How I Met Your Mother

As we discussed in our "Rough Patch" Round Table, some fans felt How I Met Your Mother’s decision to bring the Barney-Robin love story to an end was premature and sad.

Co-creator and executive producer Carter Bays insists the romance was sacrificed for the greater good, though, and that would be the preservation of a legendary ladies' man.

“None of us wanted to see Barney wearing a sweater-vest and going to bed-and-breakfasts,” says Bays, adding that it makes sense the relationship would “flame out fast.”

Despite fans' attachment to the two as a couple, and the characters' obvious attachment to each other, Bays says “neither of them, at their core, wanted to be tied down.”

Relationship guts and all, Barney and Robin called it quits.

And who's to say they won't try again? “[They] could get relationship amnesia and decide, ‘Hey, this is a good idea!’” he says. “This could be the first of many flame outs.”

“I don’t want to say reconciliation. But the story is not over, for sure.”

Just like old times, the Barnacle was back to his old tricks (literally) in this week's episode, "The Playbook." It was entertaining, even if you missed him being with Robin.

Bays believes viewers prefer single Barney to attached Barney: “It’s one of those things where you can give people what they think they want, or what they really want.”

What do you think? Is he right? Which do you prefer ...

We know on Monday's episode, "Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap," two things are for sure:

1. Chris Elliot will be guest starring as Lily's estranged father, Mickey.
2. There will be at least one slap of Marshall's remaining slaps against Barney.

However, executive producer Carter Bays is still keeping his mouth mum about the exact details of the slap.  He says, "There’s a little bit of a twist on the slap this year.  The Slap Bet commissioner makes an interesting ruling that I can’t reveal."

We will give you a hint.  Marshall gives away his slap and it will be used by one of the other How I Met Your Mother cast members... or Lily's father.  Watch their potential slaps in action:

Hi, I'm Don.

With those words, Benjamin Koldyke introduced himself to How I Met Your Mother fans on this week's new episode.

Unfortunately for Barney and Robin fans, not only with this actor be sticking around the sitcom; creator Carter Bays says he'll be romancing Robin for awhile.

“I don’t want to oversell anything," Bays told Michael Ausiello. "Yes, it’s very soon after her and Barney [split up], but...we’ve had characters that Ted has dated many times, but we haven’t brought in somebody for Robin. We’re seeing where it goes. We’re taking it gingerly."

Koldyke is quickly becoming some what of a guest-starring slut. Aside from dating Robin on HIMYM, he'll play for the other team and get with Alby on season four of Big Love.

The old Barney is definitely back, and more devious than ever. Last night, he revealed "The Playbook" to the gang. Playbook for what, you ask? Do you even watch the show?

Below, our staff members break down Barney's antics and everything else from last night's episode in our weekly How I Met Your Mother Round Table. Let's get to it ...

1. What was your favorite How I Met Your Mother quote from last night?

Mrs. Mosby: Definitely the MILSWANCAs quote: "Barney Stinson is back on the market. Mothers, lock up your daughters. Daughters, lock up your MILSWANCAs." Marshall: "MILSWANCAs?" Ted: "Wait, I can get this ... Mothers I'd Like to Sleep With and Never Call Again." Barney: "Correct, circle gets a square."

Dr. Shepherd: Ted's reaction after learning Barney patented a move based on Stella leaving him at the altar. Barney doesn't think twice about mocking Ted's loserdom, nor does Ted bat an eye. He just thinks aloud, "Wonder if that would work ..."

The Barnacle: Hehe, I'm gonna have to give it up to Barney coining the new phrase, "MILSWANCA" and to Ted for figuring out what it stood for.

2. What was your favorite page of Barney's playbook?

Mrs. Mosby: The Lorenzo von Matterhorn. That takes a lot of work! As someone who knows a thing or two about how to rank on Google searches, Barney gets major points for pulling off the L.V.M. play successfully.

Dr. Shepherd: The Cheap Trick. As in posing as a guy from that band. How I Met Your Mother quotes feature wordplay matched only by The Simpsons quotes, such as when the Native American tribal chief tells Bart "oh, that's just Crazy Talk ... my uncle."

The Barnacle: Is that a rhetorical question? It's quite obvious the Lorenzo van Matterhorn is possibly the greatest move of all time, let alone out of just Barney's playbook. Please help me come up with potentially famous names in the comments below. And does anyone know an editor from IMDB that can help me out?

3. Were you fooled by the scuba scam?

Dr. Shepherd: By the book, I got played by the master. It wasn't until he left in his scuba gear and Lily got a text from him that I realized it was all according to plan. Who would incorporate a move into the book that sacrificed the book itself? Genius.

Mrs. Mosby: YES! After seeing Barney's vulnerable side during his relationship with Robin, it was easy to be fooled by him again. But it's good to see that the old Barney is back.

The Barnacle: Honestly, I kind of knew where they were going with it the second the gang got friendly with Claire, but sometimes it's all about the ride. Especially when that ride leads to moves out of The Playbook.

