Hello, CLARICE

 Article first published as CLARICE TV Review on Seat42F.

CBS’s newest drama is CLARICE. As you might guess, it is related to The Silence of the Lambs and its protagonist, Clarice Starling. In fact, the story is set in 1993, a mere year after the events of the film and book. Clarice isn’t doing all that well, mentally speaking, suffering some severe post-traumatic stress from her ordeal. While being evaluated to see if she’s even fit to do her job, a status very much in doubt, Clarice is called up by the Attorney General of the United States (who also happens to be the mother of a girl Clarice rescued) to hunt a new possible serial killer.

A lot of CLARICE’s pilot is very interesting. Rebecca Breeds (The Originals) does a fine job portraying the damaged agent, and all the pain and suffering she is going through. Clarice is not OK, and yet she often manages to function in public and in her job. Breeds strikes just the right balance of sanity and trauma in crafting the role to make her believable. Clarice is easy to get annoyed at, as she makes many bad decisions or acts rashly, but Breeds keeps her sympathetic, as well, even when the character is making her own life harder.

Similarly, the production may call to mind NBC’s ill-fated Hannibal, evoking some artistic images. Although, CLARICE often goes for the gruesome over the pretty, so it’s not quite the same thing. The pacing moves a lot faster and the characters, other than the titular one, don’t seem as well-developed, either. So while those fond of Hannibal (for very good reason) may be pleased to see some similarities, CLARICE doesn’t live up to that previous effort.

There is a lot of imagery from the events of the film, reshot, of course, with new actors and sets to that everything matches. This is a good element, immediately calling to mind the horror Clarice bore witness to and helping audiences understand where she is. It’s a finely crafted premise executed pretty well in that regard.

Where CLARICE shows its weaknesses are among the supporting players. It’s not because the actors aren’t good; CLARICE has the likes of Kal Penn (Designated Survivor, House), Michael Cudlitz (The Walking Dead), and Jayne Atkinson (House of Cards) in its lineup. But the roles these actors play aren’t great. Jayne’s Ruth, the aforementioned attorney general, is too single-minded and harsh. Penn’s Shaan gets almost nothing to do in the pilot. Cudlitz’s Krendler is the most well-rounded of the three, playing Clarice’s boss, but even the parts where softness gets through his tough exterior feel cliché and tired. I don’t blame the performers, but these are stock characters in a procedural, not the deep ones that make up a high-quality drama.

Which makes sense, because CLARICE is a procedural. The pilot hints at a larger story arc, and I’m sure it’ll be followed up upon. But the whole season isn’t spent on a case, like the prestige shows. This is CBS, so most bad guys are caught in an hour and not much changes. With this unfortunate core, the high-quality aspects seem like set dressing, not the point of the series, and the program suffers for it.

The world doesn’t exactly need a better version of CLARICE; there are enough other series in this genre that foot that bill. But any chance this one has of standing among them is squandered by the network television mantra to have things static and easily consumable. This is fine for their audience now, but doesn’t necessarily build a devoted fanbase that will keep it living and talked about on streaming services from years to come.

CLARICE airs Thursdays at 10/9c on CBS.

Is DESGINATED SURVIVOR Gonna Make It?

Article published as DESIGNATED SURVIVOR Review on Seat42F.

We all know about the DESIGNATED SURVIVOR, right? During the annual State of the Union speech, one member of the administration is chosen to stay behind at a safe location in case an attack wipes out the rest of the government. This unlikely event has never happened, but it’s a worse-case scenario contingency that is ripe with story potential, as shown in the great reboot of Battlestar Galactica a few years ago. But it was only one element of that show; does it have the legs to support a weekly series?

ABC is going to find out as DESIGNATED SURVIVOR premieres this week. Tom Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland, 24) is the outgoing Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, probably left behind because he’s fallen out of favor with the president and being forced to resign anyway. But when disaster strikes, Tom is quickly sworn in as leader of the free world, thrust into a situation where he must make the tough calls in short order, set the country’s response to the most devastating attack its ever experienced, and assert power from those who don’t believe he can handle the job.

