In Praise Of : How I Met Your Mother

Now in its second year on CBS, How I Met Your Mother is a surprisingly smart comedy that takes a swipe at those years when the group of friends is still together but slowly starting to slide into couples and marriages and real life adulthood. CBS is nurturing and protecting this comedy now in it's junior year and they are working very hard to build a Monday night comedy block that will rival the old NBC "Must See" Thursday.

I love this show and now I will explain why. I should explain at this moment that a good friend of mine, Ewan Chung, occasionally has a bit part on the show as 'Carol' - an asian male co-worker of the lead character - Ted. This is a lovely side benefit but not as a reader of this blog suggests - my reason for loving it. (Sorry Matt)

HIMYM captures so well those post college / pre-family years of working and hanging out with your friends. The writing is rich. The writers take the time to develop the characters and their individual backstories. This makes the show a joy to watch.

In an episode this past fall, the secret past of the character of "Robin" played by Cobie Smulders is revealed. The actress in the part, Cobie, is in fact Canadian. Coincidentally, so is Robin. And we discover that Robin was once the Canadian answer to Tiffany, singing pop songs in shopping malls.

Not content to let the age difference slip by, Robin's line was something like "Yeah, it was an 1993 tune that sounds like an 80's tune.. but the 80's didn't come to Canada till then."

Writing that plays on what the viewer is already thinking and hits on those thoughts for great comedy. Maybe I love this show because it takes frequent and funny jabs at Canadians.

Nah. Neil Patrick Harris takes a role in this show that is so -un-Doogie, I can't describe it. You have to watch and see for yourself. Maybe, I like this show so much because I've always had a crush on Doogie Howser

No it's more than that too.

I'll try to explain.Once on a memorable episode of Mary Tyler Moore, Lou Grant turned to Mary and said "Kid you got spunk" .. which Mary initially takes as a compliment.. till Lou finishes his thought, "I hate spunk."

This show has spunk. And pluck. Most importantly it doesn't suck.

Nor does it reek of being written by committee.

Further, it is one of just five shows on TV that can actually make me laugh out loud with little effort.

What are the other four? Excellent question. I'll tell you what they are and why they make me laugh, the next time I write in this space.