How I Met Your Mother Reviews- "Sorry, Bro" & "The Front Porch"

Sorry, Bro (4x16)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Craig Gerard & Matthew Zinman

One Paragraph Synopsis: When Ted's old girlfriend Karen moves to New York, he meets up with her, has lunch, passionately reunite, and commit to each other, just before discovering that Karen is using him to let her current boyfriend know that their relationship is over, a tactic she used to do with Ted. A decade removed from that self, Ted has no patience for it and makes Karen confront her issues, which she does, and thus results in the two of them trying their relationship out again. This story is slowly being doled out to the group, half of which already don't like Karen while the other half is growing to not like her either, as Marshall shares his story of how he lost his pants at work.

The Front Porch (4x17)

Directed by Rob Greenberg

Written by Chris Harris

One Paragraph Synopsis: A couple of weeks have passed since "Sorry, Bro", and while Ted seems happy on the surface, Karen hasn't become any better of a person since Wesleyan. As such, it doesn't come as a disappointment or surprise when she and Ted break up early into the episode. But what does become a surprise is the revelation that Lily personally sabotaged their relationship, and that this isn't the first time she's done this for Ted. The selling point, however, is that Lily became a cataclysm for Ted and Robin's relationship, a decision that she regretted, but had to do for the good of her hypothetical front porch, where she and Marshall can see themselves play bridge with Ted and his future wife for the rest of their lives. There just wasn't a way for Ted and Robin to resolve their differences at the time to make it work. But a nice night later gives the two the opportunity to decide on potentially marrying each other if they're still single when they turn 40. Meanwhile, Marshall shows Barney the joy of a nice nightshirt, in a surprisingly tender moment with them.

Meh, I am behind, so I might try to do some more double reviews on a semi-regular basis. Not for every episode, obviously, but for whichever instances that combining two episodes into one post will work, why not? But I definitely wanted to do so for Karen's run on the show. She'll be back on the show in an odd flashback or two, but her time in the present is over for now.

Laura Prepon (post-That 70's Show, pre-Orange is the New Black) does a fantastic job at playing Karen's pretentiousness. The character isn't very likable at all, but Prepon knows this and plays it quite well, finding a good mix between keeping a straight face while she seems able to laugh at herself. Her French pronunciations are also perfectly obnoxious, and not fully accurate, either.

But that is just what Ted wanted around that time, as he wasn't a whole lot better. He may have enjoyed wrestling unironically and drank a beer or two on the side, but his ability to call up an impressive French pallet, years removed, proves it. Although to be fair, when they were seen together, Ted seemed a little too good for Karen, as his pretentious facade was merely a joke, not something to put people down for. Unlike Karen, who reveled, and still does revel, in putting down people who don't share her particular passion for culture.

Both episodes do a good job at showing how bad of a person Karen really is, even beyond Prepon's performance. The writing is strong throughout, as even in basic lines, there is a bitterness present in all of her dialogue, but not in a way that takes away from the show. The rightful balance is still kept, which explains how these episodes succeed.

"Sorry, Bro" fits with the show's classic framing ploys, in the way its stories are told without the gang leaving the bar in present tense, similar to season 3's "The Platinum Rule". Everything you need to know is going on through Ted, Marshall, and Barney's narrative, as the ladies sit and hear their tales. It's not only unorthodox in the sitcom world, in that this is technically based in real-time and nobody leaves the set until flashbacks occur, but it helps to bring the audience in along with the characters. Barney's overecstatic expression towards Marshall's pain is palpable, just as the tension between Ted's stalling can be felt.

Ted and Marshall's main stories aren't the only flashbacks here. We also get to see how the rest of the gang have dealt with their exes after breaking up, each with varied results. Barney's fear of Wendy the Waitress is unfounded, but the return of Scooter is welcome, as awkward as he can be to Lily. Marshall's throwback to grammar school, meanwhile, shows his general innocence in this grand scheme of things, as this young love was the closest thing to a real relationship he's had before Lily. And Robin is a gun nut, which is always a fun trait to return to.

But as for Marshall's material, it's silly, but a fun diversion to Ted's more serious story with Karen. Segel and NPH do a great job of bouncing off their reactions, as Marshall's ambivalent embarrassment and Barney's giddy admiration perfectly keep this set fresh, even as the material feels otherwise hokey. But that is the charm, how tired this story might otherwise feel.

Barney and Marshall get some more time together in "The Front Porch", as they hilariously bond over the joys of nightshirts, complete with a cute Big Lebowski reference. Usually Marshall and Barney's friendship with Ted is front and center, despite the former two working together, which is why the diversion to how they work as friends makes for a welcome change of pace. It's simply fun, a kind of fun that is displayed well here.

Ted and the ladies have their own time in this episode, as his fight with Lily reveals a new shade to her character. Lily has always been protective of her friends, but here some things finally add up. Her other sabotages, including Karen, make sense, but Robin hurts. It hurts because it makes all too much sense. Looking back, while she and Ted did still love each other, the spark was gone by this point.

It seems likely that the spark was gone as they were recalling just what the biggest roadblock in the way of their relationship is, even before Lily came in. It is kind of hard to forget if your beau wants kids while you don't, after all. Lily merely decided to try and find a way for them to have an amicable discussion about it, which did end up working, but not in the way she hoped for.

And it is hard to be mad at Lily, since Ted and Robin just were not meant to be then, or even now. Their romantic night together still shows shades of this, which explains why they made the friendly proposal for years ahead, rather than just get back together. These are smart adults, but if Ted had to give up his dream of children, or Robin her dream of breaking into journalism, just for someone they love today, it's not worth it. They can't see each other as their dream right now, which only confirms it.

This is what makes both of these episodes strong, but I've only touched a fraction of the humorous highlights. These are top quality HIMYM, as the show's love for character, humor, and heart is present constantly here. And you don't even need to bring up Karen anymore to prove the point!

