Please don't jinx me, I have too much too say about the first half of tonight's How I Met Your Mother two-part Playbook finale. "The Final Page, Part One" had it all, including an unusually silent Barney. 

Before we get to the gang, let's discuss tonight's two guest stars:

• Peter Gallagher, forever Sandy Cohen to this fan of The OC, did well to make me forget one of my favorite fathers of television and played Ted's obnoxious/inspiring professor well.
• The other cameo, unlike a stalled out hacky sack, did not sit as well with me. I am a fan of Seth Green and his many talents, but all I could hear when he spoke was Chris Griffin. I also was waiting for the lawyer in Marshall to speak up and claim that check, which he and Lily were entitled to for the use of their likenesses in the Three Hackmigos business. 

Despite two headlining guests, the best supporting performance went to Alexis Denisof, whose scenes as Sandy Rivers provided some of the night's best laughs. My favorite of which was when he gave Robin kudos for the old "fire and bang." He also won the holiday sweater award hands down. 

Getting back to the main How I Met Your Mother cast, while this season has been the pits at times, I thought tonight was a return to greatness with references such as the pit in Silence of the Lambs. Thanks to Buffalo Bill and his basket of lotion, we now have a new How I Met Your Mother term that I will most certainly use. Who would you choose as your "pit" person? 

While I have been critical of some cast members this season, Josh Radnor has picked up the slack and then some. His Yom Kippur jinx line made my list of top How I Met Your Mother quotes this week, but he also was very entertaining throughout the entire trip back to his alma mater. 

Robin missed out on the fun, but her scenes at work, like those previously mentioned with Sandy, were a holiday treat. I also never tire of her interactions/clashes with Patrice. Her Sean Connery voice sort of threw me in her pit scenes, but still were darn funny. 

Marshall and Lily were along for the ride in more ways than one, but Marshall did add some humor as he reminisced about his prom and issued warnings about settling revenge fantasies through dance. 

As we approached the half way point of the night, there was no doubt as to the best moment of Part One. After being held silent for longer than we have ever seen, Barney made up for lost time when Ted freed him of the jinx. Like Aladdin freeing Genie, Ted unshackled the show's star allowing him to reign down the funny on us all. 

Before moving on to part deux, let us know what you thought of the gang's road trip and hi-jinx. 

As we countdown to a new year, we were treated to some old school caliber How I Met Your Mother this evening. First, in part one of the 2012 finale.

And then "The Final Page, Part Two" put one heck of a bow on what had to be one of the most complete nights of television this year, courtesy of Carter Bays, Craig Thomas and company.

Before digging into the juicy center of the episode, I do have to trim the fat a bit. It may have been Marshall and Lily's first night away from Marvin, but aside from their great lullaby scene, what we got was much of the same overacting we have seen from these two throughout How I Met Your Mother Season 8.

It was Ted's night to shine though and Lily's numerous unfunny references to his uneven floor did little to tarnish the brilliance of this star's performance. Ted put his stamp on the New York skyline, but more importantly he showed once again how he has been a true foundation for the friendships of those he holds dear. 

While the first half of tonight's two-parter featured many scene changes, the majority here seemed to take place in the back of the town car driven by the ever entertaining Ranjit, whose singing was spectacular.

As we continued our approach to the moment when we will finally meet the mother, Ted took stock of the last eight years and put his life into perspective for Robin and the rest of us. The GNB building is a triumph, but so are the relationships he has fortified over the better part of the last decade. For this reason, Robin heeded his request and got "the hell out of the car" like he asked, in what was one of the more moving How I Met Your Mother quotes ever. 

Without knowing it, Ted set the stage perfectly for his dear friend - and with the bases loaded Barney knocked it out of the park, penning the final page in his playbook. I'll admit I was a little surprised when Robin voiced her disapproval of Barney's Kaiser Soze moment, but that fire is what makes her so attractive. Well, that and the stunning red dress she was wearing. 

In the end, Robin said yes and I did, too, as a fan. Adding to the joy of the moment was knowing that Patrice was in on the plot from the beginning and was not hurt in any way.

