Let’s start with two thoughts.  I’ve never been a huge fan of guest stars…I mean they do help with ratings and they are usually very nice to look at, but few really pull of any great acting. It’s mostly about making an appearance. That being said (and please exclude Sarah Chalke, she is amazing), I felt JLo did one of the better acting jobs I have seen from a guest on How I Met Your Mother. Then again as long as it wasn’t Gigli I think we knew she had acting chops.

Secondly, Throughout most of tonight’s episode I found that I was enjoying it but never really felt like it was significant or of any real substance, other than to draw more attention to Barney. Luckily, I think I was wrong again. I love the fact that we got a lot more Robin time this episode, I felt it was long overdue. More importantly than more Robin development, was a huge reveal into the true character of Barney. While, some would argue that Barney needs to be only about suits & sex, I think it’s great to develop him in some other dimensions. I thought that his relationship with Robin was a strong start to that and now we get another glimpse. Not only does he show that he still cares for Robin, though maybe not in the same way as before he make a commitment that is against his normal persona on the show. That’s not just unusual, I feel it will be critical. I have to say, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cheer when he ran out and jumped in the Hudson…I digress.

I thought the callback to Ted’s legendary date planning ability (like in Ten Sessions) plus his music number to convince Barney of the “Super Date” was pretty funny. I loved the scene changes…the whole video was like a mixture of The Old Spice Man Your Man Could Smell Like video played by Michael Bublé. However, after Girls vs Suits, I’m starting to wonder if HIMYM is turning musical.

I’ve have to say, I started the episode underwhelmed, but now I feel like it was a pretty solid ep. Lots to like… then again, I’ve watched it 3 times now.

I’d love to know if I’m the only one who felt that way. What did everyone else think?

Music

• The Bang Bang Song by Marshall (reprised at the end by Robin)
• Super Date by Ted Evelyn Mosby (the heart touching ballad sung to sell the “Super Date”) get the mp3

Legendary Lines

Barney: At least when I run out on a girl I have the common courtesy to sleep with her first. It’s called manners.

Lily: She kinda sounds like the anti-Barney

Robin: But um….     (looks like it’s back! May the drinking games commence.)

Marshall: You’re my wife. You’re supposed to stop me from embarrassing myself in public.

Robin: Isn’t that every girls dream?

Lily: Of Course she’s upset! Take a look at yourself you dumb slut.

Marshall: I can’t believe you threw up in your storm trooper helmet.
Barney: Eh, that had something worse in it after the Phantom Menace premier.

Moments of Awesomeness

• Superdate…did I mention I ripped the audio for that song? I’m listening to it for inspiration while writing.
• Barney’s “This changes everything, new plan” moment was hilarious.
• I will be trying the sit on a chair and fall off from shock move…great effort by NPH there.
• I’m fairly certain that my wife read “Of Course You’re Still Single Take a Look at Yourself You Dumb Slut”… what a great title by the way…and her new book, “ Of Course You Don’t Have A Retirement Plan yet Take a Look At Yourself You Dumb Slut”… it’s due out in June, hopefully at a book store near you.
• Marshall pretends to be Robin and she jumps him in the kitchen. Now there is a decent fight… Murder Train vs. The Hoosier
• Poor Mike got Hooked by Anita (JLo)… and only 1 ep after getting unhooked by Robin.
• I love it that Robin goes to the range to shoot when she is mad… and she throws the gun when she is out of bullets.
• Barney’s reason for jumping into the River. I feel there is a lot more to this simple act that what we see in this episode.

The Re-Return

Everyone wants to know what happened on Robin’s date with Don. Robin doesn’t want to kiss and tell… Although one interesting thing did happen:

I said, bang, bang, bangity, bang bang…

Synopsis:

Elliot and J.D. struggle to find the spark in their newfound romance, and Dr. Cox reluctantly considers accepting the job as the hospital’s recently vacated Chief of Medicine.

