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-

As I suspected, last week’s “The Sexless Innkeeper” was just one of those occasional flops. “Duel Citizenship” is all about the classic How I Met Your Mother moments; it’s filled with Ted and Marshall bonding and Barney’s Canada jokes. After learning that one of their favorite pizzerias in Chicago, Illinois was being closed down, Ted and Marshall decide to take a road-trip like old times. However, now that Marshall is a married man, he brings Lily along for the ride, destroying all of Ted’s plans to have a good time. Concurrently, Robin trains with Barney to become an American citizen, after she assaulted someone with a chair at the Hoser Hut; otherwise, she would be deported back to Canada. With these two storylines, “Duel Citizenship” is able to cash-in on two of the show’s classic jokes: Barney’s incessant mockery of Canada and Ted and Marshall’s college days.

The road-trip storyline is done with an excellent comparison of the current-day trip to flashbacks of Ted and Marshall’s old days. Early on Lily proves to be quite the annoying companion, with her tiny bladder and sugar snap peas. Ted is peeved that he won’t be able to relive his golden days of eating nothing but beef jerky, drinking the caffeine-loaded Tantrum, and listening to The Proclaimer’s “500 Miles” over and over again. Instead, they are forced to listen to a book on tape about a dog named Sparky, voiced by Kenny Rogers. In the end, however, the book, which has some seriously ridiculous writing, actually helps Ted and Marshall rediscover their relationship. I’ve already stretched out this “Quick Review” long enough, and I have barely touched on the Barney and Robin side of the story. Without going in to too much detail, I can say that there will be plenty of riotous laughter, whether it’s Robin mistaking Jim Varney for Jeff Foxworthy and stubbornly sticking to her guns, or Barney lecturing Canada on how they can become a better country at a Tim Horton’s in Toronto.

I think I’ve pretty much made my case. “Duel Citizenship” is great on basically every level, and definitely makes up for last week’s flop.

Grade: A

Two and a Half Men – “For the Sake of the Child”

I have mixed feelings about this week’s episode. On the one hand, it does have its fair share of humor (although an equal number of jokes that don’t land). On the other hand, the actual story elements are really forced and don’t exactly make sense, which isn’t really a death sentence for a comedy, but I feel it could have used some work. For instance, Jake is sick of Charlie and Alan’s bickering, but it doesn’t seem any different from how they’ve always acted. Jake doesn’t want to stay at Charlie’s anymore, but there really isn’t a clear reason that’s bothering him.

There are a bunch of great moments this week, such as Charlie’s freak out reactions while Jake is driving and Berta’s snarky comments, but there are probably just as many crappy jokes. Charlie and Alan’s constant bickering had the potential to be a lot funnier, but the name-calling gets old fast.

Overall, I would say that I was disappointed with this episode, but I did get a few laughs out of it. For some reason it feels like this could possibly be the last season of the show, but I think the show’s ratings would beg to differ. I need to see some sort of change in this show really soon.

Grade: C+

The Big Bang Theory – “The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary”

“The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary” succeeds on both fronts. The two storylines, which include Raj recruiting Sheldon for a card game tournament  and Howard bringing up an old pact between him and Leonard, wherein Leonard, since he now has a hot girlfriend, needs to get Howard set-up with one of Penny’s friends. Raj enters the card tournament at the local comic book store for the cash prize, but he’s only able to recruit Sheldon once he discovers that Wil Wheaton also signed up for the tournament. Wheaton devastated Sheldon’s childhood after he didn’t show up at a Star Trek event that Sheldon traveled across the country to visit. Meanwhile, Leonard, Penny, Howard, and Penny’s friend go on a double date that starts out rocky, but turns into a match made in heaven as the night progresses.

Sheldon’s obsession and determination to beat Wil Wheaton is simply hilarious all throughout the episode, and it makes for a truly delightful ending. Sheldon’s comprehension and eidetic memory of the card game has him playing out each match verbally, winning without his competitors being able to play a card. Eventually, he makes it to his match with Wheaton, and, to not spoil the ending, I’ll just say that Wil Wheaton is a pretty devious guy. With the other group, Howard is really the redeeming factor. Leonard and Penny are there just because, but it’s funny watching Howard’s date with Penny’s friend go from total disaster to a perfect match.

