Prepare to flash forward and flash back on the How I Met Your Mother Season 8 premiere.

Titled "Farhampton," the September 24 opener will feature Robin experiencing some major anxiety over her impending wedding to Barney.

This will prompt Ted to recall the time he insisted Victoria confront the jilted fiancé - played by Thomas Lennon - that she left at the altar on the How I Met Your Mother Season 7 finale.

Following along? Wondering what is causing Barney to freak out in one of the newly-released HIMYM premiere photos below? Take your best guess now and then click to enlarge each image:

Welcome back, fans, to the 1st annual Tournament of TV Fanatic!

It's time for you, TV Fanatics, to choose your favorite CBS star! We will be conducting surveys among fan favorites from across the network. The concept is easy: Pick your favorite of the two pairs in each poll. That's it!

Mark Harmon and Simon Baker started the semifinals off yesterday. That poll remains open, so be sure to vote. Today, semifinal #2 pits HIMYM's Neil Patrick Harris against H5O's Alex O'Loughlin!

Which of these popular CBS stars is your favorite? Cast your vote now ...

On tap Monday: The Championship! Here's the updated CBS bracket:

Things are about to get crazy on How I Met Your Mother. All thanks to Abby Elliott.

The actress, who will not be returning to Saturday Night Live this fall, has signed on for multiple How I Met Your Mother Season 8 episodes, according to Entertainment Weekly.

In what capacity?

"As Janeane, the craziest girl the HIMYM gang has ever encountered," producer Criag Thomas tells EW. "And the strange, inexplicable phenomenon is: the crazier Janeane gets, the more attractive one of the gang finds her. It doesn’t end well.”

Chris Elliott, Abby's father, also recurs as Lily's father and will make another appearance at some point on Season 8, which kicks off September 24.

Abby's's first installment will take place in early 2013.

CBS has released the first trailer for How I Met Your Mother Season 8.

What does it reveal?

• A look at Barney and Robin's wedding day.
• Thomas Lennon as Victoria's abandoned fiance.
• A reference to a grizzly bear in a tuxedo.
• Quinn learning something she never knew about Barney, thanks to Lily's loose lips.

Get your first extended look at the Season 8 premiere, "Farhampton," now:

 

How I Met Your Mother Season 8 Trailer

How I Met Your Mother will answer a variation on the classic question this fall: Who's the other boss?

According to TV Guide, Joe Lo Truglio (Reno 911!) has been cast as the founding partner of Marshall's law firm, Honeywell and Cootes. He'll appear in at least two November Sweeps episodes and take part in the multi-billion dollar trial referenced last season (for which Martin Short's Cootes accepted a $24,000 settlement).

Joe Manganiello will also reprise his role as Marshall's pal Brad and appear in these same episodes.

How I Met Your Mother Season 8 premieres Monday at 8/7c on CBS.

While it is always sad to bid adieu to summer, the changing of the leaves here in New York City are a reminder that Fall is upon us - and topping the list of things to celebrate is a new season of How I Met Your Mother. 

With a chill in the air outside, I turned off the AC, cracked a window and settled in to watch the Season 8 premiere "Farhampton."

Tonight's episode did well to advance two major story lines, but as is often the case on this program, before we could get a glimpse of a little ways down the road, we had to first backtrack to gain some new perspective. As the premiere opened on a wedding day that looked to be going horribly wrong, namely Robin and Barney's, we quickly were treated to the story of another nuptial nightmare by Ted as he recounted the time he insisted Victoria leave a note for her fiance' before walking out on him.

Guest Star Thomas Lennon was a surprising choice as Victoria's beau Klaus, but his German-infused conversation with Ted was certainly "wunderbar." After speaking to the cold-footed Klaus, Ted too will most likely realize that Victoria is that thing he almost wants... but not quite. His feelings for her were not instantaneously the kind that course though you.

That woman for Ted does exist, though, and we got a glimpse of her there on the Farhampton train platform under the fabled yellow umbrella. While her identity still remains a mystery, I liked that the season opener dangled something for the Mother Mystery fans out there. Also catching my eye was the bandaged right hand of Ted as he sat down on the train station bench. File that under things that make you go hmmm for now. 

