(S02E08) You mean to tell me that Atlantic City has a lot of old people crowding the slot machines and is full of garbage on the beach? Who knew?Actually, AC, while not the "Shangri-La" that Las Vegas is, isn't as horrific as TV writers would lead you to believe. But it was a good backdrop for tonight's rare one-story episode.
So...Marshall and Lilly are back together. Like I said last week, it would have been nice for them to explore them trying to co-exist as friends in the group for a little while longer, but the deed is done. Now, they're starting to talk about marriage again; Marshall even makes Lilly get down on a knee and propose all formal-like. But instead of getting up in front of Marshall's family, who still might be a little miffed at Lilly for leaving him, they decide to elope in Atantic City.
At this point I was thinking, "Hey, wait a minute! You just can't elope in AC like you can in Vegas!" And I was right, as Marshall and Lilly found out. So the adventure begins: standing on line at the courthouse, waiting for a judge to come out of the bathroom waive the waiting period, trying to find a sea captain to marry them in international waters.
Really, all of that was kind of on the lame side. It was the little things surrounding the wedding search that were funny: Robin's bikini "bridesmaid shirt" and visor, both of which drove Ted wild (he loved her shirtboobs); the fact that Barney found a veil from a woman who he knew wasn't going to use it; the 18-minute bachelor party (Robin: "Does it smell like strippers in here?"); the supposed aging of the gang as they waited for the judge, only to see that five seniors dressed like them swiped the group's seats. All of it was good.
And it was also good to see that Barney had... uh... a little gambling problem. But it wasn't craps and blackjack he was addicted to; it was a weird Chinese game that involved cards, tiles, jellybeans, and a wheel of fortune. It was also the Best Barneyism of the week. What was the name of the game he was playing with all of his old Chinese gambling buddies? Ching-hisabuching? I'm sure it was made up by Carter and Craig. But I do like the fact that Marshall somehow was able to figure the game out by just watching it. "Split the tiles and go for the jellybean," he tells Barney (or something like that). Man, if he's half as good at practicing law as he is at figuring out wacky Asian card games, all of his opponents in court better watch out.
Second best Barneyism: "AC... always in decline, never hitting bottom."
Luckily, Marshall and Lilly came to their senses and didn't get married. And Robin, bless her heart, is starting to waver on her "never wanting to get married" stance, which is good for Ted. Right now, I like the two of them as they are; the longer we wait for them to continue to explore what seems like a doomed relationship, the better.
A couple of items:
- Ted's the project manager of that building now. He's on his way.
- At Robin's crappy news station, they don't care if the cameraman reads the news. Sounds like the local news channel here in Jersey.
- Never understood the appeal of keno. But Barney likes it; he kept checking a card in his pocket as the wedding chapel lady kept calling out numbers.
- Seeing everyone get a pedicure was also a lot of fun.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-13-2006 @ 10:43PM
tcheese said...
Ching-hisabuching translates to "Can or Cannot?" (or Should or Should not"). This was a great episode because we got to see more of Barney's past. And Robin's shirt was, for whatever reason, incredibly hilarious everytime it was on screen.
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11-13-2006 @ 11:57PM
Trace said...
Hilarious! This show is one that I actually laugh out loud while watching it. Definitely one of the better comedies on television!
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11-14-2006 @ 12:50AM
Jane said...
It's trut, the show is great! And I'v glad that Marshall and Lilly are still together. :)
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11-14-2006 @ 1:20AM
Mark said...
Marshall guessed how the game works because he's *really, really good* at games. They established this last season.
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11-14-2006 @ 8:15AM
KMF said...
I'm happy to see Marshall and Lily back together, I don't know why but it really bothered me that they weren't a couple. Robin's shirt, where can I get one? It was hilarious! I loved the Ching-hisabuching game scene, it was so wacky and when Marshall figured it out it was a scream. How I Met Your Mother is the only reason I look forward to Mondays.
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11-14-2006 @ 10:00AM
Dave said...
Has this show always had a canned laugh track? For some reason, I found that really annoying last night, especially in the opening Marshall and Lilly in the kitchen scene. It seemed very out of place and intrusive. This show is funny enough that one doesn't need to be prompted when to laugh. And gee, if this show had a laugh track all along and I never noticed until last night? That would be scary too!
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11-14-2006 @ 10:19AM
Chris W said...
I *think* the laugh track is new this season. I don't get why they put it in either. The show's not even filmed live, it's a one-camera show. Oh well, it's only distracting to an extent. As long as the writing stays good, I'll put up with it.
Anyone foresee a role-reversal with the Ted-Robin marriage thing? Like Ted now doesn't want to get married and Robin does? Probably the beginning of the end for them. One thing that worries me is if they can sustain the friendships/relationships with a 5-person cast where everyone is kind of paired off, Barney being the exception. People aren't going to put up with another on-again-off-again couple like Ross and Rachel, but the stories might get old if they don't change things up from time to time.
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11-14-2006 @ 10:33AM
Dan said...
Laugh track? I read last year that they didn't want to use one, but couldn't tape with an audience because of all the quick scene switches. So they showed the final cut to an audience and captured the real response.
Anyone know if this is true? Still true?
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11-14-2006 @ 10:38AM
dave said...
The show is a 4-camera show, shot like any other 4-camera show, but without the audience (there was an article last year saying as much).
I believe it is played back to an audience for "live reponses" a la the last season of "All in the Family" and the entire run of "Archie Bunker's Place" and few other shows. So it's "semi-canned" laughter.
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11-14-2006 @ 10:45AM
Chris W said...
I think I remember that article. My mistake.
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11-14-2006 @ 11:00AM
NearFar said...
Was I the only one that totally got the joke at the end about the Chinese gamblers? That is exactly how the Chinese gamble...they are so crazy like that!
BTW: I hope that did not sound racist... but in defense, I'm Asian :D
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11-14-2006 @ 11:13AM
Danny said...
I just hope that the reason jellybeans and chair-changing were involved in the game was because Ted didn't understand the game and therefore didn't know how to describe it to his kids, rather than having us believe that there actually is a game like that and that Marshall could somehow figure out that a jellybean would be involved.
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11-14-2006 @ 2:16PM
Christian H. said...
Was it me or did they miss a "f*cking" in the beginning of the episode? I think it was when Lilly proposed to Marshall in the kitchen...
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11-14-2006 @ 6:49PM
Karen said...
"Ching-hisabuching translates to "Can or Cannot?" (or Should or Should not")."
Thanks, tcheese! So, does that mean that this was the Chinese version of "Deal or No Deal"?
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11-14-2006 @ 8:06PM
Chris said...
They have always had the laugh track. It frustrates me because it's the only reason that my friend won't watch the show. I never noticed it until he complained and now I can't stand it either. It just doesn't need it...it's a riot as it stands.
Chris
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