My Thoughts:

After My ABC’s I felt the show needed a bit of redemption. I mean the interns in the last one were such pricks that it just makes you mad. This episode was that redemption in some ways. Lot’s of funny stuff (though no Ted and Carla) and despite the fact I don’t think Elliot and JD should end up together, I will admit they were good together in this episode (must …fight… changing…mind…)

My Great Moments:

• the keyboard alarm… I want one now!
• the Janitor. Did even his grandpa call him “Janitor”
• JD finally grows a pair? OR at least he pretended to.
• JD’s ‘crazy’ jabs at Denise are all priceless.
• Turk steals JD & Elliot’s cookies. I knew the keyboard alarm would work!
• Kelso hugs Cox!!!

My Music:

Ending Song with Elliot and JD:I’d Rather Be With You by Joshua Radin

My Quotes:

JD (to Denise): I’ll see you tomorrow, if you’re not here I will just assume that demons dragged you downto hell to chew your face off.

JD: I really wish I wouldn’t have done that.
Elliot: Me too. (talking about JD’s romantic sex dance):

Janitor: That reminds me of what my grandpa told me when I was a boy. He said Janitor, every time and angry woman storms out another storms in.

Denise(Jo): Know why I got into medicine?
JD: I assume there was a flyer outside of football practice.

Dr. Cox: So this is what fear feels like. It’s kind of like being drunk but in a bad way.

My Inside Scoop:

Sworn enemies, Dr. Cox and Kelso meet on the way into the hospital in the morning. Cox is complaining about how the hospital is being run without a Chief of Medicine (henceforth referred to as ChOM). Turk is in surgery and oddly enough so is the Janitor. Kelso says he doesn’t really care about the hospital and this helps bring back Dr. Cox’s anger. JD is still working with Denise but feels she is pure evil and later at his apartment Elliot is there with fresh baked cookies and her cookie pants. JD eats all of his cookies since he is afraid that Turk will steal them, which he does later that night.

JD & Elliot have been back together for a week and haven’t’ had sex yet. They talk sweetly about it and then JD does a dance similar to one I do…which he and Elliot regret. Denise is still a heartless inter, but she tries a little. Good new comes to Dr. Cox when the board offers him the ChOM position. Jordan is thrilled and this also manages to fill her with rage. Cox tries to bait JD and when JD gives in Dr. Cox goes on one of his patented rants this time geared at the Elliot and JD relationship. Meanwhile, Elliot is going crazy looking for advice on how to make tonight special for JD and Carla (absent from this Ep) is on vacation there is a very confusing message left on her machine. JD finally get fed up with Denise and lets her have it over a patient who he does not believe needs to undergo a procedure. This seems to get through to her. Dr. Kelso also tries to get through, but it is to Dr. Cox about the difficulties of the ChOM job.

Still freaking out, Elliot shows up at Sacred Heart in her cookie pants to get advice from Turk on what JD’s sexual fantasies are. And all at one there are 3 people speechless. Jordan because Dr. Cox turned down the job, Turk because of Elliot’s question and JD because Denise ordered the test anyways and JD was wrong. JD apologizes to Denise, which makes her mad and the Janitor notices angry women storming out and in. Turks quits helping Elliot which freaks her out even more and JD decides that Denise is crazy. Seems that Denise was trying, she is just horrible at is.

After a short talk with an angry Jordan, Kelso tells Cox the he was turning down the job because he was a frady-cat. And as JD talks to Denise, he explains that every doctor has flaws and he can’t fix Denise’s, she will have to work on them herself. Elliot is still pestering Turk for advice and he tell her if she wants things to be different then she doesn’t need to try and make it special. Kelso tells Cox the he was the one who recommended him. In the end, we see that even though JD can’t fix Denise, he can give her a push. Cox faces his fear and becomes ChOM, and maybe even gains a good friend in Kelso. Denise take a baby step and Elliot makes it special by being herself…and JD loves it.

Don’t Miss the Credits:

Synopsis:

J.D. learns the hard way that not even Elmo can teach the gift of compassion to those who don’t care to learn (Sesame Workshop’s "Muppets" guest star).