Despite what the future holds for Barney and Quinn, it seemed apparent that she isn't going anywhere for the time being. As the truth about her fiance' and Robin was revealed, we were treated to quite possibly the greatest Barney Stinson speech of all time, the entirety of which can be found in this week's best How I Met your Mother quotes section. I had forgotten about his nickname for the blue French Horn Ted had stolen and laughed pretty hard at that reference as well as others he mentioned.

The most touching moment of the episode without a doubt was when Barney gave the key to the storage unit to Robin that housed the box full of mementos from their relationship. The Photoshopped tiger was pretty great, but I was glad to see that he too had trouble letting go of the past.

Marshall and Lily vowed to not become the kind of people who have a baby and become total zombies, but sadly their scenes had about as much energy as the new parents did on screen. I chalked it up to Jason Segel's busy offseason and am confident he and Alyson Hannigan will fall back into their usually hitch free stride soon enough.  

Little Marvin, however, was too cute for words as he smiled away in his crib during the closing montage featuring a great selection from Band of Horses which did well to add an emotional lift to the critical closing scene.

Did you fell the anticipation coursing through you like I did? Let us know your thoughts and predictions for the rest of the season as we continue down the road with this amazing cast of characters.  

We finally met the mother on the How I Met Your Mother Season 8 premiere last night. Sort of.

Following Barney and Robin's wedding, Ted was simply reading a book on a bench when a woman exited a taxi with a guitar in one hand a a yellow umbrella in the other. That was the mother, wasn't it?

Yes, viewers, you can exhale: "That’s where it happens," producer Craig Thomas told reporters last week of the wildly anticipated meeting.

Thomas would not reveal whether the actress actually donning the quirky shoes seen on screen is the woman who has been cast in this famous role, but he did tease that "we’ll see more of that moment as the series goes on... We’re going to fill in all of the blanks on that day."

Thomas and fellow showrunner Carter Bays have been upfront that they are writing this season as if it will be the sitcom's last, even as negotiations continue with CBS for Season 9.

"We really feel like this launches the last season," Bays said of the premiere, referring to the sight of the mother as "the finish line."

But if How I Met Your Mother does come back for another go-around in 2013-2014? It won't do so without a full cast. Promises Thomas:

"It’s a family, and we’re finishing this thing together."

Barney has always loved making his mark in various ways, but asking Quinn to make hers on paper ahead of their wedding was anything but legendary.

On "The Pre-Nup we saw what may have been the final scenes shared between Barney and Quinn. The latter showed no lingering signs of resentment from Barney conveniently forgetting to tell her the truth about him and Robin, but when he gave her the option of signing the contract in either black or blue, Barney was lucky to emerge unharmed.

While there certainly were some funny stipulations in both Barney and Quinn's respective documents, the best part of the pre-I-do ballyhoo was the return of Arthur Hobbs (Bob Odenkirk). Breaking Bad fans could not help but think of Saul Goodman while Arthur spewed legal jargon, but in this case I don't think anyone minded. It's what he does and he does it ever so well. 

No stranger to getting her freak on, I liked the bit about Robin watching herself do the news during sex, but not as much as I loved seeing her in that Maple Leaf tank top. 

Klaus and his ferrets were a whole other brand of freak. While humorous at times, he soon wore out his welcome in my book as well. 

Lily and Marshall stepped up their game from last week, especially in the ghost toast scene, but are still not quite in midseason form yet. Lily calling the guys "bitches" gave me hope, though, that it's only a matter of time before they have a break out episode. 

Despite singing his praises earlier, the scene where Arthur turned into Dr. Phil and convinced the gang to really share why they were upset was the end of the episode in my book. There is always a certain about of turning a blind eye to dalliances from reality but all four couples turning that conference room into the Real World confessional was too much.

Let me just be clear, I am not talking about a trial separation or anything here. Tonight just felt a little forced to me and despite a solid effort from the great Barney Stinson and a lingerie filled pillow fight, the episode will still go down as one of the more forgettable of the series. 

We were left with a question, however, so let us know which couple you think will break up next and be sure to rate your favorite How I Met Your Mother quotes from this week. 