After the first season of The Big Bang Theory I wasn’t so sure this show was going to make it. The second season really managed to grab my attention. Now, at the beginning of its third season, this show has become one of my favorites; mainly because I can relate to it, and it makes me feel less geeky.

Grade: B+

In every season of How I Met Your Mother there have been a slew of great episodes, but there are a few flops every once in a while. Unfortunately, “The Sexless Innkeeper” turns out to be the latter. In the first storyline, you’ll be following Ted who thinks his job as a professor has turned him into a chick magnet, but Barney and Robin soon point out that they’re just using him as a place to stay for the night, hence the name “The Sexless Innkeeper.” The funnier, although still not great, storyline is about Marshall and Lily trying way too hard to double date with other couples, most recently Barney and Robin.

Ted’s scenes in this episode were by far the weakest, with Barney and Robin making a plethora of bad tweed jacket jokes as well as Barney recounting the story of “The Sexless Innkeeper,” which completely failed to capture a laugh. Marshall and Lily worked well as a duo to keep the show’s head above the water, as they go hilariously overkill with their double dates. I definitely had to rely on these scenes for a laugh, whether it was Marshall’s fixation with his Gouda cheese platter, his Sammy Hagar eating a Belgian waffle story, or his obsession with making photo montages.

You can’t expect every episode to be a winner. Unfortunately, there were just a ton of jokes that didn’t land, but overall, it could have been a lot worse.

Grade: C+

Two and a Half Men –“Laxative Tester, Horse Inseminator”

I’m not sure I like the direction that Two and a Half Men is going in anymore. Charlie’s relationship with Chelsea is really killing the humor of the show; meanwhile, I can’t stand to watch any of Alan’s scenes. His femininity and quirky behavior just make him an irritating character rather than a funny one.

After Alan’s girlfriend, Melissa is kicked out of Charlie’s house, Alan is struggling to find a place where the two can be intimate, and the backseat of his car won’t cut it for her. So, instead of buying a hotel room, he becomes his mother’s (a real estate agent) assistant, allowing him to sleep with Melissa in the houses that she has to show off during the day. Very predictably, Evelyn decides to show off the home late at night while Alan and Melissa are together, in a scene that should be funny, but ultimately fails. Back at the Harper household, however, Chelsea becomes upset with the way Jake is treating her. The entire scenario is just an annoyance, making the viewer feel sympathetic for Charlie, wanting to slap both Jake and Chelsea.

Both storylines have potential, but the writing leaves something (a lot of things, really) to be desired. I think this show needs to figure out where it’s headed and get back on track.

Grade: C-

The Big Bang Theory – “The Pirate Solution”

This week, Raj discovers that he’s in danger of losing his job and that if this occurs, he might be deported back to India. In a scramble, Wolowitz is able to get him a job interview with another research team at the university; however, his chances are shot when one of the interviewers turns out to be a woman. Luckily for Raj (well… sort of), Sheldon offers him the opportunity to work for him (notice the emphasis on the “for”). Sheldon being an egotistical, self-proclaimed genius obviously clashed with Raj, which makes for a few amusing scenes, with the two bickering over certain aspects of Hinduism, among other things.

At the same time, Leonard and Penny (I still don’t understand that relationship) stay at the apartment, finally thinking they have some time to themselves, with both Sheldon and Raj gone. Little do they know, this leaves Howard all alone, and he quickly becomes the third wheel. It’s nothing hysterical, but it’s hard not to crack a smile watching Wolowitz screw up Leonard and Penny’s alone time while not realizing it.

Overall, I have to say that I was fairly pleased with this week’s episode. I don’t think I’ll ever be a fan of Leonard and Penny’s boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, but I also don’t think it will last. I’m still waiting for this season’s breakout episode, but this one was still highly enjoyable.

Grade: B

Barney Stinson has come a long way since we first met him. He was once (and maybe still is) a cold-hearted man-whore, moving from one one-night stand to the next. Now, Barney is so afraid of losing Robin that he’s taking a one-on-one class, taught by Ted: “Robin 101.”

This episode is centered around Barney and Ted’s class, with the side story involving Marshall trying to give away an old barrel, named Mabel, that he previously used as an end table (odd, I know). Neither storyline is superb, but Marshall’s definitely feels out of place and completely peculiar.

