We aren’t caught up to the show totally, but we are at least done with the first four seasons on DVD! Wo-hoo!

Season 4 of HIMYM was another solid year, and I felt like a lot of ground was made on advancing some big stories – Stella and Ted’s relationship has a clear payoff in terms of getting Ted together with his future wife, and the Robin-Barney romance was handled well; more than once l’ve wondered if in 2030, Uncle Barney and Aunt Robin will be a couple that the Mosby’s and the Eriksen-Aldrin’s get together with. And as usual, all the stuff with Lily and Marshall was great, including their debates on having a child, and the way the producers tried to hide Alyson Hannigan’s real-life pregnancy. (I realize Cobie Smulders was also pregnant for some of the episodes, but she was showing far less.)

I loved watching the gang search for the best burger in the city, the whole running bit about interventions was fantastic, and Courtney and I freaking loved Marshall’s excessive use of graphs. I also appreciated Robin’s frustrations at her friends not watching her television show… Cough, cough.

So now we can move on the current season of HIMYM, and I suspect that we will be watching with everyone else when the identity of the Mother is finally revealed. That moment should be coming soon, and according to the spoilers I’ve heard despite my best efforts to avoid them, it will be, Which is good, because the show is definitely moving in that direction, although the show probably won’t be able to really keep going much past the point where she is introduced. That’s not a bad thing – the series has a specific story to tell, and if they keep extending it out deliberately past that point, they won’t be doing anyone any favors. Except I guess for all of the people they’ll keep employed, but that isn’t enough to appease whiny internet nerds like me.

Oh, and PS – if anyone has the November 16th episode (last week’s) saved and has any idea of how to export it/burn it/put it on tape, please let me know… Our DVR didn’t record that one for some reason. It’s available online now, but they only keep the two most recent episodes online for free. Eh, worst case we can just buy it on Amazon.

And speaking of Jason Segel, here’s a great video of him performing a song he wrote at a Swell Season concert (the band from the movie “Once.”) It’s funny stuff, though it might not be a great idea to give Courtney his phone number…