How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Stinsons"

The Stinsons (4x15)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas

One Paragraph Synopsis: Barney has been acting suspicious lately. So much so, that the gang follows him to the suburbs, where they finally meet his mother, Loretta (Frances Conroy), and his "wife" and "son"... it turns out that when Loretta was dying, Barney hired an actress to portray his fiance, who ends up ad-libbing that she's pregnant, to make her believe that he finally found someone. Loretta ends up making it through, so Barney has been keeping this charade going for years. It doesn't take much for this twist to crack, especially when Ted and Margaret the actress hook up. Barney eventually confesses his lie, which Loretta seems strangely fine with.

Barney really is a hell of a character. There are certain fields that he is clearly ignorant in, but he is a smart person. He fucks up often, but always has something up his sleeve. And despite making some gross moves, he has some resemblance of an honor code. The hippie who decided to reshape his life after losing his dream girl is still there, but functions differently than anyone else.

What we learn of his home life helps to bring some insight to Barney's person. No one believes that Bob Barker is his father, and it's similarly implied that James has a different father, despite neither of them knowing just who they are. And Loretta's confession of her promiscuous past is hardly a surprise either. If anything, it helps to explain why Barney is so tied, as he's used to his mother coming and going at various points during the day.

"The Stinsons" is a hell of an episode for what it adds to Barney's character, and for Loretta herself. Frances Conroy (post-Six Feet Under, pre-American Horror Story) finds the perfect tone for her, keeping a sweet exterior, but not being too ashamed of her past to still indulge in herself. She just is, which is what makes her a fun character, one that is easy to see where Barney came from.

It also explains why Loretta wasn't exactly disappointed or even that shocked when she discovers Barney's long-running ploy. If anything, the revelation seems to be fun to Loretta, and only helps to strengthen their bond as a result. Loretta may not be as conniving as Barney, but their love for each other is strong even in just this one episode.

I don't have much to say lately, but "The Stinsons" succeeds at practically everything. The rest of the gang each adds their own importance, as Ted's affair with Margaret helps to give him a challenge and a breather from recent disappointments; Marshall and Lily's spat about Lily's strenuous relationship with her mother-in-law is a long-time coming, as the seeds have been planted in Judy's first episode, and results in a funny ending; and Robin keeps some good lines going, as she remains the reason for Barney to keep going, whether she realizes or not. And the actors are fun, too!

I promise that I'll have more than this mini-review for next time, but hey, Disney awaits me. And at least this is a great episode.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Possimpible"

The Possimpible (4x14)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Jonathan Groff

One Paragraph Synopsis: Robin has been unemployed for long enough that her work visa to be in jeopardy, and she only has a week to find a job in journalism before being deported. Her interviews haven't been going well, and she isn't getting many great offers, so Barney volunteers to help her make a great new video resume to help entice potential employers. While his methods don't seem to result in much for Robin's benefit, Barney swears that it turned out well enough in that she was offered a couple of jobs, one of which he lands for her. At the same time, this talk of resumes has got Ted, Marshall and Lily talk about dead weight in their own, as they consider what is and isn't ultimately helpful for their prospects.

There's a stink of transphobia in this episode that holds it back from allowing me to call it one of the greats. The "dancer's feet" bit gets old fast, as the gang allows this to compare Marshall to a woman, which is tired. What's wrong with being a woman, let alone a man being in a woman's body? To merely relate something like this to Marshall's admiration of dance, and for no other cause, is simply stupid.

It's a shame, since "I dance more than you know" is a good line. This could have been a funnier subplot if done with more subtlety, but the show's constant reliance on playing with masculinity is one of its main flaws. If anything, the strength of the material in this episode beyond moments like this is the best representation of the show there is. Beyond tired jokes of sexism, there is some serious gold to find, enough to mostly support the series otherwise.

Because wow, is Groff's script great otherwise. I don't even recall the "Impossible is Nothing" video that he apes in this episode, but Barney's resume is easily among the show's all-time funniest moments.

The series doesn't always focus on corporate America, but Barney's character allows it the chance to on occasion, and it often succeeds. He has had plenty of time examining the ups and downs of the upper class, and he knows just how to rail in. Barney's confirmation of corporate America wanting someone who doesn't actually do anything seems absurd on the outset, but is true enough in hindsight, and all the more hilarious as a result. His lack of emotion towards his delivery shows Barney's desensitization to the scene, as he's fully aware of what's going on, but doesn't feel compelled to do anything about it, if he even could. Which is all the more fascinating.

Less informative as a character piece, but still entertaining, is everything else about the video. The cuts before the montage always bring something new to the table without being scary new, which is exactly what Barney intended, and keeps the thing fresh. A jump from Barney on, but not riding a horse to him on, but not riding a motorcycle is perfect for someone who says, but chooses to not do.

And how about Barney's sung montage? He swears that he doesn't sing, but c'mon. The editing is a little too advanced for someone like Barney, even using a shot of the moon to reflect the blue in his eyes in a surprisingly seamless manner. It's clever in a way that only someone as demented as Barney could pull off. The video was absurd in its pacing, as it never kept still and found non-traditional ways to keep things fresh, and was unique in its execution, as NPH helped to make this more than just a parody and stuck to his winning performance throughout.

Barney uses his know-how and eccentrics to make Robin's video, and while what we see of it is fun, I think that it's all for the better that we never see the thing fully realized. Let whatever idea could come out of our head to his be what is imagined. Nothing can top our imagination in this instance.

It is a sweet move for Barney, as well. Here he is trying to help the woman that he loves stay, and even if his methods are peculiar, he gets what he needs from her to succeed. Fryman and Groff don't push the subtext in your head, with only a brief nod here or there to Barney's grief as he works overtime to help Robin stay, and that makes all the difference.

Despite this episode being about her future, Robin doesn't get too much time to shine here, though. She does get some good lines, but from Barney's punchline heavy teaser, this is clearly his episode. Still, Smulders does a good job of emoting her anguish as her future in New York is in jeopardy, reminding us of her acting chops beyond nailing comic timing.

