Are you a Woo Girl? HIMYM

"X-files" had two types of episodes; ones that followed the show's mythology and freak-of-the-week episodes. The latter where episodic; open and shut.

That is what this week's "How I Met Your Mother" was. Suspecting that the show's writers want to give some breathing room between Ted's doomed courtship of Stella and his next lady, the show's mission to find the titular character has been put on hold. This week, we learn Robin is a closet Woo Girl and watch Barney do good and give Ted the biggest gig yet of his career.

Lilly is invited to a co-worker's birthday party (remember, she works at an elementary school) and brings Robin, who is still single and unemployed, along. When they arrive, they learn that the birthday girl, Jillian played by Jamie-Lynn Sigler of "The Sopranos," is a Woo Girl after hours. We all know at least one Woo Girl. They are the girls at the bars in tiny cowboy hats that take shots out of glowing shot glasses and call each other bitches and sluts. But their signature is of course wooing when their favorite song comes or when a boy takes their shirt off or for any other reason. For more about Woo Girls, visit Barney's blog.

It's in hanging out with the woo girls that Robin learns she needs to hang out with single girls and stop being a third wheel with Lilly and Marshall. Lilly tries to be a woo girl so she can hang out with Robin but discovers she just isn't one.

Meanwhile, Goliath National Bank, where Barney and Marshall work together, is looking for an architect to build its headquarters. Barney tells Ted he has the job. He only has to beat out a Sven," an uber-modern architecture "collective" from Sweden. After giving his presentation, Ted all but has the job until Sven presents a building shaped like a T. Rex that shoots flames. Unable to resist having an office in the head of a dinosaur, Barney screws over Ted and gives the job to Sven. Was it just me or was Neil Patrick Harris playing the leader of Sven?

During their conference call - a code Barney and Marshall use to get out of work and drink beer on the roof - Marshall finds out what Barney did and leaves him locked outside the building. Of course, Barney realizes the errors of his way and decides to give the job to Ted.

Is HIMYM on the verge of becoming a workplace comedy with the prospect of Ted, Marshall and Barney all working at the same place? Seems to be the direction. I guess the show needs more than two locations that is primary uses - Ted's place and the bar.

I don't mind a couple stand alone episodes as long as viewers are paid off later with more hints of finding the Mom. The best jokes were the conference call prank, of course the Woo Girls (which included a lesbian situation) and a reference to AMC's "Mad Men." While drinking on the roof Marshall said they were mad men themselves. Barney decided that drinking at work made them "basically Mad Men."

"I'm going to go smack a secretary on the ass," Barney said.

"That's so what they would do on that show," Marshall replied.

"What show?" Barney asked.

Best joke - Barney: "I picked it, because it -- it... It breathes fire, Marshall."
Marshall laughing: "Fire Marshall"

New Word: talk blocking

Congrats NPH

So this isn't new news but I wanted to congratulate Neil Patrick Harris a.k.a. Barney as being named one of Entertainment Weekly's Top 25 Entertainers of the Year. The top honor went to Robert Downey Jr. (apparently you have to have three names to make the list).

Though Tina Fey was on the list, I thought she blew everyone away with not only "30 Rock" but her stint as everyone's favorite hockey mom ("Baby Mama" made a decent rental). 2008 was definitely her year. I bet EW's editors had already choosen Downey before Sarah Palin hit the scene.

But back to NPH . . .

In addition to "How I Met Your Mother", EW applauds Harris' return as himself in the "Harold & Kumar" sequal and his role in Joss Whedon's "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog." I haven't seen the "Harold & Kumar" (the first one wasn't that great) and I haven't catch "Dr. Horrible" yet. Still, solely based on his role as everyone's favorite womanizer (Gossip Girl's Chuck Bass should take note), Harris deserved this title. Oh yeah, and for those hilarious Old Spice ads.



Jason Segel deserves some entertainer props too for also starring and writing "How to Forget Sarah Marshall," one of the funniest movies this year.

Stella!!!!

