Veronica Mars, FBI?

Some people have been asking what I know about this Hollywood Reporter story about "Veronica Mars" doing a time jump to season four so that Veronica will be training at the FBI Academy in Quantico.

Getting details on this one has been hard, because no one wants to talk on the record, and Rob won't talk about it period, but here's what little I've been able to gather:

• If this happens, Veronica won't be studying at the FBI Academy; she'll be a rookie agent.
• All of the actors are still signed for next season, though I can't imagine all -- or even most, or maybe even anybody save Kristen Bell and maybe Jason Dohring -- surviving into the new format, unless Veronica gets assigned to the FBI's Neptune office. (Logan's rich and has nothing better to do than follow Veronica from place to place, assuming they ever get back together.)
  
• The comparative success of the Pussycat Dolls show has made the chances of "Veronica Mars" returning in its current incarnation all but impossible. On the other hand, I know at least one decision-maker at the CW who's intrigued by the possible new format, and everyone there wants to stay in business with Kristen if they can.
  

So that's what I've got. Now three questions for you, my little research monkeys:

• What shows have done a significant mid-series time jump? So far, I've got "Alias," "Galactica" and "Wonder Woman" (which shifted from WWII to the '70s between seasons). I don't count a show that just did a time jump for the finale, like most of the "Trek" spin-offs.
  
• What shows have been successful after so thoroughly changing their premise? I guess if you count "All in the Family" and "Archie Bunker's Place" as one show, that counts, which leads me to...
• If the CW decides they want a new title -- under the theory that new viewers aren't going to come to a fourth year show, even one that's been totally revamped -- what would you call the new show? And I'll pre-empt all the "Silence of the Lamb" suggestions right now. RIP, Lamb.
  

Fire away.

HIMYM: Provode?

"How I Met Your Mother" spoilers coming up just as soon as the second hand on my watch tells me 23 minutes have passed...

So good to have a new episode, even if we're back in reruns next week. Lots of funny stuff, which I'll list bullet point-style in a second (which is either my new shorthand for an episode too good to say anything else about, or else just a sign that I'm starting to phone it in), but also two important thematic elements.

First, another reminder that Ted and Robin aren't meant to be, and why. And the more I see of Robin independent of Ted, the more convinced I am that she and Barney are destined to be together -- though, given their obsessions with keeping their apartments just so, I imagine that they'll never actually co-habitate, just hang out for smokes, Laser Tag (and more potent firearms) and sex, then go happily sleep in their own beds.

Second, it established again that, while most of us could take or leave Ted, especially as the main character, Marshall and Lily and Barney all badly need Ted as he currently is to make their lives work. I guess the hug at the end said he was the inside tree, huh?

And now for the obligatory list o' funny stuff:

• The 23 minutes flashbacks, especially the one with the woman looking to have revenge sex with Barney;
• Lily and Marshall arguing about what they can say now that they can have loud sex (though I have a question: why did they bother to get dressed again in between the naked TV-watching and the sex?);
• Barney's impression of the guy from "Saw," plus his Letterman top 10 list, which only former Letterman writers like Thomas and Bays should be allowed to do, since they got the whole structure right (the funniest jokes at the beginning, Barney repeating the joke that bombed) even before Barney broke the glass with the index card;
• A callback to Robin's secret gun obsession ("A hand-grenade phone? Let me give you my work address") and her farewell smoke in the tub;
• Marshall covered in wet toilet paper after his shower, and then the payoff when he failed to provode some more for Lily.

What did everybody else think?

Levi Jones Splits 10s

That has to be the reason why Joey Porter stalked and punched Levi Jones after playing blackjack at the Palms in Las Vegas. Because it really takes something serious for Porter to actually hit somebody. (His dogs, not so much.) Porter is kind of like the Fonzie of the NFL. Sure he has a tough guy image, but have you ever seen him actually hit somebody? Hell, he's kissed more dudes during an NFL game than he has actually punched somebody. Jones� transgressions had to be egregious enough to draw that kind of response from Porter. And the only thing harsh enough to elicit that kind of response would be some dude splitting 10s or other jerk moves at a blackjack table.

Most of those times, beer-impaired Fraternity brothers (which is why you need to be cautious about gambling at O�Shea�s or Hooters) or Boston guys who write for ESPN�s Page 2 perform those kind of moves, but NFL players can be dopes. Hopefully Porter gets cleared for this to send a message to people to start playing better blackjack.

(And for the record, Canseco plays pretty good text-book blackjack, but his betting progressions kind of suck.)