How I Met Your Mother Review- "Something Old"/"Something New"

These episodes seem to pose different concepts for Barney and Robin's future. "Something Old" plays with his immature side, keeping him away from Robin when she needs him the most (or so we might think, at least), which suggests that he isn't ready for such a commitment. Yet, their magnetic chemistry is present in "Something New", as diabolical as their scheme is, as the two keep together throughout without losing an ounce of passion, itself showing a potentially happy ending for the two. How this goes down will be shown in the next season, as the wedding is stretched throughout the majority of the season.

And dammit, am I tired of Ted's past with Robin coming back up.

Season 8 as a whole is a mixed bag. Things started out to be increasingly less promising, as each of the three short-term relationships initially present only dragged things out for the show, itself getting a little long in the tooth. Lily and Marshall's newfound parenthood also wasn't adding too much positivity to the show, with weak stories plaguing what should be a potentially exciting addition to the show's lore.

Things do pick up when Ted, Barney, and Robin ditch each of their partners from the beginning, and go through their own arcs this season, but even then, weaker concepts and increasingly tired humor plague the show down a notch. We're past its glory days here, but it's still able to knock one out of the park here or there, with a few absolutely fantastic episodes made. Still, I'll have to give this season a plain C, which is indicative of the decline HIMYM is facing in its twilight years, but also says that it's still watchable even now. I'd still argue that its weakest episodes are never berefit of good moments, which is still true here.

But wow, is that shot of the Mother at the end of "Something New" incredible. This shows promise for what should be a final victory lap. Will the last season pull that off? Well, we'll see.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Bro Mitzvah"

I am nothing like Ralph Macchio.

Great episode.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Romeward Bound"

I was going to try to write a full review, but I was watching an episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show as a night cap, and it's like day and night.

Well, this episode has some funny and nice moments, but the show has definitely seen better days.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Time Travelers"

Great, great stuff. Let future me write about it, and then we can do Billy Joel tunes acapella.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Weekend at Barney's"/"The Fortress"

This pair of episodes is selling the idea that Barney probably can't change, at least not without a lot more effort. It's not exactly a happy concept, but one that does show some promise in these otherwise decent episodes.

I will say that losing Jeannette was not a big deal, since there's only so much that could have been done with the character. Her welcome was wearing well past thin, but it says a lot how she was the one to break up with Ted earlier in the episode for being too dramatic. He really needs a perspective change, which their time together should hopefully allow for.

Also, it was sad to see the red cowboy boots go, but at least they were set off to an explosive enough finale. And I can't argue with the use of Creedence for the soundtrack.

Ted's material is a little more thin in the latter episode, which is fine, since it allows for Lily and Marshall to have more screentime than their inferior plot in the previous episode allowed for. "Weekend at Barney's" skipped over Lily's new job, which is explored more here. It seems like a better opportunity for her to shine in the art world, but it's not exactly what either she or Marshall want- long hours for little real experience. Thus, their fight comes off as real, and allows for a reasonable expansion of the story for the two. And a funny parody of Downton Abbey, which never fails to put me to sleep.

Still, the important arcs of these episodes come from Robin and Barney's attempts to connect. Both of them still appear to love each other and want to make their relationship work, but Barney is still a kid at heart, and not exactly in a good way. Robin's disappointment is fair, but she is also shown to love Barney for what he is as well, given her defense of his apartment. So it's overall a mixed experience.

Pair it off with matching movie spoofs of equal so-so quality, and that's what you get from these episodes. Some good material, but not the show's best.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Ashtray"

So the show's 10th anniversary just hit, and if certain events didn't transpire later in its run, there would be more rejoicing about its revelation. Here I am, still going through my rewatch and critique, just trying to soak up what's left of the show's greatness.

This isn't HIMYM at its absolute best, but it's a pretty strong episode anyway. Lily and Marshall get the bulk of the serious material, as Lily's passion for art is called upon to result in a welcome conclusion for her. This isn't among the show's most emotionally satisfying moments, but her hopes to make it seem genuine.

Meanwhile, the rest of the gang pick up the comedic slack, and do so well. High Ted, drunk Robin, and Barney as usual all make for good moments abound. And the Captain! Great to have him back.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Bad Crazy"

This isn't a bad episode at all, really. A little too silly in parts, but more of it works than doesn't, and it allows for some good moments.

