I can see where that would be a problem Hec, though I don't often watch the new ones(still catching up) But I relate to Ted, I suppose, and want him to be a nice guy, not in the capitalized Marcotte sense. Because I'm kind of romantic and waiting for my Moment and that kind of stuff(and, yes, I make fun of myself about things like that, and I would agree there's some ego involvement in seeing yourself as the sweetheart of your crowd, but...yeah, what Hec Said. And, Matt, wrod. If I wanted to watch a show about a detached narcissist that repeats catchphrases I've known for years, I'd write a pilot about my dad.

And this past week, every time Lily referred to a past girlfriend of Ted's as some random skank or bitch, I found myself liking her less.

Yeah, Lily is easily my least favorite character.

I really enjoyed last week's episode, though. I haven't had major issues with the season, but I can see people's criticisms.

I thought that the referring to women as "random skank" was harsh, but I can see that happening because she was really pissed and Ted fucked up her birthday. She may have been nicer about it if she wasn't so angry.

Ted was a massive douche in this situation. Lily's birthday dinner was important enough that everyone dresses (the guys were in tuxes, fuhcrissake), and he brings a woman that no one knows to a party of 5 people. Plus, he didn't bring the cake that he was specifically asked to bring. I would have been livid.

Ted was a massive douche in this situation.

He was, but they are writing him that way. I kind of liked it when the writers would tip that Ted was a bit too self-aware about how adorable he was, calculating and preening even.

It was also consistent with the characters all having inflated egos (Robin's presumption that she's always the prettiest woman in the room; Marshall's absolute confidence in his good looks and that he's a catch; Barney's self-declared awesomeness).

But it's gotten grotesque. The bigger issue for me though is that the show is so fucking sexist. I was shocked that they thought it was okay for Ted to call Lilly a cunt (way back in S2). It is not equivalent to calling a guy a dick, even though they seem to think so. Ditto with the bitches, skanks and hos they toss around.

I feel compelled to quote Archer at them: "Don't be shitty," writers of HIMYM.

Instead of Lilly calling Ted's exes skanks, I kept wondering why she didn't point out the more obvious fact: Ted's a slut.

Anyway, the show is kind of in a bad rut for me now; sort of the way Friends would be periodically. Where the little quirks of the characters become more bent and twisted by comic necessity until the characters become sort of revolting.

I am almost incapable of criticising the show 'cause I love it so much, but even I'm getting tired of this. Taking likeable characters in a fun situation and making them parodies of themselves is dull. I won't be giving up on it, but I want the writers to pick themselves up.

Mostly, I think the show does best what it says on the tin - setting Ted up to meet the mother. If this season can get back to that, it might be redeemable.

oh come on HIMYM, Lily should have gotten smashed in the face by the recoil when she fired that gun.

The TeeVee is informing me that Glee starts at 8:28 (central) tonight.

I am loving Wil Wheaton's appearances on The Big Bang Theory. Evil!Wil is fun.

See also: The Guild, Leverage.