched it, I'm about to have a lot of detailed, spoiler-filled thoughts about it, so you probably shouldn't keep reading.

After last week's twist ending, I was pretty sure HIMYM couldn't outdo itself this week.  But it really, really did.  "Tick Tick Tick" is perhaps one of my new all-time favorite episodes, because it did almost all of the exact things a comedy needs to do during sweeps.  There was conflict, with Barney and Robin fretting over how to tell their respective partners what they'd done; there was a gradual increasing of the stakes (Barney's speech about them getting back together floored me.  I think that was the most open he's ever been with Robin and possibly with any character on this show thus far, and it was absolutely amazing.  This is how you develop a character, folks.)  There was a dramatic ending (not necessarily a "twist," since you knew the moment they set that midnight deadline that something would go awry), and potential for weeks and weeks of fallout (that I can't wait to see).  And as the icing on the cake, there was a hilarious B storyline seemingly designed solely to diffuse the tension of the Barney and Robin goings-on in the A story.  Ted and Marshall and drugs will always be funny to me.

I think this episode, when it wasn't amping up the drama between them, really gave us a good look at where Barney and Robin are individually as characters.  It was interesting to see Barney be the one to ultimately confess his transgression to Norah, who promptly dumped him, while Robin, who they both seemed to agree was less of a mess than Barney, got miraculously let off the hook by Kevin (who I personally think came off as kind of a pushover in that last scene), and didn't have to fess up at all.  I think Barney is in a place now where he wants to try his best to not be selfish, whereas Robin will still take the easy way out if given the opportunity (granted, in this case it was pretty much presented to her on a silver platter), and I think that has given us an intriguing and fresh imbalance in their relationship.  Dare I say that Barney is now the more mature of the two, willing to step up and confront what's really going on while Robin hides behind her boyfriend?  This has some definite potential, especially in contrast to season 4 when Barney was pining after Robin but afraid he wasn't good enough.

Also, that scene at the end, where Ted saw Barney in Robin's room, cleaning up his would-be romantic gesture?  Not only was that a heartbreaking moment, but I think it is also the very beginning of the conflict between the three of them that Ted alluded to in the voiceover of the episode earlier this season, when Victoria insisted the three of them couldn't all be friends.  Ted knowing that Barney is pursuing/wants to pursue Robin again is something that I think will play an increasingly significant role the rest of this season.  I only hope that it doesn't go the same way as the season 3 arc following Barney's initial tryst with Robin, where Ted held a grudge for entirely too long. 

If there's an episode next week we might get another dose of this sweeps goodness before Turkey Day, if not I'm expecting more of a focus on Ted when the show returns.  I love the Barney and Robin stuff, I really do, but this season is also supposed to show us Ted actively trying to find his wife, and so far we haven't seen much of that.  I think it'll be good to see a renewed energy on that end of things while Barney and Robin simmer in the background, at least until she inevitably breaks up with Kevin (it is inevitable, right?  Right?).

TV Review: How I Met Your Mother 7.08-- Disaster Averted

This entry should be read with an implicit November sweeps SPOILER WARNING.  Remember that time when I said this show was gearing up for some changes during sweeps?  Yeah, I won't bore you with the gloating, but I was right!

"Disaster Averted" contains not one but two fully realized stories:  one takes place in the present, with the gang at MacLaren's, the other is a flashback sequence to the week when Hurricane Irene threatened to flood New York City.  Both stories had equally fulfilling elements, and some very funny moments.

In the present, Barney is obsessed with getting Marshall and Lily to revoke their decree that he wear the ducky tie every day for an entire year.  He comes up with the genius plan that they can trade the wearing of the tie for additional slaps in the "slap bet" made by Marshall and Barney so many moons ago. 

Meanwhile, in the coverage of the gang's storm watch, we get a healthy dose of Ted being a huge nerd, which tends to be the times I like him best.  He is in full boy scout mode, prepping for the impending disaster, donning some lovely fuschia rain boots, and attempting to convince the gang to evacuate.  Through some patented Barney manipulation, they all wind up stranded inside his apartment instead.  This bit is a stroke of genius because it gave us a bottle episode experience without the entire episode having to take place locked in Barney's living room.