It was only a matter of time.
We learned last week that Ted's Stella was in fact not the title character. In this week's episode, "Happily Ever After," we watch the fallout of Stella dumping Ted at the alter - can we say cliche??? - with the gang trying to get Ted to act the way they think he should.

Since I haven't blogged this season yet, I'll just say I am glad it was Stella who dropped Ted and not the other way around. It was great to see that Ted really did love Stella and her daughter and did, in fact, want to be with her instead of just marrying her just to fit his goal of getting hitch. It sucks that I'm left hating Stella and will always think of her as "that bitch" because I actually love Sarah Chalke.

Though I always knew she wasn't the Mom (mostly because she has an 8-year-old daughter, I would have liked to see Chalke become a regular on this show just because I'm cringing as I prepare to watch her in the final season of "Scrubs," which has fallen off the deep end. With Chalke only making a brief appearance in this episode, and not even sharing a line with any of the cast, it looks like HIMYM's time with Stella is over.

And I love how Ted is becoming interesting again. Since hooking up with Stella last season, his character had quickly become my least favorite. I was more interested in seeing Marshmallow and Lillypad together and Barney chase after Robin. But now that Stella is in the rearview window, we can get back to finding the Mom.

This episode didn't have a lot of time for jokes. Yeah, all of them hiding under the dinnertable when Stella came in to the same restaurant was amusing and the flashbacks were solid but overall, the epsiode dealt with the fallout. I loved how everyone wanted Ted to act they way they would have: Marshall wanted him to unleash all his anger, while Robin understood why Ted just wanted to avoid Stella at all costs - included avoiding half of Manhattan.

Encouraged by the group, Ted got up the nerve to tell Stella she made the wrong choice, a choice she would regret for the rest of her life, but when he saw her go home to her daughter and Tony, he knew it was the perfect end to her love story but not his. (Collective sigh)

Now, let's find out who is under that yellow umbrella.

Bimbos always beat out true love - HIMYM

(Giving Robin the lustful eye. Josh Radnor, Cobie Smulders and Neil Patrick Harris in the season premere of "How I Met Your Mother.")

It’s so good to have my old TV friends back.

“How I Met Your Mother” started it’s fourth season Monday night, with "Do I Know You?" picking up right where it left off with Ted proposing to Stella and Barney realizing he has more than the hots for Robin.

So Stella says yes and Barney recruits Lily to help him win Robin’s affection but of course things don’t exactly work out.
Not only does Ted not know Stella’s favorite movie or color but he doesn’t even know any of her hobbies. What has this couple been doing since they started dating? I mean, I know the obvious question but you gotta get a bite to eat and talk between sessions. Then Marshall, who is still unemployed and whose role consisted of bugging other people during the episode, asked if Stella liked “Star Wars,” Ted’s favorite movie. Predictably, Ted overreacts questions if he could marry a girl without knowing her opinion of Episode 4? No, really. How could he? That’s like finding out the girl you are about to live with for the REST of your life likes ice-cold showers. Creepy. He also didn’t know she was allergic to peanuts, which results with a trip to the ER.

Meanwhile, Barney is still figuring out how to deal with these “feelings” he caught when he bonked Robin last season and gets Lilly to help him in his quest. Lilly compared helping Barney to helping a boy in her kindergarten class about to eat a pair of scissors. She makes Barney promise to stop nailing everything that moves if he is serious about Robin.

During a dinner arranged by Lilly, Barney tries to get Robin to see past the male-chauvinist-pig-egotistically driven side and, you know, see his soft side but we see Robin takes comfort in that chauvinist side of Barney because she too has a little bit of that in her too. She likes hanging out with Barney because he laughs at her overtly lame innuendo-ladened jokes, like “I was at the dentist today and he totally drilled me. All day. He drilled me hard.” But nothing from Barney. No dirty comment or “yeah he did.” Nothing.

It was obvious despite his efforts that Robin was never going to see him more than a bro to tell dirty jokes to. It was even more painfully obvious when she set him up with the busty cute waitress at the restaurant.

