My Wife and Kids

Before the end of the year festivities begin and we herald 2013, I thought it’d be prevalent, not to look back into the past with another recap or countdown, but to examine the future our favorite programs may bring!
 Of course, I only have one burning question in mind: who could possibly be “the mother” in How I Met Your Mother?

Though I didn’t just mean the guessable future—I also meant the future we’ve already seen! Glimpses into the life of Dad Mosby and kids, what we know, what we don’t, and what the flash-forwards in the series really tell us about the family to come.

For instance: children! We knew right off the bat Ted Mosby and “the mother” had two hitherto-unnamed children together, when they asked, of course, how their father met their mother. The question heard ‘round the world.
Fans recognize, be it by taping or by intention, the children don’t change clothes when they are filmed, nor do they move from the couch while Future Ted tells his story. Maybe he wraps up the story faster than the episodes let on? Or else they inherited his (and our) patience.

While they haven’t revealed their given names, there is evidence Ted wanted to name his future-children Luke and Leia off of Star Wars. Here’s hoping (for only some of you) they don’t follow through with those choices!

As for the mother? While I’m sure you all poured over the flash-forwards and notable glimpses (like in the taxi cab) over and over, we’re completely certain of the following:

·      Ted Mosby is married with an infant daughter by 2015.

·      Ted and “the mother” attended the same St. Patrick’s Day party in Manhattan, but did not meet.

·      The mother is Cindy’s roommate.

·      Ted meets the mother on the day of a wedding—at Farhampton station, as we all well know, with the yellow umbrella. Could this be Barney and Robin’s wedding?

I can discuss “the mother” fan-theories in another article. For now, here’s to a happy and healthy 2013, as we wave goodbye to a jam-packed (and un-apocalyptic!) 2012.

Nobody Asked Me, But...

I’ve hinted before I’m not the biggest fan of how Robin treats Patrice in How I Met Your Mother. It’s intriguing the show includes such an obvious flaw in a main character, left uncorrected (sort of) because it makes the character that much more relatable and human to a TV audience. Perfect is boring! That…might be why Robin finds Patrice insufferable, actually. More on that list in a second.
First, I want to look into the snickerdoodle that is Patrice and her essence, and why she’s Robin’s choice whipping-post candidate.

The World Wide News employee gained ground in season 7, as did the welcomed and expected rebuttal-quote, “Nobody asked you, Patrice!”
According to Future Ted, Patrice is…or becomes…Robin’s arch-enemy. Perhaps she’s Robin’s arch-enemy even now, behaving in every way Robin does not. To begin, she’s as sweet as the cookies she bakes for when “someone is sad,” keeps her kind thoughts in and kind words out. She made notable headway in The Stinson Missile Crisis when she congratulated Nora, whom received many gifts from Barney Stinson. Robin, bent, called out Patrice on her eagerness (literally—she shrieked it). And Patrice’s enthusiasm didn’t stop there. Every episode to follow through seasons 7 and 8 involved Patrice directly or indirectly attempting to make Robin happy.
She succeeded only once…in a certain Final Page season finale!

But what does Robin love in a person most? Someone she can go get—not someone that comes to her. We all saw the lobster effect; the same goes for friends in Robin’s world. According to Robin, Patrice was too “smothering” in her saccharinity, too cloying, too close for the anchorwoman’s tastes.

And, I’ll admit, Patrice seemed her happiest when Robin was least. Maybe there’s some nemesis blood in the fig-newton yet.
We shall see, we shall see…

BroBibs: Back for More

You thought I was done talking about Brobibs, huh?
Ahaha…you thought wrong.
How was I supposed to keep How I Met Your Mother out of my mind after the finale? I guess rather than reaching for the suit, I bibbed-up in my anguish and post-holiday lull.

Therefore, we interrupt your fast track to New Year’s with these developments.

An author, “T-Text” from fictionurl.com, revealed in their blog entry exactly when the domains for Brobibs and their still-mysterious counter-domain, Dude Aprons, were reserved by CBS: about three months prior to show time. Besides the obvious appreciation for the endeavor, T-Text noted the apparent withdrawal of Dude Aprons from the Brobibs company. In fact, the website explicitly states:

“We are in NO WAY AFFILIATED with Brobibs, Brobibs.com or their parent company, Brobibs: A Parent Company.”