On the whole, all was well with the crew from MacLaren's, as the How I Met Your Mother I have grown to love these past eight years seemed to return tonight. What did you think? 

She said yes!

On the final How I Met Your Mother Season 8 episode of 2012, Barney got down on one knee and viewers were treated to one of the more romantic proposals on television.

Where does the sitcom go from here?

Following Barney's long con - which co-creator Carter Bays actually told Vulture was influenced by Breaking Bad Season 4 - it looks like both sides of this engaged couple have some pondering to do.

"The next chapter in this story is about Robin deciding if that's really what she wants in a husband, and Barney deciding if he's about more than just magic tricks,"Bays teases.

Also: Robin Sparkles is returning!

Look for this alter ego's appearance to take place on February 4, which Bays previews as a "monster" installment that will feature an "astonishing lineup" of guest stars.

Looking even farther ahead, no word still on How I Met Your Mother Season 9, although signs appeared positive just a couple months ago. We'll keep readers apprised of that renewal, but in the meantime: Hooray for Barny and Robin!

Thanks to a last-second change of mind by star Jason Segel, How I Met Your Mother fans have an extra reason to cheer this holiday season:

The sitcom has been renewed for Season 9.

Rumors about the future of the series has been running rampant for weeks because the contracts of creators Craig Thomas and Carter Bays and all the key How I Met Your Mother cast members are up after this season.

The producers had been pushing for an answer from CBS in order to plot out the rest of the show, which is finally building toward the Mother reveal.

Now, with his fellow stars on board, Segel has decided to sign on for one final run of episodes.

As for the next chapter of How I Met Your Mother Season 8? Bays has teased that it will have a lot to do with Barney and Robin and their future as an engaged couple.

As How I Met Your Mother creator Carter Bays teased in an earlier interview, the February 4 installment of his beloved CBS sitcom will delve into the past of Robin Sparkles and will feature an "astonishing lineup" of guest stars.

And now we know about whom the producer was speaking.

In a special video, the series has announced that such famous Canadians as Alan Thicke, Jason Priestley, Paul Shaffer and Alex Trebek will stop by early next month. Also making his return as Robin's ex-boyfriend, Simon? American James Van Der Beek!

Watch now and try not to get too excited:

 

How I Met Your Mother Casting Announcement

How I Met Your Mother Season 8 resumes this Monday, January 14.

How I Met Your Mother Season 8 resumes this Monday, as Ray Wise reprises the role of Robin's father, a man none too thrilled that Barney proposed to his daughter without first asking permission.

Awkward!

But - spoiler alert! - it looks as if everything turns out okay for these two, considering Robin is at the center of a major celebration on the January 21 installment, "Ring Up."

Also featured on that episode? The debut of Ashley Benson as Ted's much younger girlfriend.

Get your first look now at this Pretty Little Liars star in that role:

With Robin having agreed to marry Barney, it was time to start planning the wedding this week on How I Met Your Mother.

Lily - already on edge thanks to Marvin's stubborn bowels - did not respond well to having her thunder stolen by Ted and so the battle to book a "Band or DJ" began. 

While the momentum of the episode was a slow build, culminating with a great Mother teaser at the end, the main cast took awhile to hit its stride. Lucky for us, Robin's father is now fun! Ray Wise had some of my favorite How I Met Your Mother quotes of the episode, displaying a surprising new side to Robin's usually hard-nosed father. 

Barney did his best to keep things light by dying his hair and saving Fluffernutter's life, but tonight's episode blindsided us with some somber subject matter. 

As Lily got Ted to admit that he still was not okay with Robin marrying Barney, I think I could hear a collective sigh ring out from Mother fans everywhere. While Ted's inability to move on was tiresome and nothing we haven't seen before, Lily's admission about sometimes not wanting to be a mother blindsided me. Fans may be critical of this left field statement, but it did give Alyson Hannigan the opportunity to show off just how good an actress she can be. 

Thankfully, in the end Ted, seemed to come to his senses and was able to just be happy for his two friends - but not before we were treated to a great montage of the times he was most hurt in his life. My favorite of which was the spilled matzos ball soup incident. 

