(S03E10) I am so happy to know that gyms become passé by the year 2030. I agree with Old Ted / Bob Saget's voice: They are silly things. Silly, silly things that make you sweat indoors in a boring environment for extremely high amounts of money. After all, a pair of walking or jogging shoes are cheap and the outdoors are free, and more interesting...
Anyway, do I dare say that this episode was funnier than "Slapsgiving?" Yes, I do dare. I think the reason this episode was so good could be summarized in one word: Barney. Whenever we delve into Barn's life, we always find gold. Tonight, given Barney's yips at the Victoria's Secret after-party, I think we skipped past gold and struck uranium.
Oh, Barney's yips were classic... from "Yeah, it's called I'm Gonna Get In Your Panties Incorporated," to telling a model who doesn't know much English that she has "very nice honkers," then pointing them out to her and goeing "Auoooga!" when the comment goes over her head.
But the best one is when he choked when holding his "legen... wait for it..." signature line, leading a model to think he was having a stroke. That is my Best Barneyism of the week.
He even went "goobody goobody goobody" to Heidi Klum. But her pep talk on how to get past the yips (or whatever made-up 20-letter German phrase she used for it) was a highlight of the night. By the way, did anyone notice that Ted was extremely smooth with all the models, including Ms. Klum (or Mrs. Seal... didn't Barney know she was married)? But he didn't get anything because of Barney. And what happened to Marshall? There are CBS publicity photos of him interacting with Klum and others, but those scenes must have been cut out.
As fun as all that was, the story of how Barn lost his virginity to Rhonda "The Manmaker" French might have been even better. We got nested flashbacks -- Rhoda telling Barney's mother about her conquests, using not-so-clever single-entendre -- Wayne Brady's return as Barney's brother James, and another glimpse of the wimpy, hemp-wearing, Coffee Shop Barney we met last year. It figures that James, who didn't quite know he was gay "all the way back" in 1998, would overcompensate on the macho side, equating everything to football and sports, when all he wanted to do was think of baseball players during sex (and not for the reason most men think of baseball during sex). "Hers is the only vagina for me. It's not scary at all" he tells The Manmaker when she wants him to pay her in a certain way for his request to deflower Barney.
As you'd expect, we had shifting perspectives and realities when it came to the deflowering. But when Barney shrugged off the yips by re-bedding Rhonda, there was only one perspective: she had her world rocked, and he was bored. At least we don't have to see Barney in a hoodie anymore.
The gym plot was minor, but had its funny moments, mainly when we saw Lily get stretched out from Marshall's perspective of doing seemingly thousands of sit-ups. I'm guessing the insane trainer is a take-off of the nutball trainers we see on reality shows like The Biggest Loser, but it wasn't particularly funny. Except, of course, when Lily told her "You're fired, bitch!" over the phone.
Ted and Robin's pieces of the gym story were better. It seems fitting, given Robin's alpha-male tendencies, to see her not only butch it up at the gym but sweat and grunt as she lifted free weights. She may be skinny, but she's a lot more man than Ted probably is. "I want to get super strong so I can punch you in the face!" she tells Barney when he tells the group about why he's a gym member: to invest in women who are trying to lose weight ("They fat!" he tells Ted). Did the grunting and sweating really kill Ted's lingering sexual tension with Robin (and, conversely, did Ted's straining with the medicine ball kill Robin's desire)? We'll see...
More fun stuff:
- The response to the loss of sexual tension: a hand wave and the word "Gone."
- The Victoria's Secret tie-in wasn't exactly subtle, given the ad for the fashion show CBS put on right before the tag and the credits.
- I haven't seen Stephanie Faracy (Rhonda) in a while. According to IMDb, she was in an episode of Ugly Betty this year, so she's still around. She's guest starred in more shows than even Maggie Wheeler...
- "This isn't a regular season game," said Barney about the VS after-party. "This is the World Series." I wonder why he uses so many sports analogies....
- Marshall to Lily: "You'll always be my sugar." I love when Marshall gets all Barry White with Lily.
- I wonder if the beer hat James was wearing was just part of Barney's retelling of his deflowering or did James actually wear that thing in an effort to overcompensate? I liked how he called having sex with women "gross" but felt it had to be done.
- "I rose like a phoenix from her mentholated bosom" is one of my favorite lines of the year.
- Ted's had some creative excuses to not work out, huh? I'd have just gotten a massage every day and forgot about making excuses. The extra expense would have been worth it.
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-26-2007 @ 10:57PM
Fred Mertz said...
Blech! Worst. Episode. Ever. Nothing even close to a laugh in the first 15 minutes.
Reply
11-26-2007 @ 11:08PM
Ryan said...
I'm more in the middle. Didn't LOVE IT like Joel did, but it's definitely not the "worst.episode.ever" according to Fred. It was a solid episode that delivered some good laughs.
Reply
11-26-2007 @ 11:11PM
Steve said...
I thought is was a pretty good episode as well. Barney is really funny when he's freaking out,like tonight when he couldn't hit on the models
Reply
11-26-2007 @ 11:13PM
shawn said...
yeah, this was probably the weakest episode so far this season.
not to say it didn't have laughs.
but FAR from the best.
And better than Slapsgiving?
NO WAY IN HECK BROTHA!
Reply
11-26-2007 @ 11:14PM
keepitreal said...
barney's best moments made me not hate this episode but it still may be the worst himym episode ever. there has to be one and i have never enjoyed one less as a whole...maybe upon second viewing that will change but wow, this missed.
Reply
11-26-2007 @ 11:26PM
khamel said...
better than slapsgiving? not even close. it wasn't terrible but it wasn't really all that great.
