Comedy Corner: How I Met Your Mother, New Girl, The Mindy Project, The Big Bang Theory Reviews

Reviews, Shows

This week:

  • HIMYM
  • New Girl
  • The Mindy Project

How I Met Your Mother – “The Lighthouse”
I’d say that this episode of HIMYM was 28 minutes of crap for a two minute payoff, but really this SEASON has been hours of crap for only a few minutes of payoff. Everything at the Farhampton Inn is like the weekend from hell – it can’t stop and won’t stop but ohhhhmygod do I ever want it to stop. The last scene, with Ted’s proposal, was very lovely. But it wasn’t enough to make me enjoy this season. Don’t even get me STARTED on Marshall’s storyline this season.

New Girl – “Coach”
Yes! Baseball is over, New Girl is back, and the cast of Happy Endings is finding work on the best shows. Damon Wayans Jr. returned to the show this week – he was in the pilot as  Coach, but had to drop out when Happy Endings was renewed for another season. Now the show is cancelled (a tragedy) and BEST NEWS EVER his original four episode arc has been extended to the full season. Yay!

I really, really liked this episode. Coach and the guys had a messy night out that none of them wanted, but no one could admit they were too old for. This was worth it just for the “Bunny Money” storyline, where poor Winston accidentally took out $2000 from a strip club ATM that only dispensed money accepted at the bar or gift shop. Meanwhile, Jess and Cece had a great storyline with the delightful, handsome Taye Diggs as an attractive cafe owner.

There was one glaring problem with this episode – Nick and Jess’s relationship. Fighting over the boyfriend/girlfriend label felt unlike them, even if Nicks’ douchiness was being brought on by trying to impress Coach. I hope the writers don’t continue to feel the need to invent obstacles like this for their relationship.

Best moment: Jess’s alcoholic Shirley Temple line “I call it a Temple Grandin, because it makes me friendly and compassionate,” almost made me spit take my rooibos.

The Mindy Project – “Sk8er Man”
This episode was just plain funny. I always love when Mindy goes heavier on the romantic comedy stuff than the workplace stuff, and this episode was perfect for that. I loved Mindy and Danny at the dinner party, and on their double date. It certainly feels like the show is inching closer and closer to those two hooking up, which I am completely onboard with.

Timothy Olyphant and Vanessa Bayer were both great as the lame dates – Mindy’s overgrown sk8er boi and Danny’s hummus-loving, mom-texting bore.

I didn’t mind the B-plot – Peter hitting it off with Jeremy’s dad, Jeremy getting left out – but I still don’t understand what’s going on with that character this season. Jeremy was introduced as a hot, suave, British doctor. Now he’s an insecure shell of a man wearing a fat suit. How and why did that happen? I think he’d make a better foil for Adam Pally’s character as a proper British gent than as a pudgy pushover.

Best moment: “That’s not an insult! Grandfathers are the backbone of this country.”

The Big Bang Theory – “The Proton Displacement”
I had split feelings on this episode. I loved the storyline with Sheldon, Leonard, Professor Proton and Bill Nye the Science Guy. You just can’t go wrong with those guest stars. I was less thrilled with Howard and Raj’s storyline, because I never love when Raj’s femininity is the butt of the joke. It’s too much of a tired trope to be funny.
Best moment: Professor Proton’s infatuation with Penny.

You can follow Jill at her blog, couchtimewithjill.com, or on Twitter @jillemader Jill has been an avid fan of TV since the age of two, when she was so obsessed with Zoobilee Zoo that her mother lied and told her it had been canceled. Despite that setback, she grew up to be a television aficionado and pop culture addict.