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5 seasons in, HIMYM continually ranks among the best comedies on TV.  This epsiode was filled with hilarious Canadian jokes (which seem to be an endless well of gags for the writing team) and a great Marshall & Ted b-story.  After last week’s lacklustre episode, it was great to get a classic.  Who doesn’t have stories of crazy roadtrips with friends.  And believe it or not, I had one with a friend who had to hit the bathroom every 5 minutes just like Lily.  It had me in hysterics.  Plus, we saw the return of the Hoser Hut, which is always ripe with inside jokes.

Speaking of the Hoser Hut, I was wondering if there was a Canadian affialiated Pub/Bar in New York City…A lot of places say no.  But, they’d be wrong.  There’s even a Canadian Association of NYC.  This week in the Hoser Hut, we spotted a framed Paul Shaffer picture on the wall, The Queen behind the bar, and lots of Labbats Blue promotion everywhere.

Of course, despite the fact that it was Tim Hortons recent venture into New York certainly that brought upon its inclusion in the epsiode, it was written in so well that it didn’t feel like overt advertising.  At least I don’t have to hear about a Toyota Barneyism.  Product placement isn’t anything new, but finding creative and seamless ways to tie the product into the show is crucial.

It seems the new trend in TV these days is not to prolong the growth of characters too long.  Whether it’s on a show like The Office which developed the Pam & Jim story relatively early on in the show’s lifecycle to Scrubs’ complete shift from its previous 8 seasons, How I Met Your Mother is following a more realistic (and welcome) trend in TV.  It’s nice to see the characters evolve and grow into their 30s more naturally.  Sure they have their crazy adventures, but they seem rooted in their new circumstances.

• Robin and Barney in a committed relationship
• Ted as a professor
• Marshall becoming a “We”

The group is always changing their dynamic and I think that bodes well for the show’s prospects.  It’s much easier to write 20+ episodes a year when you have constantly changing relationships and character devlopment.

Spoonfuls (Thoughts in Smaller Portions):

1. Canadian Research
From Bryan Adams, to Canadian Curling uniforms, and even hockey rivalries, the crack staff at HIMYM are always on top of things.  It’s also nice to see that colourful currency on TV.  Barney says it best, when seeing the kids playing hockey on the back of the five dollar bill (which is real btw), “It’s like you want us to make fun of you!”

2. Barney Grows Up..a little
“You don’t want her, I’m planting my flag in her.” So Barney shows he cares and is hilarious.

3. Ted is the Dog
When Marshall and Ted makeup, the scene they are listening to compares Ted to the dog in the family.  I guess right now he kinda fits that role.

Any great moments we missed?  Let your voice be heard in the comments and check back again next week for another insallment.

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I’m sure there are those on both sides of the Stella-Ted debate, but whether you think the relationship is good or bad, you have to admit that Stella fits into the show so naturally, it almost feels like there’s no guest star at all.  Recently, the HIMYM team has been throwing Stella negatives to the forefront for the obvious removal of her character from the show, which sucks.  I was hoping she’d stick around somehow and maybe she will..

But, then again she won’t.  Considering the fact that they basically killed off her character tonight by leaving the wedding with Tony (aka Jason Jones from the Daily Show), it’s likely we won’t see Stella again.  It’s like they wrote a completely different character for post-engagement Stella this season.

The chemistry last season at the doctor’s office was brilliant and really showed off Sarah Chalke’s abilities.  I mean, playing almost the exact same character in two shows while maintaining completely separate personalities made me respect her talent quite a bit.  But this whole season she seemed to turn into an annoyance which turned the focus off Ted & Stella.  The obvious blonde kids moment was a hilarious HIMYM moment that said a big message to all of those Stella-backers (us included), that we were wrong.  I’m fine with that. I honestly don’t care who the mother is, because it’s all the more fun to keep guessing–it’s part of the fun of being a fan.

One last thing about Stella…she balanced out the male-female ratio on the show and I’m hammering the point once more that she should have been a regular cause she’s awesome.  Anyway, the whole Stella-bomb ended up reviving the Ted-Robin relationship which I definitely did not think was going to be reintroduced this soon.  With Barney pining after Robin, it seemed that Ted would get at least a season without Robin in the mix.

And speaking of Robin, is it just me or are they having her do the craziest stuff?  I think it goes by unnoticed for the most part because the show overall is pretty normal.  It’s quirky yes, but still based in a real world.  But Robin…man she just can’t catch a break.  Licking envelopes, riding a children’s bike from New Jersey to New York, and getting fanned and marshmellowed in Japan.  And that’s just recently.  I don’t think it’s a bad thing for the show, in fact, sometimes it’s hilarious, but poor Robin.

Barney’s back.  Two weeks in a row with the classic Barney character.  I loved the way they did the math scene like all the formulaic drama’s on TV.  Here are some of the great things you probably missed from that scene:

ez =(gin+tonic)
relationships=freeway
the hot crazy scale was back
suit ^ (an arrow up)
square root of 4,761  = 69
desperation-judgement=success

And then there’s a list:

- Last person alive
- For $1,000,000
– In a million years
- If on deserted island
- For all the tears (not sure about this one)

It was great and I actually thought it could have been used on a episode more focused upon it rather than the wedding of Ted.  Barneyisms are always deserving of focus and this one was no exception.