Robin got to show off her serious side, too, as she reprimanded her father and pleaded with him for some sort of normalcy. I also liked how she was so moved by Barney's ability to get her father to apologize to her for the first time. 

Marvin finally got some relief at Marshall's expense. I'm sure the smile of satisfaction on his little face mirrored that of fans as we were treated to another glimpse at Ted's future wife when he watched her play bass at Robin and Barney's future wedding. 

Initially suspect, after looking at the episode as a whole, I was rather pleased with the show's first night back in the new year. What did you think? 

Forget meeting the Mother for a moment, HIMYM fans.

On tomorrow night's episode of this CBS hit, viewers will meet Ted's new girlfriend, played by Ashley Benson of Pretty Little Liars. The only problem? She's 20-and-a-half years old. Almost.

Watch Ted explain the situation - along with how he saved the life of a woman - in the following clip:

 

How I Met Your Mother Clip: "Ring Up"

Fans can also look forward to Robin adjusting to the power of her new bling on "Ring Up." Follow that link to check out the official promo and visit TV Fanatic soon after the episode airs for a detailed review.

Barney went ahead and put a ring on it - and Robin couldn't wait to show off her new bling this week on How I Met Your Mother.

As "Ring Up" unfolded, Robin's left hand was all sparkles, yet she also began seeing the inside of her wallet more than usual as her newly engaged status put an end to mornings of free coffee and bagels. 

Robin's musical number was just great and very reminiscent of those we have seen from her fiance in the past. She also took the reins when it came time to mock Ted for his new accessory.

Barney still delivered a number of memorable How I Met your Mother quotes, particularly during the scenes where he struggled with his one night stand withdrawal. I also loved the repeated attempts by Ted to get Barney to admit to sleeping with his mom, along with Barney's constant winks.

Ashley Benson was a great choice to play Ted's new relationship. Initially I was a little skeptical at the whole concept, thinking it rang too much of Josh Radnor's movie Liberal Arts, but I was glad I held my groan. 

The cuff worked its magic for Marshall, despite giving him a nasty reaction. A few blisters and sores were a small price to pay, though, for the mood it put Lily in. Marshall's swollen hand was also one of the funnier bits of physical comedy I've seen this season. 

Ted didn't get any closer to meeting the mother this week, but it was fun to see him out and about trying to relate to a much younger woman. I think my favorite moment, however, was when Marshall asked Robin how she was going to ever get another drink and she simply turned to Barney and asked him to grab her a scotch. Problem solved. 

What did you think of the episode? 

It is finally official: CBS has picked up How I Met Your Mother Season 9.

Following a round of extensive negotiations - which reportedly included Jason Segel changing his mind and coming on board at the last moment - the full cast and creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas have signed on for the 2013-2014 season.

It will mark the show's concluding run.

"Through eight years, How I Met Your Mother has mastered the art of leading-edge comedy, emotional water-cooler moments and pop culture catch-phrases,” said Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment. “We are excited for Carter, Craig, Pam Fryman and this amazing cast to tell the final chapter and reveal television’s most mysterious mother to some of TV’s most passionate fans.”

Adds Dana Walden and Gary Newman, Chairmen of 20th Century Fox Television:

"We‘re thrilled to have the entire and incredibly talented How I Met Your Mother cast back for one final season to bring the series to a proper close. Carter Bays and Craig Thomas are masterful and hilarious storytellers, and we have no doubt that they will guide one of the greatest comedies of the last decade to a gratifying conclusion when they finally reveal the identity of the Mother.”

Does that mean we won't learn the identity of the Mother until the very last episode? And, if that's the case, would you be okay with it?

How I Met Your Mother has been renewed for Season 9.

But in case that news isn't exciting enough for fans of this sitcom, consider what's on tap for tonight: the return of Robin Sparkles!

On this evening's "P.S. I Love You," Barney discovers a lost installment of the Canadian teen's television show, including a new video and an unexpected revelation from Robin's past. Watch a clip from the episode now:

 

How I Met Your Mother Clip: More Robin Sparkles!

This week on How I Met Your Mother, Ted and the others explored the fine line between love and insanity.