My Thoughts:

I used to love ‘the Street’ but the Muppet cameos seemed a bit forced. Overall it was a descent episode. Nothing just amazing but solid. Was anyone else just a little disturbed by Elmo’s sexual advances to Denise? While funny it, it killed my childhood thoughts of innocence surrounding the show.

My Great Moments:

• All of the jokes about JD’s beard are awesome.
• Anything Dr. Cox rants about. Plus, caveman talk good.
• JD continuing to call Denise Jo
• The reactions to Izzy’s first poo in the potty is pretty funny.
• Elliot’s ability to have sex withheld from Turk.
• Oscar the Grouch in the Janitors can. I always liked Oscar back when I watched ‘the Street’
• Despite it being the saddest version of the Sesame Street theme song I have ever heard the song was awesome.

My Music:

• Saddest Sesame Street theme song ever by Joshua Radin

My Quotes:

Dr. Cox (to the interns): Now since the rest of your brains are so tiny, from now on I’ll speak like a caveman. You Bad doctors. Me Good doctor. You Follow.

JD: I grew up on the street. No, not the hood the Sesame Street.

Elliot: Seems like it would be a host to a variety of infections bacteria or even fungus.
Turk: Plus, it’s hard to look at… I recommend it’s removed immediately.
JD: forget it you guys! I’m keeping the beard. Chicks dig on the extra fuzz.

Dr. Cox: Look, you and I are alike in a lot of ways.
Janitor: We both harbor an internal struggle between the desire to do good and the urge to becoem a master criminal.
Dr. Cox: We don’t.
Janitor: We do.

My Inside Scoop:

More of the same at Sacred Heart. Kelso is still hanging around the coffee shop enjoying his free muffins, Turk, JD & Izzy are hanging together while watching Sesame Street and Dr. Cox is busy doing rounds with the interns. Seems we see a lot more about the interns this episode, maybe a sign of things to come but it has to happen if we are going to get to know and like them. Dr. Cox on the other hand, does not like the new interns and knows they still have a long way to go. JD, who is still thinking about Sesame Street with constant daydreams,

Dr. Cox continues to talk like a caveman to the interns (great stuff) and later chimes in on JD’s beard. One of the great parts of tonight’s episode is the constant jokes about his beard, I don’t like it either by the way. Like I said earlier, the interns play a big part in this one. Elliot says she like Katie now that is isn’t such a jerk. Still, JD, Cox and Elliot all agree to spend some extra time taking the interns under their wings. JD takes Denise (Jo), Dr. Cox takes on Ed and Elliot seems to take an interest in Katie. Everyone takes different approached with their interns. Dr. Cox seems to hat Ed and can’t figure out why, this only frustrates him (Cox, not Ed). JD continually struggles dealing with the “strong woman” Denise and is surprised at her lack of compassion with patients. Elliot feel sorry for Katie gets even more so when she is passed over for an internship with Turk.

While the Sesame Street visions continue, Dr. Cox tries talking to the Janitor because he feels they are alike. It really bother him that he can’t figure out why he hates Ed so much.  JD continually tries to find ways to teach Denise some compassion and wishes it were as easy as on Sesame Street, though I’ve never seen Elmo hit on anyone. Elliot has Carla withhold sex from Turk since Katie got passed over for the surgery spot, but it’s ok because Ed didn’t really want it, he just wanted to write his name with his cool pen (which is why Turk actually chose him in the first place).

JD has the difficult job of telling Mr. Freedmont’s (his patient) wife he is dying of cancer and Denise tries to get a DNR by being overly blunt with the wife, despite JD’s coaching. Turns out Katie played Elliot to get the spot, she discovers this from her chat with Turk. And Cox finally realizes that he hates Ed because he is lazy and could be a much better doctor, but Ed is ok with being just better than most. JD patient dies before his family gets to say goodbye and Denise still show no compassion, even for a very troubled JD. As, the saddest Sesame Street theme song you will ever hear plays everyone realizes, the new interns still need a lot of work to make good doctors.

Don’t Miss the Credits:

JD quite seriously gives a Facts of Life speech to the wife of his dying patient…which is actually the theme song to “The Facts of Life”. Didn’t Teds Band sing this in a previous episode?