Back in the present, Kevin riddles out the reason Barney is suddenly so dead set on removing the ducky tie:  he's scheduled to meet Nora's parents in a few days' time.  Marshall and Lily sympathize (and also reveal that their son-to-be was in fact conceived in Barney's bathroom the day of the hurricane), and agree that Barney can remove the tie in exchange for three additional slaps. two of which Marshall doles out on the spot.  For those keeping score at home, the remaining slap count is now 2.

The best part of the episode (in my heavily biased opinion) comes in the final five minutes, after just about everything else gets wrapped up.  Barney and Robin share a cab home, and Robin asks Barney if he's ever mentioned the "other thing" that "almost happened" during the storm.  We then got a flashback revealing that Barney and Robin had a bit of a heartfelt moment, not to mention an almost-kiss.  Now, having known going into this episode that these two were going to have a "moment," I thought this was all we were going to get, and was more than happy with it.  However, the show zagged when I expected a zig, and at the last moment we went back to the present to see Barney and Robin, both now engaged in serious relationships with other people, share a pretty heated kiss.

What does this mean?  Are these two and their respective significant others headed for trouble, or will they bury this incident, chalking it up to poor judgment?  It seems too good to be true that we're headed for a genuine Barney and Robin reunion, and so we'll have to wait and see how they manage to steer themselves in the wrong direction.  And of course, Barney's wedding and mystery bride are always in the back of my mind-- does this kiss give us further evidence it could be Robin, or will Barney re-commit to Nora even more seriously after this misstep?  Time will tell, but if this is the kind of episode the writers of this show have up their sleeves for the rest of November, I say bring it on.

November Sweeps: Picking Up the Pace

I've once again failed to review this week's episodes individually, and I think at least part of that has been due to the relative lull in excitement in their respective plots.  However, we are about to roll into November sweeps, one of the most wonderful times of the (television) year, and I have high hopes for all of our favorites.  After all, the pieces are in place for some major hilarity and development, they just seem to require a nudge in the right direction.  And I'm just about as lacking in concrete clues as the next person, but I am more than happy to speculate on what we might see over the next few weeks.

How I Met Your Mother:  The show has been just a little off its game the past few episodes, which I'm sure can be attributed to an unbalanced cocktail of somewhat awkward guest star appearances and trying just a little too hard for laughs in some cases (the storyline of "Noretta" stands out particularly in my mind).  However, if I were a betting man (this would require me, of course, to be both a man as well as someone who gambles), I'd say we're about to see no small amount of drama in Robin and Barney's respective relationships.  I don't think we'll get any hints of the two of them together any time soon, but I do think both of their liaisons are going just a bit too well at the moment.  I definitely think it would be interesting to see either Kevin or Norah (or both) have a reaction to the obvious continued closeness of Barney and Robin's relationship.  What I don't want is to see Barney cheat on Norah, though; I feel like last season made such a commitment to him moving past that part of his personality that it would be a huge waste to send him so many steps backward.  And as for Ted, I'd like to see something happen for him soon that feels like a concrete step toward actually finding the mother.  The Slutty Pumpkin episode definitely felt like an apt set up for something like this, so I'll be interested to see how they use it.

2 Broke Girls:  I have definitely seen an improvement in this show the past few episodes, and they have been gaining that forward momentum I was worried they might lack.  It has been nice to see the girls' business actually make tangible (albeit tiny) steps forward, rather than being a plot line that is forgotten and then picked up every once in while when it's convenient.  I'm still hoping that Max and Caroline will acquire another friend outside of their little duo (I'm hoping even more that it'll be Johnny and his newly introduced sidekick), because both of them play so well off of others and each other that it's fun to see them interact with new people.  I will also admit that I am pulling for that Max/Johnny romance to get off the ground (and what do you know? perfect bait for sweeps!), and for Caroline to meet someone of her own.  Also, I think I'd be happy with anything more involving their boss, Han, because he is just too adorable for words.

Up All Night:  This is a cute show that is cute.  That's what I've gotten from this season so far.  Maya Rudolph continues to pull the bulk of the comedic weight, but hey, I will continue to watch her do it because she's hilarious.  I'm a little bummed that they didn't do a Halloween episode; I would have thought that'd be a great potential scenario for the new parents, but maybe the week off means they're preparing for something big to come.  Actually, scratch that.  I don't need it to be big, I just need it to be charming and funny.  This show has lost it's way a little bit (I think having the flashback to the birth was kind of a jarring choice, honestly), but I do think that it can be steered back, and with no extraordinary strain. 