"P. S. I Love You" took us back to the age of jelly bracelets and graffiti coats, as we witnessed a teen idol's fall from stardom. Barney, Ted and Marshall's eyes were all opened to just how easily life can go from charming to alarming when dealing with matters of the heart.   

Starting with Ted... oh how I would have loved Abby Elliot to be the mother. I have missed her ever since her departure from Saturday Night Live. My heart skipped a beat when I saw her character, Jeanette, seated across from Ted on that subway car. For an instant, my imagination ran wild, without any recognition of what we know about how Ted meets his wife. In the end Jeanette wasn't his "John Cusack," but Ted was quite lucky if she was the last "mistake" he made before meeting his one true love. 

While Ted took another step toward meeting his bride, Marshall and Lily backtracked to the day they met. We learned that Lily took fate into her own hands and went looking to create her destiny. She may have knocked on Marshall's door under false pretenses, but their connection was anything but artificial and has outlasted the warranty on countless electronics over the years. 

Collectively the three friends delivered the episode's best string of How I Met Your Mother quotes when they gushed with anticipation of seeing the downfall of Robin's alter ego on tape. The tape they had thanks to Barney playing a mean game of quid pro quo, at Timmy Ho's north of the border. Each ex of Robin's was funnier than the previous one as they took turns divulging names for doughnuts. Eventually Barney came face to face with Simon (James Van Der Beek), who blew his well dressed mind all while sporting a sick hairline. 

It was a big night for Canada as How I Met your Mother rolled out the Maple Leaf red carpet for the likes of Jason Priestley and Alex Trebek. The best cameo goes to Dave Coulier who, while denying any involvement with Robin, referenced his relationship with Alanis Morissette and the hate filled inspiration he provided her. 

Robin Sparkles' career may have fizzled with the birth of Robin Daggers, but I enjoyed seeing what happened when the glitter wore off and the eye liner got thick. Barney getting a glimpse into his fiance's one-time madness while reading her journals was reminiscent, in a more light hearted way, of Wendy Torrence reading Jack's novel in The Shining. Lucky for Robin she has Barney to make sure her life isn't all work and no play. 

While some How I Met Your Mother Season 8 episodes have served to merely keep me interested, tonight's installment reminded me of all the reasons I have loved this show for so long. From the big scenes like Underneath the Tunes, to the more subtle touches like Barney's voice slipping into a Canadian accent a few times, tonight had it all. 

P.S. Did you love it too? 

Tonight on How I Met Your Mother, Ted reaffirmed that Jeanette was indeed the final hurdle in route to meeting his wife.

I figured "Bad Crazy" would mark the end of Abby Elliot's stint on the show, but on Lily's recommendation, it seemed like Ted was going to let he stick around awhile. This latest development cast the spotlight on Ted's character flaws. The focus has always been on him finding the right woman. What we saw here, though, was that the biggest thing standing in his way was himself.  

Aside from a few memorable How I Met Your Mother quotes, Barney - along with Marshall - took a back seat to Robin and Lily, who were the focus of the second major storyline. Kudos to those two on looking simply fabulous all those years from now. I very much liked what appeared to be a conscious effort by Cobie Smulders to keep Robin's left hand hidden in all those flash forward scenes. I'm confident she and Barney eventually do get married, but the blatant hiding of the ring finger had me wondering just how long their union lasts. 

Ted continued to deliver in what has been perhaps his strongest season ever. It's not every day you get to hook up with a beautiful woman while wearing a Boba Fett costume, so I could hardly blame the guy for caving the way he did. As for Jeanette yelling at the hockey ref, I would have gotten kicked out of the arena as well. I love a woman who is borderline obsessed with sports. 

If Barney was right and crazy girls are crazy just because they are crazy, the same case could be made for Mike Tyson. Crazy or not, he still was a funny surprise as the "old lady" who came to Robin's rescue. As outlandish as it may seem, I actually wouldn't put it past Robin to take an infant into a strip club to get out of the cold. 

It was nice to see little Marvin get some more screen time instead of just referenced by his parents. Normally I hang on every word Barney utters, but as he sat there playing with his clock, I couldn't help but stare at that adorable little Eriksen happily hopping in his jumperoo. Hard to believe Barney could ever be upstaged, let alone by a character who didn't even utter a single line. Well done, tiny Marvin, on a commendable performance. 

