How I Met Your Mother
7:30 p.m., CBS
Just a couple weeks ago, people online were at least relatively sure that Stella (Sarah Chalke) would end up as the titular “Mother.” But with Bill Lawrence saying that “Scrubs” could go on for many years past next season (Lawrence seemingly being the only person that thinks that’s a good idea), that puts the whole thing into question. On one hand, it seems too obvious for Stella to be the mother, on the other hand, we’re going into season four, and the show just barely gets renewed each spring, maybe resolving that loose end wouldn’t be such a bad idea. Since the show really is about a lot more than the gimmicky framing device, it probably could continue past the revelation, though I imagine it’ll be drawn out a while longer, and past tonight’s third season finale. Oh, and the above picture certainly suggests that Ted and Barney become friends again, but maybe it’s just a flashback - or maybe I’m just using an old picture! Such suspense.

Gossip Girl
7 p.m., The CW
The “Gossip Girl” backlash has started! Maybe revolving an entire lineup around “GG” ripoffs wasn’t a great idea. After revolving last week’s murder subplot rather tidily, we’re all systems go for Chuck’s Dad and Blair’s Mom to get married - or are we! What about that kiss that Blair’s Mom and Dan’s Dad shared last week? I really don’t know why Dan’s Dad is so into Blair’s Mom, he seems cool and she seems like a real square. I also don’t know why a show that’s so hot and hip with young people is focusing so much on parents - Jim Walsh weeps! First season finale.

House
8 p.m., Fox
I haven’t watched “House” since it came back post-strike. Have I missed anything? Some diagnoses? Maybe some sarcasm? Apparently last week’s Fred Durst role extends into tonight’s fourth season finale, so that’s…something. Also, according to official Fox press, House’s friendship with Wilson is tested “beyond limits.” That’s right, BEYOND LIMITS. You know the normal limits for House and Wilson’s friendship? This goes some point beyond that!

The Bachelorette
8:02 p.m., ABC
DeAnna Pappas was one of two finalists of last fall’s 11th (!) season of “The Bachelor,” when the dude decided not to give roses to either of them. The other one has seemingly moved on with her life, but Pappas has not, so she’s starring in this, the fourth season of “The Bachelorette.” Will she finally find love on a TV show like she’s always dreamed? Why are there so many seasons of “The Bachelor” and so few of “The Bachelorette”? Why does the Firefox spell check seem to think that “Bachelorette” isn’t a real word? Tune in for possibly none of those answers!

ALSO ON: The surprisingly not all that drawn out (three hours over two days) “Dancing with the Stars” season finale begins (7 p.m., ABC); “American Gladiators” attempts to break though the bad ratings gauntlet (7 p.m., NBC); and “Big Bang Theory” (7 p.m., CBS), “Bones” (7 p.m., Fox), “Paradise Hotel” (8 p.m., My Network TV), “One Tree Hill” (8 p.m., The CW), “Two and a Half Men” (8 p.m., CBS) and “Rules of Engagement” (8:30 p.m., CBS) all get season finales. So does the third round of “Flavor of Love” (9 p.m., VH1).

Gossip Girl
7 p.m., The CW
After last week’s major OMFGage, hopefully we’ll get some more clue about the wacky bombshell that Serena (Blake Lively) dropped. Plus, we can look forward to more of Georgina’s (Michelle Trachtenberg) Machiavellian machinations - they are going so over the top with that character that it’s ridiculous and awesome (though stopping just short of being ridiculously awesome). It’s only slightly weird to see her play a 17-year-old when I saw that like six years ago. Guest spots tonight from Lisa Loeb and “famous cake designer” Sylvia Weinstock as themselves. Famous cake designers? Save that for next week’s season finale!

American Gladiators
7 p.m., NBC
Back in January, a revival of “American Gladiators” made sense given the raging writer’s strike and how starved we, as a nation, were for new programming. Now? Maybe not so much, but by premiering it today, they’re obviously trying to get a jump on the impending summer season, where “American Gladiators” again makes sense (with “America’s Got Talent,” the Olympics and other vaguely patriotic programming, NBC is dubbing their summer lineup “All American Summer”). We’ve got some new Gladiators this time, too - Phoenix, pictures, who apparently wears wings for some reason, and Jet and Rocket, formerly known as season one winners Monica Carlson and Evan Dollard, respectively.

How I Met Your Mother
7:30 p.m., CBS
Yep, Britney Spears is back. And it seems like there’s at least a storyline reason for it - she’s not happy with Ted (Josh Radnor) because of him pretending to be interested her the first time her character appeared, and Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) isn’t happy with Ted either, since they are no longer bros and all. This seems to be a mutually beneficial relationship - “HIMYM” was officially renewed today, and Spears has recently gotten increased visitation rights, so good for them. Season finale next week.

Samantha Who?
8:32 p.m., ABC
First season finale. I don’t really dig this show, but a lot of people evidently do, so you’re probably totally psyched to see what’s going to happen in the budding relationship between Samantha (Christina Applegate) and Todd (Barry Watson)! I guess they’re back together? Good for them! Crazy kids.

ALSO ON: “The Hills” (10 p.m., MTV), “The Bachelor” (9:02 p.m., ABC) and article-less “Medium” (9 p.m., NBC) see season finales and Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit fame shows up on “House” (8 p.m., Fox) in one of the more bizarre guest appearances in recent history.