One such critic is Seth Wright (Kal Penn, House, Harold & Kumar), a speech writer for the POTUS that does not think the new guy has what it takes. Nor do any of the military leaders. This is understandable, not just because Tom is not a combative guy, but because the first things we see him do do not inspire confidence in his ability to lead and make the tough calls. It seems like he will not be able to make this work.

But if that were to remain the case, there would be no show, right? Tom is our hero and he will step up to the plate. That’s a given before we even start watching the series.

The problem is, Tom finds his inner strength way too easily. I guess you can take the man out of Jack Bauer but you can’t take the Jack Bauer out of the man. While Kiefer does a fine job finding Tom’s timid nature at the start, he transforms ridiculously quick into what he’ll need to be. Where’s the struggle? This would be a far more interesting show if the focus was on that growth journey instead of moving quickly past it to get to the action.

Funny enough, ABC president Channing Dungey recently said she wished cable series weren’t automatically seen as better than broadcast shows. DESIGNATED SURVIVOR is the perfect example of exactly why this bias exists. Were the series on FX or HBO or AMC, the show would be about the character’s struggle. The cast would likely be smaller, and the story tighter to the immediate situation. Instead, like a lot of ABC shows, it’s bloated and quick moving, wanting to get more action and soapy drama in than worrying about Emmy-worthy performances or fantastic writing.

Though I called the roster bloated, I’m not complaining about the rest of the cast; it’s a strong ensemble comprised of Natascha McElhone (Californication) as Tom’s wife, Alex, Italia Ricci (Chasing Life) as Tom’s aide, Emily, Adan Canto (The Following) as the new president’s, well, tutor seems appropriate though isn’t entirely accurate, Aaron, LaMonica Garrett (Sons of Anarchy) as a Secret Service agent, Mike, and Maggie Q (Nikita) as an FBI agent, Hannah. But most of them are underdeveloped, such as the First Lady being a very bland type, or poorly used, in the case of Q. This could improve over time, but these supporting players are not well established in episode one.

I really want to like this show, and I kind of do. It is exciting, I do enjoy the actors, and I am curious about the mystery that we start with. I just worry DESIGNATED SURVIVOR is not set up for success, and that things will get hokey and insincere as the season plays out, forcing twists where they aren’t needed, and skipping over the potential deep bits beginning to be explored based on the unevenness and flaws of the pilot. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if this one can be great or not.

DESIGNATED SURVIVOR premieres Wednesday at 10/9c.

BATTLE CREEK, Michigan

Article first published as BATTLE CREEK Review on Seat42F.

Detective Russ Agnew (Dean Winters, Law & Order: SVU) is a frustrated cop in Battlecreek, Michigan, a city of 50,000 whose force is underfunded and underappreciated. When the FBI decides to open up a field office in the same building the police inhabit, Agnew thinks he will show them “The Battle Creek Way,” which is also the name of the pilot episode. Boy, is he in for a surprise in CBS’s new drama, BATTLE CREEK.

BATTLE CREEK is most likely going to be a case-of-the-week, buddy cop series, which is nothing new at all. While both of the main protagonists are men, an idea that almost feels fresh again after the male-female pairings of Castle, Bones, Law & Order: SVU, and so many others in recent memory, it really is a tired old concept done to death in the 90s and earlier before being fairly recently retired.

Yet, the pilot doesn’t feel tired. Maybe it’s because Battle Creek is set in a small town in the Midwest, rather than New York or LA, as most television shows are. As an Ohioan myself, I greatly appreciate this. Maybe it’s the excellent cast, which is better staffed than any procedural has the right to be. Maybe it’s just the snarky dialogue and the impeccable chemistry between the series’ leads. Maybe it’s the fact that House’s David Shore and Breaking Bad’s Vince Gilligan created this series, lending it a high pedigree. Whatever it is, I really enjoyed the pilot.

Now, that doesn’t mean I’m giving this series a great review. While it is my job to judge a show based on its premiere episode and I do it often, I personally usually give a series more than one episode in order to figure out if they make the list I’m going to continue to watch. I have seen a number of great programs spring from poor pilots. It’s rarer that a series would go the opposite direction, but given the network BATTLE CREEK airs on and its inherent premise, that could certainly be the case in this instance.