So Ted and Jeanette are going to remain crazy in love for awhile longer it seemed. Will the next few episodes focus solely on their relationship, or will we get to watch Robin and Barney prepare for their big day? 

Being single on Valentine's Day isn't a crime. But some of our favorite unattached TV characters could certainly use a special visit from Cupid today.

Check out our list of eligible bachelors and bachelorettes below and decide who should remain happily single... and who deserves to be lucky in love.

----------------------------------------

April Kepner (Grey's Anatomy) Since her former flame Jackson seems to be moving on, isn't it time for April to take a chance on love again? Perhaps someone she doesn't work with every day. How about that cute paramedic?

Javier Esposito (Castle) Why is the 12th precinct's hottest Latin lover been going solo for so long?  Well, the M word got mentioned much too soon, Javi's former flame Lanie Parish got spooked and ran but is EspLaine hot and heavy once again? Should Espo move on and find new love? You make the call.

The Entire Cast of NCIS Think about it. Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, Tim, Abby, Ducky, and with the murder of his wife now even Director Vance is unattached. If you want some romance in your life, don't take a job at NCIS.

Emma Swan (Once Upon a Time) She's had an abysmal love life. Neal, her first love took off leaving her to face a prison rap. The last guy she kissed had his heart ripped out, literally.  Is it even possible for Emma to find her happily ever after?

Patrick Jane (The Mentalist) Besides a dalliance with one of Red John's minions, Patrick Jane has been all but a monk since the serial killer murdered his wife and child.  It's been a decade. That's a long time to be alone.  Is there any chance Jane will find love again…perhaps with his equally lonely partner, Teresa Lisbon?

Sarah Braverman (Parenthood) When Sarah finally made a decision between Mark and Hank (Go Team Hank!) he had already decided he needed to move to Minnesota to be with his daughter. Are you hoping that Sarah headed north and is finding love amongst the snow drifts this Valentine's Day?

Ted Mosby (How I Met Your Mother) This guy has been looking for the future mother of his children for eight seasons! With one more season left, will that mean that Ted will find his Valentine soon?

Megan Hunt (Body of Proof) She's beautiful. She's smart and more than a little snarky but Megan Hunt is a party of one as Body of Proof returns this month. Do you want to see the good doctor fix her own love life this season?

Danny Williams (Hawaii Five-O) Danny's a good dad and great cop. You'd think he could find love on a romantic Hawaiian island.

Naomi Clarke (90210) When your husband walks out in the middle of the night, it doesn't bode well for a happy Valentine's. Perhaps Cupid could show a little mercy and pay her a visit on the 14th.

Neal Caffrey (White Collar) With all the angst over trying to prove who framed his long lost father, could Neal use a little love in his life or is that one complication too many for the gorgeous con man?

Is there anyone we left out? Let us know and then choose which character is most deserving of a visit from Cupid this season?

Kyle MacLachlan sailed under a lucky star to make his return as The Captain this week on How I Met your Mother.

Overall, "The Ashtray" was one of the best episodes of the season, hopefully putting the wind back in the sails of fans everywhere. 

Barney's "Ted bubala" was a far cry from Harry Ellis's "Hans bubbie" in Die Hard, but his speech about his need to be involved in every epic story was one of the best How I Met Your Mother quotes of the week. Barney is usually at the center of this show, which takes ordinary life and turns it into a series of crazy stories, but tonight belonged to the trio of Ted, Robin and Lily. 

From Boats-Boats-Boats Becky, to his arrogant reminiscing about sticking it to Zoey, Ted's account of the evening was a great start to the half hour. After seeing The Captain through Ted's eyes, if anyone was to have a private island on which they would hunt the most dangerous game, it would be George Van Smoot.

When Robin revealed that Ted's recollection was slightly off due to the huge "sandwich" he and Becky had shared, prior to the art show, things got even better. Ted's inner dialogue about The Captain was actually spoken out loud and his high-induced hilarity culminated in his high-fiving the waiters tray of hors-dourves. The use of the ashtray as a snorkel mask was also pretty great. 

