‘How I Met Your Mother’: Everybody hurts sometimes, even Robin

I think it’s time for an intervention. Marshall (Jason Segel), Lily (Alyson Hannigan), Robin (Cobie Smulders), Ted (Josh Radnor) and Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), please get the sign out. It’s time to give the stunt casting a break. Last week, we had “American Idol” vet Carrie Underwood. This week, Jennifer Lopez guest starred as self-help [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’: Hooked on a girl

Tonight, romantic Ted (Josh Radnor) took a break to make room for jerk Ted, who was trying to woo pharmaceutical rep Tiffany (Carrie Underwood) while leading on another girl. Tiffany’s got Ted hooked good, but every hook needs bait and Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) has found the perfect bait after unsuccessfully attempting to use a [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’: When Carrie (Underwood) met Ted

Ted (Josh Radnor) may have not found “How I Met Your Mother’s” titular mother yet, but that’s not stopping him from finding plenty of other ladies.
The latest gal on Ted’s journey to happiness is Carrie Underwood, who makes her acting debut on next Monday’s episode. Underwood plays Tiffany, a pharmaceutical sales rep who has Ted [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’: Quack, quack

It’s tough out there for a single person, especially on Valentine’s Day. The single life even takes a toll on Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) this week. He’s overwhelmed with buxom beauties calling him after he holds up a sign with his phone number that says “Call Barney Stinson” during the Super Bowl. The image actually [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’: But, um’s the way

“How I Met Your Mother” likes to introduce its own lingo for relationships, friendship and life. There was the Lemon Law. The Crazy/Hot Scale. The Bro Code. And now we have the reacher and the settler, which almost sounds like the name of an indie movie like “The Squid and the Whale.”
The reacher and the [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’: A suitacular episode

I feel like there should be virtual confetti at the beginning of this recap to celebrate the show’s 100th episode. And what a fantastic 100th episode it was. “Mother” is always strongest when it’s more than a joke. The best episodes are the ones that are not only funny but also find a way to [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’ gets musical as it zones in on the mother

Nothing marks a celebration quite like singing and dancing. That’s exactly what CBS’ “How I Met Your Mother” will be doing when it airs its 100th episode tonight.
The big musical number that closes out the episode has been long in the making. With several musically leaning cast members — Neil Patrick Harris, Jason Segel and [...]

Carrie Underwood to guest star on ‘How I Met Your Mother’; show’s 100th episode nears

Singer Carrie Underwood is the latest to join the long list of romantic hopefuls on “How I Met Your Mother.”
Underwood will make her acting debut on the CBS sitcom as a love interest for Ted (Josh Radnor), CBS confirmed. Her character, Tiffany, is an enigmatic pharmaceutical sales rep.
The episode is scheduled to air in March.
Read [...]

Must See January: Ready. Set. DVR.

Looking at the number of premieres this month, you’d think January was the start of the new TV season. In a way it is. Think of it as a midseason rebirth, in which many favorites finally come back and many new series arrive to vie for your love. Below are the shows, episodes and TV [...]

My Favorite TV Episodes of 2009

As the year’s end approaches, many critics and bloggers have been sharing their Best of 2009 and Best of the Decade lists. Making a list of my favorite shows of the year and/or decade seemed too daunting, so here’s my more manageable contribution. These are not necessarily the best episodes of 2009, although there is [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’: Smoke up

Smoking is bad for you, people. It makes you tense and angry for no reason. You can’t climb stairs without losing your breath. And, if you’re like Lily (Alyson Hannigan), you start to sound a lot like Harvey Fierstein. Yes, readers, smoking is really bad. I hope you got that from “Last Cigarette Ever” because [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’: M.A.G.G.I.E.: Make Adjustments Go Get It Energize

The quest for love was back on tonight with “The Window.” After getting a mysterious call from an old woman informing him that “the window is open,” Ted (Josh Radnor) abandoned his friends and rushed to the doorstep of Maggie (JoAnna Garcia), an old college friend. Maggie is “the ultimate girl next door,” Ted explains. [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’: ‘Big shake-ups’ are in store, says executive producer Carter Bays

It’s almost hard to believe that “How I Met Your Mother” was once considered a bubble show. For the first several seasons, fans waited with anticipation and apprehension for news of a renewal. But co-creator and executive producer Carter Bays was never too worried.
“It just felt like it’s a good show. It’s a good story,” [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’ Celebrates 100 Episodes at Paley Center

How I Met Your Mother is turning 100 and to celebrate, the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills is hosting a panel for the show.
Mother’s 100th episode is scheduled to air Jan. 11, but fans can get a sneak preview at the event on Jan. 7. The episode features guest spots from Rachel Bilson, [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’ gets dirty with ‘Frosty the Snowman’

As soon as Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) serenaded his friends with naughty holiday songs last season on “How I Met Your Mother,” it was only a matter of time before another holiday classic got a dirty makeover.
To promote its upcoming broadcast of “Frosty the Snowman” and “Frosty Returns” on Dec. 18, CBS has released “Frosty [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’: Thankful for slaps

“Slapsgiving 2: Return of the Slap” started off sweet by showing the true meaning of friendship: Driving to the port authority to pick up the perfect turkey your friend left behind in a taxicab. Marshall (Jason Segel) is so touched by Robin (Cobie Smulders) and Ted’s (Josh Radnor) gesture that he bequeaths to them the [...]

Stacy Keibler guest stars in ‘How I Met Your Mother’s’ 100th episode

“How I Met Your Mother” has added another guest star to its 100th-episode roster.
WWE wrestler and actress Stacy Keibler will appear in the milestone episode, “Girls vs. Suits,” CBS confirmed. Keibler will play a hot bartender and conquest for Neil Patrick Harris’ Barney. Harris shared details about the storyline with IGN.
“Barney needs to nail the [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’: Going to the smoon

After a somewhat disappointing and heavy breakup episode last week, “How I Met Your Mother” went back to basics for “The Playbook.” It was a fun, mostly stand-alone episode showcasing Barney’s (Neil Patrick Harris) womanizer ways. The episode did have much in the way of plot advancement. It was mostly a series of edited together [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’: It started with a tape

Things got off to an auspiciously good start for Ted (Josh Radnor) when he became the heir of Barney’s (Neil Patrick Harris) porn collection. Lily (Alyson Hannigan) marveled at the titles, such as “Horny Coed Surprise Party 23,” before trying to steal one for her and Marshall (Jason Segal). Any readers also fans of the [...]

‘How I Met Your Mother’: The art of fighting

One of this season’s strongest episodes, “Bagpipes,” was all about different types of couples and how they deal with conflict.
Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) thinks he and Robin (Cobie Smulders) are the best couple. They’ve had sex in 83 and a half beds (the half was a 19th century ottoman in an antique shop). They never [...]