‘How I Met Your Mother’ Season 8 Wolfs Out With ‘True Blood’s Joe Manganiello

As 'How I Met Your Mother' nears the end of the series (or not, if CBS gets their way), the more familiar faces are bound to pop up to send the show off into the sunset.  We already learned that two love interests past of Ted and Robin will return for the show's (potentially) final season, but now Marshall will be getting a blast from the past as well.  'True Blood's Joe Manganiello will be stopping by, but when can we we expect to see him?

It's always nice to go back and see your favorite TV stars before they were well known enough for their own shows.  So while we wouldn't expect to see former 'The Walking Dead' star Jon Bernthal' popping up on 'How I Met Your Mother' again (yeah, seriously), we're excited to see that 'True Blood' and 'Magic Mike' star Joe Manganiello will reprise his former role for two episodes of the eighth season, according to TVLine.

Last seen in season 5, Manganiello's Brad was a law school friend of Marshall's who popped up now and again, even taking Robin on a hockey game date once.  Since 'How I Met Your Mother,' Manganiello has found his own mainstream success as chisled werewolf Alcide Herveaux of 'True Blood,' recently co-starring in the Channing Tatum stripper flick 'Magic Mike.

Manganiello isn't the only familiar face 'How I Met Your Mother' fans will recognize this season, as former guest star and 'Battlestar Galactica' alum Michael Trucco will make another appearance as an object of Robin's affections, while Ashley Williams will continue her role as Ted's former love-interest Victoria into the premiere and beyond.

What say you?  Are you excited to have Alcide Joe Manganiello returning to his 'How I Met Your Mother' roots?  What other past characters would you like to see reprised for the *final* season?  Give us your thoughts in the comments below!