How I Met Your Mother is apparently The Best Show I’m Not Watching. Are you? If so, you actually know whether or not Britney was any good when she guest-starred recently. HIMYM star Neil Patrick Harris seemed to think so last month, telling People:

“She has a good sense of comedy, and has interesting choices. It wasn’t like she has just been told to stand up there and deliver those lines. I was really surprised by that. She’s really funny!”

“She seems to be doing very well… No strange accents. She seemed comfortable… I want to allow her to show a different side of herself. We’re proud of her desire to change her image.”

Wow! I’d call that an unqualified rave. And her guest spot gave them a nice ratings boost besides. So the ol’ Doogster must be eager to see her come back, right?

Wellllllll… According to the AP:

If Neil Patrick Harris had his way, Britney Spears would be banned from the set of “How I Met Your Mother.” Nothing against the pop singer personally — he just doesn’t think the show should bring guests aboard for a ratings boost alone.

“I’m in the minority that our show does not need stunt casting in order to succeed… I worry that if they start ‘Will and Grace’-ing us too much, that the show will suffer… I think we have a great show going, and I hope it’s not screwed up by the desire for 700,000 more viewers.”

Ouch! Sounds like “good sense of comedy” and “really funny” aren’t cutting it anymore.

The AP then asked Harris about who’ll be cast as the “mystery woman” who’s been slandering Barney, his character on the show:

“No telling, but based on the stunt casting we’ve done in the past I’m guessing Tara Reid.”

Damn. He really does want to see a different side of Britney: her backside, as the door’s not hitting it!