4. Will Don be the one for Robin?

Mrs. Mosby: He looks Canadian and manly, so I am thinking he just might be. We'll have to see how he handles himself at the Hoser Hut to be sure though.

The Barnacle: Pff, no way. I remember the last co-anchor Robin tried to date and the helmet of hair they had to lower on to him.

Dr. Shepherd: They sure set us up to believe it with all the similar accounts of acquaintances meeting their soul mates right after giving up on love. No way is Don as funny as Robin's most recent ex, but maybe he'll be more of the marrying type.

As the biggest fans of Swarkles, aka The Barman and Robin, we were initially sad to see these two break up.  Then we remembered what made How I Met Your Mother so awesome... single Barney.

On last night's episode, "The Playbook," it was amazing to have the real Barney back.  Recovering instantly from his breakup, Barney used the playbook, a book of all his tricks, to deceit a bunch of women into his bedroom.

So what made this episode so legendary?

• Lorenzo von Matterhorn.  We're already trying to come up with our fake name to begin dominating the top ten Google results.
• I love how Claire (Kim Knight) just fit in with the group and even joined in during the "Hell No" harmony.
• The running gag line of "Sonuvabitch."
• The backwareds plot telling device, while not as clever as other HIMYM episodes, was still fun.  Seeing the Lily grab the sheet and realizing she's been had? Sonuvabitch.
• Hehe, he dressed as a SCUBA diver... and stuffed with a can of Pringles.
• Ted being set up.  Could the main character of the show and premise be back?  Well, not if Barey, err Lorenzo keeps scamming them.

Sure a lot of fans will complain that the multi-season build up of Barney and Robin getting together only to be broken up seven episodes into the season was short-lived.  We just want to remind them to re-watch this episode.  This was HIMYM.

Now for some of the finest How I Met Your Mother quotes of the episode after the jump.

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Back in season two of How I Met Your Mother, Marshall was awarded five slaps against Barney, courtesy the official Slap Bet Commissioner, Lily.

Now, in season five of the sitcom, Marshall still has two slaps remaining. How will he dole them out?

In HIMYM tradition, these will occur in the upcoming Thanksgiving - err, Slapsgiving - episode that airs in just two weeks. The episode will be cleverly titled "Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap."

The fun twist on the remaining slaps? Marshall will actually be handing the rights to slap Barney over to Ted and Robin. We wan't wait to see how they use them!

Slapsgiving 2 will also mark the episode where Chris Elliot guest stars as Lily's estranged father. Check out the following episode stills that feature Elliott and the rest of the cast:

It was a day no one saw coming. Okay, we did, but not so abruptly. Last night's How I Met Your Mother episode, "Rough Patch," centered around Barney and Robin's bittersweet breakup.

Below, our staff members break down our favorite TV couple's breaking down and much more in our inaugural How I Met Your Mother Round Table. Let's get to it ...

1. What was your favorite How I Met Your Mother quote from last night?

M.L. House: It was more a collection of quotes than one line, but the entire sequence on the "stakeout" - with Marshall constantly complaining about their lack of van, with the faux storm trooper and Alan Thicke of all people along for the ride - slayed me.

Dr. Shepherd: Flashback Barney berating Ted and his then-girlfriend: "Your girlfriend? She's your girl.. friend? She's a girl and a friend? Do not humanize the enemy, Ted!"

The Barnacle: Definitely Barney's entire prerecorded message on the ArchiSEXture. I'll go ahead and copy and paste that one from our amazing collection of How I Met Your Mother quotes for you viewers: "Hello, Ted. If you're watching this tape, and I knew you'd pick this one, you're now in possession of my porn. And this can only mean one of two things: either I'm dead or I'm in a committed relationship. If I'm dead I want you to honor my memory by taking my body to the Hamptons and recreate Weekend at Bernies. I want to dance, go fishing, and I want to have sex with a girl. If on the other hand I'm in a committed relationship, as your best friend I have only one request... for the love of god get me out of it."

2. Are you sad Barman and Robin are no longer together?

M.L. House: As Barney said at the end after suiting up, "Daddy's home." It's about time. I never really bought them as a couple. The writers need to let Barney be Barney!

Dr. Shepherd: They said the relationship ran its course, but did it? Things were just getting good! I loved these two together, even if it altered the show's dynamic. I'm surprised the show pulled the plug on this after building it up throughout Season 4 and barely letting it develop.

The Barnacle: While I'm extremely sad to see one of television's most awesome couples break up, I'm thrilled to see the most legendary bachelor back on the prowl.

3. Barney in a fat suit: cheap gimmick or good comedy?

M.L. House: Fat Barney was classic, although he might have been better suited to one fantasy/dream sequence (like, say, Mustache Marshall), not the majority of the night.

Dr. Shepherd: Funny at first, but a bit overdone. Neil Patrick Harris is so brilliant, he could have convinced us Barney was letting himself go without such a gimmicky, sitcomy gag, and one that took over an episode that could have been better without it.