Community:  Okay, two hypothetical/fantasy based bottle episodes in a row stretched my patience a bit, I'll admit.  But I will be more than willing to forgive if this show delivers during sweeps.  From Community I don't necessarily want gimmicky plot twists for the sake of snagging attention, I just want to see some genuine development for the characters.  I feel like season three has seen almost all of them standing still, and it's got to stop soon or we're going to be facing a completely static season (and at some point, the situational comedy just won't be able to compensate).  We were promised a lot of development with Abed, particularly concerning his living situation with best friend Troy, and I'm hoping that this has been saved up for November so that we can get a sure to be humorous episode (you saw their apartment in the chaos theory episode, right?), with a dash of something just a little more serious.  Also, Britta's taken a bit of a beating lately, so I think it'd be more than okay to back off her for an episode or two.

Parks and Recreation:  I admittedly have a bit more intelligence on what's coming on this show than the others, solely because I have a habit of going hunting for tidbits when bored, but in this case it's a good thing, because the next three episode descriptions have me absolutely psyched for what's next.  We're going to see Pawnee riding out a potential end-of-days scenario, and Andy has a bucket list!  I cannot be the only person who sees so much potential hilarity in the possible items it contains.  Also ahead (I don't want to spoil everything):  we'll see more of Leslie and Ben interacting (finally), Tom's journey as Entertainment 720 meets its end, and a very small victory for one Leslie Knope.  As long as these stories are supplemented by a sharp increase in Ann screen time and a reduction of anything involving Chris, I think we may just have ourselves a couple of near-perfect episodes just in time for the holiday season.

Mid-Week Mediocre TV Roundup

This week has been a bit of a letdown on most of our favorite shows, and because I'm feeling miffed about that, I'm not granting each of them a separate review.  Yes, I know the producers of these shows must be in tears over their inability to read my extended commentary (sure to be witty and not at all meandering), but they shall overcome, I'm sure.  I recall a similar slump around this time last year-- now that all the dust from premiere season has settled, the shows can rest up in preparation for Halloween episodes (if applicable) and of course, November sweeps, which are only a few short weeks away.  How I Met Your Mother, 2 Broke Girls, and Up All Night were each funny but underwhelming, and I'm pretty sure NBC is running repeats of its Thursday night lineup, so that should indicate the kind of week it's been.  My hope is that seeing these usually strong shows phone it in this week means that we've got a lot to look forward to in the near future.


How I Met Your Mother 7.06-- Mystery vs. History:  This show is famous for having some episodes that are very sitcom-y in that they really are just filler, there to issue a few laughs and maybe, just maybe move a subplot along by baby steps.  And that's exactly what we got from HIMYM this week (no pun intended on the baby steps thing).  We found out that Marshall and Lily are having a BOY, and...well, that's pretty much everything of note that happened.  The rest of the episode had Kevin noting some of the gang's less than psychologically sound behaviors, which for me threw up a red flag that he and Robin may be headed for trouble soon (not that I was expecting them to last, since the writers are kind of already slowly ruining the character, as they do whenever we aren't supposed to get too attached).  Oh, and also, they painted the baby's room a truly hideous shade of yellow.  Oh yeah, and Ted went on a date with a girl he did not research on the Internet, and who is also...not the mother.

2 Broke Girls 1.05-- ...And the 90's Horse Party:  More clever banter, more hipster bashing, more crazy antics involving the girls' adorably awkward boss.  Overall, this episode was definitely chock full of things I enjoy...except for forward momentum.  This show needs to get a thread that can tie episodes together, something slightly more significant than the running total of funds for their cupcake shop. 

Up All Night 1.05-- The Birth:  I was skeptical going into this about having the birth as an entire flashback episode, but this actually turned out to be the best show of the week (though as discussed, the competition was far from stiff).  All three of the lead actors were charming and hilarious as usual, and it was admittedly fun to get to see what happened before the beginning, in a sense.  Maya Rudolph was especially funny as Ava in pre-baby meltdown mode (and she wasn't even the one having a kid), and bonus points to the writers for not dragging out the actual labor scenes, which are always, always tedious to watch.

