HIMYM 7x08: The Slutty Pumpkin Returns

Original Air Date: 31 October 2011

Storyline: Ted finally meets his mystery girl in the Slutty Pumpkin costume. Meanwhile, Barney learns he is part Canadian and Lily has pregnancy brain.Trivia: This episode was originally titled "Perfect on Paper", but was changed before broadcast.Best quote:  

Barney: Where is my cash?Robin: I did a little exchange for ya, Canucklehead. This Canadian dollar here is called a "loonie." And this two-dollar coin? A "toonie." True story.
Barney: It's federal currency and you people talk about it like it's a Hannah-Barbera character.
Robin: Not you people, Barney. Our people.
Not the mother: Naomi (the Slutty Pumpkin)

The Review: I only have one word for ya, canuckleheads: meh... This show has had its fare share of really bad episodes, but this one may have topped all of those. And please, I beg of you, HIMYM writers: stop making Halloween episodes! The first couple of times it was cute, but now it's beyond boring.This week's installment revolved around three plots: Ted finally meeting the Slutty Pumpkin, Lily's "pregnancy brain" and Barney's Canadian descent, neither of which were well written or even remotely funny. 

As much as I currently dislike Katie Holmes right now, I had Dawson's Creek nostalgia and really hoped she would bring back some of that Joey charm, but she was as plain as her husband's latest movies. No spark, nothing, not to mention that the entire plot felt as awkward as the relationship between Ted and Naomi. The idea was not bad - though there were a lot of things that could have been done with it. I actually appreciated the lesson - if we can call it that: expectations are always higher when we search for something for so long, but when we finally get that thing, it might not raise up to the occasion.
This season is already feeling like a walk down the memory lane for Ted - he already met Victoria and the Slutty Pumpkin again, so at this point I expect to see Trudy, Stella and maybe a relapse with Robin (enough to make Barney jealous); the only good thing is that Jennifer Morrison is already involved in a new project and we shouldn't be forced to see Zoey again.  
The other two plots felt incredibly random. I usually enjoy the Canadian jokes, but this time it was too much. And inventing a Canadian origin for Barney - while not completely unbelievable - was probably just a way to create a connection between him and Robin where no such connection was needed. As for Lily's "pregnancy brain", the idea was not original and it's been overused in TV and film. 
The entire episode felt rushed and there was almost no comic timing to most of the jokes. I expect a lot better from the HIMYM writers in the future. Also, "Perfect on Paper" would have been a much better title.