“Robin 101” only had about one or two moments that literally made me laugh out loud. Barney, Robin, and Ted’s scenes bring out most of the humor, with Ted pointing out all of Robin’s little quirks, and Ted and Barney inevitably getting caught. The evolution of Barney and Robin’s relationship has been carried out nicely, but I’m still waiting for this season to really show why it’s a primetime comedy.

Grade: B

Two and a Half Men – “Mm, Fish. Yum”

Herb and Judith are going off on a weekend getaway, and they leave Judith’s mom, Lenore, who is a recovering pill-popper, to babysit their newborn baby.  Soon after, Alan, who is still convinced that he is the father of Judith’s new daughter, is called by Lenore who is in way over her head with the baby. Not long after Alan arrives, Lenore falls off the wagon and begins seducing him. This creates a very uncomfortable, and, unfortunately, not very funny scene, reminiscent of last season when Alan slept with Melissa’s mom. Lucky for us, this leaves Charlie and Jake at home together which allowed for a nice little storyline.

With Alan gone, Jake spends the entire day begging a slightly-injured Charlie (he tripped over Chelsea’s cat, Sir Lancelot) to let him drive. Jake’s persistence wears Charlie down, so he reluctantly decides to drive them for a bite to eat. However, the trip takes an unexpected twist as Charlie backs over what he thinks is Chelsea’s cat. Jake then takes an incriminating photo of Charlie and uses it to blackmail him. His scramble to hide everything while Jake blackmails him is fantastic.

Although Alan’s storyline is kind of disappointment, Charlie and Jake’s antics really steal the show, complete with a wonderful ending.

Grade: B+

The Big Bang Theory – “The Gothowitz Deviation”

With Leonard and Penny attempting to maintain a normal boyfriend-girlfriend relationship (which I’m still not fond of), Sheldon has to either adapt to the situation or change it in his favor. Being the pompous scientist that he is, Sheldon tries to use science to make Penny behave the way he wishes. He proceeds to treat Penny like he’s training a puppy (and eventually Leonard like he’s punishing a cat), feeding her chocolates whenever she does something that pleases him, whether it’s not sitting in his spot or keeping her voice down. Sheldon’s quirkiness makes for a highly amusing episode, mainly because I like seeing him upset Leonard, who’s been bothering me recently. Unfortunately, this storyline is supplemented by an utterly poor side story with Howard and Raj.

Howard, the horny little engineer, drags Raj along to a Goth club. There’s not much to say about it other than the girls were unattractive and the dialogue wasn’t funny.

In the end, the Sheldon segments were enough to keep the episode from being completely terrible. The show is best when it’s the entire group together, not everyone going their own separate ways. I think things will be back to normal soon, though.

Grade: C

It was revealed at the end of Season 2 that Penny was holding in her true feelings for Leonard, but those were uncovered in the first three minutes. At first sight of Leonard, Penny lunges for him and drags him into the apartment. I’ve never been a fan of the Leonard/Penny relationship idea, but good for him. Unfortunately for Leonard, his passionate session with Penny would be quickly interrupted: Howard and Raj bring news that Sheldon ran away.

Most episodes of The Big Bang Theory have a unique title that you won’t understand until you watch. “The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation” is no exception to this rule. Sheldon is about to write up his findings from the Arctic trip, until Raj and Howard reveal that his data might have been manipulated using an electric can opener, hence the title. Having already told the entire university that he had made a scientific breakthrough, he runs back home to Texas humiliated.

Laurie Metcalf makes her welcome return to the show, playing Sheldon’s mother, Mary, and I’m happy to say that she is as funny as ever. Leonard, Raj, and Howard begrudgingly track Sheldon down to bring him back to the apartment. As soon as they walk through the door, Mary’s southernisms begin. It’s clear that she’s uncomfortable with that particular group, as she teases all of them. Howard’s attempt to act southern around her is hysterical. Sadly, this segment almost detracts from the rest of the episode,  but that’s not to say it was all bad.

In the end, it was a pretty good episode, but not up to premiere episode standards. It’s able to generate quite a few laughs, but the Leonard and Penny situation is extremely awkward and forced. At least the episode ends with a hint that Leonard and Penny as a couple, might not go down. My score for “The Electric Can Opener Fluctuation” is a 3.5 out of 5.