Two additional thoughts:  pretty sure whatever reruns they dig up of Parks and Community will be better than the new episodes of most of these shows.  Additionally, New Girl has been on hiatus for two weeks, and isn't coming back till November 1st, and I...don't really miss it at all.  Oh well.

TV Review: How I Met Your Mother 7.05-- "Field Trip"

I didn't get a chance to review last week's episode (due to an inexplicable and absurdly severe allergy attack), but that's okay, because it really does go hand in hand with this week's installment, about which I have a lot more thoughts. 

In "Field Trip", the main line is theoretically about Ted taking his Intro to Architecture class on a field trip (in an attempt to "Stand and Deliver" them, according to Barney), but as with some of this show's best episodes, the supporting plots take center stage and provided much more hilarity and interest.  We get to see Marshall in action at his new job, taking the first steps toward saving the planet (embarking on a war that narrator-Ted solemnly informs us they will win).  We also see Barney have a crisis involving Norah, who announces that she hates the Ewoks of Star Wars.  Barney decides to keep her around anyway, but that doesn't mean things don't get dicey for a little while. 

By far the most interesting story belongs to Robin, who has embarked on the beginnings of a relationship with her therapist (who, don't worry, drops her as a patient), played by the always wonderful Kal Penn.  And yes, as Ted and company point out, this sounds like a pretty bad plan on Robin's part, but I am interested to see where it goes.  Robin hasn't had a serious relationship since Don in season five, and on top of that there are many avenues to be explored when it comes to her character.  The producers have said that this will be in many ways a "Robin season", and they weren't kidding. 

Overall, this is a strong episode for its momentum, edging the plot forward slowly but surely, and setting Robin's character in particular on a clear path for the season (or at least the duration of this arc).  There are also some really great moments with the gang, which sometimes feel phoned-in when competing with individual stories.

Also, points for continuity.  It really looks like Barney's going to be wearing that duck tie all season long.

TV Review: How I Met Your Mother, 7.03-- "Ducky Tie"

This was another fantastic old-school episode of this show.  We had the somewhat silly story of the gang going out to Marshall's favorite restaurant and his bet with Barney, the stakes of which included a glimpse of Lily's "pregnancy boobs" and wearing Marshall's duck tie for a whole year.  We also had Ted somewhat sentimentally narrating his run-in with Victoria, and yet another lesson on fate.  And as if that weren't enough, we finished the episode with a strange twist in Ted and Victoria's conversation, which led to a somewhat cryptic hint about his and Barney's friendship with Robin.

It seems no matter how many ties they do it, the whole Marshall and Lily trying to outmaneuver Barney shtick never fails to amuse me.  Because of course Barney went all the way to New Jersey to learn Hibachi cooking, just so he could trick Marshall into a Pavlovian suggestion of that particular restaurant.  I'm not always an advocate of making light of sociopath behavior, but with Barney it just adds to his ridiculous character (and it usually manages to blow up in his face any time it nears the danger zone).  Plus, this plot was a nice balance to the more serious things happening with Ted and Victoria.

Speaking of, I really did like what they did with this development.  I was worried they would send Ted back down this path only for it to go nowhere (since we already had confirmation Victoria wasn't the mother), but I really liked the idea of Ted trying to do penance for cheating, and that Victoria has found someone she's really happy with.  I think it was important for Ted to have this interaction with her at this point in his story, because I think it will both alleviate the guilt he carried for his betrayal as well as give him an extra nudge in the search for the mother. 

Now let's talk about the Robin weirdness we saw at the episode's end.  First, Victoria's assessment of Robin and Ted's relationship might have made sense a few seasons ago, but I was feeling really secure that they're finally in a completely platonic place.  I don't know what to make of it, or of the fact that Ted didn't mention it.  And as for his comment at the end about how his and Barney and Robin's friendship "didn't work, but they didn't realize that until later"?  What in the world does that mean?  Now I'm going to be speculating about that for the rest of the season.  Great.

Overall though, a great third episode.  Season seven is looking very strong so far.

TV Review: How I Met Your Mother's Premiere Double Dose

"...We're nowhere near the end."
This is what Ted tells his children (who have got to be sick of sitting on that couch) near the conclusion of part one of Monday's two for one premiere, and it is a statement that for this viewer was simultaneously frustrating and satisfying; the former because I want to know already, gosh darnit, and the latter because if the mystery continues to unravel like this (and if we continue to see equally intriguing mysteries concerning the rest of the gang surface), I will be willing to watch this show for as long as it takes for Ted to tell this story.  (On that note, do you think his kids will ever agree to hearing a story from their dear old dad again?)