Barney was at his best this week on How I Met Your Mother, making his much anticipated return to the dating pool, tee shirt gun and all.

"Nannies" also marked Marshall and Lily's return to their normal grade of excellence, as the couple's chemistry was back after a slow start to the season. Perhaps the most improbable part of the episode, though, was how much I enjoyed Chris Elliot's scenes when we learned he wasn't always the absentee dad Lily made him out to be. 

While the Eriksens and Barney played nanny wars, two long-time combatants tried to see whose new relationship outshone the other. Ted and Robin turned in an episode full of great exchanges. While it was slightly off, I did like the attempt to foresee the Giants-Browns game, but I don't think anyone was capable of that. 

Barney retained the How I Met Your Mother quotes belt again this week, but Ted and Robin's ongoing game of relationship one upping was by far the best part of tonight. 

Marshall was a close second, however as he reverted to his boyhood and asked for the nine volt batteries and then five more minutes. 

The transition of baby photos featuring Lily and her dad to those showing Marvin growing up was very well done, tugging at my heart strings as they reminded me that our beloved show is most likely in its twilight.

Did I have myself a Nick moment there or did anyone else feel the same way? 

Someone tell Barney I need to borrow his Booty Call phone to ring Marshall and Lily because the problem I had with tonight's How i Met Your Mother definitely warrants an eight or higher.  

There should have been a Creatively Bankrupt section to tonight's wheel on "Who Wants To Be A Godparent" because someone needed to explain to Marvin why his parents mailed in another performance this season. 

Maybe I'm wrong to criticize the actors, perhaps the writers are to blame here, but after hearing Lily's ridiculous sobbing for the fifth time, I almost switched channels to a rerun of Hoarders. When Marshall started to lecture his single friends about how having a child is the only important thing in a parent's life, I kept expecting his next sentence to be a punchline, but it never came.

He was dead serious but dead wrong. When you have a child, you see who your real friends are because they are the ones who still seek you out even though you aren't doing things like closing down MacLaren's Pub anymore.  

Were we also honestly expected to believe a lawyer like Marshall would go online to draft their Will? Objection your honor...sustained. 

Marshall's line about smelling urine other than Marvin's was not bad, but ended up completely overshadowed by other scenes as poor as his brother Marcus's Jamaican accent. How that scene didn't end up on the writing room floor is beyond me. 

I realize for continuity sake they have to throw Ted's horrible girlfriend in now and again, but can't they make her annoying habits even the slightest bit amusing? I have such little interest in her that just now I can't even recall her name and frankly I don't care to look it up. She who shall not be named, Ted's personal Voldemort, needs to vanish already. 

While overall a disappointment, episodes like tonight do a serve a good purpose and that is they remind us of just how awesome Barney and Robin are. Together they made up most of the best How I Met your Mother quotes this week.

From the subtle jokes like making Marvin wear the brown and black reversible belt (which I definitely owned at one point) to the amazing children song parodies at Marshall's door, Barney showed some fresh legs. Sure, he also threw in a customary "wait for it" and a mental self high five, but for him those are as natural as breathing and shouldn't be held against him. 

Robin looked great in that motorcycle gear reminiscent of the T-Mobile spokeswoman, didn't she? What really made her stand out though was when she flexed her inner Maple Leaf and let the Canuck in her have some time in the spotlight. Like Tony Stark was a fan of Doctor Banner's alter ego in The Avengers, I too am a fan of Robin's edgier side. I loved the decorations in older Marvin's room when she was giving her answers as well as when she tried to hilariously play the female vag card during the competition. 

So the episode certainly had its moments, but overall something most definitely stank tonight and I don't think we could pin it on Marvin. 

What did you think? 

How I Met Your Mother is set to stage a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reunion.

The CBS sitcom announced via Twitter today that Seth Green (who appeared on that cult favorite opposite Alyson Hannigan) will guest star on an upcoming episode as Daryl LaCoutre, a college classmate believed back in the day that Lily and Marshall were his best buds.

But when this married couple comes across the character 12 years later, awkwardness ensues when they scarcely recall anything about him.

Hannigan and Green portrayed the on-screen couple Willow and Oz for nearly three seasons on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Thanks to Hurricane Sandy, we had to endure an additional week before tonight's new episode of How I Met Your Mother.