I just now noticed that Lyndsy Fonseca - the actress that plays Dana Delany’s daughter on “Desperate Housewives” - is also the female child of Ted’s that appears in the “How I Met Your Mother” flashforward scenes. What a gig that must be. Show up every six to eight episodes, look bored for a few seconds, don’t say anything, get paid. Considerably less demanding than constantly looking freaked out/confused/upset on “DH” (though now she has Gary Cole as a dad, so that must alleviate things at least somewhat, right?).

Spoilers after the cut! (more…)

“Say something once, why say it again?” asked the Talking Heads in “Psycho Killer.” Comedy has rarely adhered to that rule. Thus we have a new Robin Sparkles song, “Sand Castles in the Sand,” streaming now on Variety and at the center of a new “How I Met Your Mother episode debuting this coming Monday.

Surely we all remember the original “Robin Sparkles,” spinning out of the classic second season “Slap Bet” episode where “HIMYM” character Robin was revealed to have a secret past as a Canadian pop star, a la a nascent Alanis Morissette. It was funny then, but going back to that well at this point seems like - or is, rather - a rather cheap attempt to recapture and/or capitalize on the original bit, which became a viral video sensation. And perhaps more pointedly, it’s also indicative of the fact that Robin has had literally nothing to do since breaking up with Ted, other than dating Enrique Iglesias for an episode and cracking lots of jokes. You can literally remove her from most every episode this season and they would play out exactly the same.

But now that all that negativity is out of the way, it’s actually a pretty good song.

“Britneywatch” has finally used it forces for good - in the form of a ratings boost for “How I Met Your Mother.” Mission accomplished, I would guess. Obviously, this should help the chances of “HIMYM” getting renewed for a fourth season.

As far as the episode itself, I thought it was great, even though that ultimately had very little to do with Britney Spears herself. Sarah Chalke was charming in a way she’s very rarely allowed to be on “Scrubs,” where she has to constantly be wacky and quirky. Seeing her play a more grounded character was neat. And as cheesy as it might sound and unrealistic as it played out, the ending sequence with the “two minute date” was sweet, even if I would have usually resisted such overt cutesiness. That’s part of what I try to explain as the appeal of the show - it’s not so much that it’s so funny (though it often is), it’s also a nice show that accomplishes feel good moments that actually feel…good without sacrificing character or getting too saccharine.

Britney did a fine job, though, even if it was naturally a bit distracting.

If you watched any of the NCAA tournament this weekend, I’m sure you noticed.

This is definitely the hugest deal “HIMYM” has ever been involved in, which in a way is exciting since I’m a fan of the show, but it doesn’t necessarily seem to be the greatest reason to get attention. Oh well.

On a somewhat related note, I’ve noticed that I’ve had to defend “HIMYM” a lot around friends. It seems that because it has a laugh track, most people assume it’s just another crappy CBS sitcom. I say things like “No, that’s ‘Big Bang Theory’” but it’s hard to get people to budge. Using the laugh track is a weird reason, I think, since as much as I love plenty of single camera, laugh trackless comedies (”Arrested Development,” “Scrubs,” “Curb,” “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “The Office,” “30 Rock,” “Extras,” etc.), there have been just as many bad ones at this point (”Fat Actress,” “Watching Ellie,” “Carpoolers,” “Cavemen,” “Oliver Beene,” “Welcome to the Captain,” “Free Ride,” “Dinosauars,” etc.)”. And of course there’s been plenty of great laugh track sitcoms (um, “Seinfeld”). Objectively, there are much more single camera sitcoms on TV at this point, so yes, there are more good single camera TV comedies than there are laugh track comedies (I think “HIMYM” is the only laugh track comedy currently on that I watch), but it’s not really an indicator of quality any more.

The first scripted prime time series to return after the writer’s strike make their re-debut with new episodes tonight: “The Big Bang Theory,” “How I Met Your Mother” and “Two and a Half Men.” Exciting stuff. “New Adventures of Old Christine,” which started its run midseason, is also new.

Also, here’s a look at Britney Spears as a receptionist on the aforementioned “HIMYM.” She looks…skinny. Sarah Chalke is doing a good job at looking annoyed! I’m not sure if I’ll be able to picture her as a doctor, though, sounds dubious.

Yay for stunt casting!

In a very “Will and Grace” -y move (not only in hiring a celebrity guest star that seemingly has very little to do with the show, but a celebrity guest star that also was on “Will and Grace”), Britney Spears (seen left, in happier, healthier times) is going to be guest starring on “How I Met Your Mother.” Immediately, this seems like the kind of overpowering guest star that will look really weird in hindsight, and also, oh yeah, immediately (Paris Hilton on an early “Veronica Mars” is another example). The obvious fact that Spears has become a public mess, makes it even odder. But I guess you can’t blame a perennial bubble show like “HIMYM” for making a move that should bump a rating at the least.

But it would be a lot easier to overlook if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s also caused Alicia Silverstone to cancel her planned multi-episode arc . I’ve liked Silverstone since “Clueless,” and been kind of bummed over her failure to get a TV show off the ground (her last project, “The Singles Table,” never even made it on the air!). Silver lining: her role is being taken over by Sarah Chalke from “Scrubs.” Further disappointment: the role has been changed from playing out over multiple episodes to just one, since that’s all Chalke’s “Scrubs” schedule will allow (which, incidentally, is definitely moving to ABC , according to John C. “Dr. Cox” McGinley).

“HIMYM” returns next Monday (March 17), the Spears episode is the third one back from the strike-induced hiatus.