Of course, we then learned that Robin should not have been casting stones at the stoned, as Lily reminded her of how long that "business meeting" of hers ran earlier that evening. She was all, "Barney who," as she drunkenly threw herself at The Captain. While there was no "hands stuff," Barney surely would not have approved of the kiss on the bed. I do love seeing Robin tie one on, though, so he won't hear about it from me. 

In the end, it was Lily that The Captain was calling Ted about. Not because she lifted the ashtray, but because of her art acumen. Amidst all the comedy tonight, we got a classic Marshall and Lily moment when she confessed to him that she felt like she had missed her chance to pursue her passion. Being a teacher on any level certainly is no shortcoming, but still, you could really feel the regret in Lily's voice. Even Marshall offering to punch a girl in the face for her did little to cheer her up. 

This type of interaction between Marshall and Lily has been missing from How I Met Your Mother Season 8. I was thrilled to see its return tonight, as it's one of the best aspects of the show. Marshall and Lily always do well to keep the show grounded, while Barney does well to push the limits of reality. I don't know about you, but I think I may have found my Halloween costume for next year in the Royal Archduke of Grand Fenwick. What did you think? 

I've been waiting all week to see Barney's homage to the 1989 comedic classic Weekend at Bernie's.  

Marshall and Ted did Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman's roles justice, absolutely nailing the costumes. Barney's performance was on another level, though. He was a dead ringer (pardon the pun) for Bernie Lomax, head tilt and all. If Terry Kiser was watching from his home in Colorado tonight, I have no doubt he would have loved "Weekend at Barney's." 

The storylines were pretty straight forward by this show's standards. Lily took another step down her new career path with Marshall at her side. Robin realized that while some less-than-ideal things about Barney will never change, neither will the fact that he loves her. And Ted finally reached the point where he was ready to settle down. 

Last week Lily broke down and shared her regrets with Marshall about her path in life.

Here, with Marshall's help, Lily went looking to flex her ambition muscles, bag her an up-and-coming artist for The Captain. Marshall tried his best to mingle and let Lily do her thing. His family sized bag of Skittles and arsenal of colorless art jokes almost blew up his wife's spot, but in the end he gave Lily the support she needed when it mattered.

Ted was vulnerable after the breakup with Jeanette and was on his way to get her back, when Barney appeared and showed why he is such a dear friend. Only after naming Barney's various golden rules was Ted reminded "new is always bette," in what was my favorite series of How I Met Your Mother quotes this week. To help Ted, Barney came armed to the teeth with an amazing array of props to go along with a very much intact copy of The Playbook. 

At first I thought the various plays were a tad generic for a master like Barney, but then I remembered his metaphor about Ted wanting to cut and color on his first day at the salon. Barney had to work with what he had. Too bad Ted couldn't say penis "correctly." The girl with the top guns - or "Bravo, Oscar, Oscar, Sierra's" as Barney put it - would have been a much better farewell to dating than Jeanette and her huge set of multiple personalities.  

While Jeanette lacked any hint of impulse control, Robin's reaction to seeing The Playbook was surprisingly bottled. It was probably because at that point, she was too overcome with doubt about her decision to marry Barney to react anyway but shocked. Her reaction was a far cry from her trademark hysterical screams, like the one she directed at Barney while in bed this week.

That tone is usually reserved for Patrice. Still, Barney's explanation didn't try to make any excuses for his actions. Despite all the accompanying magic and misdirection, his words were pretty straight forward. He never will be able to keep the rabbit in his hat, but he will also always carry flowers for his one true love. 

As we said goodbye to Jeanette and Ted's dating career, we also were lead to believe that The Playbook was also gone at long last. While I am pretty sure we won't see Ted's red boots ever again, I have a sneaky suspicion that the book we saw explode into flames tonight, was once again a copy. Knowing Barney, the genuine article still resides in a very secret and most legendary hiding spot. What do you think? 

P.S. I was really hoping for one final Weekend at Bernie's scene, weren't you? 

The engagement may be off, but Quinn is on her way back.

Entertainment Weekly confirms that Becki Newton will reprise her role as Barney's ex-fiancee on the April 15 episode of How I Met Your Mother.

