Directed by Pam Fryman
Written by Craig Thomas & Carter Bays
One Paragraph Synopsis: After Robin accuses Barney of not being sensitive enough to her needs, he decides to take action on this, and allows Ted to teach him some of the basics to understand Robin. She discovers this after having suspicions of Barney cheating on her, and snooping well enough to find his notebook. As we see snippets of the lessons Ted teaches him, it becomes apparent to Robin that Barney might be too sneaky for him, but also that his intentions are good, as the two stay together.
The Sexless Innkeeper (5x04)
Directed by Pam Fryman
Written by Craig Thomas & Carter Bays
One Paragraph Synopsis: Now that Robin and Barney have been dating for a while, Lily and Marshall decide that it's a good idea for them to invite the two to one of their couple's night activities. The problem is, though, that they're not very good guests. They both snap whenever anything goes remotely wrong, on top of their awkward timing, Lily's possessive traits, and Marshall's peculiar devotion to his block of cheese. When Barney and Robin tell them why their couple's nights won't work out, Marshall and Lily decide to move on and have better luck with another couple. Some soul searching brings Robin and Barney back to their friend's place, as they try to fix things among the four of them. Meanwhile, Ted decides to see if women really do like the professor look, which comes with mixed results.
So Barney and Robin as a couple, huh?
I really like the characters by themselves, and have always felt that Neil Patrick Harris and Cobie Smulders had good chemistry with each other. The writing was also helping to make the audience root for the two, as Barney's admiration for her felt sincere even as his urges were hard to fight, and Robin could be seen appreciating him herself. Now that they're here though, hmm.
I'm a little hesitant towards "Robin 101", since the idea of Ted teaching a class on the finer points and issues of Robin is a pretty creepy idea, but at the same time, I can't tell if Thomas and Bays do as well, or not. Robin is rightfully angry when she discovers this, but Lily and Marshall seem to be in the middle, which is surprising on Lily's part. Marshall at least has the burden of a moderate subplot involving his old barrel to worry about.
The point of the episode is that Barney knows little about Robin, and is trying to fix this in his own way, which is good. What's not so good is his execution, since you really shouldn't put a curriculum on a person. Especially not if it's from someone who has previously dated them.
Ted has seemed pretty cool with Barney and Robin dating thus far, which contrasts with his angry reaction to the two sleeping together back in season 3. This might be a combination of time healing this wound, the two taking a more serious approach towards their attraction, or perhaps even spotty writing. One factor might have more of a pull than the other, but it does seem like these are the core factors.
I bring this up, since Ted has remained pretty silent about their relationship thus far, but here, he gladly helps Barney out with no hints of jealousy or anger. I hope that this is a sign of him maturing, and the three of them growing into a peaceful agreement, but it's just a nice little change.
Although Ted's tips aren't all that great. There are some things that seem dead-on, like his conversation avoiders, but it helps to bring some catharsis to the gross factor of this when Robin calls him out on his sexual advice to Barney. And the butterscotch for PMSing thing comes off a little creepier than it was intended to, at least how I see it.
But back to Barney, I understand wanting to better yourself for your significant other. That is a good thing to do, but please consider how you do it. For one thing, listen to them. Robin admits early on that she isn't very sentimental herself, but there was at least one instance where she needed someone she cares about to listen to her, which Barney deflected. Why not just sit down and hear what your girlfriend has to say, instead of heading off to a lecture about her that is done without her consent? And for another, stick around for the night. I mean, come on.
This would have worked a little better for me if Barney was forced to compromise a little more with her, instead of Robin giving in a little more easily than she should have. Because the two deserve a better balance. And it does seem like they'll find something closer to it, until the end of our next episode hits, which is a pretty big hint that it might not work out.
Which is a shame, but at least "The Sexless Inkeeper" is a much better episode, with two fun stories combined together into a filling episode.
Robin and Barney are shown in a happier place this week, as the two are getting close enough to fit Lily and Marshall's bill for potential couple buddies. They still have the passion that keeps a good couple together, and certainly do well enough with Marshall and Lily to justify their position. The thing is, despite their senior status, Lily and Marshall are terrible at hosting couple's night events. Hilariously terrible.
After the so-so way both characters were used in the previous episode, it's nice to see them front and center here, with Lily's commanding tendencies allowing for a fun performance by Hannigan. Her anger is justified in an admittedly silly manner, and makes for funny moments along with Segel, as their chemistry hasn't wavered an ounce as the years go on. And Marshall also has some good material himself, with his weird video e-mails showing off Segel's pipes and making for funny diversions.
Together, Marshall and Lily make for a great pair. They understand each other better than anyone else, and as such, there isn't much new to them. Even when they fight, there is love present. Only a deep bond and strong understanding can make this work, as it does.
The challenge is seeing if Barney and Robin have what it takes to make their relationship stand up to Marshall and Lily's. While they may not argue about cheeses or double-dating trips, there is still some sort of bond present between the two. Thank the chemistry, and appreciation for the characters from the writing on this, but also consider the ending scene. This is why I want to see them work things out, but knowing the show, it could go in any direction.
It's also interesting to see how the episode nears its end, with Robin and Barney walking over to Lily and Marshall's in the pouring rain, asking for forgiveness. This shows that the two can easily see the error in their ways when all else fails, and retrace their steps to make things up. It also indicates that maybe, there is a future for them. Which I hope works out.
On top of this, Ted's sexless innkeeper plot is pretty cute. He's dorky enough to think that being extraordinarily dorky can be a turn on, and is blind enough to not realize that this is a bit of a rare case. When it finally works out, we get two clever poems shared as a result, sold well by NPH and Radnor. The latter poem is a particularly nice way to end the episode, as it gives Ted a happy ending that is welcome.
And it helps to make "The Sexless Innkeeper" a step up from the average "Robin 101". I combined the two as a way to make up for the end of the semester nearing, but they fit well enough for this to not be a mistake. The creators wrote both episodes, as they continue the exploration of the show's new hot couple. Now let's see what else the fifth season has to offer from here.
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