MONDAY

Don’t call it a comeback. Britney Spears dusts herself off and puts on some glasses (prop?) to play an amorous receptionist on How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 8:30 p.m.). Sadly, between her custody battles, mental breakdowns, and her ill-chosen affair with a paparazzo, the cameo amounts to the only good press the fallen pop star has received in some time. (With that kind of drama, it’s clear why she—and her people—chose for her to be on a sitcom.) Her appearance will likely boost the show’s already strong ratings—it had its second-strongest numbers ever last week for its first new episode after the strike-induced hiatus—introducing the show to a larger swath of America and perhaps finally making it a legitimate inheritor of the Friends mantle.  read more »

MONDAY

Does anyone remember laughter? O.K. maybe times haven’t been that tough, but the country’s diaphragms have been woefully underused these last couple of months (even with Jimmy Kimmel f**king Ben Affleck) with the absence of new episodes of veteran sitcoms (and movies like Semi-Pro plaguing the theaters). But tonight, all of that changes with fresh installments of How I Met Your Mother (CBS, 8:30 p.m.) and Two and a Half Men (CBS, 9 p.m.). (Rookie breakout The Big Bang Theory (CBS, 8 p.m.) has a new episode, too!) Watch—it’s bound to feel like the television equivalent of make-up sex.  read more »

Britney Spears will appear as a "female Michael Cera" on CBS's comedy series How I Met Your Mother this season. E! Online's blog Watch With Kristin is reporting that the most likely role for Britney will be in the 14th episode as "Abby," a girl who works in Ted's doctor's office. She's described as "sweet and friendly and scattered and a little nerdy—a female Michael Cera." HIMYM star Neil Patrick Harris talked to ET about Ms. Spears's upcoming role: "What if she shows up on set and she is absolutely, totally normal and that whole thing has been a big ruse?" he joked. "She is smoking a cigarette and [says], 'Oh yes, it is all a big bit. I have a master plan.'" We wonder if she'll even show up for the taping, but if it happens, it will bring some well-deserved attention to one of the best shows on television, as Mark Lotto wrote last year in the Observer. More from Mr. Harris after the jump.  read more »

"We approached our development this year with a specific goal in mind—to be daring and different," said Nina Tassler, President, CBS Entertainment. "The Fall and mid-season series we have selected offer creativity and variety with great potential to excite and surprise television audiences everywhere."

They’re bringing us musicals, vampires and swingers!

But the big news broke yesterday: they’ll be renewing How I Met Your Mother, the hilarious show you’re not watching (fill up the Netflix queue with the first and second season). This morning came the official announcement of that decision, as well as confirming the new comedy and three new dramas added to their fall line-up.

Hugh Jackman is producing and starring in a mystery musical called Viva Laughlin, an American version of BBC’s Viva Blackpool, a wealthy casino entrepreneur and an ambitious businessman in Nevada.

The West Wing’s Jimmy Smits will lead Cane, a drama about an Cuban-American family who runs a rum and sugar cane business in Florida. This could be a snoozer, unless you knock back a few Long Island Iced teas while you’re watching.

Moonlight is some kind cross between the X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer about a detective who investigates the undead. Spooky.

And the new comedy from the producer of Two and a Half Men brings two nerds (Johnny Galecki of Roseanne and Jim Parsons of Judging Amy) and a sexy mentor for The Big Bang Theory. A sultry Kaley Cuoco of 8 Simple Rules trades info about the birds and the bees for their knowledge about quantum physics. Seems like a Weird Science project to us.

Swingtown, a midseason series, is CBS’s biggest leap from their usually tame line-up. The director of Big Love will bring audiences into the suburban homes of 1970s swingers.

Click "read more" to read the whole press release.  read more »

How I Met Your Mother is the best television show you’re not watching.  read more »