Cut to later that night, Barney is lamenting to Lilly about lost love when the same waitress walks out in just a shirt asking under what name should her family pick up tickets to watch Barney as a New York Yankee. Classic Barney, but we all know he is just using this poor girl to hide the bruises from his defeat with Robin. Or at least we hope.

Lilly, understandably frustrated, asked how he can still sleep with every bimbo on the planet while saying he is in love with Robin and makes him choose between the two.

“I choose bimbos,” he declares. “Bimbos make me happy. Bimbos make me feel alive. Bimbos make me want to pretend to be a better man. At the end of the day, my heart belongs to bimbos.”

And with that, Lilly storms out of Barney’s apartment in frustration. We see Barney turn on his wall-size TV to see Robin anchor the news and smiles. At least we all know there is more to him that bimbos.

Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about Ted and Stella.

So Ted arranges a viewing of “Star Wars” with Stella. (I’m confused, I thought she was so busy with her tattoo-removing practice and her daughter that she made Ted go on a 10-minute date with her but now she has all this free time to watch movies and hang out at Ted’s place?) Anyways, Ted, so annoyingly worried Stella might not like his precious favorite movie, annoys Stella so much during the movie she banishes him to his room so she can watch the movie alone.

After the credits roll, she comes and tells him she loves it. But while Ted is in the other room, Marshall get her to confess her true feelings for Yoda and Co.

“How do they understand that walking bear they are always hanging with,” she said.

She hated it, if you couldn’t tell.

But when Marshall asks if she could pretend to like a movie she actually hates for the rest of her life, she says yes. Aww. How sweet. Too bad we don’t care because we all know this courtship isn’t going to last. And because this relationship is the most boring one on the show, even more boring then the almost couple of Barney and Robin. I’m counting down to when this ends even though I’m a huge fan of Sarah Chalke and it pains me to watch her on that has-been great show “Scrubs.” Maybe she can stay on HIMYM as a reoccurring character but she probably won’t.

Season 4 has the bad luck of coming after two plot-pack seasons. I have a feeling it’s going to be a lackluster season. I mean the show really can’t pick up steam until we start getting closer to finding who the Mom is going to be. Until then, we’ll have fun with Robin and Barney and Marshall and Lilly. But for Ted, well, I don’t really want him hogging screen time until he’s with the One.


HIMYM is on CBS Monday nights.

"Mad TV"

(The cast of AMC's 'Mad Men')

It’s a cigarette lighter. A quick, subtle glance from an admirer or a wanted paramour. These are the kind of devices used to tell the web of personal stories in “Mad Men,” the brilliant AMC show about the world of 1960s advertising executives. The show, now about halfway through its second season, is a complete contrast to the loud world of the “CSIs” and “Law and Orders,” where the M.O. of storytelling is either showing blood and guts, recycling the same old storylines and/or revealing some surprise twist at the end (trust me, the old creepy landlord at the beginning of the episode is always the murderer/rapist/kidnapper).

In “Mad Men,” there are no gimmicks. There’s no whodunit or puzzle to solve. Just as “American Beauty” cut a slice of Americana, “Mad Men” gives a fly-on-the-way glimpse of households, relationships, love, lust and sometimes unexpected comedy.

I started watching the show after AMC ran a marathon of the first season. I kept hearing the title along with words like Emmy, Golden Globes, critically acclaimed. It was August, which is deadman’s land for new TV shows, so I aching for something new besides “The Daily Show” and “The Soup.”

It has quickly become a favorite show of mine, even rivaling its premium channel counterparts like Showtime’s “Dexter” and the stable of HBO greats like “Six Feet Under” and “The Wire.”

