Episode 412

Today, I'd like to take a look at four characters who this past week officially made their way from rock star to rock bottom (whether temporary or permanent). These four television men have fallen from grace into their own personal hells. Beginning with the most recent:

Jake: We couldn't have a season of The Bachelor without a twist (are they even twists anymore if we're expecting them?). Last night, not only did Jake "pull a Mesnick" after having his heart broken by one of the less desirable women on the show, but that same woman (at least based on previews) will pull a Swiderski (I'm going to go ahead and claim coinage on that last one). The point is that Jake -- arguably the nicest bachelor ever -- went from being on top of the world, to crying over a banister.

Barney: On this week's episode of How I Met Your Mother, Barney finally realizes an ultimate dream, thanks to his stint at the Super Bowl. He has every woman (TV-watching women, by the way) calling him until he is literally driven insane wondering if the girl on the phone will be hotter than the girl he has in bed. Other than maybe during his relationship with Robin, I don't think we've ever seen him so pathetic.

David Wallace: Who saw this coming? David Wallace was perhaps the most normal person at Dunder Mifflin (who can forget that incredible scene when Michael tells him "I think you're a nice guy, too"?). He had his head on his shoulders, treated everyone -- no matter how Dwightish -- with respect and seemed to have his life in order. This past week, though, we saw him fall (not literally) into a hot tub while pitching unintentionally sexually charged children's toys to his former employee.

Ben: I don't know which was worse -- the look on Ben's face when he saw Locke's body in the coffin or the similar look when fake-Locke told him what Locke was thinking in his final moments: "I don't understand." And that's exactly what Ben must have been thinking when realized what he'd just done. Think about Season 2 Ben and how far he's fallen since then. I hate to compare LOST to Gossip Girl (clearly I will anyway), but his transformation is very reminiscent of Chuck's transformation from near-rapist to lost puppy.