It was bound to happen. Barney and Robin’s relationship finally hits a real snag. When the two begin to let themselves go, which is heavily exaggerated in Ted’s retelling of the story, the rest of the group (Ted, Marshall, and Lily) decide to try to break them up. Ted and Marshall enlist Lily to do the dirty work, considering the fact that she sabotaged seven of Ted’s past relationships, and she develops a master plan to destroy the couple. But Lily’s plan doesn’t play out quite as expected, which makes the end of the episode particularly intriguing to watch.

After Barney gives his entire porn collection to Ted, the group realizes that he is not the same person, and that’s when they start to really notice the changes in his lifestyle. Observing Barney as he grows fatter and fatter and Robin as she becomes more strung out is really the highlight of the episode. Barney’s “player” mentality is completely gone and he’s turned into a lazy, fat version of himself with zero sex drive. Also, the stakeout scene with Ted, Marshall, Lily, a “Stormtrooper,” Alan Thicke, and a sausage delivery boy is flat-out hilarious. The constant banter between everyone in the stakeout Station Wagon makes for an incredible scene.

This episode is the beginning of a big change for this season. That said, I view it as a very welcome change. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but I’ll leave you with one hint: “Daddy’s home.”

Grade: B+

The Big Bang Theory – “The Guitarist Amplification”

When Penny announces that an old friend of hers (an ex-boyfriend, to be exact) is coming to crash on her couch, it sparks a huge fight between her and Leonard. This fight then spreads to Raj and Howard as they begin bickering over who is right or wrong in Leonard and Penny’s argument. We soon learn that Sheldon had multiple traumatic experiences as a child with his parents yelling constantly, so he cannot take the continuous fighting. The entire episode is a nightmare for him, and he eventually takes refuge in one of the corners of the comic book store.

The constant spats between the cast members aren’t really a huge source of humor. What does manage to rake in some laughs is, like always, Sheldon’s quirkiness and goofy mannerisms. For instance, to block out the noise of fighting, Sheldon fills a blender with ice cubes and goes to town. Furthermore, he hides in the corner of the comic book store with a graphic novel and some toy robots to protect him.

Overall, I would consider this to be a great episode, but there are quite a few guaranteed laughs. They keep pushing the boundaries of Leonard and Penny’s relationship but it never seems to have any repercussions. For example, I saw the preview for next week’s episode (it looks fantastic, by the way) and it’s like the conflict from this episode was completely thrown out the window.

Grade: B-

Throughout the episode flashbacks of Ted’s original blind date in 2002 show the humorous details of Ted and his date, Jen’s, life that have changed and others that have remained the same. For instance, Ted is now and professor of architecture, rather than an architect. His change in profession didn’t stop him from being the corny joke telling man that we’ve known him as. After Ted uses the same joke (saying that not sharing oysters would be “mighty shellfish” of her), they both discover that they’ve been on that date before. Coming to the realization that they’re back at the top of the dating lineup, they decide to help each other by pointing out the reasons that they’re date didn’t work out.

Most of the humor in this episode comes from the side story, but the flashbacks from Ted’s 2002 date intertwined with the 2009 date make for a few funny moments. By the end of the night, Ted and Jen realize that their first date was actually quite nice and don’t understand why their relationship never worked out. That is, until Jen remembers one crucial detail, which makes for a great laugh-inducing ending.

Where “Double Date” really shines is, well, the double date. Barney finds a way to separate Marshall and himself from the women and go off to a strip club. Like always, Marshall is extremely loyal to his marriage and Barney acts like nothing’s wrong. In a strange turn of events, Lily and Robin have the opposite reactions that you’d expect, with Lily being open to the idea and Robin acting like a whole new person. It’s very peculiar seeing them act this way, but nothing that really damages the show, unless it persists.

The greatest moment in this episode is the reveal of the doppelgangers. The doppelgangers are people that the group sees that look identical to someone in the group. So far, they have discovered lesbian Robin, mustache Marshall, and now, stripper Lily. They weren’t on screen for long, but they really stole the show. Fortunately, they teased that the two remaining doppelgangers would be found later in the season.

All in all, “Double Date” was a great episode and definitely one to remember due to the doppelgangers. My two hopes after watching this episode is that Ted’s dating life won’t take over the show and that Robin will be able to find her old character that we love so much, while still maintaining her relationship with Barney. “Double Date” has left me happy and wanting more, and I think it’s obvious that I’m anticipating the last two doppelgangers, just like I can’t wait for the rest of Marshall’s slaps for Barney. I’m giving this episode a 4 out of 5.

This episode follows Barney and Robin as they avoid Lily who pesters them to define their relationship, hence the title “Definitions.” Throughout the entire summer, Barney and Robin have been friends with benefits. Both of them enjoy the “arrangement,” but it’s obvious that the current situation can’t last. Barney and Robin try to play it cool, until the man we once viewed as a lone-wolf man-whore succumbs to jealousy.

When you think about it, the Barney and Robin story arc should feel weird since, you know, Ted was out-of-his-mind in love with her. That’s the crazy thing about this relationship; you don’t realize that it’s such a perfect match until it happens. This has potential to be one of the most-wanted relationships since Jim and Pam in The Office.

That’s enough about the lovey-dovey aspects of this episode. When you take all of the romantic (if you can call it that) aspects out of “Definitions,” you’re still left with an extremely funny episode. All of the cast members have their key moments in the show. Marshall becomes obsessed with a bull-whip, which is his running joke throughout the episode. However, the funniest aspect of “Definitions” was, surprisingly, Ted’s side plot.

A romantic Ted is hardly ever a funny Ted. Josh Radnor has the ability to play a funny character, but in previous seasons, the funniness has been held back to let relationship Ted shine through. Luckily, Ted recanting his embarrassing first day as a college professor turns out to be a hilarious side plot. There are multiple moments of side-splitting laughter in the classroom. Whether it’s Ted’s indecision as to whether he’ll be the strict or hip teacher, or his forgetting how to spell “professor” while he’s writing it on the blackboard, it’s all a blast.

It’s clear that How I Met Your Mother has what it takes to keep going strong. At this point, I wish the mother didn’t even exist because it only seems like a countdown timer until the end of the show. I wish the show would continue to be about nothing, à la Seinfeld, rather than Ted’s wife to be. But I believe that’s enough rambling for one review. I’m going to give “Definitions” a glowing 4.5 out of 5.