'Field Trip' was a solid example of classic 'How I Met Your Mother' (Mon., 8PM ET on CBS) comedy. There were multiple storylines weaving through one another, each revealing bits about our characters and most importantly, progressing things in their lives.

Let's face it, we like the idea of change and growth on 'HIMYM.' It is, after all, supposed to be the story of how Ted found the woman he would later marry. Thus, we are inherently watching these people grow up and make big changes in their lives.

On this week's Talking TV podcast, Ryan McGee and I delve into the return of 'How I Met Your Mother,' the great season 'Breaking Bad' is having and reader questions touching on 'The Killing' and 'Doctor Who.'

A couple of side notes: Ryan and I will be talking about 'Breaking Bad' every week from now until the show has its season 4 finale in October.

Also, we are dropping a special 'Fringe' podcast Friday night or early Saturday. We thought it would be best to talk about that show after everyone had seen the season 4 premiere, so look for that podcast then. I won't do a separate post on the 'Fringe' podcast, just check the Talking TV site or iTunes for it.

Running times are below.

The seventh season of 'How I Met Your Mother' (Mon., 8PM ET on CBS) kicked off with a notably different Barney. Sure, he was still going through the motions of trying new plays to score with chicks, but that was just it. He was going through the motions.

It turns out, Barney has developed genuine feelings for Nora. So much so that he finally decides to be honest with her. She clearly didn't know what she was in for when she asked him to detail every lie he'd ever told to get a woman into bed.

The story she sat through was almost as long as the one future Ted is telling his children, but the point is, that she stayed through it. And then to prove that there was something about her that made him want to change, he stayed and waited for her. Could this be the woman he's seen marrying later? -- earlier? -- oh you know how time works on this show.

It's good for the sake of 'How I Met Your Mother' that this is a busy time of year.

The first time I watched 'The Best Man,' the show's season 7 premiere last week, I was extremely irritated. By Monday afternoon, when I found time to watch 'The Best Man' again, I was so worn out from Emmy duty and other tasks that what's below isn't quite an energetic rant.

It's more an elegy of serious disappointment directed toward a show toward which I still have a great deal of residual affection.

'How I Met You Mother' kicks off its seventh season tonight (premieres Mon., Sept. 19, 8PM ET on CBS), and fans will get a nice dose of singing and dancing, some auto-tuned Ted, two weddings and some flashbacks.

I hit the set during a particularly boob-tastic day of shooting this season, with Lily finally showing the first signs of pregnancy, but there were even more exciting things to talk about.



Like what guest stars Martin Short and Kal Penn will be up to, what sort of love triangles we'll be seeing this season (Barney and Robin and Ted? Really?!), lots of wedding talk and, of course, Marshall and Lily's bundle of joy.

So, after six seasons we still don't know who is the mother of Ted's kids, but now we do know that all will be revealed before the end of 'How I Met Your Mother' Season 8.

Creator and executive producer Craig Thomas told 'TV Guide' that the upcoming Season 7 will offer answers and even more changes for the 'HIMYM' gang. He also let slip that there will (probably) be only two more seasons left for the comedy.

"All of our contracts are up after [Season] 8," he said, "So we're preparing for that to possibly be the end. As long as we know that a year from now, that's fine. But if we don't, then that's a problem!"