I got into Marshall's material above, but Ted and Lily also have similar jokes, albeit less transphobic. Ted's tales of Dr. X are cute, recalling how much of a dweeb he was in college, and still is today. He means well, but it's fun to laugh at Ted instead of with sometimes, since he allows it so well. And Lily eating so many hot dogs in 8 minutes is just awesome.

As awesome as this show is. Again, "The Possimpible"'s good points being weighed down by an unfortunate choice of jokes at the expense of womanhood is a big reminder of what HIMYM often is, a series with more than enough great qualities, but still a series that occasionally doesn't think ahead too well. Still, this is a fun episode that keeps itself fresh throughout.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Three Days of Snow"

Three Days of Snow (4x13)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Matt Kuhn

One Paragraph Synopsis: When Lily is about to return home from a trip to Seattle, she and Marshall decide to not keep their tradition of picking each other up from the airport as the other arrives with a local craft beer going. They're growing, and it's time for the relationship to grow with them, at least until the both of them start to realize what a mistake they're making, as they rush to fix this. Marshall has Robin drive him up in the middle of a giant snow storm, only to find out that Lily's flight is delayed by two days; meanwhile, Lily and Ranjit rush to the nearest liquor store to find the first Seattle-themed micro brew that they can. Lily and Marshall's eventual meeting results in a new tradition. As this is happening, however, Ted and Barney are living one of their fantasies- they're running a bar!

As the show matures, the show must mature with us.

Marshall and Lily have long been the heart of the show, simply based on how they've continued to show an unconditional love that has yet to waiver over the course of the show, an unfortunate sidestep aside. But they have been together for over a decade, and oftentimes, nice little things are meant to be retired.

But just because Lily and Marshall don't tell each other what they eat apart from each other anymore, this doesn't mean that their love is depleting. If anything, this just confirms that they're perfectly happy together. You don't need to know every little detail, and I mean EVERY, to keep a successful relationship, and the married pair recognize this. If anything, this means it's time for new traditions to share.

The airport ritual is a good way to tie this episode's theme of progress together. If anything, Marshall's addition of the marching band to his meet-up with Lily shows his further admiration for her. A six-pack isn't enough to indicate their love- a full band accompanying their arrival is more fitting to get the idea across. When Marshall stares into Lily, he hears music. This way, the music literally comes to life the moment they first see each other days removed.

Marshall and Lily's separate stories are interconnected well, as they're intelligently composed together despite being a couple of days apart. The framing allows it to feel like these are set simultaneously, even as repeat viewings allow for context that this isn't the case. Note the dates at the airport for one, contrasting with the realization of when Marshall and Robin are heading over.

I wrote only two years ago about how I appreciate Robin and Marshall's under-explored friendship, which this episode thankfully allows a little more time to expand on. While "Little Minnesota" focused on their similar feeling of isolation and nostalgia for home, here is where their differing views make for the story. Marshall remains committed to his take on the perfect relationship, while Robin wisely contends that he doesn't write the book on love after he speaks to her condescendingly.

This fits for two reasons, one as it brings up Robin's past history with the gang. Hers and Ted's relationship is only sparingly brought into the conversation at this point, but its presence still lingers. It's hard to forget that your best friend was dating another close friend for a year, after all, and it's still believed that Robin wasn't as emotionally responsive as Ted, which viewers know is only marginally true. While Robin did have her holdbacks, she was still not afraid to speak up for herself and show her affection to Ted, which was genuine for a good while. Their split resulted in simple conflicts of interest, as much as it may have hurt.

Ted seems to have taken the break-up well in the year and a half since, but Marshall apparently harbors bitter feelings, as he feels that his best friend was poorly represented for whatever reason. This comes to a head when Robin stops the car, and only through a uniquely HIMYM turn of events (ie, Marshall thinking that Robin was hitting on him- seriously?) does this become resolved. Marshall's civil duty to play the protector of his best friend wasn't needed here. Not anymore.

Lily's time with Ranjit, meanwhile, allows for everyone's favorite side character to have a little more screentime. While he does border on racist, he's given a similar leeway that allows for Apu of Simpsons fame to be more than just a caricature, as he's slowly become a more fleshed-out character. Ranjit is a bit of a perv and has a funky sense of viewing things, but he is very dedicated to his friends, which the gang are among his best. Marshall Manesh also helps to soften the bow, as he always seems to have fun as Ranjit, and finds certain mannerisms to make the character come off as loving as he is fun.

Both Marshall's time with Robin and Lily's with Ranjit result in their eventual reunion and change in tradition, but also gives them good moments to shine as themselves on the show. Marshall is still his sweet, if pretentious self as Lily will always be the slightly hypocritical, but rarely cross person that they are, with or without their soul mates. Episodes like these are good reminders of just that.

Barney and Ted's material, similarly, is a solid showcase of their friendship. While the two have differing mindsets on many things, they do share a bond of being single together, and the desire to have fun and not make this a limitation. Ted can easily be repulsed by Barney, as should we all, but he's just as likely to be in awe of his dedication.

This week's plot is a good one, even if Cocktail is a weird film to try to ape. But it does result in what has to be the best use of "Kokomo" ever, as it gleefully is used lightly throughout their time in the bar, culminating in what must be the funniest telepathic conversation to date. This allows for the two to bond, uninterrupted by much else but the desire to run a bar.

Keep note of the other five little words used, and the locations they're used in. These will come back soon. But for now, Ted and Barney's attempt to run a bar wasn't entirely successful, but it does lead in fun. Fun to see the lengths the two go to in their desire to keep Puzzles not crash, but also telling of their male ego, as running a bar is a typical adult man's dream. The concept of struggles keeping the bar afloat merely comes and goes here, but this plot is enjoyable for what it is.

"Three Days of Snow" is another hell of an episode. I feel like I keep on saying this for all of my reviews, but hey, the show has been on a roll lately. Let's hope it stays this way!

