(S04E13) Something that's been missing for most of this season of HIMYM is the unique Bays-Thomas method of storytelling. If you're a fan of the show, you know what I'm talking about: you think the story is going one way, you even think that you're keeping up with the time-shifting and story fragments. Then, when the guys finally reveal where they were going with the story, you get a surprising but funnier or more emotional impact. This year, we saw a lot of the time shifting, but not many stories where everything came together at the last minute to make you smile.Until this week, that is. We got the kind of episode that HIMYM die-hards have been craving all year. I just wish the stories that all came together at the end were just a skosh stronger.
Still, it was fun to see the three stories that supposedly all happened at the same time -- Lily's and Marshall's separate quests to keep up their airport meeting tradition, and Ted and Barney running McLaren's for a night -- end up really happening during each day of the three-day blizzard. The only problem is that the Ted/Barney story didn't link up well with the Marshall/Lily story, making for an awkward transition from Tuesday to Thursday. The Ted/Barn story essentially was there to introduce a marching band into the mix, which is a long way to go to explain that little detail of the story.
I will say that L and M's cutsey rituals don't sound that outlandish; my girlfriend and I tell each other what we ate that day all the time (yeah, I know, we're edgy folks, aren't we?), and I'm more on Marshall's side about that than Robin's. We know that Robin's not a complete emotional robot (heck, her robot impression isn't even that good), but she is more alpha male than girly-girl, so her stance is consistent with who she is. I can't see her petulantly pulling over the car in a blizzard just because Marshall said she's emotionless. That was just put there to have the car buried by the plow.
Not really much to say about the Ted/Barn plot. It really wasn't funny enough to make up for the fact that it didn't do well as the connective tissue of this episode. There were moments, of course: Party School Bingo (this week's Best Barneyism); the Cocktail montage, complete with the Beach Boys' "Kokomo" as a soundtrack; Barney calling "dibsety, dibsety, dibsety" on the girl with daddy issues; and the five words every guy should say (though for me, it's actually seven words, since I substitute "hot dog truck" for "bar").
More fun stuff:
- Good to see Ranjit again, though that poor woman he was going to pick up probably doesn't like him too much. Who knew that the man can lift a full keg with one hand?
- How adorable is it that Marshall writes "Lilypad" on the sign he uses when he plays chauffeur?
- Interesting how the entire Scooby gang was never in the same place for this episode, even in the flashbacks. That tends not to work well, but it didn't really hurt this episode.
- If anyone can list the names of the beers Lily bought, I'd appreciate it. There were some good ones in there.
- All you need to know to run a bar: "serve the hotties first."
- Marshall sure has a talent for translating cutesy / dirty talk into work-safe legalese. Not bad for a guy who gets relationship advice from Cosmo Girl.
How I Met Your Mother' Photos
Actor Neil Patrick Harris arrives in an Audi to the Entertainment Tonight Emmy Party at the Disney Concert Hall on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles.
Kevin Parry/WireImage.com
Presenters Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris on stage at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards held at the NOKIA Theatre on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com
Presenters Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris on stage at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards held at the NOKIA Theatre on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Presenters Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris speak onstage during the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kristin Chenoweth;Neil Patrick Harris
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LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Actor Neil Patrick Harris (R) and David Burtka arrive at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** David Burtka;Neil Patrick Harris
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Actor Jason Segel attends CBS Comedies
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Actress Cobie Smulders attends CBS Comedies
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com
Actress Cobie Smulders attends CBS Comedies
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com
Actor Neil Patrick Harris attends CBS Comedies
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com
Actress Alyson Hannigan (R) and her husband, actor Alexis Denisof attend CBS Comedies
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com
Best TV of the '00s: Comedy
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
1-19-2009 @ 11:50PM
Dorv said...
I enjoyed this episode... The only part I didn't like was the bit with the band in the airport.
But Bingo as the Best Barneyism (boy do I love alliteration)? Come on!! "I have all the digits I need right here..."
And I love that we call them the Scoobies. It just kinda fits. As long as they don't start doing it :)
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1-20-2009 @ 12:06AM
John Darc said...
Did they ever say whose car Robin was driving? Or why Lily would be in Seattle? It wouldn't be for art, and it wouldn't be for her job.
And I'm pretty sure Last Call is a state thing, which makes Ted and Barney's ignorance about bars even funnier. They can't just choose to not have Last call. Bar has to close.
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1-20-2009 @ 12:13AM
Ryan said...
I loved it. And I aww'd at the ending.
Sitcoms that are good? Dime a dozen. Sitcoms that are actually funny? A few. Sitcoms that have heart? Relative rare.
And HIMYM is all three.
It's also nice timing since we here in NYC have had some snow this weekend (and today especially).
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1-20-2009 @ 12:41AM
dalex said...