The other subsidiaries of “FashionCo,” of which they are apart, include Fung Shu Steel, De-lish! and the Not a Dress, LLC.

I’ve discussed the contempt Dude Aprons seems to save for the Brobibs company and its own extensions, but now I have more questions. Namely, when—if ever—are we going to see real “Dude Aprons?” T-Text wrote off the domain as an added extra, an Easter Egg for the episode. Likely or plausible? Absolutely!

Catering to my needs? Not really.

And is this the first anyone’s heard of “BitchBibs?” Or perhaps I wasn’t being astute that evening (oh, who are we kidding? HIMYM was on…of course I was!).
Evidently, Lily pressed onto Robin the need for a sister-company—literally—of bibs for women. Character-unrelated, a private user scooped up the URL before CBS had the chance to create it’s site…though I’m sure, if they so chose, they could find an additional way to present BitchBibs to their fans.

We’ll see what “Babe Aprons” has to say about that, when the time comes. Here’s hoping!
…Dudette Aprons?

Fans Talk: F.R.I.E.N.D.S Quotes!

This close to Christmas, my household holiday, I felt in the mood to look up something from my classically favorite sitcom. I didn’t expect to find myself stumped and confused shortly thereafter.

Let’s see how well all you readers do at the Quote Quiz. Better than standard –isms, these quips gave each reigning episode a bit of flavor. Don’t read ahead now, else you’ll just be highly informed by sporadic trivia today. Give it your best shot!

Q: “Okay, you have to stop the q-tip when there’s resistance.”

A: Chandler, The One With Ross’s New Girlfriend.

Chandler’s comeback to one of Joey’s more obvious lapses in memory…and, uh, brain-power.

Q: “You can't have Thanksgiving without turkey. That's like Fourth of July without apple pie, or Friday with no two pizzas!”

A: Joey, The One With The Rumor

Joey, aghast when Monica announces she won’t be making Thanksgiving turkey for lack of mouths to feed. He then offers to finish the whole bird should she be correct!

Q: “Ah, salmon skin roll.”

A: Rachel, The One With Unagi

When Ross receives a scare from Rachel and Phoebe, after bragging over trying “unagi” sushi.

Q: “Chandler’s a girl! Chandler’s a girl!”

A: Frankie, The One With The Triplets

When Phoebe gives birth and Frankie greets two girls and a boy, as opposed to two boys and a girl. The intended Chandler becomes female.

Q: “Wow! You're good! After this, we should solve crimes.”

A: Phoebe, The One With The Ring

Phoebe makes this remark when Chandler observes no one else has proposed to Monica, because she isn’t wearing a ring on her ring-finger.

While not every friend went quotable in this article, rest assured there exist plenty more for another rainy day. In lieu of fewer episode lineups, I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday. Until the New Year!

The Decoupling Fluxuation

I don’t actually recall recapping this episode in full yet. In the good way, not the UTI way.

Here we see a Penny having second thoughts about Leonard…right? It sounds like she needs a bit of spark in her love life if she’s going to stick with the scientist—or it’s Splitsville again. Not necessarily Leonard’s fault. Penny just might require a little more punch, a little less…physics. Hopefully Leonard can take the hint by the end of the episode.

Now that we know Bernadette and Amy don’t sympathize. And, uh, feel a bit fiery on their own, without her help.

While Howard’s stuck taking care of “meteor showers” in space, and Stewart takes over the Wolowitz role in the scientists’ camp, Amy informs Sheldon about the “decoupling” dilemma. Suddenly, we have another episode where Sheldon struggles with a secret, Penny playing the focus once more.

But when Leonard proves to be “good people,” Sheldon faces additional secret-keeping moral qualms. Especially since Leonard’s one of the few remaining faithful constants Sheldon knows.
Much more stable than the Transformers; literally and figuratively, especially when Sheldon’s using the allegory.