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Benefits"

Benefits (4x12)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Kourtney Kang

One Paragraph Synopsis: When Ted and Robin aren't getting on as roommates, the two realize that the only way they can settle their differences is by literally fucking away their problems. After Marshall catches them in bed, it doesn't take long for the secret to be out, yet Robin and Ted are convinced that this is a good strategy. And it is effective for them, as the sex does ease their issues. The only person it really seems to hurt in the long run is Barney, who is still harboring unrequited feelings for Robin. When confronted about it by Ted, he takes the hint and cuts their little deal off, as he does a solid for Barney. The reason that Marshall discovers what Ted and Robin are up to, meanwhile, is due to his hope of not being caught "reading a magazine" at work. It takes a little while for him to, but he does eventually conquer his fears.

That image, man. One of the highlights of this episode is Barney's running gag of breaking TVs, which culminates more than once in him buying new ones just to smash. He can actually afford to blow money on new televisions just to throw them to the ground, which is just awe-inspiring. The way his first trip to the store is set up is almost reminiscent of a cartoon, where similar events can happen on a daily basis. That's just gold.

Much of "Benefits" is pretty great, in fact. Even the celebrity cameos are cute, despite Kim Kardashian being the only relevant one in the bunch. She's also the celeb to get the best (but really, only) reply from Marshall of the episode, which is entirely worthy of praise.

Marshall's story works quite well for something that's literally about pooping. Which, to be fair, is a genuine concern many people have about doing in public, and it makes sense. But everyone has to, and nature's calls are what restrooms exist for, so there's no real reason to hold it in. Own up to your shit, and you'll be a happier person. This is the lesson Marshall learns at the end, and it's a good one. And of course, the ending punchline is killer. I don't have too much to say about the story, since it's fairly one note, but not in a bad way at all. Definitely an enjoyable component to the episode.

Because the main story is where it's at. The series has done a good job of keeping Ted and Robin's history respectfully dormant since their break up. It came up in the first few episodes after the fact, as it should, but attention to their past relationship has been spare since, a brief fling in "Slapsgiving" and the whole of "Shelter Island" aside.

Here though, it makes sense how neither of them feel any real nostalgia for their dating history, they just merely enjoy the sex. There doesn't seem to be any real pining for their relationship to return as of now, even if both Robin and Ted are both single. Even Ted's accidental kiss seems more like a typical reflex of him, rather than a reminder of a passion he misses.

But maybe that reflex is indicative of Ted missing Robin as his girlfriend. Radnor made the little kiss seems like second nature, which fits well with the awkwardness of the situation, given both of their stances. Sex helps both of them ease the tension of their living situation, but anything more will remind them of why they did not work out as a couple.

Having Robin and Ted end their FWB arrangement in a mature manner sounds good enough, but the real reason it ceases makes a little more sense, with the Barney of it all. His crush on Robin has been referenced frequently this season, but his stupid ass still isn't ready to make the move. But as seen by his reactions here, Barney sure wishes he can.

Neil Patrick Harris submitted this episode for his Emmy performance, and it's easy to see why. He's great in it, as he does his best to keep a good face while feeling struck by Ted and Robin's escapades. The hurt in his eyes feels real, which NPH keeps consistent throughout. Right down to his ending talk with Robin, where he can be seen wishing to tell Robin just how he feels, but too restrained to go through with it. This is strong acting, but what kills me is NPH's eyes when Ted catches on. Damn, he's good.

"Benefits" has a good emotional core to it, just as this could be one of the funniest episodes of all. Barney infiltrating Lily's talk time with her students is another of many great moments in this episode. Despite this being a brief review, this is another season 4 highlight, of which we've hit many just as the half-point is reached.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Little Minnesota"

Little Minnesota (4x11)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Chuck Tatham

One Paragraph Synopsis: It's Christmas time, and Robin misses Canada. While she isn't able to get a plane back, Marshall decides to show her one of his favorite little fixer-uppers when he misses home, a little hole in the wall called the Walleye Saloon, a literal tribute to the state. The two bond over their time at the place, until Robin ends up fitting a little TOO well, causing Marshall to reveal how she's actually Canadian. While she ends up getting kicked out, she does find her own Little Canada to head to whenever she's down. As this happens, Ted's sister Heather moves to New York in hopes of working at GNB and Ted co-signing her lease. Ted is reluctant, given Heather's history of unreliability, even though she swears that she's grown up. Ted is especially suspicious when Barney meets her and expects the worst, and almost gets it when the two decide to mess with him, only for Heather to later prove that she's taking this seriously. Ted realizes this, then agrees to co-sign and buy a new briefcase for her as support.

You know, hearing Robin's speech about Canadians blessing the earth with Trivial Pursuit just reminds me of how much I love this show. HIMYM is just always great at finding the right, specific dialogue for its characters, and making it always come out on top.

But what might even be a better moment is the ending punchline of Marshall getting the Canadian bar to sing "Let's Go to the Mall" along with him. The show is already keeping its history tight, and it's just a joy to watch the references to previous episodes come around.

Robin and Marshall are there along with Barney and Lily as characters who work well together, but just given as much time to interact solely as they should. The dynamite duos tend to be relegated by gender, as Lily and Robin have great bonding sessions together, while Ted, Marshall and Barney always work well whenever one or the other are around each other. Evened out, besides Lily and Marshall being the dream couple, Robin is still given ample, useful screentime with Ted and Barney. So little moments like their time in the Walleye Saloon are a nice change of pace.

I do dock points for the episode for the knocks against Ted and Barney's lack of masculinity, but it's still fun to see Robin and Marshall bond over a nice beer, jumbo burger sliders, and fishing simulators. It's a nice relaxer for the two characters, as they share one important detail in common- their homesickness.

Of the core gang, only Lily and Barney are New York natives, so they don't really have much to miss. While Ted does occasionally speak about Ohio, he's far more likely to sing the praises about the greatest city in the world, and thus is similarly out of reach. Marshall's pining for Minnesota isn't always expressed, but recently it has been revealed that he doesn't find New York to be all that it's cracked up to be, so the idea that he misses home is believable. Robin, similarly, hasn't previously expressed too much nostalgia for Canada, but consider how she is easily the furthest away from home than the gang. By comparison, she is bound to be the one to have the most to miss, especially as she has been increasingly opening herself as a person after meeting her friends.