Reply
11-27-2007 @ 12:15AM
Zarquon said...
This was by no means better than Slapsgiving. In fact I forgot to come back from the kitchen after a commercial and missed a whole section (maybe that was the funny part). But what I did catch was better than eps 2 and 3 of this season. I was truly concerned about the series after ep 3.
"I wonder why he uses so many sports analogies...."
He's a closet monogamist! There was a little more Barney/Robin chemistry this week...
Reply
11-27-2007 @ 12:17AM
Mike said...
Rhonda couldn't think of a phrase for the chinese food delivery guy? How about "I'd let him kung pow my chicken". So easy.
Reply
11-27-2007 @ 1:44AM
Andrew said...
This is definitely the worst episode this season. I only got 2 or 3 laughs, when I usually average about 9 or 10 per episode.
Reply
11-27-2007 @ 2:11AM
JD said...
This one couldn't beat Slapsgiving but it kept the momentum going. It also wins the award for most guest stars in an episode.
I loved Wayne Brady, and Heidi Klum was a nice surprise, the girl can act!
Check out my full recap:
http://www.have-you-met-ted.com/2007/season-3-episode-10-the-yips-discussion/
Reply
11-27-2007 @ 2:30AM
jds65 said...
I'm confused how Barney, who manipulates and lies to people so much, could not recognize that Rhonda was lying to him. Seriously, he thought he had rocked her world.
Reply
11-27-2007 @ 4:20AM
JessicaRae said...
I thought this was a great episode! I agree about Heidi - she is funny and she can definitely act :)
To #11: Barney wasn't manipulative back then, so he probably didn't realize it. Also, people hear and see what they want. He perceived things as he wanted to, I'd say.
Read my full review of this episode, here:
http://www.sofachip.com/2007/11/27/how-i-met-your-mother-delving-into-barneys-unique-psyche/
Reply
11-27-2007 @ 7:07AM
Alicia said...
YEa... this episode was so so. I mean it was not near the calliber of Slapsgiving (which is good. Do we really want to watch Slapsgiving-like show every week? Where would be their chance to hit it out of the ball park?)
I looked at my husband afterward and went "eh." and he agreeed. I'm glad I watched it, but I wasn't sad when it was over.
Reply
11-27-2007 @ 7:54AM
fred said...
wow, i'm surprised not everyove loved this episode. I mean I wouldn't call it "best ever" or of the season, but still pretty great!
The whole gym thing had his moments, though it wasn't always hilarious, but we had some pure Barney classic !!
That guy is hilarious, and watching him trying to hit on models and failing so bad was the greatest thing in a while !! I loved it, and if only for that I think this episode can not be called bad, even less worst ever!
There was a couple of continuity things that bugged me a little though, like when did that scene with Barney and his brother took place ? Because I remember back in season one, when we first saw that story, and Barney left crying, got a flyer telling him to "suit up!", and went right off to cut his hair, shave, and, well, suit up!
Anyways, great episode I thought, so yeah, "let's all punch Barney in the face!" (ps: loved the little kiss Barney sent to Robin when she mentioned how she wanted to punch him...)
http://88.191.26.34/i_watch_tv/2007/11/27/how-i-met-your-mother-the-yips/
Reply
11-27-2007 @ 9:45AM
Lizbeth said...
The gym part is only funny if you've ever worked out with a trainer. I did two years ago-- and I came home in pain and stayed in pain for days (I seriously couldn't walk down a flight of stairs). But she did whip me into shape fast.
Reply
11-27-2007 @ 10:09AM
KMF said...
I really liked this episode. Whenever old 'granola' coffee shop Barney makes an appearance it's hilarious to me, since when I was in my teens all my friends looked like that and I even had a 'zine' later on.
Oh and Joel, granola Barney wasn't wearing a 'hoodie' he's wearing a 'baja jacket'. It was the staple of my generation (in the midwest at least) through jr high-college.
Okay the episode wasn't a laugh riot, but it was till solid, and very funny. I can't complain. :)
Reply
11-27-2007 @ 5:26PM
Joel Keller said...
KMF, I was talking about the hoodie Barney was wearing after he found out what happened with Rhonda. At that point, he not only had the yips but he completely lost his mojo. And that last sentence was probably the silliest one I ever wrote. :)
11-27-2007 @ 10:37AM
Shmuffin said...
Thank goodness other commenters agree...I was shocked when the reviewer thought this this this "thing" they call an episode was better than Slapsgiving. I don't think I laughed out loud once like I normally do and only was gave a noise that sounded like okay that was a little funny. Compared to Slapsgiving this was a snore...even my Beau agreed, he was just starting to get into HIMYM and was almost sold with Slapsgiving. Now I think he's a little "eh" on the matter.
Reply
11-27-2007 @ 12:10PM
nattyff said...
are you kidding me?? it seems like i saw a complete diferent episode that you guys!!! i do think that was a great funny episode.... how is that i'm so of?? seriusly it's kind of weard!!! LOL
May i ask an of topic question?? (don't be mad please!!) how is that tv squad makes reviews of almost every show out there (witch is great because i see almost everything too) but they don't review NCIS or the Unit??? i woud love to come here and discuss these shows as i do with the others... it's like theres something missing in my viewing experience without the complement review... :)
Reply
11-27-2007 @ 12:19PM
Nicolas said...
Heidi Klum said "Ach du meine Güte, nichts klappt mehr, überhaupt gar nichts mehr, so 'ne *****ße!" or in English: "My goodness, nothing's working anymore, absolutely nothing, s**t!" ;)
Reply