Robin's story is my favorite overall, but I really just feel for her inability to hold baby Marvin a lot. She loves the kid a lot already, but this is still a big leap that she needs some time for, so she thinks. Lily, on the other hand, recognizes that this is a concern, and wisely gives Marvin to Robin to show that she is ready right now, as she is. And it's a great moment, further complimented with the ending tag.

But Jeanette... meh. Lily's decision that she is good for Ted as of right now is shockingly terrible advice, especially when we're being foreshadowed to know that things will end badly. But she's kind of funny anyway, I guess, so it should work okay for another episode or two.

But I did have more fun with the recurring gag of Robin and Lily's future meet-ups, especially as they land that one perfect ending. Although I wish that someone else besides Mike Tyson was able to be the surprise babysitter. Ah well.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "P.S. I Love You"

Funny as shit. Bays and Thomas took the chance to wrap up Robin Sparkles' story wonderfully here, and allowed for sweet moments for everyone. Give or take Ted, who's a dumbass.

But damn, all of the Canadian jokes. Beautiful.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Ring Up!"

Even though the show pulled a surprisingly welcome curveball on us a couple of episodes ago, we're still not at HIMYM at its best anymore. This week had its moments, but it was pretty flat all in all.

The best scene was easily Robin and Barney's glance at the end. It's a sweet moment that allows for the two to show that their connection does exist, even after his bullshit earlier.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Band or DJ?"

Well, some things never really change.

By this, I'm referring to Lily's desire to run away from Marvin and Marshall. There is never a moment to show doubt that she loves both dearly, as this is really more evident of her reluctance to stay and face her issues directly. This is a human flaw, but it shows maturity that she doesn't run off again, which is something that I doubt that she would have done anyway.

It's one of the more memorable moments of what's otherwise an okay episode. The stories connected through the episode work well enough, but there aren't a whole lot of hilarious moments to keep it alive. And it seems weird that Robin is so dedicated to convincing her father to approve of her marriage, not only due to how dated of a ritual this is, but since she and Robin, Sr. have had such a rough history.

But it comes together in a pleasant enough manner for it to work just fine for me. But not much else.

How I Met Your Mother- "The Final Page"

Welp, this is it. The best episode in the show's run.

When I first saw this, I was floored. Everything over the past few episodes started to make sense, if not the past couple of years. All of Barney's wrong moves, the poor choice of timing, this was all adding up to something.

That doesn't excuse the show's dips into mediocrity, but it allows for what turned into a crackerjack pair of episodes. And these weren't even meant to be joined together, until a hurricane came and threatened the likelihood of a good chunk of the audience catching the former half as a separate piece. But these episodes really do work together very well, as they're about letting go and looking forward.

Even the sillier bits work. Seth Green, for instance, comes off as rightly creepy as he fails to connect to Lily and Marshall in the way that he aspires to. It's not too saddening, since he is a little off, but there is lament present, which is at least subsided by his own revelation. Like the rest of the gang, Daryl realizes that it's best to move on and to not be so over-reliant on his old college buddies.

Like how Ted moves on from the episode's other inspired guest star. His newfound appreciation for Professor Vinick's method of teaching feels right, as we get to see how Peter Gallagher plays his teaching methods the same way that Radnor keeps Ted's inflections alive. They're not all that different, and it's high time that Ted gets over himself.

This episode's reflection of moving on is strong all around, especially when it allows for Robin and Patrice to have a genuine moment. While the running joke of Robin's frustration can be funny, this feels right, and helps to set things up for the latter half.

And boy, do Smulders and Radnor sell their time in the limo together. Their inflections feel real, as the actors have fully engulfed their characters and make each line feel real. Ted's breaking as he accepts Robin's right to meet with Barney is hard, but all the more powerful for it; just as Robin herself struggles to break face and accept that she at least wants some sort of closure before anything happens.

Which itself leads into a beautiful final play. Barney comes off as completely sincere in each play, as he lies to find his way to the one thing he wants- Robin. As deceitful as this all may seem, keep in mind that Robin and Barney built their relationship on a lot of lying, and that Barney is using his skills for what is ultimately a positive goal. He shows nothing but love and honesty in his hope to win Robin over.