But the other unique facet of Robin's personality is how she was raised to be a boy, at least by society's standards, and thus, it doesn't feel right to her to accept said pining in any other way. This is why spending time with more traditionally masculine men in a traditionally masculine environment, away from the increasingly sanitized New York local, is a good form of catharsis from her. It's not exactly right, but fits her way of thinking quite well.

Really though, I love the concept of there being bars dedicated solely to the concept of keeping the spirit of Minnesota and Canada alive in NYC. The city is big enough to have plenty of people from all over the world stay in it, and any given person can feel homesick at any given time. Bars like the Walleye Saloon and the Hoser Hut can be just what the doctor ordered. I wonder if they have a similar bar for Floridians with Sweet Water constantly on tap and Tom Petty playing frequently. I'd probably like that idea better if I actually liked Sweet Water.

The feeling of home is brought over to Ted's story, which is more of an shared A-plot than anything. His sister has only briefly been mentioned before, but "Little Minnesota" does a good job of informing the audience of what Heather is like, and why Ted has his doubts. Radnor does a good job of keeping himself passionately alert while she's around, as Erin Cahill (who sadly doesn't seem to have many roles of note to her name) is apt at keeping up with the show's energy, as she has solid timing on top of the ability to keep a serious performance down.

Their story works well, even if it is a tad predictable at parts. The episode seemed to be leading towards a positive reveal for Heather as far back as the latter part of the first act, which it delivers in modest fashion. This isn't a negative point though, as Heather does a good job of maintaining a nice appearance throughout, never stepping out of line or doing anything outlandish. This makes the resolution deserved and welcome, although I should point out that it almost feels like a cheat that Heather never shows up in the series after this episode. Maybe she does so well at GNB that she doesn't need to rely on Ted afterwords.

While Robin and Marshall get plenty of screentime in their storyline, the other three characters have enough of their own here. As mentioned before, Ted does a good job of playing the skeptical big brother, something he does seem to have a justified cause for, even if it turns out to be unnecessary by the end. I still give Ted the benefit of the doubt though, since I'd be suspicious of anyone who pawned my stuff in for Nine Inch Nails tickets. In Spain. While Ted might seem a little too mean when he declines the opportunity to co-sign Heather's lease, it's not without reason, as she does need more time to prove herself to be reliable enough to do so for.

Barney can prove to be just the obstacle that can make or break such a decision, though. And while Barney does seem to want to bang Heather at first, he somehow changes sides with her quickly, and helps her out. Their plan to trick Lily and Ted into thinking that they're cavorting is well-timed, as only Barney can pull off. There is still a case of him giving off mixed signals during the group's earlier dinner sequence, with him politely whispering to Heather whenever Ted replies to her. "Now he's just stating a fact", indeed.

And Lily has some fun with her inability to keep secrets, a cute reminder of her big mouth. She means well, but it is evident that it's just a little too difficult for her to. The characters don't seem to hold this against her too much though, and simply accept Lily's loose lips as an irreplaceable part of her person. At least she blabs for good, after all.

"Little Minnesota" has its problematic lines and an eventual case of the missing sibling holding it back, but it's still a damn fine episode regardless. Both stories hold well, which is given benefit from equal time and effort put into them. This is the show I love, for better or worse, and I'm glad to still be writing for it.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Naked Man" (take 2)/"The Fight"

The Naked Man (4x09)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Joe Kelly

One Paragraph Synopsis: When Robin's date, Mitch, isn't working out, he pulls out an old standby- the naked man, where you literally just hang out naked and wait for your date to find you. It works two out of three times, and Robin just so happens to be one of those two. The concept of the naked man stays in the heads of the rest of the gang, as Ted and Barney consider it for their own dates, while Lily and Marshall argue about reasons for sex besides love.

The Fight (4x10)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Theresa Mulligan Rosenthal

One Paragraph Synopsis: The gang have a loyal supporter in McLarens bouncer, Doug. Maybe too loyal, as he's known to kick people who sit in their booth out. One night, the people who he yells out to leave insist on fighting, so Doug tries to get the men to join him out. Marshall stands his ground and refuses, but after some deliberation, Barney and Ted decide to go out and join Doug, only to discover that he took care of the men for him. Doug, who has a history of blacking out randomly, is convinced that Ted and Barney helped, and offers them free drinks forever, and the two accept and bask in the glory. Before being sued. The two convince Doug that they weren't involved, and all is resolved, but not before Marshall shows off his skills in combat.

Let's try this again.

Both "The Naked Man" and "The Fight" deal with elements of life that often become increasingly distant as one ages, being random sex and physical confrontation. At least the kind of random sex that occurs from just up and dropping your clothes.

These episodes aren't so different, as they fit well in tone and in theme. The execution is a little different in both though, as "The Naked Man" allows for a couple of stories to fit together, while "The Fight" works with only the A-plot. As a whole, the latter episode is a little tighter in terms of pacing, but "The Naked Man" would get my vote for the better episode.

For one, there are less problematic lines to work with. "The Fight" is loaded with kindergartners of varying degrees of acting talent calling people who don't fight wussies, and has a small scene where the gang dogpile on Marshall by calling him feminine. The latter is especially hard to work with, since transphobic jokes aren;t original or fun, and it does drag the episode down a little bit. Although I'd lie if I said that the kids weren't funny in spots. It almost builds on the trope of small children swearing, which is always funnier than it should be.

The kids almost seem to be fighting against the message, though. Not that violence is always wrong, as there are instances where it really is best to defend yourself, as proven by the end, but the point is that random violence is meaningless. Doug was wrong to ask the men at the table to leave, and was even more wrong to accept their offer to step outside (or was he the one who offered? The episode doesn't really make that clear). Doug learns this as he gets the lawsuit handed to him.