The show also is unconventional in that there is no clear protagonist, bad guy, villain or even hero.
Take the show’s central character, Don Draper, who is the creative director at the ad agency Sterling Cooper. Draper, captured perfectly by Jon Hamm. Draper is successful at his job, successful at home, with a picture-perfect wife, played by the gorgeous January Jones, and two little kids. But Draper, like most of the characters on the show, keeps a dark side. When he is not closing account deals or taking building his kids a playhouse, he is sleeping with the wife of one of his clients or sometimes with the female clients themselves. You watch as these real characters makes choices with real consequences. There is no soap opera twist, just sober realities.

As loud as shows like “CSI” and “Cold Case” are with blood and guts, “Mad Men” resonates the same volume but only with its brilliant subtleties and well of characters.

HIMYM - "Everything Must Go"

(From my TVFan blog)

Oops . . . She did it again. Well, it was actually a good thing.

Last night's episode was the return of Britney, which gave the show a little boost in ratings but it's unfortunate that new viewers caught a weak episode, which is rare for this show.

The big secret is revealed that Abbey, played by Britney, is the mom! JK. She turns out to be the mysterious woman destroying Barney's love life bed hopping from the episode "The Bracket." After discovering Abbey is the mysterious woman, they shack up (again) and learn they both despise Ted. Abbey is mad at Ted for overlooking her and dating her boss, Stella; and Barney is upset at Ted for ending their bro-ship because he hooked up with Robin, Ted's ex.

So to get back at him, they pretend to get engaged (see photo) and act like a mushy couple and but comedy ensues when Abbey doesn't get Barney was playing a part . . . yadda yadda yadda. That's how bored I was of that storyline. But the two do provide more than their shares of laughs like Abbey apologizing for calling Ted's name out during sex with Barney and Barney apologizing for yelling out Abbey. "But that is my name."

Meanwhile . . .

Marshall and Lilly are forced to come with $1,500 after to finish renovations of their uneven apartment in Dowisetrepla and to raise the money, Lilly starts selling her designer clothes online. But after being unable to part with her Jimmy Choos, she decides to sell her art instead, only to learn that they are ugly horrible offensive to art lovers less that desirable. It turns out her paintings have a calming affect on animals, but not birds, and a local veterinarian, played by The Daily Show's "Senior Black Correspondent" Larry Wilmore, agrees to buy her paintings. The storyline was a little too silly and quarky for my taste and didn't really provide any LOL moments - not even the thing about the birds flying into windows after seeing Lilly's paintings.

All the while Ted tries to prove he call pull off his red cowboy boots. Really writers? Really? He's the central character of your show and all you can give him is "Pulling . . . Them . . . Off." Yawn.

The highlight of Britney's appearances on HIMYM was that she might be the show's saving grace. The sitcom was renewed for a fourth season yesterday. But beyond that, the episode was kinda a dud. The episode's title could include the storylines contained within.

http://tvfan.ew.com/blogs/post/1021?new=true

"The Paper" - Rehashing new ideas

From my TVFan blog

“The Paper” continues this week with the wedge between Amanda, the editor in chief, and her staff widening and showing how every bright writer seemingly has the same bright ideas as ever writer before them.

My favorite character doesn’t disappoint me. Amanda continues to put her foot in her mouth with every comment, at least on screen, toward her staff. After insulting and laughing at her staff, Amanda is completely taken back to why she wasn’t invited to a staff birthday party. Go figure. She proceeds to throw her own pity party.

At least this episode focused on the more likely Alex, the managing editor of the paper.

Alex’s had the “sickest idea” of doing a column about the day in the life of a football player.

How cute. I want to tease him about his sick idea but every journalist wet behind the ears has had the same idea of thinking readers really what to read about them doing other people’s jobs. In my early days, I had my own shameful “day in the life” story ideas.

One of the episode’s highlights came when the Alex and Dan, a staff writer, were getting a sports physical and had to turn and cough for a very sexy female doc. Where were those doctors when I got my high school physical?

A good bulk of the show takes place at a Dave Matthew Band’s concert, where Alex asks out Alix, a fellow student, to be his girlfriend via text message. Very 21^st century. When I wanted to cowardly ask out a girl, I had to do it by note. She said yes. I’m anxious to see how Amanda, who used to have the hots for Alex, takes the news. If I was a betting man, which I am, I would bet Amanda is just the psycho drama queen we all want her to be.