Let’s get back to this show specifically, though. Agnew’s partner is Special Agent Milton Chamberlain (Josh Duhamel, Transformers), a golden boy “promoted” to run his own office in the podunk town. Milt knows this isn’t exactly a plum position, but he’s determined to make the best of it, and brings a calming counterpoint to Agnew’s hot-headedness.

If BATTLE CREEK stays focused on just the two of them, it is doomed to grow stale quickly. I hope this won’t end up being the case, as the ensemble is quite capable of more, and it is stacked with a comedy bend that could keep the tone from being bogged down in the cases. There’s Detective Fontanelle (Kal Penn, House), Agnew’s former partner, office manager Holly (Aubrey Dollar, Women’s Murder Club), Commander Guziewicz (Janet McTeer, Damages), Agnew’s boss, and Detective Funkhauser (Edward Fordham, Cuts), as well as recurring roles Detective Jacocks (Liza Lapira, Super Fun Night) and Detective Niblet (Damon Herriman, Justified). Almost all of these are most welcome.

The first hour spends a lot of time on character introductions, and there’s a case tossed in for good measure. At least half the running time is on the former, which is a good sign, but it’s possible that is only done because this is a pilot. The ratio between character development and finite story is what will determine if the show is any good or not. Most CBS series rely very heavily on the latter, to their detriment.

If BATTLE CREEK shall succeed, it should remember to keep the focus on the players, toss in larger arcs and many recurring characters (including some who work for or with Milt, since so far everyone is on Agnew’s team), and make sure it is accurate in its depiction of the setting, something I’m not familiar enough with the real Battle Creek to judge. However, whether the last is handled with authenticity is likely to become more obvious in the coming weeks, and I hope it respects the local flavor that could set it apart.

BATTLE CREEK premieres this Sunday at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

WE ARE MEN Pilot Review

Article first published as WE ARE MEN Review on Seat42F.

CBS’s WE ARE MEN is sort of like Sex and the City with guys. Four buddies meet in an apartment complex inhabited by divorced men and wannabe actresses, stick together, and offer emotional support through a tough time. They still act like boys, not girls, but the camaraderie and their various romantic partners certainly evoke the comparison.

As the show begins, Carter (Chris Smith, Paranormal Activity 3) is at the altar with his bride, Sara (Fiona Gubelmann, Wilfred). A man runs in before they say “I do,” and Sara runs off with him, leaving Carter broken and sad. That’s when Carter moves into the apartment and meets the others.

It’s not the most original start. After all, Rachel ran away from her wedding at the start of Friends, and Alex left Dave at the altar in the Happy Endings premiere. But it serves its purpose, putting Carter in the right situation to get the premise rolling, and the way that WE ARE MEN’s “Pilot” comes back around at the end of the half hour makes the whole thing mostly worth it, even if it does seem familiar. Plus, a small guest appearance by Alan Ruck (Spin City) is a great feather in one’s cap in any installment, let alone at the beginning, and as a priest to boot!

Carter soon meets three neighbors who have also not been able to make marriage work for them. There’s Gil (Kal Penn, House), a guy who picked the worst mistress ever, Stuart (Jerry O’Connell, Jerry Maguire), whose first wife is now his second wife’s divorce attorney, and Frank (Tony Shaloub, Monk), whose many brides tend to stay the same age, even as he grows older, and is currently into Asians. They instantly take Carter under their wing, and their little club is born.

Smith may not be well known, but Penn, O’Connell, and Shaloub are. Their names alone are enough to garner at least two episode watches, and the chemistry they have here is fantastic. They really do feel like a bunch of buddies, regular guys, each selfish in their own wants and needs, but willing to offer a helping hand when they aren’t too focused on their next lay. They razz one another, but they care, which is proven by the end of the “Pilot.”

Now, yes, the dynamic comes together a little too fast. Two months pass during the “Pilot,” but it doesn’t feel like that, with everything moving so quickly. Even though the other three guys’ friendship with each other feels authentic, it does seem a little too soon for Carter to be part of the group in any meaningful way.

However, the show is funny, and it has charm. I really enjoyed watching the men hang out and get into trouble, and there’s a certain bit of fantasy in four guys with their own closely-located apartments, doing whatever they want without anyone bringing them down or trying to control them. There’s also a “glad that’s not me” component, sure to add emotion into characters, who clearly are not well-skilled at showing their feelings, especially when negative ones threaten to overwhelm them. It should be a good combination.

