Directed by Pam Fryman
Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas
One Paragraph Synopsis: Barney, still reeling over his loss of both Nora and Robin, and Ted, who is still feeling lonely, decide to adopt a kid together out of a whim. What was originally a crazy drunk idea becomes real when Barney arrives with a baby girl the next day, just when Ted is starting to realize how crazy this is. It turns out that he really has James' new adopted daughter, as he comes to Thanksgiving with his family, which Lily and Marshall are hosting at their new place in Long Island, which they decide to keep against Robin's wishes. But it's not like Barney won't get to experience the joys of raising a child soon, since Robin reveals to him that she's pregnant at the episode's end.
I really do like Ted and Barney, but they're both kind of pathetic. At least they are right now, while they're both as bored and depressed as they are. They both deserve someone special, but Barney sabotaged what he had and lost what he could have had otherwise due to a lack of maturity, while Ted isn't able to get his head out of his ass for similar reasons.
Using a baby as a metaphor works well enough, but this episode fails to land due to a tired string of gay jokes in the first act, and doesn't pick up from there. Bays and Thomas are usually very good at getting to the core of their character, in dramatic and comedic fashion, but while what they're saying about Barney and Ted is accurate, this isn't really funny or likable. It's just there.
Lily and Marshall's story doesn't work a whole lot better, since it doesn't really resonate emotionally. The problem is that Lily and Marshall don't really get a whole lot to do, especially as a couple, as Robin quickly steals the plot from them in an unfunny desperate attempt. Well, her anger over their many lamps in the apartment is cute, but this brings up the worst trait in Robin's character- her whiny side. Weaker writing brings this out, as evident by the episode.
Thankfully things lead into something promising with the ending revelation, which will result in a much better episode. This isn't one of the show's better episodes, though.
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