Oh, btw, didn’t these over privileged teens get the text message on their iPhones that being a David Matthews Band fan is so 10 years ago. That was our over appreciated band. Get your own jerks!

And for about 90 seconds the show actually addressed an actual journalistic issue, albeit briefly. The issue was the balance newsrooms face between giving readers what they want from their newspaper and what editors think readers should want from their newspapers.

Despite an informal survey from students at the high school favoring more football coverage, Amanda was in disagreement saying “it is not the sports paper . . . it is called the newspaper.”

Ugh, I actually agree with her.

This is an issue that is true and dear to most newspapers. While most readers want news of Britney and “controversial” photos of Hanna Montana, editors are often inclined to stick to their hard news guns. Unfortunately, newspapers would probably stop bleeding money if they caved into readers’ demands.

http://tvfan.ew.com/blogs/post/921?new=true

HIMYM - "The Goat"

From my TVFan blog,

Breaking the Bro Code really does have its consequences.

In Monday's episode,we learn of the fall out of Barbin (yep, that's the best I could come up for the coupling name of Robin + Barney).

So, I guess they are not going to become a couple and she just became yet another notch in Barney's bedpost.

The news of Barney and Robin is slowly unveiled and everyone reacts pretty much the way you would expect them to. Marshall, unemployed, becomes Barney's lawyer and tried to find a loophole so Barney can stop feeling bad about breaking the Bro Code of sleeping with his best friend's ex (which is a true Bro Code, but I would add with the amendment: One bro can only sleep with another bro's ex only with prior permission and if said bro pays back the other bro for all the money he spend during the relationship).

I would think that Ted broke the Bro Code by punching Barney in the groin after Barney told him he bumped uglies with Robin. Totally against the Bro Code.

Concerning the Bro Code of not making eye contact with another bro during a devil's threeway - is it just me or should real bros not even be in that situation? Ok, back to the episode . . .

We almost learn about the infamous goat at Ted's 30th birthday, which was brought up during the "Milk" episode of season one. We now learn that the goat actually comes into play at Ted's 31st birthday. We also get a hint that Robin later on ends up living at Ted/Marshall/Lilly's place because the the goat, again apparently at Ted's 30th 31st birthday, was eating one of her washcloths and Future Ted says: "Wait, hold on, Robin wasn't living there on my 30th birthday." Hmmmmm....

This brings up brings up two questions: first, why is she living there? Did she and Ted decide to give it another go round (and after Barney's been there? Here's another personal Bro Code: Thy shall go where another bro as gone)? And second, do they keep the goat at the apartment for a full year?

Personally, I thought the whole goat plot was contrived. It didn't go anywhere or provide any real LOL moments but it took up so much of the episode's time with the writers explaining how Lilly brought it home after her class found out it was heading for the slaughterhouse after a show-and-tell with an out-of-place farmer.

Concerning the Barbin fallout, we all know Barney isn't leaving the show so we will have to see how he and Ted reconcile after Ted told Barney he didn't want to be friends with him anymore because of the Robin thing. I personally think Robin kinda got off the hook a little too easily there but again her and Ted are not bros.

And when are we actually going to get to see Stella, Ted's new g/f. It's not like the show not to include Ted's new beau. Apparently they couldn't get Sarah Chalke to reappear in her guest role from "Ten Sessions." I doubt that relationship lasts much longer.

Overall, it was a strong episode with some good LOL moments with two exceptions, the already mentioned goat plot and the founding fathers flashback. It was just too cheesy and lame.

Though the whole goat storyline was played out disappointedly, it further illustrates how this show rewards loyal viewers with its ongoing gags and jokes, e.g. Slapbet, and that is one of the reasons why this show as quickly become my favorite show on TV - sorry "Scrubs."

We also learn that apparently, Iphones are shredable.