My wait was made even longer, having sat in line for over three hours to gas up my car tonight. By the first commercial break, though, it was clear that "The Autumn of Breakups" was well worth the wait and deserving of some snaps. Maybe even a snap, circle, snap.  

As one of the biggest fans of Marshall and Lily, the high standard to which I hold their performances up to has rendered me open to disappointment for the much of this season. Here, however, the power couple finally flexed its comedic clout and returned to top form in what had to be one of the best opening five minutes in the show's history.

After witnessing their various slaps and snaps, I thought to myself: somewhere in the world Blaine Edwards and Antoine Merriweather must be bursting with pride. 

The scenes where Marshall channeled his inner goddess, while under Lily's tutelage, were the best moments the talented Jason Segel and Alyson Hannigan have produced this season. Marshall's advice on 30-something women was quite possibly some of his funniest lines ever, as noted in tonight's best How I Met Your Mother quotes. 

With so much focus put on Ted and Robin's past relationship, Barney sort of took a back seat to the main storyline, but that didn't stop he and his new wingman Brover from helping to steer the episode to greatness. NPH doled out a host of pooch-inspired puns while also hilariously displaying a manic affection for his new four-legged friend.

We also got a bit of a nod to the bigger picture as he bestowed Robin with the title of Best Wingman Ever after she did her best Jo Polniaczek voice and left him to have a drink with Brover's owner. 

For a guy who probably envisioned his wedding day as much as most girls, Ted's impromptu decision to ask Victoria to marry him seemed a little out of character. I was also surprised how succinct or nonexistent his speech was. Ted is definitely the kind of guy to use a woman's full name when asking for their hand in marriage.

While the immediate "yes" from Victoria wasn't a shocker, my head which was still cocked to the side from Ted's proposal, shifted from right to left as Victoria immediately stipulated that Ted cut ties with Robin. In contrast, the eventual breakup scene at MacLaren's was tremendous and utilized some classic Carter and Craig camera work.

I have admitted to being less than fond of Ashley Williams's character this season, but the emotion was tenable as she bid adieu to Ted and expressed her hope that he end up with Robin someday. 

The last little bit we got about how, despite Ted's wishes, Robin will eventually find out about her role in the breakup must have sent Mother theorists into a tizzy. Based on the concern Robin showed all night long for Barney's well being, I am still confident the banker and the broadcaster will end up together. This means Nick's goose is all but cooked, but while I am confident Nick will eventually get the Ron Popeil "Set It and Forget It" treatment from Robin. I must say I rather enjoyed his various catchphrase attempts. 

Lily reminded us all tonight that Oprah wasn't built in a day. It's clear we still have some ground to cover before meeting Ted's wife, but if this episode was a sign of things to come, I have a feeling I won't be the only one telling the writers to take their sweet time.  

What did you all think? 

Fresh off one of its best episodes this season, How I Met Your Mother has announced an exciting piece of casting news.

Peter Gallagher - forever Sandy Cohen to OC fans, currently starring on Covert Affairs - will stop by a December episode of the CBS sitcom as Professor Vinick, the man Ted always wanted to impress at Wesleyan University.

According to TV Guide Magazine, Gallagher's installment will likely air on December 17 and it will find Ted once again aiming to make his mentor proud. But it won't be easy.

Well, Ted, you were right: things have been weird.

Large numbers of How I Met Your Mother fans have expressed their disappointment with this season thus far. I've been on the same side of the fence a few times, but felt very much alone in my praise of last week's episode. So when it came to "Splitsville," I found myself in unfamiliar territory. 

Have my eyes been closed to what this sitcom has really become? Was I oblivious like Robin, who didn't notice how dumb Nick was because she was blinded by his abs? Maybe I've just stuck with this show because it's comfortable, familiar and we've been together for so long it seems silly to break up. 

After a lot of pondering, I am confident that the answer to all these questions is a resounding "oh, Hell no!" H.E. double hockey sticks to the N.O. 

Marshall and Lily were going through a very real issue among married couples, but it brought out the best in both of them. I love when Marshall steaks out a la "Beercules" - and when Lily's hormones rage she is a sight to behold.

