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.
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