PS - Marshall, get a haircut.

http://tvfan.ew.com/blogs/post/858?new=true

"The Office" - Night Out

(From my TVFan blog)

All I can say is lopsided.

This week's episode was just strange. It struggled to show two competing stories - Michael and Dwight partying in the city with Ryan a.k.a. The Intern (former) while Jim gets the rest of the office crew stuck at work after hours on a Friday night.

The episode left me scratching my head with scenes and plots that didn't seem to go anywhere - like Dwight being completely out of character like when he was making out with the basketball player (how did he pull that off?) or taking charge and leading the group in the club. And then there was the story of Ryan on LSD and his hobbit friend.

And while those three were clubbing it up in New York, the rest of the crew was stuck at work after Jim had the bright idea of staying late to finish a project rather than coming in on Saturday. Too bad he forget to tell the security guard they were staying late and they found themselves locked in. It seems Jim isn't management material. His last idea, of having one big office birthday party for everyone, backfired as well . . . maybe he should see the sign that he isn't made out for a mid-size, northeastern paper company. And is it me or does Jim display very "Michael-esque" qualities. Like when he assumed the cleaning crew only spoke Spanish or when he forget the name of the security guard and asked if the guy on the phone was the "African-American who sits behind the desk." Jim better be careful before someone mistakenly calls him Michael . . . again!

And what was with Toby jumping the fence after placing his hand on Pam's thigh and then freaking out over it and telling everyone he was headed for Costa Rica? Is this the end for Toby? We all know he had the hots for Pam and it was hard for us to watch Toby watch Jim and Pam's love blossom. But I have a feeling Toby will be back at work on Monday. He adds too much to the makeup of the office, too often he is the only reasonable voice there...

I guess my biggest complaint is that the show didn't really seem to go anywhere. I think the writers are painting themselves in a corner and feel they need to take the characters out of the office for them to have stories, which I think is a bad idea.

I think the strength of this show lies in watching these co-workers interacting in the office, in scenarios that force them to interact. This is a sentiment shared with the show's original creator, Ricky Gervais, with an interview with Esquire magazine.

As the show moves more and more out of the Office, we lose those scenes of awkwardness and embarrassment. Though this season's "Dinner Party" was a wonderful amusing exception, I think most fans of the show would agree that the best scenes take place at the actual office.

Read my memo the "The Office" writers on my thoughts on how they can improve the show that seems to be falling in a slump.

A memo to "The Office"

Dear creators,

First, let me say, so far you guys have done more than anyone could have hoped for or expected. You took a successful British comedy and didn't become another Coupling.

For that, you deserve an round of applause.

(Round of applause)

Though we came for the awkward moments between Michael and Dwight and Co., I think a lot of us stayed to see the love that dare not speak its name -PB&J. We watched little snippets of their affection for each other and struggled in agony as Pam stayed with Roy and while Jim tried to convince himself, the camera and us that he just "had a crush on her when she first started."

But now with Jim and Pam finally together, you lost that gimmick. It's my opinion that you blew your load way too early. And now, with no continuing storylines, the show seems to be at a standstill.

You know you can't really pursue the Pam and Jim love story too much or you'll just become another "Friends" knockoff.

And you tried to branch out with new office co-workers, i.e. Andy Bernard (Ed Helm), but his talents have just gotten jumbled in the mix of the office staff and he is sorely misused and under appreciated.

So what now? The British version was had no to have major story arches but was able to get away with it because it was so short lived.

Here is my suggestions, take 'em or leave 'em:

I know it's fun to have the show play out as a documentary but after three years, we need to know more about the cameras and the guys and girls behind them.

I mean what the hell are they filming for? And what can do possibly do with three years' worth of film?

Here's how to do it: break the fourth wall.

Make one camera guy a character on the show. Have him start dating one of the girls in the office, maybe Meredith or even Kelly. Then have him start starts appearing on screen and become part of the show.

Or perhaps put the characters in the real world with the release of their documentary in real-life and have fame hit the staff of Dunder Mifflin - Scranton. Just Micheal responding to the smallest amount of fame is three episodes alone.

