(S02E18) And so the unraveling begins.We knew Robin liked to sneak a ciggie every so often. We also knew she was a gun nut (but the subscription to Guns & Ammo seems to make her extra sexy, doesn't it?), but who knew she was a Felix Unger-y fussbudget? Boy, every time I heard inhale through her teeth at something her new roomie, Ted, did, I knew the episode was going to end the way it did. In fact, the outcome wasn't that big of a surprise from the start, given the way we likely think their relationship is going to end.
But what I didn't expect was how Barney-centric this episode was going to be. And how I haven't seemed to gotten sick of ol' Barn yet. In fact, he was the key to this very funny episode.
We all knew that Barney wasn't going to let his best friend Ted move in with Robin without a fight. But the way he went about it was brilliant. No, not the quiz from "Old Yellow Legal Pad Magazine," as Robin called it. It was the stealing of Ted's stuff. "Put on the suit!" he -- or someone who looks just like him but hears that Barney is awesome -- tells Ted on the phone. That whole phone call was a nice takeoff on ransom-demand calls that we've seen on TV and in movies through the years. He just wants Ted to have single-guy fun before he becomes "henpecked." But here's what I want to know: when was Laser Tag ever awesome? 1984... maybe? I love the fact that Barn lets the 11-year-old nerd in him come out every so often, but is there even a Laser Tag place in New York? Maybe it's in the basement of a comic book store...
But Barney was just full of good lines this week, so I'm just going to give the entire episode my weekly Best Barneyism award. Though Neil Patrick Harris did do a nice conceptual Letterman impression when he did his "Top Ten Names I Would Have Given My Place if Ted Had Let Me Keep the Truck." My favorite was "18 Squealer." Other fun Barneyisms: the 25-minute "Getting Lucky" timer he had to beat when he took a girl from the bar to his place, when anything could go wrong (and did...); how he set up a bachelor pad in the back of the moving van, using all of Ted's crap; how he tossed the number that Ted got for him (the strongman competition looked old because "the TV is old..." smooth) because the girl was going to be in church the next day. But the best part was when he made complete sense, telling Ted what he knew already: that he doesn't want to move and Robin doesn't want him to move in. It was the most sense Barn has made during the entire run of the series, and, for once, Ted listened to him.
So why do I think it's the beginning of the unraveling? Pretty simple; we're finding out more and more that Robin and Ted are two completely different people who seem to have good romantic chemistry but are doomed as anything more serious than boyfriend and girlfriend. So they both felt they weren't ready and acted too soon... so what? What happens when they try to move in again? The same problems are going to crop up. So, as far as I can see, this is the beginning of the end for the two of them. Of course, I'm a cynic, so maybe I'm just biased...
More fun:
- I love how Marshall and Lily find out pretty quickly -- remember, this episode took place during a single day -- how dependent they were on Ted... for everything. Microwaves. Shopping. Towels (Marshall coming out of the shower covered in wet TP was a sight to see). When Ted came home, the two of them wrapped themselves around them like the tree Marshall talked about, the one that wraps itself around another tree and lives off of it. "This feels so right!" said Marshall lovingly.
- Of course, Marshall forgetting the TP later was a nice call-back to the earlier joke. And, I can't imagine a law student doesn't know the past-tense to "provide" ("provode" is funny, though).
- By the way, what does this say about Marshall and Lily's impending marriage if they can't make it for half a day without Ted around? Of course, Marshall thought of that, saying that the two of them should marry Ted if necessary. "I don't think my father would pay for that ceremony," said Lily, not thinking of any other reason why that wouldn't work.
- I've never seen two people look more unsexy naked. And the fact that one of them was Alyson Hannigan made that even more of a shame. I guess sitting around naked isn't all that much fun.
- The loud sex thing didn't work well either. But wasn't it pretty low when Lily said to Marshall, "at least I was stating the truth?" (He'd keep saying "I'm the best!" while Lily kept saying "Ted's moved out!"
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
3-19-2007 @ 11:09PM
justin said...
It was a great episode, but I thought the Marshall and Lily being too dependent on Ted was a little too much like the Scrubs episode were JD moved out, and Turk and Carla found out they were way too dependent on JD.
Oh, and Barney and Robin are so gonna eventually get together.
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3-19-2007 @ 11:13PM
Joel Keller said...
I knew I had seen a plot like that before. Thanks for reminding me of it, justin.
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3-19-2007 @ 11:22PM
johnperson said...
i agree, it definitely looks like robin and barney are going to get together. it sounds weird, but i think that for the finale, ted and robin break up, and robin, feeling vulnerable, calls barney. oh, and who thinks that ted is going to cope with a break-up like marshall did? i don't personally, i just wanted to throw the idea out there.
