TVSquad

(S04E20) For some reason, even though both stories in this episode were pretty light and piffly, Bays and Thomas gave us enough character-development pellets to keep the fans happy. That's the way it's been most of this season, hasn't it? Be very goofy and sitcommy for the most part, but with story development mixed in for flavor.

It really has made for a bumpy season; even though ratings are up, fans who have been with the show since day one can't help but be frustrated. That's why I tend to view episodes these days by simple comedy standards; if it made me laugh, I liked it. This one made me laugh.

Interestingly, most of the laughter came during the Ted/Robin plot, which is usually a surprise; when the two of them get together, funny usually suffers in favor of sincerity. Have the two of them gotten to the point where the fact that Robin is sleeping with Ted's assistant because of his power over bathroom access doesn't make them both extremely uncomfortable? I mean, just a few episodes ago, the two of them were looking at each other with that "maybe we should give this another shot" look I've seen on so many sitcoms over the years.

Anyway, it was fun just because of how douchey Ted made the whole thing. He had his "wisdom walks," his creepy "corporate retreats" on the roof, and took his business seriously enough to restrict his own roomie's access to her own bathroom. But at least his douchiness was balanced by his fear of failure. "What if I don't think of the books?" was how he put it. It's kind of how I felt when I became a full-time freelance writer, added to the fact that I started my business during one of the most gloriously warm springs in years, which propelled me to walk around town instead of doing actuall work.

The other plot, where Barney helps Marshall find his niche at GNB so he doesn't get fired, was notable for three things: Lily being driven away "for four weeks" by Barney's horrible boy-funny joke (Bays and Thomas have said that we won't see much of Alyson Hannigan until the finale), the two of them not caring about the changes in HR policy because they're too busy playing with Wolverine claws, and Barney's declaration that Lily is a "puppetmaster" and "an evil genius."

Oh, and of course there's Barney's feelings for Robin rearing its head again. I like how Bays and Thomas don't explore that too much at this point, just pop it in there via Barney's reactions and little statements like "She's only the greatest woman in the world!" that seem to go right over everyone's heads. How sweet it was to hear Marshall say that he and Lily often sit on the same side of the booth so Barn and Robin could sit together. They are pretty damn perfect for each other, aren't they? This has got to come to some sort of head soon, I'd think.

More fun stuff:

• Best Barneyism of the week is his lecture to Ted about not hiring a hot chick for an assistant. It was followed up by his embarrassment over the completely inappropriate card he sent when he thought that P.J. was still a woman.
• Being the office's fantasy sports guy (or "Sports Guy" at GNB, because they have a "Fantasy Guy") is a big pain in the ass. The only thing that comes close is "NCAA Bracket Guy." "Food Guy" is just needy, in my experience. And thankfully I've never encountered a "Creepy Backrub Guy" in my corporate travels.
• The same goofy pregnancy dodges Bays and Thomas were using on Hannigan are now being used on Cobie Smulders. Knowing how tiny Smulders is, I didn't expect her to have more than the tiniest baby bump. But I guess that's not the case.
• Fun P.J. moments: Calling in sick from Robin's room ("The call is coming from somewhere inside the house!"), and P.J. waiting at "your place" for Robin after Ted fires him. P.J. isn't that bright, is he?
• Marshall walking around with the fantasy league money was good. "The baby's on to me!" Though I thought he might just take the money home, given how much in debt he and Lil are.
• "Wait for it..." made a comeback in a very funny way when Barney tried to build up drama in telling Marshall about Robin. It was a nice meta joke, and it made me wish I had heard "Wait for it" a little mroe this season.
• P.J. giving Ted flowers and Robin a note seems appropriate, given Robin's alpha male-ness and Ted's girly douchiness.