TVSquad

• At 8, ABC has a new Dancing with the Stars, followed by a new episode of Samantha Who? and the season finale of The Bachelor.
• CBS has a new Big Bang Theory, then new episodes of How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, and CSI: Miami.
• NBC has a new, two hour American Gladiators at 8, then a new Medium.
• FOX has new episodes of Bones and House.
• The CW has a new Gossip Girl at 8, followed by a new One Tree Hill.
• There's a new Antiques Roadshow on PBS at 8.
• TNT has another NBA Playoff game at 8.
• At 9, USA has a new Monday Night RAW.
• Discovery has a new Dirty Jobs at 9.
• GSN has a new World Poker Tour, also at 9.
• At 10, Food Network has a new Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
• MTV has a new episode of The Hills at 10, then a new episode of The Paper.
• HBO has a new Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

One of the things that I love about How I Met Your Mother -- there, I said it, I love the show -- is the mystery surrounding who "mother" is and whether we've already seen her on the show or is she still to be introduced. It's not just the Lost fans that are watching scene by scene, shot by shot, frame by frame to uncover clues. Take this very cool observation by a blogger at Seat42f.com.

If you look at the picture, the green boxes, you'll notice that the framed handwritten letter/poem/writing in the background of Stella's home (left), is the same as the framed letter/poem/writing behind the kids in the opening of the show. According to the blogger -- who has HD and studied the scenes closely, it's definitely the same artifact.

Attention How I Met Your Mother fans! There's a 99% chance that the show is returning for a fourth season. CBS still hasn't given the Monday night laugher an official pick up -- which they did for the freshman sitcom The Big Bang Theory way back on February 15th -- ticking off many a comedy fan (including yours truly). Nothing against Big Bang; I love the show. But was it more deserving of an early pick up than Mother? Not to me.

Anyway, I had the chance to interview How I Met Your Mother's Josh Radnor yesterday and the actor told me that the cast is definitely working on the assumption that they will be back next fall. When I asked him directly if the show will be renewed by CBS, he laughed and said, "I'm not worried, but who knows. It's television and stranger things have happened. We're doing better than we've ever done, although I kind of go to sleep when I read those Nielsen reports. I would think we are coming back. Yes, we are."

That was enough for Josh, but I needed more assurances. Call me needy. I pressed for evidence that Lily, Marshall, Robin, Barney and Ted are all going to be hanging out at McLaren's with me next fall, like usual. "I'll just say this, we are filming a cliffhanger. It's not like we wrap up the series."

Many people think that the term "cougar," which is loosely defined as "older woman on the prowl for younger men to date" was introduced on last season's How I Met Your Mother episode that had Jane Seymour seduce Neil Patrick Harris' Barney. But like I said in my review back then, I had heard that term before that episode aired. But we can definitely say that HIMYM popularized the term.

Now it seems like TV Land, which is becoming the network for reality shows starring people over 35, has decided to pick up a Bachelorette-esque series where a number of young men will be competing for the affections of "sexy and accomplished mature woman." The show is being produced by Mike Fleiss, who was the executive producer for the network's version of High School Reunion.

• At 8, ABC has a new Dancing with the Stars, followed by new episodes of Samantha Who? and The Bachelor.
• CBS has a new Big Bang Theory at 8, then new episodes of How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, and CSI: Miami.
• FOX has new episodes of Bones and House.
• NBC has a new, two hour Deal Or No Deal at 8, then a new Medium.
• The CW has a new Gossip Girl at 8, followed by a new One Tree Hill.
• PBS has a new Antiques Roadshow at 8, then a new episode of Carrier.
• ABC Family has a new Greek at 8, then a new Wildfire.
• TLC has two new episodes of Little People, Big World at 8.
• Also at 8: Food Network has a new Good Eats.
• At 9, Lifetime has the new movie The Double Life of Eleanor Kendall.
• USA has a new Monday Night RAW at 9.
• At 10, WE has the season finale of High School Confidential.

Check your local TV listings for more.

This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we'll supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com or call and leave a message at (775) 640-8479 - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: Army Wives, Battlestar Galactica, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother, Lost, Moonlight, My Boys, Prison Break, Reaper, The Office and Ugly Betty. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

The fates have decreed that Alicia Silverstone is meant to play a mother. Earlier this year, she was rumored to be the mother on How I Met Your Mother, but then opted out of that storyline entirely when Britney Spears was inserted in a guest role on the very same episode. The episode went on to do boffo Nielsen numbers, and Alicia's role was played by Sarah Chalke, who may or may not turn out to be mother. Probably not since she's still part of Scrubs, which is moving over to ABC.

Be that as it may, Alicia Silversone has now been officially cast on the pilot Bad Mother's Handbook. Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development) will also appear in the show as Alicia's daughter. This comedy project has been set up at ABC and previously announced in the rush of production greenlighted soon after the writers' strike.