You take the good, you take the bad,
you take them both and there you have
The Facts of Life.

My Great Moments:

• Oprah O’s cereal… they even made me hungry
• Ted mopping and running… and well everything Ted does is funny.
• Dr. Cox making fun of the show “The Hill”
• Turk calling Dr. Cox, ‘Baby’.
• Imagine a ping pong match between a ninja and bigfoot.
• Elliot in what I would call her ‘tribute to Princess Leah’ pose

My Music: coming soon Beginning of Ep: Friends by Limbeck (Thanks to Jade!)

End of Ep: Close Your Eyes by Young Love

My Quotes: Todd: I can feel little JD five? Turk(after you hear a fart sound): That’s alright, it’s perfectly natural. Patient: But that was you. Turk: Yea I know, but it’s still perfectly natural. Ted: It’s so sad. By comparison it almost makes my life seem…aww…still sad. Ted: Sometimes my mom kept me in a crib in the driveway. JD(to Elliot): I’ve changed too. I have a beard now. My Inside Scoop: Life is going great for JD. The Janitor is gone so he can walk the halls without fear (he thinks) and he and Elliot are hanging out a lot a friends. JD does have too much knowledge of Oprah, but that fits the character. Turk is doing a surgical consult for Dr. Cox, but Dr. Cox never leaves the room. He tells Turk it is because he doesn’t trust him. And back at the coffee shot, Ted notices the Kelso is there everyday. So he won’t look so pathetic he says he is taking Enid on vacation and just getting muffins for the road. JD bumps into the Janitor in the halls. Seems since Dr. Maddox is gone he is back and so is Jimmy the overly touchy orderly, who greets JD. JD senses that Turk is upset, we can tell it’s due to Dr. Cox but in the background we see Ted running (how funny), he is excite that the Janitor is back. Elliot and JD, who have been inseparable so far, find Kelso at another CoffeeBucks. They find out he didn’t go on vacation and he eventually opens up to them. Ted is doing all the janitors work for some reason (mopping) and Turk and Dr. Cox concoct a Kidney transplant switch for patients. Elliot tries to tell an inspirational story, but all of her inspirational stories end with someone killing themselves. To make everything more interesting it seems the Janitor was never really hired back, one of the families does not want to do the transplant switch and Kelso assumes that JD and Elliot are back together again. Now everyone is demanding explanations. This leads to Elliot and JD starting to talk about “them” and a priceless scene of fantasy Elliot and a real one of JD. JD and Elliot continue to talk through things in their own little world up until the end of the episode so keep that in mind. Turk convinces the families to do the surgeries at the same time. But is still very agitated with Dr. Cox, which can be seen from Turk’s behind the glass antics. Ted is trying to help the Janitor find a way to get back in his old job and when checks are passed out the Janitor says he didn’t get his, problem solved. Dr. Cox ends up trusting Turk (even if he does hide outside the door). And jsut as Elliot and JD are about to decide to not give it another chance, Kelso come in and says “Hogwash.” He says who the hell cares what anyone else thinks, do what makes you happy. They struggle with whether or not to take his advice. But Kelso takes his own advice and returns to the coffee shop at Sacred Heart. As the episode winds down, Elliot and JD walk out of the hospital and hold hands. Elliot says, “This seems like a good idea” and JD replies, “Who Cares”. Don’t Miss the Credits:

Synopsis:

Desperate times call for desperate measures when lifelong adversaries Drs. Kelso and Cox ally to oust Dr. Maddox (guest starring Courteney Cox) from Sacred Heart, while Carla makes it her mission to take a self-centered, incompetent intern down a notch.

My Thoughts:

While my wife disagreed, I liked this episode of Scrubs. Dr. Maddox’s part was played well enough to really make it and I really dug the way Carla was giving advice while an actual version of her warning were seen coming to a point. My only complaint was there wasn’t enough Ted. Also I see why they call Neil Flynn the “go to guy” on Scrubs, he is absolutely hilarious. I also thought there might be a funny gag with the doctor that kept dressing like Elliot but it kind of just stopped early in the episode, maybe it will come back later. Trivia time, notice any Turk in this episode?

