Talk about false advertising! Titled “The Perfect Week,” last night’s instalment of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER was, well, imperfect and weak.
Watching Barney try to score with seven women in seven days stripped the character of any development he’d made during his relationship with Robin and only proved that breaking them up was one of the worst calls in the show’s history.
Sticking with the sports metaphors, as much as it pains us to say this, creators Craig Thomas and Carter Bays really dropped the ball. Rather than borrow a page from the FRIENDS playbook that saw creators David Crane and Marta Kaufman brilliantly reinvigorate their fledgling series by unexpectedly bringing together Monica and Chandler, Thomas and Bays got cold feet and sent Barney and Robin to the showers. Cold ones at that.
Granted, this is a rare case of a show which usually hits home runs striking out. And it’s not exactly a sign that the team needs to be benched. But maybe it’s time to consider bringing in a pinch hitter. If FRIENDS taught us anything with the introduction of Mike (played by a then-unknownPaul Rudd), it’s that the best way to keep things fresh is by bringing in some new blood. Not just a famous actor being stunt cast in the role of designated hitter for a week or two but an actual, honest-to-goodness new cast member to add into the rotation.
It may not be the bottom of the ninth just yet, but throwing a curve ball is always a good way to get the audiences attention. Forget finding the mother of his future children… what Ted really needs is a couple of new friends! 