• At 8, ABC has a new Dancing with the Stars, followed by new episodes of Samantha Who? and The Bachelor.
• CBS has a new Big Bang Theory at 8, then new episodes of How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, and CSI: Miami.
• FOX has a new Bones at 8.
• NBC has a new, two hour Deal Or No Deal and a new Medium.
• There's a new Gossip Girl on The CW at 8, then a new One Tree Hill.
• PBS has a new Antiques Roadshow at 8, then new episodes of American Experience and Great Performances.
• ABC Family has a new Greek at 8, followed by a new America's Prom Queen.
• USA has a new Monday Night RAW at 8.
• Also at 8: TLC has two new episodes of Little People, Big World.
• At 8:30, Food Network has a new Heavyweights.
• At 9, VH-1 has a new Flavor of Love.
• GSN has a new World Poker Tour at 9.
• At 9:30, Food Network has a new Unwrapped.
• At 10, MTV has a new episode of The Hills, then a new episode of The Paper.

Check your local TV listings for more.

Edward Wyatt's New York TImes piece questioned whether NBC crossed the line by broadcasting racy material in the "family hour." On both 30 Rock and The Office, the writers let loose, basically presenting what you might call adult rated moments in what NBC asserts is family time. All I have to say to that is, "What? There's a family hour? Since when?" Apparently, I wasn't the only one caught off guard by the raunchiness of the family hour. The Parents Television Council just today rescinded their praise for NBC's claim that programs in the 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. time period would target families. PTC is calling NBC's pledge "hypocritical."

For those that haven't heard, Robin Sparkles makes a triumphant return to How I Met Your Mother this coming Monday night, featuring guest appearances from Alan Thicke and James Van Der Beek.

Turns out, "Let's Go to the Mall" was only the A-side to her wildly popular Canadian pop single, first heard in the episode "Slap Bet." The B-side? "Sandcastles in the Sand," a cheesy ballad chock full of Canadian and 80's goodness... even though the song was supposedly recorded in the early 90's.

Well if you can't wait to hear it, now you can. Variety received the song and you can stream it from their website here. While not as catchy as "...Mall," the tune is still hilarious, full of Canuck references ("Together we were gonna travel the globe, from Alberta to Ontario.") and funny one-liners ("I miss your hair."). There's nothing yet on Sparkles' MySpace page, except the artwork for the album. I'm sure the full video will be posted after the show airs. It's sure to be an another huge viral hit for CBS and HIMYM.

Not to knock on How I Met Your Mother, because I love it, but we sure are reading about it a lot lately, huh? It's sort of like being one of those people that liked a band before it got popular. I was big supporter of HIMYM in the BBS (Before Britney Spears) era, and now "the little sitcom that could" is all anyone is writing about.

While the show has enjoyed up and down ratings over the course of its 2 1/2 season run, the return from the WGA Strike saw it post its biggest numbers ever with a guest appearance from that chick who used to be married to K-Fed. The same ep featured Scrubs' Sarah Chalke as a dermatologist who removed Ted's butterfly tattoo. Now comes word from Ausiello that Chalke may be coming back.

Much like Neil Patrick Harris' objections to Brit Brit having another shot, I'm against the return of Chalke 100%.

Have you been missing those references to Scherbatsky's Canadian life? If you know what I'm talking about then you'll be overjoyed to know that on April 21, How I Met Your Mother will be all about Robin Sparkles, Robin Scherbatsky's alter-ego teen singing star. The entire episode is planned as a flashback to the 1980s 1990's when Robin became a one-hit wonder with the song "Let's Go to the Mall." Well, it turns out that wasn't her only song. Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, How I Met Your Mother's co-creators, composed a ballad. "Sandcastles in the Sand" was the flip-side of "Let's Go to the Mall." It's supposedly in the style of a power break-up ballad, like "Foolish Beat" and "Toy Soldiers."

Do you like trailers? Does the idea of a quick wrap up of what you missed in previous episodes make sense to you? Are you a fan of clip shows, i.e. an episode devoted to highlights from past shows? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you're likely going to be really happy about this: Eyelab has been re-editing programming into mini-versions of CBS shows for distribution online. TV Squad had a report about this a while back, but now it's fully operational. Take a look at this Real Hollywood Story/The New Adventures of Old Christine mini, which is posted after the jump.

Here are the weekly TV ratings, by number of viewers.

There's really nothing interesting about the ratings this week (American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, blah, blah, blah), except for the fact that ABC's Primetime got into the top 20 with their "What Would You Do?" special. That and the fact that FOX's 'Til Death is on the list.

The return of How I Met Your Mother made the top 20 too.

1. American Idol - Weds (FOX)
2. American Idol - Tues (FOX)

This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we'll supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com or call and leave a message at (775) 640-8479 - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: 30 Rock, Desperate Housewives, Greek, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, How I Met Your Mother , Numb3rs, Smallville and Ugly Betty. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)