Kept up by the inner turmoil behind the secret, Sheldon pays Penny a visit to discuss Leonard’s positive traits. You know. Because “she was up.” As a fan of homeostasis, he feels the need to inform her she should continue seeing Leonard, regardless of her feelings for him. His words. Though I did have a huge awww moment over Sheldon’s last request. Sometimes Dr. Cooper really pulls through.

On the flipside, near literally, Howard faces the tortures of acting space-chimp. Bernadette suggests the never-fail tactic, berating, “being mean is lame. What’s cool is being nice!” If anything, the attempt could become more Youtube fodder.

Sheldon later prods Leonard to girl-scope with Raj and Stewart, trying to sneakily adjust him to the idea of breaking up with Penny. Unfortunately, he demonstrates his point with another “hulking” allegory.

By the end of the episode, Penny decides to keep things…homeostasis.  
At least it’s cute when she tries, right?

The Saturnalia Miracle

In the bustle of the holiday season—Hanukkah or Christmas or whichever winter celebration you uphold—sometimes we forget the spirit of it all. What really lights the candle, so to speak. Even if the origins of either holiday are lost in the vapors of history:

“In the pre-Christian era, as the winter solstice approached and the plants died, pagans brought evergreen boughs into their homes as an act of sympathetic magic, intended to guard the life essences of the plants until spring. This custom was later appropriated by Northern Europeans and eventually it becomes the so-called Christmas tree.”

-- Sheldon Cooper, on the festival Saturnalia

Though one episode of the Big Bang Theory encapsulates this spirit, the warmth and happiness we try and create by spending money and giving lavish gifts. Receiving might be nice, yet as we continually discover, anticipating is better, and giving—and waiting—is best.

In the season 2 episode, The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis, Sheldon feels “obligated” to return Penny’s well-meaning Christmas gift and toils over “reciprocity.” Eventually, Sheldon purchases an array of bath-sets, of varying items and expenses, to be fully prepared for whichever gift Penny bestowed.

Sheldon, however, lacked one simple lesson: it’s the thought that counts. That thought—and in Penny’s case, a massive stroke of luck.

As we know from the episode, Leonard Nimoy, the actor and genius behind Spock from the original Star Trek, signs a Cheesecake Factory napkin for Penny. She gives this napkin (complete with his DNA) to Sheldon as a present. One person’s dirty napkin, however, becomes another person’s treasure, and Sheldon discovers he clearly underestimated friendship’s meaning.
Of knowing someone so well, the smallest, most inexpensive gift becomes the greatest prize of their lives.

So big a prize, five bath-sets and a shaky hug don’t even begin to cover the payback.

I’ll leave you with this inverse Magi’s gift for the holidays, before tomorrow’s Big Bang Theory special. Tune in on CBS!

The Jinx

I had to sit and plan how I was going to give this entire, stress-packed episode the attention it deserved, and not make it entirely about the massive plot twist at the end.

So I’ll be recapping this Christmas special by character. ‘Tis the season:

Ted: Ted’s architectural “more than a building” wonder is opening on the Manhattan skyline, and he decides to prove to his old professor, Prof. Finnick, that he became an architect after all. Unfortunately, the old Professor’s untimely words—“You’ll never be an architect”—remain unchanged. But this ties into the hinge of the episode, The Pit Person: everyone has that one person they’d hold captive in their basement pit, as in Silence of the Lambs.
More fortunately, Ted realizes the only person he pitted in his mind was himself; he broke free from his worries by leaving the adamant Professor alone.

Marshall and Lilly: Marshall and Lilly brave their old “Hackamigo,” their almost-literal Pit Person, and realize they missed out on the opportunity to have a really great friend. Talking about passing up first judgments, they realize on their first night away that they’d rather a quiet evening with Marvin over any 24-hour date planned to the minute.

Robin: Robin finally pulls herself out of her own pit—mostly—when she resists firing Patrice, given the opportunity. She admits it’s hard seeing her and Barney together, and Patrice accepts the news with nothing less than a forthcoming hug. But more on that in just a bit.