The list of recurring actors already involved is impressive. Besides Gubelmann, whom we’ll surely see again, and Ruck, which I certainly hope for a repeat visit from, Romy Rosemont (Glee) and Dave Foley (The Kids in the Hall) show up as Carter’s parents. If this is the kind of talent that wants to be involved in WE ARE MEN, than it is a promising sitcom indeed.

This “Pilot” does have its issues. The plot seems a little like fluff, there isn’t a clear direction for the story, and Carter’s inevitable romance sometime this season with Frank’s daughter, Abby (Rebecca Breeds, Home and Away), is predictable and groan-inducing. But there are some genuinely funny bits and the central quartet is strong, so it definitely has the potential to be pretty decent. It at least ranks in the middle of the pack of this year’s freshman comedies.

WE ARE MEN premieres Monday, September 30^th at 8:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

How I Met Your Mother The Complete Season 7

CBS's How I Met Your Mother started out as one of the best sitcoms on television, and then sagged a bit in the middle. However, by season seven, owing to a deeper level of emotion, and some development in the characters' lives, the series had regained its momentum, beginning to build towards a climax (even though it's uncertain if that climax will happen in season eight, or nine, or...). Now, all twenty-three episodes of season seven, plus extras, have been released on a three disc set dubbed "The Ducky Tie Edition."

As year seven commences in Ted's (Josh Radnor) search for the titular mother, his friends are continuing to grow up and move on. In fact, as we see in cut scenes in several episodes set slightly in the future, Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) is finally tying the knot, before Ted no less, though we won't find out who Barney's bride is until the final moments of the season. Is it Robin (Cobie Smulders), whom is still haboring feelings for him? Is it Nora (Nazanin Bonidai), whom Barney wronged, but maintains a torch for? Or could it be the soon to arrive on the scene stripper, Quinn (Becki Newton, Ugly Betty), who understands Barney in a way that no woman ever has before?

Lily (Alyson Hannigan) and Marshall (Jason Segel) are even further into adulthood. They announce in the season premiere, "The Best Man," that Lily is pregnant. But do they want to raise a baby in New York City? It isn't long before they find a place in the suburbs. This moves them further away from their friends, hurting their social life. Is this the right decision for them?

Other events important to the lives of the gang occur throughout the season. Some ones well worth mentioning are:

• "Ducky Tie" Barney loses a wager to see Lily's breasts, and Ted runs into old flame Victoria (Ashley Williams), sparking a "What if...?" question about his ex.
• "Noretta" Kevin (Kal Penn) freaks everyone out when he tells them that people always choose a mate similar to their parents. Visual gags ensue.
• "The Slutty Pumpkin Returns" Ted reunites with a mystery flirt from years ago (Katie Holmes), and Barney learns that he's one quarter Canadian. It's a good thing that it's Halloween. The horror!
• "Tick Tick Tick" After cheating on their significant others with each other, Robin and Barney decide how, or if, they will break up with Kevin and Nora.
• "The Rebound Girl" Barney and Ted decide that they should raise a child together. There is no way that this can possible go wrong, right?
• "Tailgate" Marshall visits his father's grave to update him on that gang's life.
• "The Burning Beekeeper" The story of Marshall and Lily's housewarming party is told repeatedly from different perspectives.
• "Karma" Barney meets Quinn, a stripper who steals more than his money, and Ted seeks to fill the void in the apartment, and his life, left by Robin after she moves out.
• "Trilogy Time" Ted realizes that he has been stuck in a rut, and wonders how he might finally make a positive change in his life.
• "The Magician's Code" (two part finale) Lily goes into labor while Marshall is drunk with Barney in Atlantic City. Then Barney proposes to Quinn, while Ted gets a visit from Victoria on her wedding day.

This is a great batch of episodes, and is definitely proof that How I Met Your Mother still deserves its spot on the air. Rather than continuing to grow stale, the series has reinvented itself in a very interesting way, moving into the stage of the characters' lives past the carefree days of youth. It isn't a perfect year, but it's much better than several of the previous ones.

