One of the reasons I like to watch Grey’s Anatomy is the way the writers tend to highlight some of the more unusual medical ailments and diseases out there. This not only makes the show more interesting to viewers but also brings some much-needed attention to the very real problems that regular people face on a daily basis.

I just received an email from someone telling me that a rare disease called Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) will be featured in an upcoming GA episode. It’s supposed to be tomorrow night’s show, but the air date has already changed once, so it’s not exactly written in stone.

FOP is a rare genetic condition that causes muscles and connective tissue to turn to bone — essentially creating a second skeleton. This causes a great deal of pain and suffering, and can eventually lead to immobility.

As rare as FOP is, I actually know someone who has this disease, so the whole issue is very important to me. Please visit the official FOP website to learn more, and be sure to tune into Grey’s Anatomy on Thursday night to see what kind of storyline they’ve got in store.

I realize that I’m a couple days late with my recap of episode 2×18 of How I Met Your Mother, but in my defense, I watch four different shows on Monday night, so a couple of them obviously have to get pushed to the backburner. At any rate, the episode that aired on March 19 was called “Moving Day” and dealt with Ted and Robin’s recent decision to live together. Here’s what happened.

The day has finally come for Ted to clear out of the apartment and move in with Robin. He enlists the gang’s help, and everyone obliges except for Barney. Barney’s convinced that Ted and Robin are making a mistake and that moving in together will hasten the end of their relationship. Ted doesn’t listen to Barney, so Barney takes matters into his own hands by hijacking Ted’s moving truck.

Ted still has one box left (pot lids), so he heads on over to Robin’s place anyway. After just a couple of hours, it becomes clear that there will be some boundary issues with these two. For example, Robin doesn’t want a TV in the bedroom, but that means there won’t be anyplace else to put Ted’s set. Ted wants to unpack his pot lids, but Robin says her kitchen is too small and there’s no space for them. Just when things are getting even more strained, Barney calls back and tells Ted to listen up if he wants to get his stuff back.

Barney then makes Ted suit up and go out for one last night of “bro stuff” (laser tag, drinking) before he becomes a hen-pecked boyfriend who has to check in with the old lady before making any decisions. Ted agrees, and then ends up having a good time with Barney.

As the episode unfolds, we see how Lily and Marshall can’t function in their apartment without Ted there, and we see Robin thoroughly enjoying her time alone while Ted is out with Barney. In the end, Ted and Robin mutually agree that moving in together is not the right thing to do, so they unpack Ted’s things at his old place.

My Reaction: I thought “Moving Day” was a pretty good episode. It was nice to see Barney have a bigger role and to see him get a storyline that didn’t involve him being a total cartoon or caricature of himself. He was actually right in saying that Ted and Robin shouldn’t move in together, and I liked how he convinced Ted of that fact.

I usually like Ted, but I thought he was a bit annoying in this episode. He was too smug and self-righteous, both with Barney and with Robin.

Overall, though, this was a fun episode of How I Met Your Mother; I liked it. The show won’t be on again until April 9 with an ep called “Bachelor Party.” Can’t wait!

The newest episode of Prison Break that aired Monday, March 19 was number 2×20 and was called “Panama”. If you missed the FOX broadcast and didn’t remember to fire up your TiVo, you can watch Prison Break online on MySpace. Anyway, here’s a quick recap of what happened.

Sarah: Sarah finally realizes that the feds are tailing her, so she decides to stop the car, give herself up, and not lead them to Michael and Linc. She knows that Michael would want to come after her, so she calls him on his cell and tells him that she’s actually on board the freighter and will find him after they pull away from the dock. Michael buys the story, but senses that something isn’t quite right. Just as the boat is leaving, he can see police cars on the dock and he knows that Sarah got busted. Michael wants to jump out and go after her, but Linc convinces him that there’s really nothing they can do.

Michael/Linc: Once Michael accepts that he can’t help Sarah, he resigns himself to the journey to Panama. When the brothers arrive, they head to a small shop run by an old woman. The woman recognizes Michael instantly, says that he’s late, then hands him an envelope containing the location to “Christina Rose.” Before leaving, Michael asks Linc to wait outside for a moment. He then goes in the back and tries to use the phone to call Sarah. But before he can connect, Linc comes in and hangs up. That was the smartest thing the guy’s done all season.

So the brothers continue their journey through Panama, eventually arriving at a beach. There, moored all by itself to a long pier is a yacht named the Christina Rose. Michael opens it up using the combination 617 (from one of his tats) and the boys get ready to sail off into the sunset.

Mahone: Mahone realizes that one of the other agents is trying to take him down, but he doesn’t do anything about it. Instead, he spends a week poring over Scofield’s files and papers again to see if he can get a lead as to where the brothers might be headed next. Of course he figures everything out, and by the end of the episode he’s sitting in an airport ready to jet off to Panama. Oh, and he posed as Sucre and posted on the EuropeanGoldfinch.net message board. Michael responded, so I guess these two will be meeting up soon. At least the writers put that “One Week Later” title card out there. They must be listening to all the viewer complaints about Mahone getting on track so quickly.

Bellick/Sucre/T-Bag: Bellick and Sucre go after T-Bag, and they manage to spot him at the airport, where he paid some other guy $20 to claim his luggage containing $5 million. Sucre runs after T-Bag, but T-Bag is able to hop into a cab and drive off. Sucre and Bellick then spend the rest of the episode trying to track him again, and they get a phone call towards the end saying that T-Bag has been picked up — presumably for murdering yet another prostitute in his hotel room.

C-Note: He received his Get Out of Jail Free card, and reunited with his family.

My Reaction: I thought this was another strong episode, so I was happy about that. I like the fact that the plot is progressing along, even if I don’t agree with the moves that the characters are making. For example, how many damn times have Michael’s plans been interrupted/anticipated by Mahone? Can’t Michael figure out that Mahone has the key to the plans (the tattoos)? You’d think that somewhere along the line, Michael would just abandon the grand plan and adopt a different course. I mean, is it necessary that they start sailing around on a yacht right away? Wouldn’t it be smarter to get lost in Panama for a couple of weeks or a month or something???

This latest episode made me realize how much the T-Bag character disgusts me. I absolutely HATE that little flicker thing that the actor does with his tongue. I just want to throw things through my TV when I see Robert Knepper do that. And no, that’s not a testament to his skill as an actor. It just means that it’s time for this character to DIE ALREADY. And why is T-Bag always with women? Shouldn’t he be with men? Or was he just doing that in prison because there was nothing else available. Even outside of prison he seems rather effeminate, so…?

Anyway, I’m looking forward to the next couple of eps. I wonder how the writers will end this season and I wonder what the new pursuit will be for the third season. Can’t wait to find out!