The Barnacle: Just plain amazing comedy. I can't believe how much time NPH must have sat in makeup just to get a few good chuckles out of us. And wow, I hope for his sake the guy always stays in good shape. He is not a good looking fat man.

4. Which do you want to see more, the conclusion of ArchiSEXture, The Fat Guy and the Old Lady, or Alan Thicke and Robin's failed Canadian variety show?

M.L. House: Um, hello, what about Squat!? That sounded really good. Bet it had a truly dynamic plot line for an adult film. Wonder what the title is referring to ...

Dr. Shepherd: Although I felt this episode was mediocre overall, I nearly died when Ted popped in the ArchiSEXture tape and saw Barney's prerecorded message ... and that he had a girl with him of course. Even Lily wanted to see what happened next!

The Barnacle: Ooh that is tough, as an avid fan of Robin Sparkles, I cannot wait to see Alan Thicke and Robin's variety show. Go uncover that thing now Barney!

It was a day we never saw coming (unless you read How I Met Your Mother spoilers on TV Fanatic), but the end of a seemingly perfect televsion relationship, Barman and Robin came to an end this week.

When Ted and Marshall saw how miserable a now overweight Barney and a ghoulish Robin have become with each other, they enlisted the help of the Krakan (aka Lily) to break them up.  Using an elaborate plan that involved Crazy Meg, Alan Thicke and a storm trooper, television's best couple came to an end.

So how was "The Rough Patch," the episode that ended it all?  While not as funny as previous episodes, it certainly had its moments:

• Barney's prerecorded video on ArchiSEXture, including knowing that Marshall would be there?  Amazing!
• Using more future Ted storytelling devices like remembering Barney as fatter than he was and the porn tape accidentally falling into the VCR?  Classic.
• While a little over-the-top, you couldn't help but laugh when everyone, including Alan Thicke, came together in the stakeout van...err station wagon
• Everything involving the storm pooper
• Barney returning to his former skinny self in the matter of the walk home from the diner?  Nothing short of Legen... wait for it... dary.
• How badly are you waiting to see Alan Thicke and Robin's Candian Variety show?

Altogether the episode could have been funnier, but even a non-funny HIMYM is better than most sitcoms on television.  We're sad to see Barney and Robin broken up, but we'll be so glad to have Barney single and the show's dynamic back.  This season became Barney and Robin's show and it needs to return to its former glory.

Now for some of our favorite How I Met Your Mother quotes from the episode after the jump.

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While this week's episode of How I Met Your Mother had Ted as merely a supporting character with absolutely no mother storyline, it was still classic HIMYM to us.

Why?  Because the episode used so many of the classic Bays and Thomas storytelling devices:

• Reminiscent of the sandwiches, Future Ted called the upstairs neighbors having loud sex, bagpiping.  We hope they make a clever reference to this in a future episode
• The clever Marshall and Lily fight sequence where copies of the couple fighting around the room appeared.  Felt very HIMYM to us.
• The entire sequence in which Barney explained how he would have handled Lily was nothing short of amazing.  Marshall then attempting to re-enact it?  Ever more amazing.

You can catch up on the full events with our "Bagpipes" recap, but trust us, you need to watch this episode.  Who cares if there was no mother or overall plotline development, it was classic HIMYM.

Now for some of the best How I Met Your Mother quotes from the episode:

Robin: Okay, this is ridiculous. I can't believe these two are still bagpiping
Ted: Enough! It's been six hours1 It must be that new tantric bagpiping that Sting is into
Robin: She keeps yelling at him to play the bigpipes louder, but it sounds like she's bagpiping him pretty hard. There's a glass of water in my bedroom that's vibrating like Jurassic Park
Ted: You have neighbors, so shut the bagpipes up! | permalink

Robin [to Barney]: Why is there bag of panties labeled "April 2006" in your closet?
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Barney: There are so many great things to do with the human mouth, why waste it on talking? | permalink

JoAnna Garcia is coming to How I Met Your Mother as an old friend, and potential conquest, for Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother later this season, reports say.

As first reported by TV Guide, the Privileged alum will play Ted's college buddy, Maggie, in "The Window."

Maggie is described as the perfect "girl next door" type, the one every guy wants to marry as soon as he meets her. Only no one has. Ted senses an opportunity.

When he learns that Maggie is not a relationship for once in her life, ecstatic Ted rushes to make a move before his narrow "window of opportunity" closes for good.

Will he succeed? That's doubtful, as Garcia is only signed on for a single episode. But some funny How I Met Your Mother quotes should come out of it at least.

Josh Radnor's Ted Mosby has always had a thing for old friend Maggie (Joanna Garcia).

Garcia, who has also appeared on Gossip Girl this season, joins Rachel Bilson, Tim Gunn, Chris Elliott and Kenny Rogers as How I Met Your Mother guest stars this season.