I'm going to go through the two episodes as chronologically as possible, even though (SPOILER) I am so excited that my Victoria prediction has already been proven correct.  So in the first episode we witnessed a split between future and present, with Ted and Barney reminiscing at Barney's wedding about Punchy's nuptials, which the gang attended here in 2011.  We didn't get very many clues about Barney's impending marriage, just that he's feeling a little jittery, but I would like to bring up the fact that in this flash-forward, we saw Lily tell Ted that "the bride wanted to talk to him."  I think there are three reasons this indicates the bride will in fact be Robin:  one, Ted isn't friends with Norah, so why would she want to talk to him?; two, Lily is presumably helping the bride prepare and was dispatched to deliver the message, and she's not friends with Norah either; three, this bit was almost immediately juxtaposed with the scene where Ted and Robin had something of a heart to heart about their respective love lives, and I think Ted would be just the person to talk a nervous Robin down on the day of her wedding.  Thank you for indulging me in that little sidebar of speculation; and if it's all a misdirect and we get an episode down the road where Norah or some yet unknown lady friend of Barney's becomes super tight with the gang, my apologies in advance.

Continuing on... We saw Marshall and Lily try (and fail) to keep their pregnancy secret from everyone.  It wasn't much for either of them to do, but it did supply us with ample amounts of Drunk Marshall, and the only person who loves Drunk Marshall more than Lily is me.  Watching him inadvertently send the reception into chaos was just icing on the cake.  And speaking of the reception, two things that I wondered:  first, why was everyone wearing purple and orange?  Is that an Ohio thing I've never heard of or did the couple really choose such an awful combination for the theme because they liked it?  And second, is the balcony where Ted and Robin have their cigars and soul-baring time the very same from Lily and Marshall's wedding?  It sure looked like it (but this is not remotely relevant to the plot).  Barney and Robin proved that they still have undeniable chemistry, which was unfortunately disrupted by Norah.  Watching Robin feed Barney her own confession of still-simmering feelings so that he could relay it as his own to his new crush was one of the episode's better moments, and absolutely heartbreaking to boot.

The second episode was a little more the focused and linear, and it had a favorite device of mine from the older seasons, where the B-plot turns out to be at least as important (if not more so) to the overall narrative than the A-plot.  You see, this episode was supposedly about Marshall trying to get a job working for Martin Short's environmental law firm, and his unfortunate run-in with employer cyber screening practices.  Additionally, we saw Barney continue to attempt to win Norah's affections by camping out in an all-night diner (which I guess would have actually been the B-plot, meaning Ted's was the C-plot, or maybe the B 2.0- plot).  I am not crazy about what they've done with Norah's character in this episode; she seems a little snobbish, I guess, and what I liked about her before was that she seemed so earnest.  However, this gives me further hope that she is not his endgame relationship, because this show has a historical tendency to spoil female characters once they've decided she is not "the one" for Ted (see Stella, Zoey, Victoria, and even Robin to an extent).  It is not a huge jump in logic to think they might be doing the same with Barney to outline Robin (or someone else, I grudgingly admit) as his true love.

But like I was saying about Ted's plot-- it felt throwaway, to him and to us, and so I wasn't super invested in him going to the Architect's Ball (though the bit with Robin angling for an invite was pretty great), and I didn't really think anything of consequence would happen there.  That in combination with the fact that I was sure Ted's running into an ex flame was something we wouldn't be seeing until at least November sweeps made Victoria's last-minute appearance genuinely and satisfyingly shocking.  I can't wait to see that interaction next week.

Do I think Ted will end up with Victoria?  No, probably not.  Six years is a long time, and though I think Ted will certainly try to pick up where they left off, it won't work out.  We've gotten too many clues about the mother for it to turn out to be Victoria, whom Ted knew and dated for a while (and therefore would have known well enough to be able to tell if she was Rachel Bilson's roommate, just to point out one example), and I'm pretty sure the showrunners still think they've got enough time to introduce the mother as a completely new character.  If the writing stays at this quality level, maybe they do.  In any case, season 7 is off to a hilarious and well-crafted start, and I am excited to stay tuned for more in the weeks to come.