Directed by Pam Fryman
Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas
One Paragraph Synopsis: Marshall's unemployment has been getting to him as the days go by, to the point that his underpants radius makes it past the house. As of late, one thing that has been haunting him is what Marshall considered to be the best burger in New York, a great one he had back when he and Ted first moved to Manhattan, but lost the location instantly after. No burger came close to it since. Even Regis Philbin is in on it, as he's been trying to find the place as well! One night has Marshall driven to the point of desperation enough for him to go on one last search for this burger, with the gang haphazardly joining him, to no avail. They help Marshall in hopes of him getting over his unemployment, but there's a secret only Barney knows about- he actually agreed to a new job at the newest local Goliath National Bank, a corporation Barney's company bought out and has been shilling this whole episode. Marshall's desperation comes from his realization that to keep himself and Lily secure, he'll have to continue selling out for a while, but at least the episode ends with everyone, including Regis, finding that mythical burger place.
I feel like this episode would be even better if I had lived in New York at some point in my life, but I've still yet to visit the Big Apple. I still appreciate the theme of this ep, however, as it explores the changing nature of New York.
The fact that the vast majority of places name dropped are, or were indeed real just adds to Bays and Thomas' script. It's widely known that the duo originated from New York, and while they take care of HIMYM in California, they miss their time in the city that never sleeps. Gone are the bars and venues that they, as well as their characters, spent many a night, and instead are Starbucks, gyms, and banks all over.
The cleansing of New York has been heavily documented in media for decades, especially as NYC is easily among the most overused locations in modern fiction, but How I Met Your Mother has always used the city to its advantage, taking an area that is so ingrained into the consciousness of many, takes much of its most iconic concepts, and finds virtually every facet of humanity across. It's easy to tell that the series isn't shot in New York, but the atmosphere is there, thanks to the strength of great set design and thoughtful writing, while the characters embody all that makes New York, and mankind in general, so recognizable.
This burger is clearly more than just a burger, or even a final taste of Marshall's pre-GNB life. The hunt for the burger is a quest for that one last piece of New York decadence, an uncanny celebration of what used to help make the city so unique. This episode is Bays and Thomas saying goodbye to their vision of New York, while also allowing their characters to step forward into the 21st century. For that reason, this is a special, excellent episode.
And yes, the quest is pretty great. HIMYM has always been pretty smart with its use of hyperbole, wisely allowing its characters to play often, and have fun whenever they do. Marshall gets the ball rolling, as he makes for wondrous descriptions of this burger, detailed and mystic enough to make even the strictest vegan's mouth drool ever-so-slightly. The gang's welcome response to picking up the chase makes Lily's wedding vows line more than just a cheap gag, as it actually helps to advance the plot.
Segel keeps his performance as Marshall totally committed, not bending once for his passion. When Marshall describes the burger, he makes Bays and Thomas' words glisten on screen, completely moving each syllable as Segel goes along with it. Marshall's moping feels just as authentic, a trait welcome from Segel finding the right mixture of pathos and humor to his character. He's able to give Marshall the right vocal delivery, but uses body language and specific eye gestures work to elevate this performance. The act is kept throughout, which is good as this is a rather Marshall-heavy episode.
And in truth, Marshall does need this job. As evident here and in his little bit in "Do I Know You?", and unemployed Marshall isn't exactly a productive Marshall. For better or worse, doing shady legal work is better for his psyche than sitting at home, doing nothing. And even though it may not seem like it now, this can help Marshall get closer to becoming an environmental lawyer. Experience is experience, and even if GNB is more rotten than his previous employers, some time working for the enemies will be enough to give the best environmental firms in the world incentive to see how Marshall can fight the system from inside, See, the burger metaphor works on both levels!
There is no b-plot, which is fine by the rest of the gang, who refuse to remain silent. While the other three offer increasingly absurd pleasantries about the burgers they eat during the episode, Robin is shown suffering, a good use of comedic torture that continues until the end. It's an old law to keep one character unsatisfied throughout, even when there is no logical reason to, but this use of desperation can be done well if the actor is game enough, and Smulders brings her best as she complains about her lack of food. Never whimpering too much, but still making her desire clear, this role is best met in the third act when Ted (admittedly the underused member of the episode, but he'll get his fair share of material in the next few episodes) takes away a bag of uneaten chips that she finds in a trashcan. This sounds silly as written, but on screen is sold thanks to Smulders and Radnor's believable chemistry.
Lily does her best to keep a reasonable head for Marshall, playing the reasonable, loving wife quite well. She especially excels at calling off Barney's nuisance, which he gleefully brings to screen as he not-so-subtly praises the strengths of Goliath National Bank. In fact, besides his odes to their excellent burgers and his apathy for Regis (who I'll get to in a moment), Barney doesn't speak about much else than his new job. He really is the ideal businessman, as he sells the strengths of GNB with sincerity and good humor, best exemplified in his performance of their theme song. Frankly, I'm always here for whenever the show requires NPH to sing, so this episode works for Barney's character well enough.
One more addition to the episode is Regis Philbin, who only appears sporadically but makes his presence felt. A weird case of stunt casting, I don't consider this to be a downside for the episode, as Regis is a face you'd expect to find in NYC, especially framed on the wall of any given local bistro. He gives the episode and message a little flavor, especially as Regis sells his despondence well. It's a little far-fetched, but fun to see him so volatile. And at least he didn't insist on the writers making him out to be almost like a super hero just to appear.
"The Best Burger in New York" does seem a little strange in hindsight, but it all comes together in a great piece for the show. The creators felt a sense of nostalgia for the city they knew and loved (and soon would make a place of their own, as Bays and Thomas would eventually buy McGees, the original inspiration for Maclarens, after closing to keep alive as a landmark for the city and for fans of the show), and made a great episode exploring this feeling of nostalgia while bringing a character needing the next phase in their life one step closer. It may not be the place Marshall wanted to be in, but at least he can wear pants again.
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