Barney: Once he overcame his jinx, Barney broke the news (I just realized, with someone’s own engagement ring, no less!) to Ted that he’d be proposing to Patrice. If you all were anything like me, you’d be just a bit heart-shattered and confused right now. Though we get our fair explanation when--

Robin and Barney: --when these two lovebirds get engaged at the end of the episode! The grandest part of my whole night! I can’t express how much I rooted for these two—I commend the series writers for being rightful teases. Barney pulled his most elaborate—and final—play ever when he proposed to Robin. Sure, they might argue and fight from time to time, but they both know that won’t keep them from each other in the end. They’re going to be each other’s wingman for life.

In a few words, a hundred words or so over thus far (sorry)—best. Episode. Ever.

She Could Have Said "Antler"

I try and stay mindful of the other holidays people acknowledge this season, even though I myself celebrate Christmas, by looking for all-inclusivity in our three favorite TV shows and episodes. By a happy accident, this morning someone asked if I remembered Phoebe Buffay’s Central Perk holiday song?

I had. Then I felt possessed to write an article about it.

I actually wouldn’t put it past Phoebe to go up to the nearest mall Santa and ask for Christmas wishes for her friends, as she describes in this little number: Went to the store / Sat on Santa’s lap / asked him to bring my friends / all kinds of crap. Nevertheless, she ends up portraying different customs and holidays in a manner to suit the gang, if not stretching her creativity a bit thin in a few spots.

For those of you missing out on the genius, the song plays as follows. And-a one, two, three!:

[cont.] He said all you need is to write them a song,

They haven’t heard it yet, so don’t try to sing along.

 Don’t try to sing along…

Monica, Monica,

Have a happy Hanukkah!

Saw Santa Claus

He said hello to Ross.

And please tell Joey

Christmas will be snowy!

And Rachel and Chandler

Havea—[mumbled jibberish]—andler!

The song may not make your car-ride holiday playlist this season, but I consider it a seasonal sitcom classic nonetheless. There aren’t too many of those! Though as I’ve mentioned before, F.R.I.E.N.D.S and other shows aren’t shy in the Christmas-and-others-special department; and I’m always down for one of Phoebe’s guitar renditions.

Big Bang Theory

Don’t make Santa Clause weary…

Give a stocking stuffer

To How I Met Your Mother…

Oh well. I’m no Phoebe when it comes to writing lyrics. I…tried.

For the Marriage

“You see, I have to play Dungeons and Dragons. For the marriage.”

So begins the Big Bang Theory Christmas special, where our scientists break their Saturday commitments with their significant-others for an “epic” night of Dungeons and dragons. Out of the frying pan, into the fire, am I right?
Kidding, kidding. Though, regardless of which dungeon they choose for the evening, the girls find their own method of retaliation. Sweetness, and Santa, abound.

I can appreciate the nerdy twist CBS gave the seasonal episode. While it didn’t shock me in the slightest Sheldon didn’t care for Christmas, the Yuletide D&D was a nice surprise! Leonard put a lot of care into giving back a game for his friends, a bold act for one without very many, or merry, Christmases themselves.

In the meantime, the ladies (and Raj, for lack of a “resurrection rod”) opted for a “girl’s night, girl’s night!” out on the town in their best and brightest. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I felt the one-on-one moment between Raj and our femme fatales was a long time coming. I about cheered when Penny made the last-minute turn-around.

Despite the unexpected dream-sequence ending (not the series’ first), Sheldon, and a few other cast notables, found their own brand of polishing Christmas cheer. Sheldon revealed why he held Good Claus Santa in such contempt, even through three whole rounds of Good King Wenceslas. Raj learned a lesson while out with the girls in behavior and camaraderie while bonding with Amy over what it means to be alone—and what to look for in “together.”
And Leonard learned the true meaning of Dungeons and Dragons, along with perhaps not opting out on his girlfriend next time.

With just a few more days to the anticipated holidays, and several days into Howard’s Hanukkah, CBS chooses this particular brand of humor to wish you all a safe and sound season of joy.

“It’s a game of the imagination, Leonard. Paint a picture.”

-- Sheldon Cooper, as played by Jim Parsons, multi-nominee for best lead actor in a comedy series!