One thing I didn’t get..what were Barney, Marshall, and Lily competing to say first in the car..”ditch stop”?

So what to look forward to next week?  Robin’s back in New York for good. There’s definitely going to be a love triangle involving the three single characters, and the move Down Wind of the Sewage Treatment Plant…can’t wait.

Spoonfuls (Thoughts in Smaller Portions):

1. Recycling is a hopless cause (and more Barney moments)
That was one the smaller ones of the night–did you catch it?  We also got Barney planning a bachelor party for Ted despite the fact that Ted won’t be there.  We never did see that party or hear any mention of it afterwards. I’ll touch on the big one in another spoonful.

2. Line of the night
Upon arriving at the Namaste resort, Mashall remarks, “I’m Namaste-ing here any longer than I have to”. Oh and Vegan-Non Alcoholic Wedding?  Awesome.

3.How Can I Have Sex With Robin Again
That scene is so awesome it deserves a second mention.  I love how it ended with ‘Get Robin drunk at Ted’s Wedding’.

4. Stella’s Horny Yoga Instructor-Sister
“I’m a Yoga Instructor, every position’s available”. Classic.  At the end of the day, the fact that Barney ends up with the front desk girl and Stella’s sister is pure Barney and it’s good to see the character return to true form.

And just for fun and extra that all of you who got to the end of this post get as a bonus.  Part of the appeal of HIMYM is not just the jokes and the quirky scenarios but the heart-felt moments that arise every now and then.  It’s handled with such class and originality that it’s hard not to love it.  When Robin reminisces about all the romantic things Ted has done, I love that his response to her assertion that he tried to make it rain was, “I did make it rain”.  I’m pretty sure the romantic in all of us would like to belive that.

CBS

Great episode tonight. Barney introduced the Chinese-Indian-Mexican race and Lilly had her first Burgasm.  Classic.  Four seasons in, and HIMYM continues to top my list of favourite shows.

Also, did anyone else notice how short Regis is?

Tonight’s episode left behind the wimpy Robin-obsessed Barney and we got classic Barneyisms including, “I love this burger so much, I wanna sew my ass shut.”  It was also good to see the entire gang doing something together.  Recently, story arcs have revolved around pairings (eg. Robin & Ted, Stella & Ted) and endings of pairings (Ted & Barney).  I was a little disappointed not to see Ranjiv driving their cab, but otherwise, the search for Marshall’s burger went down as one of the top HIMYM adventures of the series.

Okay, maybe this is a complete stretch, but did anyone else notice Robin was the only one not drinking alcohol at the bar?  Is she possilby pregnant?  Or was that still part of her cleanse?  Just a thought I’m throwing out there.

The carousel of burger joints produced some of the best one liners around. The previously mentioned, “I think I just has my first Burgasm” from Lilly and Ted never brushing his teeth unless it was made from the burger.  Robin licking the ATM evnelopes out of hunger just topped everything off perfectly.

I didn’t love Regis’ guest appearance.  He’s a little over-the-top, but they did a good job of incorporating him into the episode pretty well.  It’s been a while, probably since Seinfeld since a show used their guest stars as well as HIMYM does.  Will & Grace used to use them perfectly until they decided to have a guest star every week.

How do you feel about Marshall taking another corporate job?  And isn’t it a little strange that Barney is essentially going to work for Barney’s company again?  At least he’ll have a job to pay for his new apartment that they don’t ever seem to move into.

It was nice to see a stand-alone episode with no real tie-ins.  I think these episodes tend to wear their age better and upon reflection I have a feeling this will be among the best HIMYM yet.

Spoonfuls (Thoughts in Smaller Portions):

1. Signed Regis Everywhere
Regis Philbin’s signed picture was in every burger place including Veggie Haven which served their “burgers” without
a bun.  Bonus points for having Regis in the Italian Restaurant.

2. 9:30pm in the afternoon
It seems the timing was a bit off since Marshall entered the burger joint in the afternoon and came out when it was
dark.   It could be that he took a long time to get back to the apartment, but it seems to be an error.

3. Dr. Horrible Sang
Barney singing was a little throwback to this summer’s Dr. Horrible.  Or at least that’s what it reminded me of.

4. Underpants Radius
I remember watching the Simpsons DVD commentary and hearing how they always choose to use the word
underpants instead of underwear or boxers because underpants is inherintly a funnier way of saying it.  Also, it’s so
true, everyone does have their own radius.

So, what are your thoughts?  Do anyone notice Robin drinking water only? Could she be pregnant?  How would you rank the episode?  Post your thoughts in the comments.

And tucked in between all those pictures was one interesting image that stuck out…

(and no it’s not the one of Stella..check it out after the click)

Those sneaky bastards.  In between the pictures of Robin, Barney, Lily and Marshall was one picture that didn’t make any sense:

Why would there be a picture of Ted’s wedding before he is married?  Could this be a subtle hint for the fans that Stella is the mother?

