How I Met Your Mother Season 9, Episode 5 "The Poker Game" keeps Cristin Milioti away from the viewers, again. Two days before the wedding, the HIMYM showrunners decide to show Katie Holmes instead. And she's in her Slutty Pumpkin costume at "The Roof." Meanwhile, which HIMYM co-creator winds up crying while drafting Episode 20?

Spoiler alert: This feature contains minor spoilers from HIMYM 09x05.

TV ratings reports 7.98 million tuned in to watch How I Met Your Mother Season 9, Episode 5 "The Poker Game" on Monday (Oct. 14). Fans discussing HIMYM in forum sites agree this is the show's first weak episode in its farewell season. Still, one question was answered: Why did it take so long for Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) to see the Slutty Pumpkin (Katie Holmes) again?

Apparently, not receiving a 'thank you note' messed up with Ted's dating life. Then again, viewers already know the Slutty Pumpkin and Ted Mosby have such a bad chemistry, anyway.

How I Met Your Mother Season 9: Ms Stinson vs the future Mrs Stinson?

James (Wayne Brady) play poker with Robin (Cobie Smulders) but things go awry when Robin tells James off for still wearing his ring. As any hurting sensitive man would do, James runs to mommy.

Loretta Stinson (Frances Conroy) warns Robin at the end of the episode. The competition is on between Ms Stinson and the future Mrs Stinson. Who gets to decide on what Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) does next?

When will the 'Mother' Cristin Milioti show up again?

Cristin Milioti was last seen in the two-part premiere of How I Met Your Mother Season 9. Her titular character's name has yet to be revealed. And she hasn't meet any one in the gang except Lily. (At least that's what the avid viewers know.)

Reports say Cristin will be making a surprise appearance soon. The viewers have to be patient. It's still two days before the wedding. Cristin's re-emergence in "How I Met Your Mother" will be a crowd-pleaser, according to reports.

On Twitter, HIMYM co-creator Carter Bays reveals he has finished the first draft of the show's Episode 20 - fifth to the last episode of the final season. He completes the task on board a plane bound for New York. Bays tweeted:

5 hr flight to NYC, wrote entire first draft of #HIMYM episode 920. Was the weird guy typing and crying.

— Carter Bays (@CarterBays) October 12, 2013

In a related tweet, Billy Zabka treats fans to a behind-the-scenes How I Met Your Mother photo with Tim Gunn. (It's Zabka vs Mosby for the best man role, thanks to Barney's complications.)

all is well when @TimGunn ties a Windsor Knot for u. great fun working & playing poker with you Tim! #HIMYM pic.twitter.com/gdLMy8iGDQ — Billy Zabka (@WilliamZabka) October 15, 2013

How I Met Your Mother Season 9 airs Mondays on the U.S. network CBS. In Australia, HIMYM 9 premiered on Sept. 26 on Seven.

More 'How I Met Your Mother Season 9' and TV Guide Features:

How I Met Your Mother Season 9, Episode 4 Review: Cristin Milioti No-Show for Two Weeks, 'What Up?' [PHOTOS, SPOILERS]
Revenge Season 3 'Confession' Men: Barry Sloane, Nick Wechsler Suit Up; Justin Hartley Tan and Gorgeus But -- [SPOILERS]
Once Upon a Time Season 3, Episode 3 Recap, Spoilers; Top 5 Questions, Who is the Man with the Lion Tattoo? [PHOTOS]

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