HIMYM Top Ten: Moving-Truck Names

This weekend, I was directed to a list of names Barney hypothetically would have given Ted Mosby’s moving truck, if he’d moved in with Robin during the second season of How I Met Your Mother. Despite the weaving challenges Barney supposed, and the use of “bro time” as blackmail (though the words “bro” and “fickle” really don’t go together, Barney), Ted and Robin inevitably decide not to move in together. What does that leave us with, besides one imminent option for “the mother” gone?

Unused moving truck names.

I now take full responsibility for sharing the less-than-poignant titles—very Barney, very brash—and wondering, personally: do they hold up to the Bro Code?

In all bashfulness I can’t really share every single one of these names, thank you Internet, but some of the brighter charmers include: #3, the “Esca-laid”; #5, the “Ride Her Truck”, along with #9, the “Pick-Up Truck”; #8, the “Ford Explore Her”.

I wouldn’t put it past Barney to shellac a single one of these on the side of Ted’s moving van. Maybe several at once.

But does the Bro Code forgive his supposed conduct? Let’s see how commandeering Ted’s moving truck, rendering him bachelor and wingman once more, holds up to the tenants of Bro:

Article 1 - Bros before hoes. This obviously serves.

Article 87 - A Bro shall at all times say "yes.” Negative—I’m quite sure Ted asked Barney to return the truck.

Article 150 - A bro never dates a bro's ex-girlfriend (unless granted permission). Does…this one count yet? See also Article 75 of Bro.

Slim pickings from what’s been revealed of the ever-elusive bro code (unless you purchase your own here, of course). I’m not sure Barney acted very broski toward Ted, although the long-term effects of the decision turned out for the best. Sometimes I wonder if Barney just plans so well ahead…or if he’s just that talented at “winging.”

Join us tomorrow for the new Big Bang Theory episode. See you there!

Legen--wait for it--merry!

I’ve noticed an HIMYM episode trend lately: funny, funny, funny, leaving the blogger shocked. In the time it took to discover what Marshall, Lilly and Robin were doing in closets, we leapt to the predictable, the problem, and the pleading.

Unless I was the only one pleading: pleading for Barney and Robin to get back together before the end of this series. I still hold hope.

We lead the episode with the overarching problem of Ted Mosby’s things. Or, they would be his things, PROPERTY OF TED MOSBY and all, if they weren’t in the corners of his friend’s apartments and the pockets of Robin’s purses. Rest assured, every pivotal tool and trashcan sports the claim, respected or not.

Speaking of trashcan—an actual trashcan, more to come later—Robin becomes fed up with the Patrice and Borrow-ney’s relationship, determined to get Barney the “help” (she thinks) he needs. Of course, her plan also entails showing Patrice The Playbook; all Barney’s tips and tricks to sleep with women. Thusly, she unscrews the bolts to Barney’s door (screwdriver PROPERTY OF TED MOSBY) and finds her way to all the classic tomes…except The Playbook.
In case anyone was wondering, The Bro Code is beneath the samurai sword cabinet, and David Lee Roth’s autobiography is behind the Carter poster. I know I embraced the news.

Meanwhile, Marshall fields discovering his mother and Mickey, Lilly’s father, began dating over the course of her stay. While he battles with his logic and gag reflex in his closet, we discover Lilly finds refuge from her crowded apartment in Barney’s own…where she runs into Robin, hiding from Barney and Patrice’s very merry tree-decorating date. Hence, the three—the thoroughly grossed-out Marshall, and Robin and Lilly—stuck in well-suited closets.

As for the jaw dropper? Patrice finding The Playbook Robin succeeded in leaving on Barney’s bed…and Barney proving his new leaf by burning it in a trashcan (PROPERTY OF TED MOSBY). I couldn’t believe what he was doing even as I saw the flames rise. What gives? I saw the pages burning, but sensed Barney and Robin’s future burning, instead.

Maybe now Robin would treat Patrice a little better. Or is that asking for too much?

That Extra Fire

Someone brought to my attention that show casts—especially comedies, where the set is rife with slapstick and tongue-in-cheek—aren’t always perfect. Acting requires takes, extra shots, that extra go, and the rest? The “bloopers” reel.

Once I remembered “bloopers” existed, I had to check out some of F.R.I.E.N.D.S best and brightest blunders.