Barney and Ted, meanwhile, learn that you should own up to your actions, otherwise you'll get something you don't deserve. Barney, whose infatuation with Robin was mentioned in both episodes, nearly gets a date he doesn't deserve by sticking to the lie that he was a part of the fight, but got his vengeance acted out by Robin's walking out, in an long but cute extended escape plan from her. And Ted gets punched in the end.

"The Fight" is pretty basic, but effective enough. Even besides the aforementioned problematic moments, there is fun to be fun throughout. Will Sasso in particular does a good job as Doug, as he has a long enough history playing a likable doof with a little too much of a punch behind him. He finds a good balance for Doug, allowing for his blankness to explain for some of his actions, but his brief moments of roughness are done well enough to make him not too likable. It's a good balance for an overall good, but not really a great, episode. Also, props to the return of "Murder Train" during Marshall and his brother's flashback fight.

"The Naked Man" really is a great episode though, but I cant' seem to articulate why. Not every line here is perfect, but so much of it works anyway. The concept and myth of the naked man is a great one, wonderfully brought to life by Mitch, who fittingly is given tribute ala The Dark Knight at the end. Radnor nails the delivery on the monologue, as the actor fits the character well throughout.

The argument towards reasons to have sex is a fun plot device, but hardly necessary, as you really don't need any reason to have sex besides consensually wanting it. I feel that Lily instantly picks up on this during her spiel, especially towards the end as she tries her own take on the naked man.

Ted's take is necessitated by the loneliness he feels after being left at the altar. He's over it enough to not want pity, as evident in these episodes, but it clearly still hurts, as shown when he pours his heart out to Vicky. This date was meant to be a rousing success at form for Ted, but turned out to be a disaster thanks to his choice in partner. His use of the naked man is a quick hope of desperation, that he can get at least get something out of his first date post heartbreak. Vicky may not have been a great date, but he feels a little better by the end.

And Barney. Does Barney really need a reason to try the naked man out? Probably not, which explains why his attempt was the unsuccessful one out of the bunch. That, and he didn't seem to pick the right girl for it. I'd say "no harm, no foul", except that his date does seem harmed, and she lets him have it by not letting him have his clothes. It leads to a funny end, with a fantastic closer in particular. It's here that Mitch's two out of three rule is proven, but we do still see his attempt, and I still feel that the episode would have been even better if we got to see two more to even things out.

Robin's falling into the naked man fits her current place, as she's still not holding a great job and is piggybacking on Ted by living in his apartment. A good night's sex could be the best thing she gets in a while, especially after a bad date. That, and sex is fun. Her "not a slut" date shows some repentance, but I don't see a need myself, as there's nothing wrong with random sex. Not at the gang's age, anyway.

And to cap off this look at the gang, Marshall's initial lack of sympathy for Robin is explained by his conservative upbringing and continued personal beliefs. That, and to him, every passionate night with Lily is for one reason only- love. Their admiration is never questioned, but Marshall does learn through this episode that there's nothing wrong with sex just for the sake of convenience and fun.

It all fits together! And I do hope that Ted burned that seat cushion.But yeah, a great episode followed by a pretty good one. Not bad at all.

A Crash Course to the Treasures in the Disney Vault- March 2015 Edition

Alright, so December's first Treasures in the Disney Vault lineup was a success, so it isn't too much of a surprise that we're getting another one, only 3 months removed from the first. The block airs this Sunday, the 15th, and the selection includes:

8:00 PM- Darby O'Gill and the Little People

Alright, here's a good starter! Released the same year as Sleeping Beauty and the original Shaggy Dog, this adaptation of British author Herminie Templeton Kavanagh's short stories delves into the world of the small Irish town Rathcullen, where the sneaky yet likable Darby O'Gill keeps after a nice estate along with his daughter, Katie. O'Gill has chased many a leprechaun in his day, and still hopes to make it big, but first he's losing his job due to his old age by the young, spry Michael McBride. This free time allows for a big adventure and heavy consequences for O'Gill, Katie, and McBride, as the latter two increasingly become smitten.

While the film's take on Irish customs might seem questionable by today's standards, there is much to like here, thanks to some fun visual effects and good humor in the Disney style. It's an enjoyable fairy tale that isn't too far removed from some of Disney's animated classics. Also consider the acting, which features strong turns from Albert Sharpe as O'Gill and Jimmy O'Dea as King Brian of the leprechauns. Both have good chemistry together, which helps to make their time together work. There are also solid turns from Janet Munro, who kept similar fun spirits in Third Man on the Mountain, and a pre-Bond Sean Connery as McBride, who even gets to sing a nice little ditty! The DVD isn't too hard to find, and does come with a few good bonuses, including a new, exclusive interview with Connery, and the following program. Not a bad way to prep up for St. Patrick's Day.

9:45- Disneyland- "I Captured the King of the Leprechauns"

This episode of Walt's program aired in promotion of the film, but it is a little more than just your average promo piece. In this episode, Walt travels to Ireland, along with fellow Irish actor Pat O'Brien, as he hopes to find actual leprechauns. While the mythical creatures aren't found, he does run into Sharpe and O'Dea as they reprise their characters, and maintain for some fun moments. But Walt is the real highlight here, as despite usually sticking to the side in his shows, he's front and center, and allows for his talent to shine. He really was a charismatic human being, and could make almost anything sell. Besides the Darby O'Gill DVD, this was also present in the Your Host, Walt Disney Treasures set. I actually own both releases, so I have two copies of this episode.

10:45- Short Showcase

Only one short this time, the 1932 Silly Symphony "Babes in the Woods". This is a nice little Hansel and Gretel-like story. It's been a while since I've seen this one, but I recall it as an enjoyable early Silly Symphony that should get you ready for the next program.

11:00- Disneyland- "The Story of the Animated Drawing"

Another episode of Walt's program, this one lives up to the title as Walt gives an abbreviated, but surprisingly still informative, crash course in the history of animation. He doesn't start with his works, although they are represented before long, complete with "The Nutcracker Suite" from Fantasia being shown in full black and white. But Walt starts off by discussing cave drawings before working his way up to Gertie the Dinosaur and Felix the Cat, among numerous more examples. Again, Walt's charisma is present as he goes through everything.