Marshall's speech where he tried to defend Nick to the gang topped an unusually short list of notable How I Met Your Mother quotes from the night, but the delivery was just hilarious. Marshall also nailed it with his intensity toward the Little Ivies Professionals Over 30 Who Work In Midtown League comments. Did you catch the glass of raw eggs he made for himself at one point, something he clearly learned from Rocky Balboa?

Nick's lack of mental aptitude certainly wasn't a surprise to any of us, but I still found the examples of his stupidity - such as the crossword puzzle scene and the gypsy conversation - to be quite funny. Any guy though who would prefer to eat dessert out of a bowl instead of off Robin really is a level of dumb all unto himself. Nick couldn't pour piss out of a boot with the directions written on the heel, but if he came with a mute button I guess I could see the appeal that Robin did. (BTW, loved her in Canucks tee and shorts) 

Ted captaining his own basketball team seemed a bit redundant, but I did like how he came to the rescue in the end for Lily and Marshall. Everyone noticed something was wrong, but Ted pressed the issue and got them to open up with the truth. The sentimental moment was kept light and funny, with references like Marshall doing one-arm pushups while dipping his genitals into ice water in college. 

Barney coming to Robin's aid was no shocker, but you had to love the added twist of him first threatening her with the Robin and Patrice's BFF Fun Day, forgetting to then turn off the Evite and the resulting photo montage of the two besties on their day out.

We all knew he wasn't faking that affection for Robin, but I loved how they almost kissed. That should be a legendary moment, so I like that they are building up to it. 

Was it a great episode? No. Was it average in comedy and entertainment? No. It was just a touch more I thought, hence my 3.5 stars. What did you all think? 

I had to give Marshall the benefit of the doubt tonight, as my own stamp of approval has been called into question in recent weeks.

In the end, sadly, I had very little love for "The Stamp Tramp." This comment may solicit some "how dare you's" - but I'll wager that the "what is (was) that" comments outweigh the positive reactions.

Forget about the "old Marshall Eriksen stamp of approval," I just want the old Marshall Eriksen back. Jason Segel looks to be in the best shape he has been in in years, but a few extra pounds aren't the only thing missing there. Marshall is terrified of hot dog costumes? Also, while there has always been some poetic license taken when it has come to Marshall's work environment, tonight's antics were just absurd. 

Marshall's boss made a comment about a female employee's appearance... at a law firm. Really?!?

I'm a big Joe Manganiello fan, but the material he was handed on his return was as hard to swallow as those muffin tops he stuffed into his pockets at his interview. Then there was his ridiculously unethical charade. Perhaps the only redeeming moment was when he called Honeywell "Bilbo." 

Ted was accused of piggy-backing stamps, but I was more turned off by his recycling of jokes. The line about LeBron not being that good has been done and then some on the show, but as an added kick in the nuts the creators decided  "The Decision" was still a relevant enough story that they could base Barney's entire storyline around it.

Then there was Ted's attempt to keep his secret identity as some mystery pirate radio host under wraps. I did not feel the slightest urge to Pump Up the Volume. 

The concept of Barney searching for a new club to frequent was sound, but the whole recruiting side of it could have been plenty funny without the LeBron scenario hanging over. Those were also some of the lamest strip club names I have ever heard. I expected better from what I know is an extremely talented and creative writing staff. 

Tonight's saving grace was Robin. I liked her fast talking scenes as Barney's agent and how she laughed about getting kicked out of the strip club for being "too handsy." She provided a few bright spots this evening - like her nickname for Barney, Stincinnati, Brohio. Her best line came while speaking to Vito at The Melon Patch and is noted in this week's best How I Met your Mother quotes. 

I was so disinterested in the episode that I almost didn't catch Ted's line about Marshall's big case and how he'll "get to that later." When Ted?! No one is taking the hook, line or sinker with the bait you've been throwing at us. Also, so much for my hopes of a big Barney and Robin payoff kiss. What we instead got was Neil Patrick Harris awkwardly kissing Cobie Smulders while doing a terrible job acting as if he were drunk. 

We deserve better from this show because we know it's in there. There is a reason we fans are still watching this show after so many years. I hope they just don't forget that and finish on a high note. 