There are plenty of extras included in The Ducky Tie Edition set. Besides getting your own copy of the infamous tie with it (possibly depending on where you buy it?) , there are also deleted scenes, a gag reel, and audio commentaries on certain episodes. Featurettes include a look at writing the series, making the series, and all of the great guest stars that appear. There is also a look at Neil Patrick Harris getting his star. Very cool, and enough to satisfy

How I Met Your Mother The Complete Season 7 The Ducky Tie Edition is available now.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

"Everybody Dies" in House series finale

As "Everybody Dies," the series finale of FOX's House opens, Dr. House (Hugh Laurie) is lying next to the dead body of his patient of the week (or, POtW) in a burning building. Throughout most of the hour, House converses with hallucinations of some important people in his life, as he tries to decide whether he should live or die.

"Everybody Dies" is dark. There is no denying that. It's obvious when the first image House sees is Dr. Lawrence Kutner (Kal Penn), a fellow who killed himself. Strangely, though, Kutner is trying to talk House out of suicide, while House is the one arguing that life is pointless.

Then Amber (Anne Dudek) appears. Her death is more tragic, but she still argues for life. Stacy (Sela Ward) wants House to try to find happiness again, but he continues to resist. Finally, though, Cameron (Jennifer Morrison) tells him to just lie down, letting the choice be taken from him. This House does, before thinking better of it.

These people are House's subconscious, and as such, he appears to be waging a war within himself. It's thrilling to see these former characters reappear, but besides being a gift to viewers, who they are isn't so important as what they say. House knows that death is the easy way out. He is not going to be able to enjoy the sort of life he has been enjoying much longer, even though his life hasn't been all that fun. Soon, his best friend will be dead, and even sooner, House will be back in jail, wasting Wilson's (Robert Sean Leonard) final moments on earth. So why not end it all?

Even in this darkest of moments, though, House fights on, as he always has. By making the people from his past appear to him, he talks himself out of such a deed. It's telling that he starts with the most tragic figure, and builds to the ones that love him the most. The trajectory is an upswing, and in retrospect, House moves closer to life with each passing moment. But viewers are tricked into missing this by the POW scenes, which are of a more depressing nature.

While House is battling his inner demons in an extremely slowly burning building, he is not left to die alone. The two people he leans on most, who enable all of his crap, are desperately searching from him. Wilson and Foreman (Omar Epps) know that House is missing, and giving the desperateness of the situation, fear the worst. They even interrupt Dr. Nolan's (Andre Braugher) group therapy session to ask for advice. Eventually, they are able to put the pieces together and get to the building where House is.

But they arrive too late. House has decided to live, and is heading towards the front door, visible through the window to Foreman and Wilson, when the ceiling collapses. Gone in a rush of flame, a body identified as House is pulled from the wreckage. It's a tragic ending.

Or is it? House's wife Dominika (Karolina Wydra) and former colleagues, including Thirteen (Olivia Wilde), Taub (Peter Jacobson), Adams (Odette Annable), Masters (Amber Tamblyn), and Park (Charlyne Yi), wax poetic about him at his funeral. But Wilson alone lashes out in anger, instead, calling House a selfish idiot, which, of course, he is. Then Wilson is interrupted by a text message. He doesn't tell the others, but he goes and finds House, who has faked his death so that he can spend Wilson's final five months doing whatever Wilson wants to do. They ride off into the sunset together on motorcycles, great music playing, the ultimate happy ending.

Is this House's plan all along? Or is this something he comes up with at the last minute? It seems a little unrealistic that he is able to escape from the collapsing building, but at the same time, it's hard to complain about the perfect build up of suspense and twist. Not to mention, the metaphors of purgatory and hell are thrown in to make things even more surreal. "Everybody Dies" is a brilliant piece of art, and any inauthenticities can be chalked up to artistic license, not fretted about needlessly.

House has gone to dark places before, but the titular character has always emerged triumphantly. He argues that no one changes, but his growth over the years proves otherwise. Perhaps there have been backslides, as he is self-destructive. But in the end, the goodness within him wins out. This could be because of Wilson. The person House cares about most, the one who sticks by him through it all, needs him, and House wants to be there.

What will happen in five months when Wilson dies? House will not be able to just return to his former life. He gives that up for Wilson. Will he he hide out in a foreign land and practice medicine? Return and take his punishment so that he can honestly go back to his job? Who knows? Who cares? "Everybody Dies" is very satisfying and uplifting.