My Great Moments:

• The Janitor’s character he created for when he is snooping.
• Turks shopping list: Sausage, sausage and more sausage.
• Janitor’s random ideas for getting rid of Maddox like a reindeer stampede
• Carla playing the hospital mom…err. I mean lioness, sorry.
• Elliot and Jordon’s “dirty talk” to get free candy.

My Music:

The Basics – Lookin’Over My Shoulder

Ending song: Matt Ryd – Healed

Ending Song (feel free to correct me here): Young Love – Underneath the Night Sky I was corrected. =)

My Quotes:

JD: You destroyed my scooter, Sasha.
Janitor: You know I hate Wednesdays.

JD: I love you (this was his way to get rid of Dr. Maddox…actually any woman)

JD: If you come with me to Dr. Kelso then I won’t talk to you.
Dr. Cox: There it is.

Dr. Cox: “How are we going to get rid of Maddox? Would you [Janitor] like to go first to get your ridiculous ideas out of the way?”

My Inside Scoop:

It seems that the new Chief of Medicine Dr. Maddox is everywhere. And what’s more is that because of this the doctors aren’t able to “work the system” any more to help patients. Dr. Cox seems to think he can get around Dr. Maddox because he is a better doctor and starts bragging. Katie, one of the new interns, is kissing up like crazy to Elliot and other docs, but offering little respect to others. Carla, however, who is the “lioness” of the hospital notices that Katie has been screwing up a lot and taking credit where it is not due. Not to be misses also, Dr. Kelso and the Janitor are both hanging in the coffee shop and there seems to be another female doctor that always seems to be dressed like Elliot.

JD and Elliot have a patient, Mr. Rozell, that seems to have MS but notice something weird when he takes his pills. Even the great and mighty Dr. Cox can’t sneak one past Dr. Maddox as she bounces his patient who had head trauma because he was too old for the clinical trials. This infuriates Dr. Cox who proposes to the others that they get rid of Dr. Maddox.

Meanwhile, Carla has decided to confront Katie in the cafeteria. She tries to give her advice but Katie says that she doesn’t care. Carla then lets her know she is annoying and won’t have any friends eventually. The whole show keeps flashing back and forth between Carla’s advice to Katie and how Dr. Maddox acts now. JD and Elliot confront their M.S. patient only to discover his daughter is the one with M.S. symptoms. It seem that he had insurance and she didn’t, so Elliot & JD decide to help them out and not say anything.

In other areas of the hospital, the Janitor and Dr. Cox are digging up dirt on Dr. Maddox. The Janitor seems scared, but then tells Dr. Cox he does this so much that he created a character to have more fun with it. Dr. Maddox bounces Mr. Rozell and then Dr. Cox confronts her with the dirt. Everyone seems upset with her and she simply lets them know that she does not care. The scenes are a virtual mirror image of Carla’s advice to Katie.

JD, Elliot, Dr. Cox and the Janitor discuss ways to get rid of Dr. Maddox. The Janitor has some very creative ideas that are good for quite a few laughs. You really must see how his ‘photo shop’ idea works out. JD’s only idea is to say ‘I love you’ because it will run off most women. They go to Jordan for help but she is no longer on the board but says Kelso has dirt on everyone. The janitor tries to help Carla with Katie, also in very colorful ways. Kelso says he will help but only if Dr. Cox tells him he misses him as Chief. Dr. Cox digs deep and actually says something nice to Kelso, thus winning his support.

Katie tries to lay on the sob story about why she is who she is, but Carla has heard it all (nice music gag by the way), what matters is now and not your past. Dr. Kelso uses his dirt and Dr. Maddox does get fired. She give a bitter parting speech to the staff about how nothing will change and the next person will be the same. JD summarizes by hoping thy proved her wrong in the next weeks. JD & Elliot help their M.S. patient, Cox and Kelso seem to develop a friendship and even Katie admits her faults and asks Elliot for help.