It's unclear, but Newton is just the latest big name to make a return on How I Met Your Mother Season 8. Others have included:

• Joe Manganiello
• Rachel Bilson
• Kyle MacLachlan

Jayma Mays (Glee), meanwhile, is even scheduled to make her first appearance since Season 1, bringing back the charcter of “coat check girl” next month.

Attention, CBS fans: set your DVR and plan your nights out accordingly. The network has announced the following season finale air dates...

Sunday, April 28                    
9:00-10:00 PM: The Good Wife                   

Sunday, May 5                       
8:00-10:00 PM The Amazing Race
10:00-11:00 PM: The Mentalist          

Thursday, May 9                    
8:30-9:00 PM: Two and a Half Men
9:00-10:00 PM: Person of Interest

Friday, May 10                    
9:00-10:00 PM: Vegas
10:00-11:00 PM: Blue Bloods

Sunday, May 12                    
8:00-11:00 PM: Survivor

Monday, May 13                   
8:00-8:30 PM: How I Met Your Mother
9:00-9:30 PM: 2 Broke Girls

Tuesday, May 14                                
8:00-9:00 PM: NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM: NCIS: Los Angeles  
10:00-11:00 PM: Golden Boy       

Wednesday, May 15            
10:00-11:00 PM: CSI

Thursday, May 16
8:00-8:30 PM: The Big Bang Theory
9:00-11:00 PM: Elementary                 

Monday, May 20                  
10:00-11:00 PM: Hawaii Five-0                                

Wednesday, May 22
10:00-11:00 PM: Criminal Minds

This week on How I Met Your Mother, Robin and Marshall battled on the dance floor, while Ted took a long hard look at himself and his future.  

"The Time Travelers." was a mashup of Multiplicity, Shelter Island and A Christmas Carol that at times confused the Dickens out of me. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed the episode, despite doing the dog head tilt a few times. 

The revelation that the Minnesota Tidal Wave night happened five years ago was a sort of Sixth Sense moment, yet I was left a little confounded as to what to make of seeing all the "Ted people" Adding to the evening's twists and turns was guest star Jayma Mays.

Her performance as the two coat check girls was great. I loved the contrast between the smartly dressed version on the left and the one on the right wearing Ted's Wesleyan sweatshirt. I don't think she is the mother, though, do you? 

Was the takeaway from that scene supposed to be the need for Ted to break his pattern of dating?

Sure, Ted can be a bit neurotic, but I'm not sure showing up at a stranger's door and telling her about their future together is the answer either. What we were treated to may have all been in Ted's head, but it was hilarious all the same. I also liked seeing how he is really focusing on taking that next step in his love life. I had to laugh, however, when, 20 years from now Ted is teased by present day Ted about still not being married. 

As for Future  Barney, I too am guilty of an occasional scalp check, so he had me laughing at myself and him equally.  

With Barney locked up with Ted in the main storyline, the dance floor was open for someone else to step up and shine in the supporting plot. Robin's "I'm Sparkles bitch!" line was probably my favorite of the night. But start to finish Marshall was my overall winner, delivering several gems in the episode.

The first was him telling Lily she was killing him by not letting him dance his own battles. The second was when he accused  Robin of "Zuckerberging" him. And the last when he scoffed at Robin thinking she could "step up to the streets" and out dance him.  

The only thing keeping this episode from being legendary was how short the actual dance off was. The camera cut away just as Robin was starting to break off her Roger Rabbit. It did leave ample time, however, for Ted and Barney's rendition of "The Longest Time," which did the Billy Joel hit justice.

I wondered if the song is some kind of inside joke among the cast about how long the show has been running or how long they have kept the identity of the mother from fans. 

Casey Wilson has booked a guest role on How I Met Your Mother Season 8.

The Happy Endings actress will appear opposite Keegan-Michael Key on the May 13 finale, stopping by the CBS sitcom as one half of a couple that is having dinner at the same restaurant as Robin and Barney.

It's not much to go on, of course.

But it's fun to speculate on what these roles could mean, right?

Vulture first broke this HIMYM casting news.