While that wouldn’t really bother me because I like Stella, I think it might just be there to get people talking–It’s not like they aren’t known for that.

What do you think?

FYI: I do realize this picture is shown in a previous episode, but it’s shown as a glimpse into the future.

We’ve officially closed the chapter on the third season of How I Met Your Mother and it’s incredible how regularly this show manages to outwit other sitcoms.  While tonight’s episode was was a plot-heavy one, there was still tonight’s gem:  Barney’s Datetime Continuum.If that’s not enough to keep you reading, how about photo stills of every frame of Ted’s life-flash (including one that makes no sense!).  Catch it  along with the rest of the review after the click.

Whether it’s the Bro Code or the 8.3 seconds rule (the time you have before a woman decides whether she’ll sleep with you), every few episodes Barney unleashes a hilarious addition to his philosophical world view.  What’s so ingenius about HIMYM is that in a genre (romance/relationships) that has been defined and written about ad nauseum, they always find a new take on the situation.  Even with the well-defined cliché of never sleeping with a friend’s ex, the show decided to focus on the entire Bro Code instead. 
This week Barney gave us the Datetime Continuum:  The idea that you shouldn’t plan farther into your relationship that you’ve been in it.  Cue the flashback.  Barney uses this wisdom to rip up Ted’s tickets to Bruce Springsteen for a girl named Robin.
Speaking of flashbacks, there were a lot of them tonight.  Considering the fact that the almost the entire show every week is a flashback from the year 2030, HIMYM gets away with flashbacks in a way most other shows can’t.  The flashbacks in this show are treated like human memories.  It’s something that sets it apart.  Sometimes, we’re thrown around mid-scene because that’s how we would remember things.  We get ahead of ourselves or mix up dates in our mind.  I think that because all our minds work in this way, the drastic time changes feel natural and easy to follow.
Tonight we went all the way back to Robin’s childhood…even before her sparkling days.  And, of course, more Canadian jokes.  I’m not sure how many people get the Canadian references or how funny they are, but personally I find them hysterical (FYI: I’m Canadian).  We got two this time around: 
The first was Robin’s professed love for Springsteen, America’s Bryan Adams, and her childhood dog, SirSkratchewan, a reference to a certain Canadian province.  To all the Americans who watch this show, are these references funny or mean absolutely nothing?  I wonder if there are Canadian writers on the show or they just do their research.  If any of them are reading this, what about a trip back home for Robin in a future episode…maybe to meet the parents?
Despite the comedy, this show was all about the drama.  They played up Ted’s car accident so well that I felt like we all got blindsided by the bus along with Barney.  It was well executed and a great way to end the whole Ted-Barney fight.  The show doesn’t function as well with Barney away from the group.
We also got some more of Stella played by Scrubs’ Sarah Chalke and I’m amazed at how well she transitions from one show to the other.  She fits in so well in both roles that you forget who she is, even though she plays a doctor in both.   According to Bill Lawrence, the creator of Scrubs, Chalke will be available for next season because Scrubs will wrap its shooting schedule before HIMYM even begins. I don’t know whether she should or is the mother, but I think the show is stronger with her being a frequent guest star.  Obviously, with a marriage proposal on the table, we’ll see her back for at least one more stint.
After all that, where are we left?

• Barney, Ted, and Marshall are no longer friends but brothers.
  • This easily explains why Future Ted calls his friends Uncle and Aunt to his kids
• Barney loves Robin.
  • Not sure if this plays out well or not.  But we all knew this was coming. 

Spoonfuls (thoughts in smaller portions):

1. Marshall’s Miracles
Marshall’s proof of the existence of miracles was great.  Where else would a pencil going up a nose be considered divine?
2. Continuity
Unlike most sitcoms, HIMYM pays attention to the continuity between shows like no other.  They constantly use future references from earlier seasons at the appropriate time including Ted’s 30th Birthday and Marshall’s law firm getting caught up in a scandal.  There’s the big hint of Ted already seeing The Mother on St. Patty’s Day, and conspiracy theorists pick the random girl we saw Ted bump into for a moment as the eventual mother, but I doubt they’d have let anyone figure it out so easily.  We do know for a fact that The Mother’s wedding dress covers her whole face.
3. Can this show possible grow its viewership after 3 seasons?
I hope so, but I doubt it.  Even with the presence of Spears in 2 episodes, there wasn’t a significant boost in the ratings.  It’s frustrating that this show is ever on the bubble for renewal, but after 3 years, it will be hard to find new eyes to watch this show.
4. Barney’s Blog
If you haven’t read the blog on CBS.com, go do it now.  This show puts a lot into the web content for fans and this is just one example.
5. Season 4 – Aparment Changes
Season 4 will bring Lily & Marshall into their new apartment and by Ted’s birthday we’ll see (at least) Robin moving into the old apartment.

Here it is…Ted’s Life-Flash in 70 stills
Play close attention to the picture of Ted’s wedding.