Necrotongue

It's hard to believe, but I genuinely enjoyed the sixth episode — I laughed wholeheartedly and had a blast. The priest and the knight were spot-on. / Lesson learned: A church wedding? Suit yourselves.

The fifth episode ditched the usual frustrated Ted routine and came with a great storyline involving wedding gifts. The unexpectedly high-stakes poker game was also a good move. The only downside was Marshall's road trip, which still feels pretty pointless. / Lesson learned: If you're giving someone a present, have your name engraved on it. 3*+

The fourth episode had almost the same downsides as the previous one. Well, almost – Robo Marshall was fun, but the little monster was even more cringe-worthy, so it kind of evened out. However, what consistently kills the vibe for me is Ted. I think I'm starting to get allergic to him. / Lesson learned: Drink antifreeze, you won't feel cold.

I like Amy Schumer as a comedian. I enjoyed Trainwreck (2015), and I thought her next film would be just as good. Boy was I wrong. When it comes to comedies, I usually don't mind when the writing is simple as long as it’s balanced with a good portion of quality humor. This thing was too lame for me to watch and listen to, and I didn't get to laugh much at what it tried to pass off as jokes. Given that it’s a comedy, it’s a major problem. If it weren't for Barb and the experienced jungle guide, I'd probably be pretty bummed out. Those two minor characters provided the only memorable moments for me that could actually be called funny. / Lesson learned: Don’t ever piss off Barb.

The final installment of a trilogy about the life, adventures, and sexual exploits of Lieutenant Frank Drebin may not have been the best of the three, but still easily worth four stars. Again, I felt that some of the jokes were past their zenith and sounded a bit cringeworthy, but most of them still worked for me. I never really expected a profound (or even artistic) experience of this type of comedy, and thankfully the creators didn't even pretend to aim at anything like that, so I got exactly what I expected even the third time around. An unpretentious yet entertaining film, which makes me just relax and enjoy myself, with a goofy grin on my face the whole time. / "Why don't you want a child?" "Didn't I try to adopt that 18-year-old Korean girl?" / Lesson learned: Being in a relationship isn’t without obstacles. Your partner may be quite difficult to please.

And now, back to the regular dose of despair. Despite some decent laughs from zombie movie references, the third episode didn't deliver many humorous moments for me. I find the Marshall/Daphne duo's storyline entirely unnecessary (is it all about political correctness?), and Ted's expression of tragic romance just makes me want to inflict harm. The little monster's speech was the final nail in the coffin for everything. / Lesson learned: Zombies live by the motto "Haste makes waste," and it pays off for them.

Yet again, the creators failed to serve up the humor I was craving. Instead, they decided to switch to a more serious tone, leaving me puzzled about what brought that on. I mean, it's supposed to be a sitcom, right? I distinctly recall that being the case in the beginning. But now, it feels like drama is increasingly creeping its way in. / Lesson learned: We could all use our own personal Linus from time to time.

The kickoff of the ninth season wasn't the worst but the humor could've been bolder, and certain things are starting to grate on me quite a bit... I'm looking at you, Ted. Ted's ongoing personal tragedy has been irking me for several seasons now. / Lesson learned: Sweets are good for the nerves.

I'm dreading Season 9, because Season 8 was the weakest one so far. Sure, it had its bright moments, but they were few and far between, while an increasing number of episodes warranted a boo! rating. I suppose the writers' helplessness stemmed from a lack of invention. They may have been going through a burnout after seven seasons. But who knows? / Lesson learned: Don't recycle old ideas, you’ll never get away with it.

There was a noticeable step up from the last episode, but not quite enough to warrant a higher rating from me. The episode still fell short on humor. It's a shame as the creators actually came up with something that was relevant for the main storyline, not a frequent occurrence here. Barney and Robin kept me entertained. I wish it happened more often. / Lesson learned: Don't just turn the other cheek.