Smulders really deserved an Emmy for this episode. She keeps a good job of remaining funny throughout, but it's really here where she shines. Keeping an eye on her face during each shot back to her is all that needs to be said, and helps to keep this dynamite hour alive. Now the only question is if the rest of the season can keep up with this.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Over-Correction"

The Over-Correction  (8x10)

Y'no, while I do oppose to the way Robin can be written as an obsessive ex in regards to Barney, there is something off about his relationship with Patrice. His burning of the Playbook is a nice, genuine moment that helps the episode, but despite the good in both of their hearts, I still can't really buy their time together. Call it intuition, or knowledge of what's to come.

But no, I am still not a fan of this side of Robin. Her emotions do get the better of her, but Robin normally wouldn't be this dedicated to getting Barney back, as much as they seem to work together. Robin can be capable of being nerdy, determined, powerful, seductive, firm, funny, and honest, yet this is the second episode in a row that paints her as a jealous ex. It's a waste of talent on Smulders' part, honestly.

I'm similarly mixed on Marshall and Lily's subplot. While it is kind of funny to imagine Judy and Mickey together, the two really should allow their parents the chance to be happy, even if it seems off. Even though they're still grossed out at the end, it does seem like they're willing to allow their parents said happiness at this point, which is good. But it also would have helped things if Suzie Plakson and Chris Elliot were allowed to have a little chemistry, as they barely interact here.

Two meh to decent storylines would make for a mixed at best episode, but I'll give it a bonus point for the running joke of the gang overstepping on Ted's generosity, which is among the funniest bits here. Barney gets one of the episode's best lines when he laments on how he just needs Ted's ornaments for Christmas. He delivers it better than I can. But nobody can pull off the red cowboy boots.

Ah well. This is a decent episode, but the show can do better. Maybe next time. Or times.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Lobster Crawl"

Well, now I want lobster. I'm not allergic, btw.

This is a decent episode. Each of the plots had their moments of cuteness, but I wouldn't call any of it great. But I think that I like the idea of Barney and Patrice. So far.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Twelve Horny Women"

Twelve Horny Women (8x08)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Chris Romano & Eric Falconer

One Paragraph Synopsis: The big trial against Gruber Pharmaceuticals is here, as Brad prepares to use the information he took from the last episode against Marshall, who puts everything he has into his case. The thing is, the jury is entirely full of women who are attracted to Brad, as well as a (possibly) bi judge, who side with his case. Marshall does eventually win though, as Brad himself has proof of how the lake they're protecting is contaminated, as Gruber has to pay... a significantly smaller amount than what Marshall's firm was asking. This is why he submits himself to become a judge. In between the trial, the rest of the gang trade stories of their adolescent rebellious periods, most of which is heavily over-exaggerated.

Really, I like this episode for its reference to The Wire. There's also a deleted scene from later this season that references the show again, so my guess is that some of the staff had just watched it. Good stuff, and it gives the show more nerd credit than Big Bang Theory ever had.

I do find some of the cutaways to be cute, but the whole subplot is a little superfluous and doesn't add much to the arc or even episode at large. It is nice to see Scooter again, though, and any chance we get to see Robin Sparkles is a good one.

The ending cap on Robin and Barney's future feels a little forced, but not necessarily without redeeming qualities. Robin's "huh" shows potential, but Barney's speech doesn't compare to his in "Splitsville". Probably because he's still into her.

As for the main story, I resent the episode title, and the way Romano and Falconer wrote how Brad was able to swoon everyone. It's cheap, and doesn't add very much in terms of plot and character. Or at least shouldn't. While I do like Joe Manganiello's portrayal of the character, I generally shrugged during his appearances.

Marshall's future, however, does excite me. While it seems very unlikely that he can apply to be a judge so soon in his career, this is a good step for him. And it shows that he's not done saving the world just yet. Not by a long shot. Now just save the show, Big Fudge.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Splitsville"/"The Stamp Tramp"

The mediocre turn that season 8 started out on is slowly starting to improve with these episodes, even though both are pretty far from A-game.

Lily and Marshall's lack of sexual release is a weak bit for "Splitsville", and almost drags the episode down as much as Nick's recent stupidity does. Which itself is a lazy motive to make his exit feel welcome, rather than a logical conclusion that the character evoked.

That's what drags the episode away from me, but I do enjoy it regardless thanks to Robin's own role in the episode, who is showing her tired demeanor. And her annoyance towards Patrice is surprisingly still kind of funny, even if it only revolves around Smulders screaming. She's too good at it to not work at least somewhat.

