How I Met Your Mother Review- "Intervention"

Intervention (4x04)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas

One Paragraph Synopsis: With Ted planning to move in with Stella and Lucy after the wedding, Lily and Marshall just about ready to move into their new place for good, and Robin heading to Japan in a couple of days, the four of them are doing their best to get ready for the next exciting chapter of their lives. Digging through the apartment, Ted finds an intervention banner, what could have been a relic of the past when the group were consistently throwing interventions for each other. The thing is, Barney burned their original banner, as the events were all but retired after this point. It turns out that a new one was made for Ted after his fast engagement to Stella, but was pulled away shortly after they decided the marriage was a good call. Ted initially shows confusion towards the potential intervention, but soon starts to realize that this is actually a good idea, since he really is heading into this too fast, as the other three soon start to have second thoughts on their changes. It takes the sight of Barney in old man make-up smacking on a young woman to change their minds. Fast forward to a year later, as the group is shown at their typical booth together, with  the acknowledgement that they still have the apartment upstairs intact. Some things never change.

Or rather, some things should never change. In my last review, I wrote about how change is necessary to mature in life, but some things can and probably should remain constant. Oftentimes, it's just discovering the what and how that matters.

Change can be scary. Living one constant truth, one specific method of reaching point A to point B, can be so ingrained into your mind that altering said path can be almost unfathomable, but sometimes, it's good to try another path instead. As long as it gets you there.

Ted grew some  cold feet as he realized just what he stepped into with his engagement, and how soon he made it in his relationship. This is natural, no matter how telling it may or may not be towards his future with Stella. Even Marshall and Lily had their doubts before their marriage, after all. This is a big step forward for Ted, and he did jump quite fast.

It might be telling in a positive manner that the gang changed their mind about throwing an intervention for him, however. Clearly, they see why Ted likes her, and probably all find something that each of them likes themselves. Close friends can be just as subjective as family members can towards partners. Ted's quick resolution away from these fears is also a good sign, as he realizes just why he pushed forward.

Marshall and Lily's moment of doubt comes from the fact that their new apartment isn't all that it's cracked up to be. In fact, it kind of stinks. Literally! But while the place isn't all that great so far, it's a new home, a new start for their bright new future. A good place to live on their own, just before they're ready to have children. The Lily and Marshall of today aren't willing to hear this right now, but this really can become a better place if they're up for fighting for it to be.

Robin, meanwhile, is moving away to a whole other continent. That is freaky to think about, but at this moment, New York wasn't offering her any great opportunities. This job in Japan really can be a step in the right direction for her, even if she has to leave her friends for it to happen. A tough decision, but it seems like she made the right one.

Everyone eventually does, aside from Barney, who is content being his usual self. The fascinating thing about Barney is that he's the oldest of the group, but unabashedly the most immature. The Barney Stinson that was ready to sacrifice anything to make Robin happy isn't here, but the womanizing, scheming Barney that is better known to audiences comes up with one of his craziest ideas yet, and makes it work. We won't see the old man costume again, but it is a funny sight while present, and fun to see NPH pull off. It is possibly that Barney will still be this way when he turns 83, but for the sake of his person, I hope not.

The thing is, this episode hints at at least one thing not changing, as the apartment is still there. Do Marshall and Lily find a way out of their lease? Do Ted and Stella move to New York after all? Or do they not get married, period? It would be bad writing to reveal what the case is here, but it does show that while change is inevitable, it doesn't always happen the way you expect it. And it probably shouldn't, either.

If this telling statement about change was the only thing the episode was good for, it would be a great one. But my word, is it hilarious! Bays and Thomas find plenty of their best jokes here, and keep all three acts fresh. Not to mention the old Barney-lead teaser and closer, but everything else.

The intervention phase is one of the show's all-time great inventions, sticking to the character's undeniable bond towards each other while finding new ways to play with this sense of closeness. Each extremity that requires one of these typical interventions fits well into the character's respective molds, from Lily's British accent being nowhere near as classy as she thinks it is, to Ted's pretentiousness getting the worst of everyone. And Barney's magic tricks, come on.

Allowing for the audience to laugh at, and along with the gang, has been the show's success thus far, and is in full effect here. While they're annoyed about many of these moments, the group still loves each other, and seem to find many of said moments funnier later on reflection, while we should be able to find humor in them to begin with. What isn't funny about Barney punching a wall after Ted breaks up a girl fight, where Robin speaks in full Canadianese, for example? It's an out of field moment that, while indeed absurd, is strangely clever enough to make the scene work like a glove. Not to mention that it's just hilarious to see Neil Patrick Harris hide his fist in his suit, in what seems like another take after his first impalement. Now, the group sees this as the moment where Barney made Lily and Marshall find a new place for their calender.

Even beyond the intervention excellence, great lines are thrown throughout. The group's realization that the expensive scotch they bought wasn't worth the big hike? Gold. Ted's response to the pricey scotch early on? Righteous. And Lily's description of the new apartment is perfect, at least for the time being. Bays and Thomas pull off all the stops here, allowing for some of the best material they've done to date.

"Intervention" is a hell of an episode. Revealing, warming, and hysterical all at once. What more can you ask for in HIMYM? And that's not the end of it from here.