Don’t Miss the Credits:

My Thoughts:

This episode of How I Met Your Mother was done very well. The way the character’s were split was a new twist and I loved the Marshall/Robin story line. always new ground to explore I suppose.

Erin Cahill was a cool choice for Ted’s little sis and played the part well. She and Barney (the rest of the cast too) had some decent chemistry too. I wonder if they will bring her back more this season since she will be in New York (trying not to give too much away until later). Sadly, there was a quick look at Barney’s office posters (though I only saw focus) but no Awesomeness Poster, despite finally getting a shot of his office this season.

Legendary Lines :

Ted: Did you bring that chair yourself?
Barney: I needed one that swivels.

Ted: You’re my sister.
Barney: (whispering) Now he’s just stating a fact.

Ted: There aren’t any black people in Minnesota?
Marshall: Not if Prince is on tour.

Moments of Awesomeness:

• Barney’s Christmas/Holiday jingles, despite their vulgarity, they were quite funny, and catchy.
• Barney with the leather chair he brought to the apartment when Ted brings Heather home.
• It’s an ongoing gag but Lily’s loose lips are quite funny.
• The final scene (see The Re-Return at the bottom of the page).
• Notice the Jersey names inside the Wall-Eye Saloon? Great stuff guys.

Vocabulary:

Nothing great here…just a bunch of Canadian words…think elongated English. (though the whole: “sucking down a 20 oz. pilsner while watching some coal miner’s daughter strip down to her pelt”, has pretty impressive wording).

What really happened:

Ted’s sister, Heather, make the visit to New York and Ted’s main mission is to keep her away from Barney. It seems that through the years Heather had been brought to Barney’s attention via the Mosby Christmas card and in honor of the even Barney makes up very catchy Christmas jingles about how hot she is. Barney finds out Heather is in town because Lily can’t seem to keep a secret and is waiting in the apartment for when they arrive. Ted’s plays the protective brother, Barney is hurt that Ted does not trust him and then Ted includes Barney in their plans out of guilt.

Robin is feeling homesick for Canada so Marshall takes her to the place he goes when he feels homesick for Minnesota, the Wall-Eye Saloon. Meanwhile, Ted, Lily, Barney & Heather are at dinner together. Heather tells Ted that she found an apartment in New York and asks him to cosign the lease for her. Ted feels she is too irresponsible and Barney chimes in (often) and says he could help since he works at Goliath National Bank since she wants to work in that world. The two set up a meeting and Ted gets Lily to keep an eye on them to make sure Barney keeps things strictly business. Robin loves the Wall-Eye Saloon but then starts to mention Canada. Marshall quiets her and says they only accept people form Minnesota there. Robin plays along and all is well.

Ted skips ahead for “what happens next” and we see Marshall discovering that Robin stole his ‘99 NFC championship story to fit in more at the bar. Marshall show her how everyone there makes fun of Canadians with “afraid of the dark” jokes to which she gets briefly offended then tells one herself to fit in. Also, Lily walks in on Barney and Heather re-dressing in Barney’s office.

At McLaren’s, Barney and Heather engage in a series of double entendres about work until Ted confronts them about sleeping together. They let Ted know the whole thing was staged. They counted on Lily to spill the secret (as she does so well) so they could get back at Ted for meddling too much and for not trusting Barney, Heather get’s mad and storms out. Barney had promised not to sleep with Heather so he kept his word, though he does admit to an awkward sexually charged kiss with Ted’s mom at an airport.

When Robin beats Marshall’s high score at Fisherman’s Quest at his bar, he outs her as Canadian. As she leaves, Robin gives a humorous but heart felt speech about Canada and why she misses it so much. When Heather heads back to the apartment to get her stuff she finds a briefcase she couldn’t afford from earlier in the episode with signed lease papers inside, then brother & sis make up and Ted apologizes. Marshall finds Robin outside in the cold, sad with ice cream and short sleeves and they make up when Marshall takes her to the Hoser Hut, a Canadian bar…and as it turns out when Marshall “accidentally” hits the light switch finds out Canadians are afraid of the dark.

The Re-Return (the final scene that HIMYM comes back with after the credits):