How I Met Your Mother - Barney's Bro Code

One of my favourite shows from recent years (which has not died, thank you very much) is the hilariously...wait for it...AWESOME "How I met your mother". The show is narrated by a guy named Ted, who's telling his kids (in 2030) about how he met their mother (with the action taking place in our current time). The show is a strange combination of The Wonder Years and Friends - except smarter and plays around a lot with time and continuity. The easiest comparison is to Friends - given the 20-something/early 30s cast and the NYC setting, but I have to say that HIMYM has a kind of heart that's always been lacking for me on Friends. Sure, Friends was hilarious at times, but it always felt sitcom-ny. I never cared for the characters (perhaps it's the years of Ross/Rachel stupidity), and it never felt grounded in any kind of emotional reality. Where Friends failed, HIMYM succeeds. Other than pure wise-cracking hilarity (as demonstrated in this clip), it also has the groundedness of the Lily/Marshall relationship (one of the most functional marriages seen on TV, really), Robyn and Ted's ultimately failed relationship (but successful friendship), and Ted's continuing quest for love - which has plenty of endearing bumps along the way. Check out this show on Monday nights if you haven't had the chance - it's virtually impossible to dislike. :) (Did I mention it features a Canadian character?)