But Barney steals the show here, with his well-written speech. It's similarly surprising to say so, but everything about the bit feels genuine. It also shows his humanity in a believable way that has been missing for a little while. That's good enough for me.

I actually like the following episode a little more, though. Neither of the stories are excellent, but each have enough good moments to make them mesh together for a good episode.

It's been a solid amount of time since Ted and Lily have shared a subplot together, and thankfully Radnor and Hannigan still have good rapport with each other. It allows for their mocking of Ted's college diary tapes to remain entertaining, especially since Ted's pretentious college self is still among the show's funniest recurrences. And the bit of Ted's acceptance towards Lily at the end is a welcome way to wrap this arc up.

Brad's return allows for solid build-up for the next episode, and made for funny moments between him and Marshall's boss. Both actors were fair game, as Segel wisely backs off a little to allow for this unexpectedly tight chemistry to pay off. It's also the most apt way to keep the episode's theme of recommendation alive.

Robin and Barney's material is probably the most dry, unless you find golden oldies jokes to be especially funny. But it's still Smulders and NPH doing what they do best, so it's hard to not find their time together at least a little enjoyable. And it does allow for a moment that helps to decide if things can work out for the two of them, which doesn't seem likely right now. But give it time. And maybe I'll have more to say soon.

Edit: Also, I appreciate the former episode's little bit about Romani culture. It still can come off as offensive due to the use of the G word, but it does a good job of playing Nick as the fool.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Autumn of Break-Ups"

The Autumn of Break-Ups (8x05)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Kourtney Kang

One Paragraph Synopsis: After it's become increasingly apparent that Victoria is dropping hints to Ted, Marshall and Lily tell him that it's time to stop stalling and to accept that she's ready for a deeper commitment. Ted proposes to her, which Victoria accepts on one condition- she still sees Robin as an issue, and doesn't want them to be friends anymore. It takes Ted some time to decide if he can drop Robin, who herself is causing problems with Nick over how she prioritizes her exes, especially while Barney has decided to become a wingman to a stray dog, but the episode ends with Victoria denying the proposal, since he won't drop Robin. As sweet as this sounds, Ted insists that Lily and Marshall never tell Robin, which Future Ted reveals won't be a secret forever.

I really just want to talk about Brover for a bit.

Because frankly, using a dog for a subplot like his usually shouldn't work. It's a cheap way to get a laugh, as dogs are easily able to do so. But the Brover material works in spite of this. Marshall's attempts at advice border on racism and transphobia in too much of an irritating way to register as funny, while Ted and Robin's stories have too few good jokes of their own. Seeing Barney grieve with a dog is a surprisingly funny, welcome change of pace from the rest of the episode.

And frankly, the humor and energy is needed here, since this isn't an all-too funny episode. A necessary episode, given how it closes the book on Ted and Victoria, but not among the show's best. The split is handled fairly well, with both sides being given a fair shake as to their view point. I've heard comparisons of how similar this is to what happened with Ross and someone, but I don't give a fuck about Friends, so I won't compare. I'm just so burned out on Ted and Robin, that this barely registers for me.

It doesn't help that Victoria hasn't been given the same dignity in her later appearances as before. There's nothing to her but plot that needs to be filled, which she does well enough, but without any of the flair that made her such a good fit for Ted in the first season. Ashley Williams seems to agree, as her delivery doesn't compare to how naturally it used to come, just perfunctory enough to fit. This doesn't feel like Victoria at her best, so it wasn't too much of a shame to see them call it a day.

But we have one more break-up before this Autumn ends. Let's hope that Robin and Nick don't end things too poorly.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Nannies"/"Who Wants to Be a Godparent?"

Meh, don't even feel like doing brief recaps anymore.

"Nannies" was okay at best, but the show is still struggling here. Ted and Robin's argument over who's in the better relationship had its moments, scattered around at least, but got pretty tedious. Especially with the flat "Nick is a girl jokes". It doesn't help that so far, he seems to have at least 3 different personalities that don't really correlate. And Victoria's sloppiness feels unnatural and out of left field, especially since as someone who works in food, she should know better than to keep everything such a mess.

The nanny A-story gets just as tedious, but not so much from Lily and Marshall- although Lily's possessive turn gets a little choppy, it's still somewhat believable for her. I also think that Mickey's revelation of how close he used to be with Lily when she was a child was a nice little way to wrap around things for the episode. It's easier to tolerate his pathetic nature when his good guy shades are shown to be sincere.

