(S04E01) Right now, Sarah Chalke plays two different doctors on two different series. And, as I ponder the mediocre fourth-season opener of How I Met Your Mother, I find it remarkable that Mother's Dr. Stella Zinman is the polar opposite of Scrubs' Dr. Elliot Reid. Elliot can be manic; Stella is always calm. Elliot is completely insecure (though less so now than earlier); Stella is rock-solid sure of herself. Elliot lets life happen to her; Stella takes action.
But who would I want to date? Elliot. Why? Easy; Elliot's interesting; Stella's boring. And therein lies a huge problem.
I've tried to get invested in the Stella-Ted relationship. But, even tonight, with Stella agreeing to marry Ted and Ted using Star Wars as a way to figure out if they're compatible, I just didn't care what the outcome would be.
It might have been because Sarah's double-duty on both shows precluded Bays and Thomas from really developing their relationship; heck, Carter told me as much during my last interview with him. But, for some reason, I'm not buying the chemistry between the two of them. Even Marshall popping up randomly because a) he wants to support his friend and b) he needs to find a job couldn't really save this storyline.
The other "do I know you?" storyline -- Barney and Robin -- was a bit more emotionally satisfying, though not particularly laugh-inducing. We can see Barney struggle back and forth between his feelings for Robin ("I caught feelings. I caught feelings bad.") and wanting to stay true to his "awesome" self.
Lily's coaching was funny; I mean, if she can keep a 5-year-old from eating paste, she can fix ol' Barn, right? But seeing "normal, caring" Barney try to have a real conversation with Robin was a bit disturbing ("It's simply de-wait for it-lightful!"). It makes me wonder if Barn is going to be pining for Robin the entire season; if it is, I don't know if I want to see it. And will that job he encouraged Robin to go for will take her away from Barney in one of those cruel twists of fate? Can this show be that melodramatic?
Other fun stuff:
- "Chimichanga!"
- Barney's ode to the bimbo was the Best Barneyism this week.
- I'd dump Stella for hating Star Wars. Thouch Chalke does a passable Wookie impression.
- Think local news isn't as silly as Robin's channel? You haven't been watching lately...
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
9-23-2008 @ 12:43AM
JJ Forde said...
It did have a rather lackluster start to the semester but still enough points to make me have full confidence in the upcoming season.
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9-23-2008 @ 12:54AM
khamel said...
GREAT episode. This plus probably my favorite Big Bang Theory really turned around my crappy day at work. Loved Barney in this episode.
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9-23-2008 @ 12:54AM
Monkeydog said...
Today's episode was enjoyable. Not the greatest episode ever, but I very much enjoyed the entire ending with Barney.
I think this show seriously just feels like it's dragging on when Ted is in a relationship. I don't know why, but I constantly dislike Ted being in relationships, it just never works well for me.
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9-23-2008 @ 1:02AM
Ryan said...
I enjoyed the season premiere. I LOVE Barney/Robin so Barney pining away, Robin being his wingwoman, and his little peak at Robin's newsast in the end was all sorts of perfect. Will it get tiring if Barney pines away the WHOLE season? Yes. But for now I'm loving it.
And as much as I agree with you about the non-chemistry that Ted and Stella have, I still love the Stella character because she IS cool and collected. She's mature without being a stick in the mud (her "woodie" line and texting Ted shows she's not).
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9-23-2008 @ 2:45AM
jordancda said...
Anyone else think that the forecasted wedding will be one for Barney and Robin and NOT Ted/Stella? I'm not even saying they would actually go through with it...I don't see them marrying Barney off...or Robin. But maybe they'll get close.
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9-23-2008 @ 3:06AM
B said...
Not a great begging, but better than I anticipated where the show was going after last years horrible finale.
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9-23-2008 @ 7:28AM
Martin said...
Come on, the episode wasn't that bad. And it really is good to watch Barney stumble around a girl. Comeon, he can't just be a 2-diimensional character!...
.....rinoceros.....
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9-23-2008 @ 3:18PM
jaime said...
i thought the episode was good but did anyone else find themselves distracted by how skinny cobie smulders (robin) has gotten? somebody give the girl a sandwich.
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9-23-2008 @ 8:58AM
fowak said...
I thought Barney was hilarious in the first 10 minutes of the show, making the phone call to Robin and all. Sooo funny. And I actually enjoyed his more sensitive side though, at first, I did find it a little creepy.
I don't believe that Stella is the mother, I don't think it will work out.
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9-23-2008 @ 9:40AM
kaz said...
I didn't even think about Branry/Robin's wedding.It'l like 2 month from now .So If Ted/Stella going together thier wedding,it's not odd.But Robin going to live with Ted in Ted's appartment.Nothing will happen Barny/Robin, I think.This ep was enjoyrable,not great.I wonder Lilly tell Marshal about Barny's feeling.
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9-23-2008 @ 12:07PM
StillBash said...
I'm sorry but could you maybe ask somebody who's able to write coherent sentences to comment for you?
9-23-2008 @ 1:12PM
Andrew said...
Why do you have to be so rude to everyone? Whenever I see a comment from you it's usually negative.
9-23-2008 @ 10:06AM
Andrew said...
I thought it was a great episode, but that's maybe just because I'm a Star Wars geek and I know how Ted and Marshall feel.
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9-23-2008 @ 10:34AM
StillBash said...
Uhm hello?
Lackluster?
You guys aren't Star Wars fans. Shame on you. ;-)
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9-23-2008 @ 11:00AM
Donna said...
I think "Mother" is dying a slow death. I'm as bored as Ted's two kids with this story. Let's just get to the part where we find out WHO the real mother is already!
Meanwhile, I'm sort of disappointed that no one (so far) at TV Squad has done a review of the Big Bang Theory's first show of the season.
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9-23-2008 @ 11:08AM
CP said...
That ode to bimbos was hilarious. NPH was totally robbed of his well-deserved Emmy.
Ted in relationships makes the show drag because we all know, every time, that the relationship is eventually going to go down in flames unless the woman is Your Mother. If that seems unlikely, then's it's just a matter of waiting for the inevitable, which is distracting.
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9-23-2008 @ 1:45PM
nattyff said...
I'm totaly wth you in that one... and Stella is not the mother, so we are just seen fill up....
The other charaters part, specially Barney were great, they made me LOL many times, good to have mother back!!!
9-23-2008 @ 12:05PM
vacelts said...
I'm still not sure if Stella's the mother. But I loved the whole "must love Star Wars" movie thon.
The scene immediately generated a conversation in our household.
What movie is so important to you that your significant other must like it if you two are to spend the rest of your lives together?
http://redlightnaps.wordpress.com/2008/09/23/himym-4-do-i-know-you/
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9-23-2008 @ 3:45PM
George said...
As HIMYM is still a sitcom at heart, I'm thinking that perhaps Robyn will take the new, more serious news job, which *won't* require her to move away... but one of her first stories will be a "searing" expose of illegal immigration, after which it will be revealed that she herself is an illegal immigrant... at which point Barney will step forward and offer to marry her so she can stay in the US. Much laughter and will they/won't they moments will follow as Barney attempts to explain to Robin that he actually loves her, and then shortly after he gives up she'll realize she's in love with him, and then David Schwimmer and Jennifer Aniston will make cameo appearances, and aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh! Sorry, had an aneurysm there.
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9-23-2008 @ 5:10PM
Karen said...
I laughed out loud consistently throughout this episode. NPH alone makes this show appointment television. What do I care about Ted/Stella's relationship when it provides fodder like the scene of Ted and Marshall gaping at the TV "121 Awesome Minutes Later" and getting ready to watch Star Wars again?
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