Yeah, but Sam has shown himself to be incredibly sensitive and fairly emotionally intuitive when it comes to his friends - be it Blaine or Brit or Mercedes.  So I didn't really buy that coming from him.

If memory serves, Rory (that would be the Irish kid) had to go back to his home country because his visa expired. My current theory on Sugar and Sam is that they are probably still hiding in the bathroom from the shooter because they weren't lucky enough to have Shuester come in and find them afterwards and tell them…

I think what @avclub-566616c4b3b3f350aeed409a877ba3b8:disqus was alluding to was that when they hooked up, Shelby was a teacher and Puck was a student. So despite the fact that he was technically of legal age at the time, the relationship was completely inappropriate - Shelby crossed the line.

Indeed! I find myself saying, week after week, how wonderful each and every one of them are. Tonight's episode was particularly wonderful and gave each member of the cast at least one great moment to play.

Thank you so much for sharing this! As an east-coaster and a long time fan of Ebert's blog and reviews, I mourned my inability to drop everything and flee to Chicago to spend time saying goodbye to Roger with a theater full of people that loved and appreciated him.

The whole Schmidt/Elizabeth bit of the episode reminded me anew why I love Schmidt - and Max Greenfield. I also echo @avclub-7fd1d5cec910c61b1864a51eb7e18cbc:disqus's observations about Elizabeth. She would be a great addition to the cast and already feels at home in the show.

The whole Schmidt/Elizabeth bit of the episode reminded me anew why I love Schmidt - and Max Greenfield. I also echo @avclub-7fd1d5cec910c61b1864a51eb7e18cbc:disqus's observations about Elizabeth. She would be a great addition to the cast and already feels at home in the show.

Only by heathens.

Scott, I have loved reading NCC these past few years.  Your wit, incredible cinematic knowledge and fondness for things just outside the main will be sorely missed.  Best of luck to you in your future endeavors!

Man, do I hope you are right.

That latter trait is not bad editing - it is a power harnessed by the Fancy Man.

That is my take as well. And as someone up thread pointed out, I appreciate this a hell of a lot more than manufactured obstacles.  Jess and Nick are both train-wrecks in their own unique ways. It stands to reason that they are their own worst enemies in this kind of situation.

I don't know if it was deliberate or magical kismet - either way, the pretzel thing, subtle as it was, really made that scene.

We rewound it twice - the first time, for just that reason. Actually, we kind of heard it but were so incredulous that we hadn't missed something between "toilet sister" and "if so, food?" that an immediate rewatch was required.

The convo with Tran - and the following Nick version of a date invitation "If so, food?" - made me laugh harder than anything I've seen or heard in years. My brother and I were watching together and we went back and rewatched it at least twice, and barely came up for air either time.

The continued absence of Ryan Shay - without so much as even a throwaway line of "oh he's visiting colleges" or something - strains my credulity beyond the breaking point.

Don't hate the playa, hate the game. Pretty sure OUAT was coined by Oliver Sava in his recaps and has been adopted by all the commenters. It's as prevalent in that comments section as HIMYM is here. 

That is an excellent observation. Bobby really did provide both an emotional and (for lack of a better term) intellectual center to the show, even when he wasn't in the episodes. There really is some kind of balance lacking in the show's DNA this season and yeah, I'd have to agree, Bobby's absence is the difference.

I thought the Nick/Jess stuff was the strongest piece of tonight's ep.  The moment during his dad's eulogy that Jess comes over and takes his hand? I freaking lost it. The look on Jess' face in particular really killed me.  And then? The singing? I can't remember the last time I laughed that hard so quickly after…

Totally random: is it me, or does even a half-hour comedy like HIMYM that doesn't even regularly have or need special effects have better special effects than OUAT? Seriously - three Teds and three Barney's sharing the same booth at McLaren's was clean, crisp and perfectly realized. OUAT struggles to manage smoke…