Before the credits roll, viewers are reminded of the positive impact House has had in the lives of his fellows, too. Cameron is married with a baby. Chase (Jesse Spencer) has taken over House's department, with Adams and Park staying on under him. Taub enjoys spending time with his daughters. These may not all be House's doing, but he has certainly played a role in who they are. Freeing them from himself by his death actually helps them to move on from his crap, and so it is a favor to them, too. Though he deserves credit for teaching them to how to live.

Well, everyone but Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein). It makes sense that she doesn't appear, seeing as how House caused her more pain than anyone, and she has the least reason to still care about him. But to bake anything, there will always be a few broken eggs, and she qualifies as this.

The only person besides Wilson who learns of House's survival is Foreman. Foreman is the only one this information would make a positive impact on. Gone from the team, Foreman has already found his happy career. He might blame himself for not controlling House better if he is allowed to continue to believe the lie. By sending him a signal, as House does, Foreman can go on, knowing that he has nothing to feel guilty for. Plus, of all the fellows, Foreman is the one least likely to tell on House.

Thank you to the cast and crew of House for eight mostly amazing years. It is a series that will not soon be forgotten, and one that has, at times, touched viewers just as much as House himself touches the other characters. House reminds us that a procedural doesn't have to just be a procedural, and there is plenty of mystery still to be found when examining the human spirit. We appreciate the lesson!

I highly recommend you read Barbara Barnett's review of "Everybody Dies" when it posts, and also pick up a copy of her book about House, Chasing Zebras. She has been a brilliant House expert over the years, and who has spoken with wonderful insight and wisdom. Going by her past work, and her thoughts during her live online chat party last night, her article will definitely be something worth reading for every House fan.

One last bit of trivia. The POW in "Everybody Dies" is played by James LeGros. LeGros starred in the short lived medical drama Mercy, and, besides guest starring in the House finale, he also appears in this year's season finale of Grey's Anatomy, which aired last week. Talk about success in the fictional medical community!

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! To purchase House DVDs and streaming episodes, please click here. Article first published as TV Review: House - "Everybody Dies" on Blogcritics.

How I Met Your Mother goes "Tailgating"

     CBS's How I Met Your Mother celebrates New Year's with "Tailgating." After the holiday, Marshall (Jason Segel) visit his father, Marvin's (Bill Fagerbakke), grave to tailgate a Vikings game and tell the story of the most recent New Year's Eve he and his friends celebrated. Lily's (Alyson Hannigan) dad (Chris Elliott) has an unexpected reaction upon learning of his daughter's pregnancy. Ted (Josh Radnor), Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), and Kevin (Kal Penn) open a bar in the apartment. Robin (Cobie Smulders) gets back on the air while covering for a drunk, disgraced, Sandy (Alexis Denisof). And Marshall learns to honor his dad's spirit of generosity.

     The framework story, at first, seems unnecessary. Just because the episode airs a couple of days past New Year's Eve doesn't mean that the night needs to be told in flashback. However, upon further reflection, Marshall's story with his dad fits into the larger themes of the episode. There's a parallel between Marshall and Lily's fathers, and how they react or would react to a grandchildren. There's an element, like in Robin's story, of Marshall realizing his proper place in life. Marshall also acts stupidly, like Ted and Barney, by trying to hog his father, when, really, it honors Marvin more to share what he has with others. Thus, it works.

     Lily's dad, Mickey, is a strange one. But he does show up when he needs to. With Lily's life falling into place so nicely, it's no wonder that she looks back upon her disappointing childhood as something she'd rather forget. It also ruins her ability to believe, as Marshall discovers when telling her of cool enigmas he thinks might be true, and that he can't wait to share with their child. Assuming that her father has not changed, and cannot be counted on, she doesn't even tell Mickey about her pregnancy until Marshall pushes her. But it's a good thing he does, because Mickey has gotten Lily's message. He needs to step up, and step up he does, driving all night to deliver a stuffed bear. He may still have trouble expressing himself, as evidenced by the phone call, but he will be a better grandpa than he was a dad.  Which is a good thing, since the baby's other grandfather will not be around to do the same.

