A Broke Girls Breakthrough and Mommy Robin

by Kelly Bedard

CBS's Monday lineup featured two melancholy but wonderful offerings from 2 Broke Girls and How I Met Your Mother.

I'm not usually as taken with 2 Broke Girls as the rest of the world seems to be (it tries too hard), but this week's episode was right on the money. From Caroline's practiced "rich girl" show ("no, thank you for inviting me") to Max's emotional breakthrough saying goodbye to Chestnut ("you can't say that touching something fuzzy and warm isn't lovely, so thank you for everything, but especially for being fuzzy"), this was the first episode that made me laugh and actually care at the same time.

Over on How I Met Your Mother, a show that's been making me laugh and do nothing but care about its characters for years now, there was the most heartbreaking/heartwarming episode since Marshall's father died (perhaps ever). I thought the matter-of-fact way Robin's first-ever voiceover just dropped the bomb about her having grown kids that are both Barney's was a little suspicious, but I forgave the lack of revelatory tone as the episode progressed and her story about coming to terms with infertility drew me in. When those kids disappeared, taking with them her hypothetical happy ending with Barney (though I still believe that one's down the line), the episode took its darkest turn yet. When Robin returned home to her in-the-dark roommate Ted determined to cheer her up no matter how much she pushed him away, I just about started to cry. I've always loved that How I Met Your Mother is just as dedicated to great friendship stories as it is to relationship ones. When Robin walked into that dark apartment I was sure it'd be Barney there, the only one with any hint of what was going on with her (though he only had half the story), and there'd be a sweet "he just gets me" romantic moment. But it was Ted, and that made me so much happier, because it can be easy to forget just how good a friend that guy is.

In related news, last episode's "bro-parenting" also really worked for me. HIMYM is in the middle of a strong run.

Where the Hell is Blair Waldorf?

by Rachael Nisenkier

I have stuck with Gossip Girl long past what most people seemed to consider its expiration date. I do this in large part because it’s addictive and filled with really pretty people. I’ll probably continue “XOXO”ing until the day the dialogue loses its juicy flavor and the drama stops being oddly intriguing.

But the real reason I’ve stuck with Gossip Girl through five seasons, countless boring Serena and Jenny Humphrey storylines, Empire shenanigans, and Ivy/Charlie ridiculousness is because of one character and one character alone: Blair Waldorf.
Which is, of course, why my Gossip Girl fanclub card might be about to be revoked. There are a lot of things to like about the fifth season of the CW show. I like Elizabeth Hurley, Dan is finally getting some decent storylines (Even if his hair is becoming offensively bad. Seriously, the Humphrey wardrobe is a much better parody of hipster culture than 2 Broke Girls can every hope to put together), and I’m enjoying watching Chuck try to figure out who he is without Blair. But, speaking of which, where the hell is Blair Waldorf?

Pilot Watch: How to be a Gentleman

by Kelly Bedard

Watching the CBS Upfronts last May I was really impressed by 2 Broke Girls and thought How to be a Gentleman looked pretty darn stupid. But as 2 Broke Girls enters its third week of existence I'm disappointed to find it going down in quality pretty quickly (though I am enjoying this Johnny character and Caroline is still enchanting, even if the dialogue is overwrought). Whitney Cummings' other show Whitney, on the other hand, is so far getting better. Meanwhile, back on CBS, I was surprised to find the premiere of How to be a Gentleman thoroughly enjoyable, if not particularly groundbreaking.

Pilot Watch: Whitney and 2 Broke Girls (aka Whitney Cummings' shows)

by Rachael Nisenkier

Whitney Cummings was not a name most of us knew before this TV season. Now, thanks to the annoying and ubiquitous ads for her eponymous new show Whitney, she feels like a familiar and annoying relative.

Still, Cummings is the driving force behind not one, but two new shows starring women and about women, and as such, as My TV’s resident feminist theory devotee, I can’t help but wish her some measure of success. So let’s look at her efforts.