And with the rumored Office spinoff coming, you need to beef up the the Scraton Co. so we don't get bored.

I guess my final suggestion is : don't get lazy. Don't get comfortable with your beloved characters. You can only write so many awkward scenes with Dwight ordering deer urine over the Internet and I think we are all in agreement that Jim is hanging up his hat on pulling pranks on Dwight. Though we wouldn't blame you if you guys through one or two more good ones in...

-Cheers and good luck

HIMYM - "Sandcastles In The Sand"

From my TVFan blog...


Oh snap!

If you watched this week's episode, you know what happened at the end, so I'll try not to ruin it but you know what I'm talking about...

You saw the ending and you were shocked, I was shocked. We were all shocked. But were you really surprised?

If you followed the show closely there were signs leading to this.

The first sign was in Season One, in the episode, "Zip, Zip, Zip" Barney and Robin shared some special moments when they became bros for the night. And when they both went to Robin's house late at night to play Battleship, Barney took that as a sign that they were going to play with his Battleship.

Robin: "Okay. You and me? That's insane. If you even thought about for one second . . .

Barney: "But I have thought about it for three seconds, and it makes a lot of sense. We both think the marriage-commitment thing's a drag. We both want something casual and fun. And we clearly get along really well."

Robin: "Wow, that actually did make a lot of sense."

But nothing happened because Robin had feelings for Ted, who was dating Victoria.

Another sign that this was to yet to come was in this season, in the episode "The Bracket" we learn there was some chemistry between the two when Robin asked Barney what does he do to get all these women to sleep with him. He leans in her ear and whispers somethings, which obviously had an affect on her.

And note this: Future Ted calls Robin and Barney, Aunt Robin and Uncle Barney. This doesn't necessary mean they end up together but it could hint that it does.

I mean honestly, we had to see this coming. And we had to expect Barney to grow and mature a little. Every other character has - Marshall and Lily got married, Robin and Ted got serious. We really can't expect Ted to remain a lothario forever.

As far as the rest of the episode, it was rather disappointing. Revisiting the Robin Sparks story was stale and I felt it was pandering to the audience who got a kick out of "Let's Go to The Mall" (I was part of that crowd) and the show seems to be going in the direction of "Will & Grace" with all the guest stars. Did we really need to see James Van Der Beek as Robin's old flame? Seems the writers phoned this one in.

The introduction of "Revertigo" was slightly amusing, at least it gave the other characters something to talk about during the episode when all the attention was on Robin and Barney.

I'm interested to see what the writers do with this new coupling. And let's get to finding out about the who is the girl under the yellow umbrella after teasing us this season....

-Cheers

http://tvfan.ew.com/blogs/post/828

"The Paper" - Amanda the horrible

From my TVFan blog....

It took someone sending me a Facebook message for me to find out MTV was doing a show on high school journalists. As a real-life journalist, I have an natural inclination for the world of journos.

So I threw the show on my TiVo and waited to see how journalists would be portrayed on MTV - and to my anticipation, they came off as whiny, condescending, bloviating group.

The show chronicles the student staff of the The Circuit at Cypress Bay High School in Weston, a town in South Florida.

But much like the MTV show, "I'm From Rolling Stone," this show is little about journalism and more about mindless and petty pickering (don't we all miss high school). I guess MTV thinks people tuning into a journalism show don't want to be bored by actual journalism.

The show has its main stable of characters, most notably Amanda, a pesky, self-absorbed hollowed caricature.

Her lack of self-awareness is shocking but makes for great TV as she is completely clueless to what her news staff really thinks of her.

The show isn't so much a microcosm of journalism but more of high school students with the drama, backstabbing, jealous and bitching - not that there isn't those things in journalism.

Because I am no longer in the targeted demographic of MTV (after I turned 26, I became ineligible to appear on the "Real World") watching this show reminded me how I am no longer young. Good riddance!

http://tvfan.ew.com/blogs/post/822