Directed by Pam Fryman
Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas
One Paragraph Synopsis: Barney has been acting suspicious lately. So much so, that the gang follows him to the suburbs, where they finally meet his mother, Loretta (Frances Conroy), and his "wife" and "son"... it turns out that when Loretta was dying, Barney hired an actress to portray his fiance, who ends up ad-libbing that she's pregnant, to make her believe that he finally found someone. Loretta ends up making it through, so Barney has been keeping this charade going for years. It doesn't take much for this twist to crack, especially when Ted and Margaret the actress hook up. Barney eventually confesses his lie, which Loretta seems strangely fine with.
Barney really is a hell of a character. There are certain fields that he is clearly ignorant in, but he is a smart person. He fucks up often, but always has something up his sleeve. And despite making some gross moves, he has some resemblance of an honor code. The hippie who decided to reshape his life after losing his dream girl is still there, but functions differently than anyone else.
What we learn of his home life helps to bring some insight to Barney's person. No one believes that Bob Barker is his father, and it's similarly implied that James has a different father, despite neither of them knowing just who they are. And Loretta's confession of her promiscuous past is hardly a surprise either. If anything, it helps to explain why Barney is so tied, as he's used to his mother coming and going at various points during the day.
"The Stinsons" is a hell of an episode for what it adds to Barney's character, and for Loretta herself. Frances Conroy (post-Six Feet Under, pre-American Horror Story) finds the perfect tone for her, keeping a sweet exterior, but not being too ashamed of her past to still indulge in herself. She just is, which is what makes her a fun character, one that is easy to see where Barney came from.
It also explains why Loretta wasn't exactly disappointed or even that shocked when she discovers Barney's long-running ploy. If anything, the revelation seems to be fun to Loretta, and only helps to strengthen their bond as a result. Loretta may not be as conniving as Barney, but their love for each other is strong even in just this one episode.
I don't have much to say lately, but "The Stinsons" succeeds at practically everything. The rest of the gang each adds their own importance, as Ted's affair with Margaret helps to give him a challenge and a breather from recent disappointments; Marshall and Lily's spat about Lily's strenuous relationship with her mother-in-law is a long-time coming, as the seeds have been planted in Judy's first episode, and results in a funny ending; and Robin keeps some good lines going, as she remains the reason for Barney to keep going, whether she realizes or not. And the actors are fun, too!
I promise that I'll have more than this mini-review for next time, but hey, Disney awaits me. And at least this is a great episode.
No comments:
Post a Comment