Pretty good episode, but I agree with you about the Barney/Ted running the bar storyline; wasn't all that funny nor relevant. I think the line 'Snow Problem' should receive a mention though; I thought it was a good one!
Beers:
Fort Lager Dale
Minne-Cider
Aspen Yards Ale
Supersonic Tom? (The Seattle Microbrew)
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1-20-2009 @ 4:35AM
jordancda said...
Supersonic Tonic.
The Supersonic is a reference to the (former) Seattle SuperSonics who were named after Boeing's SST projects in the '70's.
1-20-2009 @ 6:03AM
dalex said...
Thanks for correcting. I knew 'Tom' didn't make any sense but the '-ic' wasn't very noticeable.
1-20-2009 @ 1:59PM
cdawg said...
and the beer Aspen Yards Ale - a yard sale is when you wipe out on the mountain and all your stuff is strewn about (a ski here, and helmet there etc etc)
1-20-2009 @ 1:20AM
Chip Douglas said...
The beers hold a special place in my heart. You gotta have traditions no matter how complex and troublesome they are. That's what makes them special.
And that's what makes this show great is that these little things that may be funny or silly, all make us think on something with warmth and love.
I still want them to get to the point and meet the Mother.
I know, it's the journey...
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1-20-2009 @ 3:55AM
djgorm said...
I still do not understand peoples' obsession with figuring out the mother. Enjoy a funny show and stop worrying about the long run
1-20-2009 @ 4:47AM
matt said...
A bartender trusts a guy like Barney with the keys? A Canadian who doesn't understand the concept of a snowplow? An airline that would allow a six-pack on a plane? Am I the only one who could not wrap their brain around this ep?
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1-20-2009 @ 9:06AM
Mike K. said...
I'm right there with you. Well, I can maybe see the bartender giving Ted and Barney the keys. But Robin should know about the snowplow, although she was pretty wrapped up in her argument at that time. But the beer, that was what kind of lost me. Now, I can understand being able to take a sixer on the plane in '98, but now, you have trouble getting a tiny bottle of shampoo on the plane.
1-20-2009 @ 9:18AM
G.R. said...
A great twist towards the ending, they brought Ranjit and Carl back - there isn't much more to ask for a very good episode, one of the best of the season so far.
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1-20-2009 @ 10:08AM
StillBash said...
Everything not Barney sucked and it really showed that they phoned everything not Barney in.
Basically this has become the Neal Patrick Harris show.
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1-20-2009 @ 10:11AM
Michelle said...
I thought it was a good episode. It made me laugh. Probably not my favorite ever, but good none the less. What I like the most about this show is that it takes all the typical "sitcom hijinks" that we have all seen before, and gives it a little twist, so that you can't see it coming from a mile away. I also liked the pairing with Marshall and Robin. They are a good combo. Jason Segal was getting a little "unfunny" at the beginning of the season in my opinion, but he has really gotten back into the stride of why I loved that character.
Oh, and a thought I wanted to share. I thought the same thing as matt and Mike K. about the beer. But, as I read your comments, I thought about something. Lilly didn't have a six pack on the plane in 2009. She got the keg when she got back to NYC, right? Maybe I am remembering the years prior to that (flashbacks) wrong, but I thought they would have fallen before we had the restrictions on the 3 oz. or whatever. What do you think?
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1-20-2009 @ 10:48AM
Ryan said...
Or she could've bought them in the airport duty-free.
1-20-2009 @ 12:54PM
Manuel Reis said...
I liked the episode. A lot.
And I've got nothing else to say except this: And the Emmy goes to... Neil Patrick Harris.
More fun stuff: You can see that Colbie's belly has a little... bump. :P
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1-20-2009 @ 1:31PM
Sarah said...
I loved how Marshall thought Robin hit on him and then told Ted about it. With each episode Jason Segal endears himself to the audience even more.
Oh, and best line of the night goes to Ted:
"Snow problem"
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1-20-2009 @ 1:45PM
metz said...
Right when this EP wrapped up my wife and I both said "that wasn't very good." That pretty much sums it up. All 3 story lines were pretty dull and lacked that edginess that HIMYM is known for.
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1-20-2009 @ 2:30PM
borgetas said...
I liked this episode. One of the best of the season so far. I thought both storylines were funny enough to make this episode a very good one.
Of course they can do a lot better, but we cannot expect they to do an amazing job in every single episode. I still think that How I Met Your Mother is one of the best, if not the best show of the decade, and that won't change because of some lame episodes like "The Fight" (that was a really lame one).
Also, I cannot agree with StillBash. Barney may be the best one of the gang but the show would be nothing without the other caracters, and I don't think the show has become all about Barney either.
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1-20-2009 @ 2:37PM
Joe said...
This was a GREAT episode. The phone conversation between Marshall and Lilly when he was in his meeting was hilarious.
You are dead on, the whole split story line is when this show shines.
http://www.joeonthetube.com
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