And here's a little something extra- Disney acknowledges the existence of Gertie to this day.

I took this when I was at Disney Hollywood Studios the other week. She actually sells ice cream inside, if it's a busy day at the park. Still, it's a nice landmark to look at if you get the chance to visit. And this episode was released in the Behind the Scenes at the Walt Disney Studios Treasures set.

12:00- The Three Caballeros

Time for another classic, this 1944 release was the 7th Disney Animated Classic, the first to air in full on TCM, and was the second of two package films to be made out of Walt's trip to Latin America, done around World War II as many of his animators went to war or were on strike. Between this and Saludos Amigos, Three Caballeros is the more entertaining film, containing sharper sequences and a slightly closer appeal towards an actual narrative. The use of Jose Carioca, Donald's Brazilian parrot cousin, and Panchito, a Mexican rooster, to accompany Donald in wraparound segments, allows for a lot of fun, as these are three lively figures that share fun chemistry, and an incredibly lively musical number together.

While some of the films from this period of Disney's productions weren't always racially sensitive, Walt went out of his way to make sure that these package films were as respectful and informative towards Latina culture as he could, and both original characters remain popular in these countries to this day. You can even see Jose and Panchito join Donald along in the Gran Fiesta Tour in the Mexican pavilion in Epcot's World Showcase, a fun ride that shows some of Mexico's gorgeous treasures alongside Jose and Panchito's search for Donald. The two are also known to appear alongside Donald for meet and greets on Cinco de Mayo. They also appear sporadically at other Disney parks around the world, including Disneyland in California.

1:30- Walt & El Grupo

This documentary was among three well-received, informative Disney-oriented docs released in 2008, along with The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story's take on the musical duo's history with the studio, and Waking Sleeping Beauty's detailed look into the Disney Renaissance of the late 80's/early 90's (perhaps these can be shown in future installments, accompanied with Summer Magic/The Jungle Book or Who Framed Roger Rabbit?/The Little Mermaid). This documentary features footage of Walt's aforementioned travels across Latin America, some of which was previously shown in Saludos Amigos, but more detailed and contains plenty of information behind them. I actually haven't seen this documentary yet, but have always wanted to, so I'm excited! It looks rightfully informative.

3:30- The Fighting Prince of Donegal

While Walt & El Grupo will be the last showing to feature introductions from Ben Mankiewicz and Leonard Maltin, this 1966 film is the real capper to the block. The film is about the factual prince Hugh O'Donell, who takes throne of Donegal from his late father. This one is also new to me, and it was only released on DVD from the Disney Movie Club. It didn't seem to be a big hit, despite being among Walt's last films that he got to finish all the way through. If you're still up, it might be worth a look. I'll try my best to give it a shot, myself.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Naked Man"

The Naked Man (4x09)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Joe Kelly

One Paragraph Synopsis: When Robin's date, Mitch, isn't working out, he pulls out an old standby- the naked man, where you literally just hang out naked and wait for your date to find you. It works two out of three times, and Robin just so happens to be one of those two. The concept of the naked man stays in the heads of the rest of the gang, as Ted and Barney consider it for their own dates, while Lily and Marshall argue about reasons for sex besides love.

To be fair, this episode would have worked better if we got to see the naked man attempted three times. Or perhaps six, because four does not cut it. That said, what we got was damn fine.

Being naked is funny lol. I can't write n e mor.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Not a Father's Day" & "Woooo!"

Not a Father's Day (4x07)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Robia Rashid

One Paragraph Synopsis: After a pregnancy scare turns to be false, Barney decides to celebrate his lack of child raising by starting a new holiday dedicated to fellow men who aren't, nor have any immediate plans to be fathers. But what's more important is Lily and Marshall's decision to have children themselves. As they have Robin, who was living with them, move into Ted's place, the two plan a romantic night that gets side-swapped by an important business meeting for GNB. Lily becomes increasingly drunk while debating the pros and cons of child bearing, as she decides to surprise Marshall at his meeting. A night of taking care of a drunk, almost child-like Lily has Marshall realize that he's not ready for the responsibility just yet, so the couple put their baby plans on hold.

Woooo! (4x08)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Craig Thomas & Carter Bays

One Paragraph Synopsis:  After getting close to a fellow teacher at work, Lily decides to spend time with her and her friends outside of the school, and has Robin tagalong. It turns out that the girl in question, Jillian (played by Jamie-Lynn Sigler) and her friends are woo girls, a concept that confuses Lily, but Robin soon embraces. This causes Lily to attempt to join in on the woo, but as it turns out, she's not right to woo. Girls who woo are at an awkward place in their lives, which happily married Lily doesn't fit in with, but single, unemployed Robin does. That said, Jillian and the girls don't appear after this episode. While the girls learn a lesson, Barney invites Ted over to help redesign Goliath National Bank's main building, a move he's excited for, only to be outvoted by a flashier design from Swedish architect visionaries Sven. It doesn't help that Barney votes against Ted, which Marshall does his best to get him to change his mind, and succeeds, as Ted gets to work on this fresh new project.

I wasn't really planning to do a double review at first. Just a simple one episode for "Not a Father's Day", but I got a little sidetracked, and then saw how the next episode finished the first disc, so why not. These have a little more in common than some of my other double reviews, so at least there's that.

Both episodes explore where the gang is currently at in life, each in different ways, all mostly successful. The themes are different in each episode, but this general idea is present.

In "Not a Father's Day", the main topic is childbirth. Barney is thrown into the ringer when he almost becomes a father, but the false positive brings him back into usual spirits, with Barney going as far as to make a day to celebrate his lack of responsibility.