Fan and network compilations alike bring out the honest mistakes in all the actors: clothes shut in doors, flubbing over words, “spit takes.” Literal ones, if you’re Courtney Cox and Jennifer Aniston. But what really makes every one of these bloopers shine…even if you’re merely tripping over set, like Matt LeBlanc…is the live audience.

I’d forgotten they recorded F.R.I.E.N.D.S episodes in front of a live studio audience; at first, I thought all these compilations had laugh tracks in them for the ambiance. Then I noticed the pitches, the variations and, again, if you’re Matt LeBlanc, how the actors apologize right to the paying members after too many scene-retakes. Though I have no doubt the fans just ate it up. To see your favorites not only being hilarious, but also being hilariously human, would be worth any amount of time it took to film the episode.

Back to bloopers. The other Matthew, Matthew Perry, proves himself a bit of a bloopers-instigator on set. When he isn’t intentionally mocking other bloopers—like running straight into a scene at the Central Perk after LeBlanc tripped over the front doorstep so many times—he makes wisecrack asides and purposefully tries to break characters. Just ask Courtney Cox. Another episode, where she had to say a line several different times, by the umpteenth take Perry deviates from Bing long enough to say in response, “we know already!”

I’ll say it again: the audience certainly got their money’s worth. Bloopers weren’t simply mistakes, choked words, missed lines and entrances. They were the characters on a whole other plane, just for the audience in attendance, being wacky, brilliant, and most of all, real.

Turtle Power!

Sheldon might put the "fun" in "funeral," but he didn't kill any of his jokes (or my side-busting) with this new episode of Big Bang Theory. A lot of the cast came together this time, in pairings we don’t often see in the series. Of a more ground-breaking fashion, Howard and Bernadette’s father, his father-in-law. Of a risqué nature, akin to Two Broke Girls, Sheldon and Amy.
Of a gross kind, Howard and “the worm.”

In an effort to find common ground between Howard and his father-in-law, Bernadette proposed a fishing trip between the two. Perhaps they’re not leaves off the same branch, but the “father-and-son” duo have one switch in common: their wives. Even the big-man astronaut gets an accented snap every once in awhile, proving everyone has their shining badge; Howard’s might be his career, and Bernadette’s father’s might be his strength and intimidating nature.

Astronaut training apparently didn’t develop the type of skill and steady hand to hook a worm, however. Sure, keep yourself from getting airsick, but almost lose your lunch over gutting a fish. The “manly” Penny can’t help but acknowledge the friends’ off-kilter variety of support: "Cheerleading. Way to man things up."

Pre-memorial service, Sheldon finds Amy Farrah Fowler sick in a bathrobe and, after some relationship-agreement wheedling, remembers its his duty to take care of his girlfriend (with some uncharacteristically sweet words, I might add). However, Sheldon’s naiveté gets the best of him, as his feel-better methods tend toward the more…physical. As do his punishment methods.

But I won’t delve into the juicy details for anyone who hasn’t seen the show yet!  Just leave the article well aware Amy finds herself a particularly speedy recovery, placebos notwithstanding.

I privately hope they go more into Howard’s own family life in later episodes, after his father revelation. Until then, however, be curious about--or rest assured you don’t share—the other brainiacs’ eclectic parents.

“If a dude’s gotta wear an apron, why not make it a Dude Apron?”

How enlightening.

Just one of many finds while perusing the internet’s response to How I Met Your Mother’s Brobibs. Brobibs! The bibs hit the net shortly after Monday’s episode air time, leaving aspiring bros like me to puzzle over which to purchase this holiday season: these elegant food-guards, or Barney Stinson’s other notable suitjamas?

When it comes down to the decision—although The 80’s Rapper and Sasquatch are equally tempting, let me tell you—I’m a bit of an originals-follower and would stick to The Classic. “An awesome suit deserves awesome protection. So ‘bib up’ with The Classic—the bib that started it all.”

Yet, even with the gleam of business-casual in my eyes, I had to beg to differ: the lobster bib started it all.

While with an interesting selection, the “preppy” look seemed to be missing from their repertoire. Looking around, I spied something else equally interesting, and much more mysterious: dude aprons.

