Directed by Pam Fryman
Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas
One Paragraph Synopsis: After their break-up, Robin is swearing off of relationships to focus on her career, a decision that the rest of the gang call bs on, as they wait for her to find someone new. But what really gets their attention is Barney's return to form, as he reveals the Playbook, a collection of his craziest schemes designed in hopes to help him score women. As he reveals some of these ploys to them, they consider him going too far when Barney uses one on a girl Lily attempted to hook up with Ted. Lily steals the book, hoping to rid Barney of it before he finds a way to take it back.
Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap (5x09)
Directed by Pam Fryman
Written by Jamie Rhonheimer
One Paragraph Synopsis: It's Thanksgiving, and Marshall is transferring his fourth slap to someone else for a change, as approved by Lily. Will it be Ted, who helped find Marshall's missing turkey and can really use a nice bit of violence to undo his angst? Will it be Robin, who also helped find the turkey and is still getting over her break-up with Barney? How about Lily, whose Thanksgiving was ruined by the surprise appearance of her negligent father Mickey (Chris Elliot)? Could it even be Mickey, who is trying his best to be a better father to Lily and be a part of her life, even though he's a loser? Or maybe it'll just be Marshall to mess everyone up. All that matters is that Barney gets slapped.
Here we have three different ways to handle a break up- isolation, reversion, and random violence.
"The Playbook" addresses Robin and Barney's split more closely, as it does come directly after. Robin's decision to hid her grief in her work would probably seem more truthful if she had more of a profile than just being the host of an early morning news show. The biggest amount of energy this lowely rated series requires is the motivation to get up. Otherwise, it's pretty simple.
Ted and Marshall's hazings do have truth to them, even if they're unbearably tedious. Robin knows that she isn't happy with the break-up, but she isn't allowing herself to grieve too much. Scherbatskys are too proud to, and her split with Barney didn't hurt that much.
Not to say that it didn't hurt at all, though. While this isn't displayed too much on the surface, Robin is openly distraught over Barney's returned use of the Playbook, even walking out at one point. It's an old trick that she's tired of, but one that makes Barney happy.
Then consider how Robin is shown in "Slapsgiving 2" (I'll skip the full title from here on out). While their relationship is not front and center in this episode, Smulders finds a way to show that Robin is still feeling something, be it grief, anger, or annoyance. Ultimately, she's playing right into Barney's scheme, as he's trying to obtain a reaction out of her during the fear for his slap, and it works well to bring out a mix of emotions.
Barney strangely keeps his thoughts on their break-up to himself in "Slapsgiving 2", but "The Playbook" shows how he isn't exactly taking things well, as he returns to his old ploys. The reveal of the Playbook is pretty gross, but telling of his ability to come up with ways to impress women, regardless of intelligence.
Even his ending "Scuba Diver" play shows hurt in between the lines, as evident by good interaction skills by NPH at the end. The attention to detail in each play shows just how much thought Barney puts into his hopes of getting laid, which is indicative of more than just horniness, but his desire to feel something. Sex can help in cases like this, for better or worse.
As such, both episodes have different execution, but I'd argue that they're about the same in quality. "The Playbook" has some great jokes, particularly in Barney's delivery of his plays, perfectly selling a viewer's guide approach, but it's hard to be too positive towards the episode as its slimey nature is apparent. The entirety of the Playbook is built on deceit, most of which is portrayed grossly here, and as such, I can't root for the episode too much.
It helps that the others find the Playbook to be wrong as well, with Lily even debuting a new catchphrase (or rather a tweak- she has used the term "you son of a bitch" before, but not in this particular dialect) that carries over into the next episode, as a way to express dissatisfaction with Barney. This is still a little too in favor for Barney, which is why I personally become a little distant to the episode.
By contrast, "Slapsgiving 2" brings something unique to the table by introducing Lily's deadbeat dad Mickey, but Chris Elliot, famous for playing man-children, is a little too good at playing annoying. As such, he becomes a little too hard to bear at times.
I'm a little forgiving towards this, since Mickey's arrival allows for a good story in which Lily comes to accept that forever is a long time, and that she should consider who she holds grudges with, and for why. Mickey's lack of respect for his parents is a little more serious and more alarming than lying about decaf, but this is still Lily's father, someone who should and does want to be in her life. Even though he has always had issues being a great parent, he does care, which Lily comes to realize, and the episode implies that they'll work on a better bond. This is the last we'll of Mickey for a little while, but he will be back for plenty later on in the series, unlike some other relatives that we've seen on the show.
While I am in favor of Lily and Mickey's story, the episode isn't too strong for me as many of the gags don't come off as excellent, an opposite problem of the previous episode's good range. A reprisal of the first "Slapsgiving"'s "You Just Got Slapped" in a new key is a highlight for the ending, but considering how long the gang's inability to pick someone to slap Barney drags on, it's not a perfect trade.
Neither of these are bad episode, but they're hardly A-tier for HIMYM. But now we've hit a fifth season that has separated Barney and Robin, which might lead to bigger and better things for everyone. Maybe.
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