Directed by Pam Fryman
Written by Chris Harris
One Paragraph Synopsis: Nobody's night goes as they plan after Robin gets invited into the VIP room of a happening club- Robin comes to the realization that she isn't a big deal yet, Ted mucks up his blind date, and Barney ends up spending the night grinding on his cousin. Meanwhile, Lily and Marshall's wine tasting party bores both of them to the point that the two of them end up sneaking out separately.
To sum this episode up, "Okay Awesome" is more okay than awesome. It definitely isn't bad, but it isn't a masterpiece of comedy.
I started off with an ending summary since I couldn't think of a way to start off a review. Which makes sense, since while there's enough to like in this episode, it feels a little confused in ways.
Let me tell a story instead, then. I used to go to clubs fairly regularly, for about a year or so. I'm not much of a dancer or a fan of dance music, and like Ted, I'd rather spend a less intense night with some friends, or hopefully, a lover, but hey, the club was really close to my house, and the company was fun. I went out, danced with some friends, sometimes other girls, and afterwords, we'd go to a nearby Dennys and actually talk. The club eventually closed down after the owner fled without keeping up with his payments, so the people who were more into the dance scene started finding other clubs around town, and usually alternate between a handful, while myself and some of the quieter people mostly retired from the scene.
Going out to dance to dubstep, hardstyle, and whatever else was popular at the time taught myself a few things- 1) fedoras (or tribs, or whatever) suck. Besides being an anti-aphrodisiac to women and an MRA breathing ground, they gather sweat FAST. 2) just because you don't actively listen to dance music doesn't mean you can't go out and enjoy the beat. Many others share your struggle, and don't consider it a struggle, so neither should you. 3) it sucks to be the one of the only single people in a group of friends, at least if your other single friends are ones you have no interest in doing anything with. 4) for some, the club is a way of release from a dull life that you just can't escape.
Strangely enough, all of these show up in this episode in one way or another.
1- Marshall briefly dons a lame hat during his cathartic dance sequence, and quickly (thankfully) retires it. Good on ya, mate.
2- Ted may be too much of a Type A personality to really get into the club life, but he does end up enjoying himself in another way near the end when he spends time and lists other overrated activities with the coat check girl (and yes, that is... what's-her-face from Glee). The unusual way this works is a perfect character moment for Ted, as he keeps his kooky, yet honest, straight man approach to enjoy himself and make time with a cute girl all at once. The show is increasingly building itself up to be one of the most unconventional comedies of its time, and one clever way is by letting Ted crack jokes and expand on his character almost to the side, as to allow the other characters' stories take center.
3- While Barney is enjoying the single life, and Robin has her own issues to deal with (mostly a retread from the previous episode, although her lament is believable; she does deserve better), Ted is still struggling with the single life now that his best friends are engaged. It still doesn't seem like he's as ready to settle down now, though. Not only because he hasn't found anyone to settle down with, but at this point, Ted has proven to be all talk and no show. He may be the great romantic soul he believes himself to be, but the dude doesn't even call the coat check girl back. It seems that Ted prefers the idea of the domestic life rather than the actual results, which are two different things entirely.
4- But forget Ted, let's talk about Lily and Marshall! In this episode, Lily attempts to bring herself and Marshall into the world of the married life, by trying out a popular stable in their wine tasting party. What they both learn is that even though the two love each other, they're not ready to become the boring couple that force their friends to watch their ultrasound or snuggle up to some Norah Jones (hey, it's 2005 or surprisingly relevant? I'll leave that for you to decide). Lily may be a kindergarten teacher, but she still has her artistic riot grrl streak waiting to be let out again, as Marshall is just as fine with being one of the boys as he is dedicating his life to his dream girl. You actually can have it both ways, as Robin tells Lily in the gutter.
This is why I consider Marshall's dance sequence, as well as Lily's joint flashing with Robin, to be so important. While these two may be the first to grow up in the eyes of society, that doesn't mean that Marshall and Lily should sacrifice fun by doing so. Lily lifting up her shirt to allow herself access into the club brings her back to her college self, when she freed her nipples more frequently (for fun!), as Marshall letting steam off on the dance floor takes him away from the tedium of law school and allows him some fun. I'd also argue that this is the moment where Jason Segel almost fully GETS Marshall, as he allows the character a chance to release his inhibitions.
The episode has some good material all around, some unfunny homophobia and nerd-bashing humor that The Big Bang Theory would make a living off of years later aside. Still, it's hard to fault an episode that brings up how difficult it is to talk in a club, or the ridiculous prices of drinks at a New York dance hall. $17 for a domestic beer? Pass.
No comments:
Post a Comment