Dude aprons? There’s a heavily undermined connection here to the original Brobibs website, no matter how much the “company” begs to differ. In fact, they seem to spend a good deal of time talking about Brobibs in the very effort to disparage Barney’s endeavor, in the form of fact-based advertising:

            “Fact: Dude Aprons is a versatile spill facilitation device.
            Fact: Brobibs is nothing more than composite “junk” fabric recovered from a            Shanghai landfill.”

Ow? Harsh words from the hitherto unknown Dude Apron, Not A Dress LLC. I suspect we’ll be hearing more from the franchise directly. No company can burn this many bibs under Barney Stinson’s nose and get away with it. Or is this another one of the ultimate bro’s genius covers?

No pun intended.

I’ll wait patiently like the rest of you, puzzling over all these options and wondering where else I can craft a bib of my own.

It’s Kind Of Like Christmas

I might have written this article about more holiday-themed comedy episodes, from any one of our three fantastic series’. Or I could have gone on about brobibs from last night’s How I Met Your Mother episode. Yes, I would have chosen either of these two ideas, if it weren’t for one social media blogger who brought to my attention Amy Farrah Fowler has been called “vixen” on the Big Bang Theory—not once or twice, but a total of three times, brushing past the small margin of coincidence.

Well, I just had to research the when’s and why’s.

Amy gained the nickname during season four, episode twenty: The Herb Garden Germination. Amy subtly engages Sheldon in a social experiment among their friends, when previously Sheldon showed no interest in sciences he considered inferior to his own field. As an afterthought, he remarked, “You’re a vixen, Amy Farrah Fowler.”
Note he used the term when Amy succeeded in changing Sheldon’s outlook on a topic.

Fast-forward to season five, and our other two scenarios. Amy, frustrated by her and Sheldon’s lack of progress in a relationship, concedes to going on a date with Stuart from the comic book store. Penny calls her a vixen then, too, “just working it under all those layers of wool and polyester!”
The bold move on her part causes Sheldon to commit by the end of the episode. I’m thinking, strike two.

Sheldon discusses Amy later that season in episode 23, when he confesses to Leonard he can’t stop thinking about her: “Oh, what has that vixen done to me, Leonard?” Keeping in mind the meaning of the word, I’d say Amy earned the herald because she succeeded in doing what no one else has: swaying Sheldon any which way whatsoever!

The question is, has she developed wiles of womanly cunning since we saw her character enter the series? Or are her more (accidentally) “vixen” qualities simply Amy being Amy? Regardless of opinion, the real judge would, and should, be none other than Dr. Sheldon Cooper.

Crawl, you son of a me!

It’s the holiday season…and that means more clothing from Barney’s entrepreneurial line, of course. From the man you get your suitjamas and duck ties, Barney Stinson brings you…brobibs. For your business-casual, preppy, and “brobin Williams” looks!
And then there was the thing about Ted missing a project in life, Robin not getting what she wanted, and Barney and Patrice, but. Those come second to the brobibs.

Yet, even brobibs don’t quite top the very end of the episode, where we have another “a few years later” sneak peek. More on that in a minute.

After lamenting many an episode ago Ted didn’t have any “firsts” to his name—besides convincing Marshall to date Lily, a pretty important first—Ted redeems himself by witnessing many of baby Marvin’s own “firsts.” Unfortunately, these were sans Lily and Marshall…repeatedly. Such instances included a camera mishap and Santa misfortune.

Meanwhile, Robin finds herself in the trap of wanting what she can’t have, because Barney had the “last word” at the close of their relationship.
Uh, “relationship.”
After plowing through several plans (in delightful script font, I might add) to get her Barney-fix just one more time, she discovers he truly seems to have moved on…right over to Patrice. Finally. Someone asks Patrice!

Which leaves us with the episode’s closer. Ted makes sure there aren’t any grudges for taking Marvin’s first “meet with Santa,” and Lily and Marshall promise. Until, that is, we flash-forward and see Ted leaving his own daughter in the care of Aunt Lily and Uncle Marshall…to which his first is re-stolen in kind. Quaint, but that doesn’t answer the burning question: who is the mother? When will we meet her?