     Side note, anyone else catch that Mickey is selling a boxed game called Slap Bet, an inside joke for HIMYM fans? But how is that played?

     There is a healthy layer of emotion hanging over the story in "Tailgating" that shows How I Met Your Mother's maturation. It is still a comedy, shown amply in the non-Lily and Marshall plots. But finding heart and growth is what is rejuvenating the series after it has slide into a rut for a year or two. It's how How I Met Your Mother needs to move forward, and sets up a more moving ending than may have been expected at the outset. This is a furthering of the strategy beginning last year to make the series get "more real," and it's working.

     Robin's bit is geared a little more towards comedy, in that Sandy acts in a ridiculous manner. But there is also an undercurrent of her most recent story, dealing with the news that she can never have children. Robin always puts her career before family, but learning that family is not an option is still a hard blow to take. Before, it was a choice, and now it's not. She, surprisingly, does not instantly redouble her efforts in her job, demonstrating a healthy attitude of dealing with her problems, rather than avoiding them. Encouraged by Kevin, and with few other choices, she bravely takes back to the air, setting the stage for the next step in her career. It's a great moment, one very fulfilling for Robin as a character.

     Barney and Ted's time in "Tailgating" is much less serious, providing the light touch the sitcom wants to, and should, hang on to. They go back to an earlier, alcohol infused dream to own a bar. Of course, they go about it in very different ways, with Barney wanting to have lots of sex in Ted's room, and Ted seeking intellectual discussion. They do agree that a theme song is needed. The bar doesn't work, because, let's face it, bars just don't flow that way. Instead, the patrons trash the place, and the clueless proprietors have to keep raising the drink prices--something they vowed not to do--just to break even. It's a reality check that ends their fun little experiment gone wrong.

     Interestingly, after a couple of false starts, Kevin just falls into place as Ted and Barney's bitch in "Tailgating," which is, admittedly, the only way to really break into this heavily co-dependent group. An outsider cannot come in and shake things up without turning off the main characters. But one who happily goes along with whatever they choose to do is welcome, and through this, Kevin begins to make himself a part of the whole. It's unclear if it will last, but he's the first significant other in a long time that seems to have a real chance to join. He judges the friends a little, but mostly silently, and without trying too hard to change anything. And he's good for Robin, encouraging and supportive, without being too pushy.

     Overall, "Tailgating" is not a super memorable episode that will go down as one of the How I Met Your Mother greats. But it's also not a disappointment, furthering several stories, and holding up relatively well throughout. It captures a lot of the trends working for the show right now, and delivers an interesting plot. As such, it is a fine "standard" episode between the big event weeks, which will surely happen in February sweeps.

     Watch How I Met Your Mother Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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Article first published as TV Review: How I Met Your Mother - "Tailgating" on Blogcritics.

How I Met Your Mother meets "Noretta"

     This week's How I Met Your Mother, "Noretta," delves into the chemistry of relationships. James (Wayne Brady) comes to visit, and is grossed out by just how much his brother Barney's (Neil Patrick Harris) girlfriend, Nora (Nazanin Boniadi), is like their mother, Loretta (Frances Conroy, Six Feet Under, American Horror Story). Kevin (Kal Penn) says this is perfectly normal, that people often end up with spouses who have similarities to their parents. Suddenly, the whole group begins seeing their significant other this way, and all sexual attraction dissipates.

     Is this true? Do people really end up with their parents? It's certainly possible. Kids imitate the adults in their lives. Watching their parents interact shapes much of who they are, and it's what they grow up thinking of as normal. So, of course, they would seek out a similar person, so that they can have a similar relationship as their parents do. Even if the parents get don't along, it's still what the child is used to, which is why there are negative repeating patterns as well as positive. Luckily, in this series, and in the case of these characters, those qualities are overwhelmingly positive. Obviously, this does not hold true for everyone, or society would be stagnant, but it's a valid trend, and one worth noting.