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3-19-2007 @ 11:30PM
Charles B. said...
Just sitting around naked, doing normal stuff: not that cool. I'll let the reader figure out when it is.
What really struck me is that they were moving in so fast that they didn't sort out the logistics (we have two microwaves...maybe you could leave yours for Marshal and Lily).
Barney was awesome, though.
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3-20-2007 @ 12:06AM
John said...
"Just sitting around naked, doing normal stuff: not that cool. "
The hell you say.
Of course, I am a (in-home) nudist... =)
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3-20-2007 @ 12:22AM
Z said...
Does anyone else think that "23 minutes to Barney's place" is gonna become an episode later?
Why weren't Marshall's boxers wet?
My favorite part of the episode was when, after Ted said he knew it was Barney on the phone the first time, and Barney responded "It is not me" and the laugh track and/or live studio audience DIDN'T REACT AT ALL. For whatever reason, that tickled me in a way where, if Loretta tickled me like that, I'd say "oh yeah, do that again."
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3-20-2007 @ 1:15AM
Amanda said...
what were all of the
"Top Ten Names I Would Have Given My Place if Ted Had Let Me Keep the Truck."
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3-20-2007 @ 2:03AM
Brett said...
There's a laser tag place in Times Square, for the record. :)
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3-20-2007 @ 2:56AM
Z said...
Barney can't frive, how did he get the moving van to the bar?
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3-20-2007 @ 5:24AM
MrC said...
Good catch on the driving thing.
I liked the Letterman nod at the end, complete with breaking glass when the list is tossed (although it was a poor barmaid dropping a real glass, not a sound effect)
I remember when NPH was on letterman he mentioned the both Curtis and Craig used to write for him.
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3-20-2007 @ 9:28AM
Chris W said...
There is a laser tag place on 46th or 47th st between 6th and 7th.
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3-20-2007 @ 9:20AM
Dave said...
Oh yeah, good catch on the driving. I missed that one. How did that slip by? They're usually really good at those subtle details like that.
I'm just curious, whose apartment is it? Whose name is on the lease, Ted or Marshall or both?
I'm also wondering how close Lily's place is to the bar. Maybe The Barnacle could hook up there.
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3-20-2007 @ 9:24AM
Jimmy said...
Maybe it's me, but this season of HIMYM has been mediocre at best, and the writers are relying on Barney too much to save these medicore episodes; although, the Top Ten was hilarious and my favorite was "69 Chevy." I think a big part of what I haven't liked about this season is Ted and Robin. Separately, the characters are very funny and I think Robin is better suited for Barney than Ted, but together they're just boring. I know the writers aren't going to reveal the "mother" of the title too soon, but we already know Ted and "aunt" Robin are doomed, so that just makes the whole relationship boring to watch.
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3-20-2007 @ 9:36AM
Kerry said...
Nobody has mentioned the FUNNIEST line in the whole show, when Barney and Ted were playing lasertag and they beat what looked like 10 year olds:
Barney(pointing to the kids): Walk of shame...
Barney (pointing to him & Ted): Walk of GAME
One of the best lines ever!
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3-20-2007 @ 10:01AM
Chris W said...
How about Admiral Jerk of the Royal Douchery?
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3-20-2007 @ 10:07AM
Tele-Toby said...
The laser tag place is on W. 46th, just up the street from where I work. (Where were places like that when I was young enough to try them out?)
Favorite Barneyism came from the laser tag scene - about enjoying his onion rings "Han-style": Solo.
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3-20-2007 @ 10:24AM
Michael said...
Top ten things I would have called my truck if Ted hadn't been a jerk and given it back:
10. The Winne-Bang-o
9. The Pickup Truck
8. The Ford Explore-her
7. The you scream truck (like Ice cream)
6. Feels on wheels
5. The Ride-her truck
4. The 18 Squeeler
3. The Esca-laid
2. The Slam Boney
and the number one thing I would have called my truck if Ted hadn't been a jerk and given it back:
1. The 69 Chevy.
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3-20-2007 @ 8:47PM
marko said...
I liked the insertion of bro into various phrases. Bro me.
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3-20-2007 @ 10:35AM
Akbar Fazil said...
This episode was kind of a let down for me. It once again fell into the old cliche of sitcoms that just bug the crap out of me; if the characters would actually just talk about something, they wouldn't be in a bad situation. At least the show mentioned that fact at the end.
About the driving aspect? I too proclaimed when the truck was gone "But Barney can't drive!" However, the bar is right downstairs from Ted and Marshalls apartment. I'm sure Barney could drive it that far really slow (or even go ask someone in the bar to do it for him)
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3-20-2007 @ 11:17AM
CJ said...
Don't get me wrong, Alyson Hannigan is completely adorable, but not someone I desire to see nude.
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