Ehem. I might take an HIMYM break for tomorrow’s program schedule…or re-watch the entire season one more time. Either way, I certainly can’t take my mind off the program. Until next Monday!

One Does Not Simply Ignore the Big Bang Theory

With as large a fan-base as The Big Bang Theory…and for as many Fans Talk articles I’ve written…you might have gathered the freedoms of speech, thought, internet, and ms paint, led to a good bit of joke-juggling and ‘fandom’ creativity. I only mean memes, of course.
Internet memes are witty nuances, phrases and comments, paired up with pictures that collectively say the “unsaid.” What everyone else has thought and is thinking. There isn’t a “what” to memes, especially…more like a when. No one knows why memes stick the way they do, but timing is everything.

As were every one of the Big Bang Theory memes floating around my social networks this morning. Fans produce them to be witty; a mark they sometimes hit and sometimes…not so much.

Memes commonly strike comparisons. “What I think,” versus “what others think.” This particular meme doesn’t sit idle with BBT. Why, when one things about THE Big Bang Theory, they’re probably picturing the actual theorem, not the small city-apartment of four scientists.
Or, the picture of an out-of-character Kaley Cuoco and Jim Parsons side-by-side, Kaley donning nerd-esque glasses and Jim looking especially punk. They focused on an alternate-universe character-swap (AU).

Sometimes they delve on one character’s traits and plug them into other pictures or roles. I’m looking at a picture of Sheldon right now, his head photoshopped in the place of the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World. The caption? “I don’t always crack jokes…but when I do, bazinga.”
Raj’s social anxiety didn’t go unnoticed, or unscathed. This meme double-whammy pictures Koothrappali looking into the distance with a confused expression. The tagline here reads, “Meets Justin Bieber, can’t talk to him,” implying that…well…

I could only afford to scrape the meager tip of a very large iceberg with this subject. Best leave you with a mental image you can’t burn away so easily: a motivational poster displaying Batwoman-Howard, Wonderwoman-Sheldon, Supergirl-Leonard, and a very enthusiastic Catwoman-Raj. The motivation itself borrows the (horrifying to some) quote: “I don’t know about you, but I feel empowered!”

Four Guest-Stars

Realizing we may be seeing more of Joe Manganiello as Brad on How I Met Your Mother showed me how the show has seen a rather commendable slew of guest-stars. I’d love to sit down and examine all the guest stars of all three comedies I critique…but HIMYM certainly marches their own parade. The likes of Mandy Moore, Wayne Brady, even Britney Spears, stand up to all other programs equally.

So before we merge into the waiting game for Monday’s new episode, let’s recap the previous, and brilliantly successful, guest-stars:

Mandy Moore’s season 3 character, Amy, was Ted Mosby’s “12” to Robin’s “10,” and helped set up the plot line for later HIMYM episodes (not to mention took part in one of the first episodes to bring up the yellow umbrella). To try and “win” his breakup with Robin, Ted Mosby plans on getting a tattoo in the spirit of one of Amy’s many accomplishments—and follows through, unbeknownst to him the next morning. Hence, the “tramp stamp.”

Comedian Wayne Brady takes up the role as James Stinson, Barney’s black and gay older-brother, as pivotal to his dating scene as Barney is for all of Manhattan proper. However, James’ plot involves not wanting to share his engagement with his long-time bachelor bro; losing his number-one wingman wasn’t in the cards. But Barney comes around once he learns he’ll be an uncle in the long-run, and stands in at James’ wedding as Best Man.

But Britney Spears heralded the most-watched episode of season 3, for the episode Ten Sessions. To show his doctor, Stella, that he’s likeable enough to date, Ted Mosby plays nice to Abby (Britney), her receptionist. His plan backfires when Abby begins to show interest in him instead. Fortunately for Ted—although also unfortunately—Stella finally starts to show her true colors. Unfortunately, because Abby does the same. I’m sure Ted anticipated the run down the street about as much as we did.

All of HIMYM’s guest stars—seasoned actors or not—held their own as colorful, vibrant additions to the cast, if only for a couple episodes. Time to sit tight and see if any make a re-appearance for one of the last seasons for this record-breaking show…or whom the network will bring on board next.