     The conceit is great because it gives How I Met Your Mother the chance to bring back some of the wonderful performers who play the characters' parents, and all in one episode. Besides Loretta, there is Ted's (Josh Radnor) mother, Virginia (Christine Rose, Heroes), Lily's (Alyson Hannigan) father, Mickey (Chris Elliott, Everybody Loves Raymond, Eagleheart), a glimpse of Kevin's unseen-before mom, and best of all, the return of Marshall's (Jason Segel) deceased father, Marvin (Bill Fagerbakke, SpongeBob SquarePants, Coach). Robin's (Cobie Smulders) father, Robin Sr. (Ray Wise, Reaper, 24) sits this one out, but that's OK, because he appears in last week's episode. Each of these actors are great in various roles, and having them together in one episode is a wealth of riches.

     It should be noted that Fagerbakke's return, the subject of much sorrow and grief last season, is done in a lightly comedic way. There are no tears or sadness accompanying it, and that's a good thing. Marshall has really begun to move on with his life, something he needs to do.

     Hilarity ensues when the characters have to play opposite their parents in sexual situations. The elder performers give it their all, fully committing to the scene, leaving their "children" to shrink back in disgust. It's equal parts disturbing and funny. Perhaps the best gag, though, comes as Marshall and Lily both get the complex at the same time. This leads to Marvin and Mickey on screen together, leaning in for a kiss. It's not sexy, but it will have viewers roaring with laughter. Thank goodness the camera stops before it happens! To show that would turn into pure silliness, and ruin the moment.

     Of course, because this is a point that hits home with a lot of people, it would be uncool of How I Met Your Mother to leave viewers hanging without resolution. Thus, it's left to Barney to say that his mom is the coolest person he knows, and that any similarity between Nora and Loretta is wonderful. This is a healthy, mature attitude to take. Nora and Loretta don't look alike, so there's no conflict there. All Barney is saying is, you love your parents; why not pick someone who shares their best qualities? And he's right. One doesn't want someone exactly like one's parents, but it's impossible to imitate their relationship without a partner who is looking for the same things as you. Thus, it works on a number of levels.

     In "Noretta," Barney is looking forward to finally having sex with Nora. He's been patient, something unusual for the character, but necessary for the growth he is experiencing, and the level of effort he puts into the relationship. Because How I Met Your Mother is a sitcom, zany events pop up to try to derail his sexy night with his girl. Barney pushes through, as he always does. What's unusual here is that Barney isn't just pushing through for the sex, as he has numerous times before. Instead, there are real emotions present, and care for Nora in his actions. Which is why, despite everything, it appears that things work out in the end for the couple. Love wins the day, and can overcome anything. A nice message leaving viewers feeling good.

     "Noretta" is significant because there is a real focus on where Ted stands in the group. The entire theme of How I Met Your Mother involves Ted finding his future children's mother. Yet, at this point in season seven, he is the only one currently single. Lily and Marshall have been together since well before the series begins. But with commitment-phobic Barney and Robin now getting serious with Nora and Kevin, respectively, it reminds Ted just how much he is failing in this mission. He may very well end up being the last one left alone. It's not his fault, it's just the way the characters have developed.

     It's true that Ted is not in the right place in his life to settle down for most of the series thus far. As much as he wants a partner, he isn't emotionally ready. He goes through a series of mistakes, has trouble finding himself, and ends up acting like a jerk many times. This isn't the right attitude to have when finding the woman of one's dreams. But now Ted is turning things around, and finally getting to the soul of who he is. He is satisfied professionally, and not desperate but open to love. It's in this state that he is ready to meet the mother, and hopefully he soon will. How I Met Your Mother will be running at least through the spring of 2013, but the mystery cannot be stretched out that long. It's time to end it.

     Kevin is still an enigma in terms of how he fits into the group. He's rapidly getting past the creepy stage, which starts because he is Robin's therapist when they meet. But he can't help that encounter, and he's moved past it. He is correct in his criticisms of the codependent group, but that also makes him more of an outsider. The central characters aren't likely to change their behavior, so he either needs to get with the program and join in, as Nora does to some degree, or move on, as so many others have. What points to the former possibility is that he does make effort, such as this week when he pretends to be a Weird Al (who cameos a 1980s version of himself) fan to make Ted happy. It's a generous, compassionate move that bodes well for Kevin. 

     How I Met Your Mother is back on the right track, so for fans who gave up on it during the rocky last couple of years, it's time to come back. Watch How I Met Your Mother Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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Article first published as TV Review: How I Met Your Mother - "Noretta" on Blogcritics.