What did you think?

In the case of the people vs. How I Met Your Mother, I find the defendants guilty of a very funny episode.

Like Marshall's case, "Twelve Horny Women" got off to a slow start with some pretty bad overacting in the opening scene, but won my vote in the end with some fresh jokes and great twists on a few old ones. 

Before jumping into the battle for badass supremacy, Jason Segel and Joe Manganiello deserve a hand for those courtroom scenes. Marshall did his best to stay on the up-and-up in his proceedings, so I could not fault him for using the duckling to gain sympathy with the jury. He had to fight fire with fire when pitted against Brad's Bend and... wait for it...wait for it...Snap!

The courtroom sketch artist's depictions of the two lawyers was perfection. Having not only the all-female jury but also the judge swoon before the comely counselor Brad was a funny touch as well. They let the kangaroo court jump in with both feet, so there was no objection from me.

The piece de resistance without a doubt, though, had to be the video from Brad's trip to Frog Lake. I laughed harder with each part, from the gold coins to the turntables. 

We have seen Marshall do his joke telling bit numerous times, but this was one of the better instances. The combination of the austere setting coupled with the one judge making his own "rash" joke just worked for me. I also did not for a second realize Marshall was actually there to discuss becoming a judge until it was revealed. I thought that was a great twist. 

Moving on to the rest of the gang and their game of one-upping each other to see who fought the law the most... I was pretty sure Barney had hired an actor to play his old friend the bailiff. The magician club and Barney's skinny hands was a way better angle than I could have hoped for, giving him a chance to continue his streak of additions to the best How I Met your Mother quotes list.  

Ted's mug shot turning out to be a renaissance fair memento was short but very sweet and I loved his idea to call in sick for everyone so they could support Marshall.

I could not decide which Robin Sparkles was funnier, the TV throwing misfit or the goodie goodie who made her own hotel bed and only used one washcloth. 

The winner of the rap sheet ruse, however, was Lily. The Wire is perhaps my all-time favorite show, so the instant Lily began whistling like Omar Little, the competition was over in my book. It is hard to believe the show's writers have been able to resist using that reference so far.  For it to come out this late in the game was a river card for the ages and a great wrinkle on Lily's darker hair days. 

At the end, we were left with Barney and Robin sharing a booth and their thoughts. Earlier, while trying to pretend their kiss had not happened, we got a glimpse of how great they are together, as they funnily enough were both mocking Ted. When they cut to MacLaren's with time running out on the episode, I was worried the scene was going to seem rushed or jammed in at the end. Barney's speech, however, followed by Robin's "huh," was anything but. I loved the rapid transition from the humor of the previous scenes, to the emotion of Barney's apology to the perplexing response by Robin.

What did you think? Was Robin feeling the hair on the back of her neck stand up after listening to what Barney said or was she relieved to not feel anything at all? 

A watched child may never crawl, but the more I watched tonight's episode of How I Met Your Mother, the more I enjoyed it. "Lobster Crawl" got off to a slow start, with hints of overacting that eventually gave way to some solid comedy. 

I don't find myself saying this often, but Barney overdid the scene where he tried to revive his tie Cornelius. The ordeal did spawn his idea for Bro-Bibs, which yielded some funny scenes, so it was forgivable in the end. I also loved when the mention of Thai food brought him to tears. 

Lily's hysterical crying at missing Marvin's first crawl was another instance of overacting, but she rebounded and then some as time went on. You had to love watching as she gave Robin her idea on how to snag Barney. For my money, the scene where she called Marvin a "sonnova me" was her best moment and also topped my list of How i Met Your Mother quotes of the night. 

Robin almost lost me with that horrible laugh she blurted out in the opening couple of scenes, but she bounced back and then some. Taking a page out of Barney's book, she used various character scenarios to try and get her man. The guy in me should say her dance with Brandi was the best of such, but the even bigger nerd in me absolutely loved her Lara Croft look coupled with Barney thanking her for the assist on his league laser tag score. 

I know many fans have had their fill of the "Brobin" drama, but the love triangle created by the addition of Patrice was hilarious and something I would never have predicted. When the time comes for Robin and Barney to get back together, I just hope Patrice doesn't go Glenn Close and start boiling up Barney's other ties.  