It's always been a joke that despite being the oldest member of the gang, Barney is the least mature, and this episode rolls with that, as he laughs off his pregnancy scare with tacky merchandise with tackier people. His periphery gang is supplied by a group of peculiar-looking faces, who for the most part are game to play their roles as Barney's less-desirable underlings, culminating in a reprisal of his earlier Cheerleader Effect theory. While the teaser's use of this theory has a mild reek of sexism to it, the concept's honesty is better represented here, as Barney's long, hard look at each guy proves Robin's point. None of these men are childless by choice, but Barney at least has a better likelihood of fixing this.

The Barney Stinson of 2008 is perfectly happy living the single life in chauvinistic fashion, but who says that the Barney of, say, 2013, or even 2009, will be? Barney has conditioned himself to be so crude, but he is human too, and raising children is a human desire. Even if he ends up raising a future him, there is still room for growth.

Also consider the motif of the episode- the sock. Barney's warm reaction to this little sock shows a shade of him wanting children at some point in the near future. You can't look at a thing like this with this response without at least considering the idea.

After all, look at Robin. Even she keeps the sock in her purse for a while. This is an interesting notion, since despite loving Ted, she still wasn't ready to consider having children with him. This was over a year ago, though, so it seems like the idea isn't as scary to her. At least in theory, perhaps? After all, Robin is still single, and she does spend a fair share of the episode debating against kids to Lily. But I'll come back to Robin and her current self later here. But I will note how the "scared of babies" montage is brilliant.

Since after all, this episode is mostly about Marshall and Lily (I hope you don't mind me skipping Ted- well know that he wants kids. I'll come back to him later as well, though). It's an interesting twist, in that Marshall wants children, but Lily is the one with doubts. With a body like his, I can see why she'd fear for her lady parts, but Lily's concerns are more than just biological.

One of her biggest storylines revolves around how Lily feels smothered and irrelevant as she furthers herself into adult life. Her artistic career is increasingly becoming less of a reality, and she's not getting any younger. Having children is almost the end of such dreams, as without a steady job in the field, it'll be too risky to try to get into the scene when she has a mouth to feed now.

Lily not only recognizes this, but also sees more to her life right now. Her current apartment isn't great, while Marshall is becoming busier by the day, but isn't making great enough cash to justify his distance. To truly consider having kids, the two might need to be in a more stable place, but how long can that take? My guess is as good as Lily's, which explains her stress.

Marshall, on the other hand, seems to be thinking a little less practically here, and has the cuteness of babies on his mind. Despite not wanting children of my own, I get the feeling, Marshall tends to shift between thinking wisely, and not planning ahead, which isn't so much a lack of characterization, but an ultimately human trait. Sometimes you have it all planned out, sometimes you don't. He means well, but it makes sense.

Of course, Marshall quickly changes his mind after having to deal with a childlike Lily, drunk off of a full bottle of wine. This montage is a little too on the head, but does work to add some funny moments in, as Marshall has to chase her around. Hannigan is always talented at crying for the camera, for both comedy and drama, as she allows for a funny little moment as she sobs after Marshall steals her bottle. But naked cartwheel Lily? What a humorous mental sight! I can see why Marshall changes his mind quickly after this.

Marshall's involvement in "Woooo!", meanwhile, isn't as big, but definitely existent and important enough to talk about. He basically plays the straight man, recognizing how Barney has betrayed Ted, and does his best to fix this. In a nice twist, Marshall gets Barney both to switch his mind, and be acted on for Ted's revenge.

Because Barney really was a jackass in this episode. He didn't start off that way, as his good word for Ted was an actual nice gesture, but switching over to Sven's side so quickly was not cool. It doesn't help that the guys from Sven look like your average art house posers, but even their building wasn't that impressive. And it's just not fair for Ted, who was offered this good opportunity, but had it taken away almost immediately. Good thing for Marshall's intervening, as well as Barney's traces of a heart, though.

Ted really does need the job, after all. His previous big break seems to be going nowhere, while he's still dealing with the aftermath of Stella's leave. He is, in a way, a woo girl himself, but instead a cis male. But while Ted stays in good condition in "Not a Father's Day", Radnor shows sign of remorse here, playing Ted rather well as he still grieves. Hopefully, the building turns out well.

But this is an episode that is primarily about the ladies, which is totally welcome, considering how little attention Lily and Robin have received together. At least together, that is.

Initially, it seemed like Robin and Lily were becoming friends to fit a certain feminine quota, as the two were the only women in the series, and thus were meant to bond for merely this reason. A few seasons of development has been doing good things for the two though, as they work greatly as friends. Robin admires Lily's honesty, as she's never afraid to speak up and share her two cents in any given instance, while Lily recognizes how Robin does her best to keep up with the gang, corny jokes and all, and finds her to be a great addition to their gang. They're perfect to sit down with each other, drink wine, and talk about things that they can't with the guys around.

This feeling of connection is why Lily wants so bad to become a woo girl, even though she just isn't right for it. The woo girl is an interesting concept, a type of single female who is in a hard place, but isn't afraid to go out and have fun to help forget about it. Considering the show's occasional bursts of sexism, this concept for women is surprisingly welcome, and hits close to real life. Jillian and her friends are constantly unhappy away from the dive they frequent, all of them being attractive women, but not having much else to justify their attempt at the game.

Robin isn't desolate, but she is hardly where she wants to be. The lack of a relationship doesn't otherwise seem to be much of a problem, but her lack of job and her current living situation with her ex isn't exactly ideal. Sometimes, there is little else to do but woo.

Lily, meanwhile, may not have her dream job, but she's always been happy teaching kindergarten, while she is with the love of her life. Her life could be better, but Lily does seem to be doing fine. Which explains why her attempt to talk like a woo girl is met with deafening silence and confusion.

This isn't a big conflict, but the way Lily and Robin recognize their differences does a good job of reflecting where they're currently at, and how to count their blessings. Robin will recover soon, like Ted, while Lily has much to be thankful for.

Both of these are good episodes, even if "Not a Father's Day" has some problematic gags, even beyond the aforementioned Cheerleader Effect montage. "Woooo!" is just classic HIMYM, this time switching the guys out of the A-plot for Lily and Robin to have effective development. I am now a third into the fourth season, and it's been nothing but good stuff thus far.