TVSquad

(S04E18) Here's why I sometimes wish I was a sitcom writer: While breaking down a story to use for an upcoming episode, someone brings up the idea of names for Canadian sex acts. Then what occurs is what I would imagine to be one of the all-time funniest brainstorming sessions, where the table of writers just blurts out names like "Musty Goaltender," "Squatting Eskimo," and "Old King Clancy." Then someone comes up with the idea of having Barney find those phrases on a cheesy website, so more hilarity ensues as the website gets created, with the added joke that clicking each phrase generates a picture of an angry Alan Thicke explaining that the site is out of order (My favorite: "Thicke mad. Thicke smash!")

I mean, the cascading jokes on that website alone (see what happens when you right-click on Alan Thicke or click on the words "crack a brown pop," for instance) made this a silly but funny episode, where we find out how funky Canadian sex acts are and also find out how Ted might be able to use his douchery for good.

We've always known that Ted was too pretentious for his own good, but the fact that he decided to press ahead with his plans for peaceful atria and tranquility gardens in GNB's harsh corporate headquarters seemed a bit over the top to me. Why would Ted, who knows that GNB is full of guys who make Barney look compassionate, purposely design a building he knows guys like Bilson won't like?

It just seemed like Bays and Thomas were making Ted obstinate just to advance the plot. Though it was funny that Marshall and Barney managed to create such elaborate lies like the "task force" in order to keep Teddy in the dark about the project being spiked. Heck, it gave us a chance to find out that Marshall thinks that "albondigas" is Spanish for "secret" instead of "meatballs."

But, hey, at least Ted figured out that he's not cut out for designing buildings or ETRs for meatheads like Bilson. It took him getting fired twice in one day, but now he's striking out on his own, getting one step closer to the Old Ted we hear from every week.

The plot about Robin's celebrity encounter was the silly-but-funny part, mostly because of the names of the sex acts (what the hell is a "Reverse Rick Moranis?" Ah, maybe I don't want to find out that one). When we finally found out who the "celebrity" was -- star Canadian wrestler The Frozen Snowshoe -- I ended up feeling the same way as Barney when he chastized the Great White North. "You even found a way to ruin this. Why do we let you be a country?"

More fun stuff:

• Note how dirty Robin is... she was the one who asked for the Old King Clancy (she brought the maple syrup to the Shoe's cabin), not the guy. And she's willing to do the Stiky Flapjack, whatever that is.
• Louisa from the cafeteria: "But I'm engaged to Mr. Barney!"
• Barney's detailed description of his sickly fake pony Dandelion is the Best Barneyism of the week.
• Note how Barney fired people in the ETR: with a wave of his hand. He even did that to a woman he just had sex with under the table. All of them lunged for him... or broke a chair over his back.
• So, apparently Alyson Hannigan is so pregnant that a table isn't enough to hide her baby bump; they actually needed an open laptop, too. Wonder when that's going to start happening with Cobie (she's still in "loose tops" mode)?
• Ted: "I have to think of ways to put my wood into Bilson's dark atrium."
• Apparently the Newfoundland Lobster Trap is something that even Robin wouldn't attempt. "Those newbies are out of control."
• The pictures of the task force that had their names next to them... what movie is that from, folks? Seems like it would be from one of the Oceans movies, but I'm not sure.
• Lily: "Say it! (hic) Say it! (hic)"
• Was Marshall's fish list funny in some sort of Gilbert Gottfried anti-comedy way, or is it just me?
• Oh, and quick note about the rerun of "The Bracket" that we saw right after this episode: Robin laughs when she said she never fell asleep while eating ribs, meaning she's lying. Sure enough, Robin indeed falls asleep while eating as we saw in "Sorry Bro" two weeks ago. Love this show's attention to continuity.