As for the whole Lobster phenomenon, having had my face swell up like Robin's did on numerous occasions thanks to my own allergy, I can say I never had any desire to intentionally eat the much craved crustaceans. Still, the scene where Robin went Sizzler was pretty funny. 

Loved seeing little Marvin get some screen time. Ted delivered a solid performance as the overly excited uncle. While it was hard to blame him for all the affection he showed the youngest Eriksen, dressing him in anything but Vikings gear was certainly grounds for protest on Marshall's part. 

Tonight's episode crawled before it walked but improved by leaps and bounds with each scene. What did you think? 

This season of How I Met Your Mother may be very well be its last ... or not.

The CBS comedy hit, now in its eighth season, is looking to establish sooner rather than later if May 2013 is really the end, and while negotiations are reportedly underway for a ninth season, it's far from a sure bet.

Its unique nature - it's told in reverse from the protagonist's perspective - poses a challenge. More than perhaps any other show, HIMYM needs answers so its creative team can set the show's final stories in motion.

According to Deadline, 20th Century Fox TV, which produces the series, is talking with CBS about a renewal and discussing new contracts for creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas and the show's five stars.

However, of those stars, Jason Segel, is "unlikely" to return for another season, and Thomas and Bays say they "never ever" want to continue the show without all five regulars ... so that could be a problem.

On the flip side, Segel hasn't pulled an Angus T. Jones and trashed the show publicly, so he could be enticed to return. If the network needs HIMYM badly enough, it could shell out big bucks for the fab five.

If negotiations fall through, however, expect that to happen soon and not drag into the spring. Word on whether How I Met Your Mother is wrapping up, or not, should leak within the next couple of weeks.

While you hate to see any fan favorite go, the fact of the matter is that these things do happen, and there will be time for the show to go out in legend ... wait for it ... dary fashion, whether it's this spring or next.

Check out our library of How I Met Your Mother quotes through the years!

The gang gave Robin an intervention this week on How I Met your Mother, as she struggled to accept Barney's new relationship.

"The Over-Correction" was plagued by some overacting in the beginning, but steadily gained momentum over the course of the episode, much like we have seen in recent weeks. 

If Robin was so sure Barney's feeling for Patrice were not genuine, she would not have gone to such lengths to find and show her The Playbook. It's clear she still has feelings for Barney, which is why the others staged the intervention. Fortunately for fans of the show, that confrontation came after she broke into Barney's apartment because it was the stage for the best scenes by far.

Just when you thought you had seen all the amazing amenities in Barney's Bat Cave of an apartment, Robin uncovered a slew of secret compartments. Ted delivered another solid performance, too, as he tried to lure Barney from his domicile with apparent sightings of Hugh Hefner and Bon Jovi. I also liked how his collection of lost things kept surfacing, the best of which were his red cowboy boots. 

I don't think Lily would have wished her father's naked body on her worst enemy, including her nemesis mother-in-law. While I agreed with Barney that everyone deserves to be happy, it didn't make it any less repulsive. Marshall and Lily sharing the shame blanket in the closet was a very funny reaction, though. 

The underlying theme of the over-correction was a good one. Marshall's funny fish name routine has been done before and then some, but the Andrew Dice Clay and Chris Rock versions were a great twist on a classic How I Met your Mother joke. Robin screaming at Patrice is also nothing new, as Ted pointed out in my favorite How I Met Your Mother quote of the week. There was no new approach to this routine, but it still made me laugh on each occasion. 

The show has been sporting a bit of a limp on How I Met Your Mother Season 8, but I can't deny seeing a little more get up in it's giddy up as of late. What did you think? 

Ashley Benson will be filling up your television screens in January.

The actress and her pretty little friends will return to finish up Pretty Little Liars Season 3 on January 8 - and now we can also confirm that Benson will stop by an episode of How I Met Your Mother Season 8.

According to a Tweet from CBS, Benson will guest star on the January 21st installment of that smash sitcom as Barney's... something.

We're not being coy, that's precisely how the Tweet reads. It concludes with a series of question marks and asks us to "Suit Up" for the upcoming episode. Consider it done!