My problem with the story comes from Barney. A relapse is understandable, even when he brings some of his worst material back with him, but by now, it should be out of character for him to sabotage his friend's quest so badly. He can do so much better than this, and it's irritating to see this side of Barney back. I like at least seeing him try to make up for it by paying Miss Buckminster, but that's not really enough. Granted, their surprise ending gag is kooky enough to somehow work.

But speaking of out of character, holy shit, Robin. I'll never understand how she lost Kevin to her lack of interest in children, yet fights so hard to become Marvin's godparent. It will make even less sense in a few episodes when the show addresses that Robin has been weirdly distant to him, which is fair, because she has been.

This is a case where I can understand why she was involved in her circumstances, so she can be a part of the game show action with Ted and Barney, but it would have been better if the episode wasn't made. For the sake of her character, and the sake of the series.

A few jokes do work in the episode, even during the unfortunate montage. Sadly, that makes up the majority of the second, and even some of the third arc, and it's a dud. Writer Matt Kuhn adds little insight to the show's game show interior to give it a fresh perspective, instead forcing Marshall and Lily to rely on forced dialogue to get their point across to their contestants. And the structure used in their cutaways- Ted's a square, Robin's emotionally distant, and Barney is completely inappropriate- get old fast. It makes for a predictable, unfunny sequence that takes up too much time of the episode.

This is the weakest episode so far this season, but it isn't completely irredeemable. There's a welcome affirmation of the group's importance to each other at the end that feels nice and kind of important. But it's too little, too late for what's mostly a dud. The show can do better, but it's starting to wear thin at this point.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Farhampton"/"The Pre-Nup"

Farhampton (8x01)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas

One Paragraph Synopsis: Following exactly after the previous episodes' events, Ted realizes that Victoria, who he's about to take away from her wedding, hasn't left a goodbye note for her fiance Klaus. After getting her to write one for him, Ted sneaks into the reception area at Farhampton (the future area where Barney and Robin will wed, which is how the mother is in frame) to leave it in, where he meets with Klaus, who himself is running away, a realization that gives Ted and Victoria some relief. Back at the apartment, Lily and Marshall have newborn fatigue, which is preventing them from being fully awake for some of the day's revelations, which include Barney never telling Quinn about his history with Robin, or that Robin has found a new boyfriend in the past few days. Everything here resolves as the season starts off.

The Pre-Nup (8x02)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas

One Paragraph Synopsis: At Arthur's request, Barney writes up a pre-nup for Quinn, authorizing a bunch of ludicrous agreements for her to sign off on for their marriage. Which might include a few other wives, I'm not sure about that. Quinn is rightfully disgusted, and the reception from the gang is mostly split, with the women siding with Quinn, as the men start thinking of how to make their relationships "better". What results is some compromises for everyone else, while Barney and Quinn realize that they're not able to trust each, and call off the engagement. Thus starts the autumn of break-ups.

And season 8 starts off okay.

"Farhampton" isn't among the show's finer moments, but it offers enough promising moments for it to at least make for a welcome half hour back. But like too much of the previous season, there's a bit too much broadness going on here. Primarily with Marshall and Lily's material, who run flat instantly. Maybe it would have worked better if Marshall brought the champagne up once more, but he failed the rule of three here. It's not enough.

The rest of the subplot at the apartment fairs better, with Barney's one minute recap of the show's history easily making for the highlight. NPH has Barney nailed down so well that he can pull this off without a hitch, and almost made me wish that the series could wrap up this fast. Although as mentioned, this does result into an actual, interesting conflict between himself and Quinn, as it seems like Barney is hiding something with Robin. It also leads to a sweet moment at the end, when Robin finds all of their material from their time together, which continues to show how there's still something there.

And then there's "The Pre-Nup", which ventures a little too far into broad, sexist territory throughout. It seems in a few moments that Bays and Thomas may actually find Barney's reasoning to be sound, as some of his ideas are just terrible. I can't sound off on them, but the episode does have a few funny moments to lighten things up, primarily involving Robin's infatuation with herself. We still don't know much about Nick, so this has to do to give us an idea for how they can work for right now.

As for Barney and Quinn, their break-up seems all too soon, considering how recently they got engaged, but it makes all too much sense. There has never been much for mutual trust between the two, and seeing as how they constantly find ways to reassure this, the shock isn't that big. But now what will Barney do?