Directed by Pam Fryman
Written by Chris Harris
One Paragraph Synopsis: While discussing Robin's credibility as a New Yorker, Marshall's old law school buddy informs him that Woody Allen is eating across from him at a steakhouse downtown. The rest of the gang isn't interested, but each have their own methods on how to get there faster- Ted by bus; Lily by subway; Marshall on foot; and Barney has his own fail-safe method. This results in the five of them racing to head to the restaurant first, as Robin does her best to justify her status as a New Yorker.
It's crazy to believe, as great and respected as Fryman is as a director, that this is her only Emmy nomination in the show's 9-year run. She brought one of the most unique show formats in recent memory to life, just as she helps maintain some of the most talented performers in comedy, and she only gets one nomination, and doesn't even win.
But if nothing else, this is a great showcase for her talents behind the camera. Some of Fryman's best work is presented throughout, as she keeps the action exciting for each of the characters, giving them all plenty of breathing room even when they shouldn't have any.
While Marshall's material seems relatively inconsequential by comparison, it shows Fryman's talents by its composition. Marshall is kept square in the middle throughout his power sprint, as he's shown taking control with a heavy heart and bright face throughout, keeping the best of the character alive. It's fun to see, as Segel is framed and played well, and the urgency that keeps this episode going is never lost.
And it's also good for his character, as Marshall needs the boost of confidence right now. He and Lily are still early in their baby-making days, so it's no surprise to see them not make any progress yet, but to someone with a family history of fertility as strong as his, this has got to hurt for Marshall. This big stretch of exercise shows how Marshall still has it, and informs him that not only is he not the problem, it doesn't really matter to begin with.
Since Lily herself has the same fears. While their relationship is a complete 50/50 affair, she fears that it's her genes affecting things, haphazardly as she does. It takes a well-staged moment in Ranjit's cab for the two to come to the conclusion that this shouldn't matter, at least for right now. And it's true- what makes Lily and Marshall's relationship so great is how they don't rush, they just share everything with a mutual respect and admiration for each other. This is what keeps them and the show alive, why they're so good together.
Lily's material during the chase is less spastic than Marshall's, since she sits in a subway for a lot of it. But seeing how well she understand conductor talk brings a nice little reminder to her character- she is one of the only characters to be a native New Yorker (Barney being the other), so she understands the feel of the city better than most. Lily can cheat the system better than them all, as she best proves by leaving Robin in a delayed sub. This is still kept energized throughout, thanks to sharp camera directions and Hannigan's winning performance.
Ted, meanwhile, is doing pretty fine. His biggest issue right now is discovering ratemyteacher.com (a playo n the real ratemyprofessor, which apparently does actually contain fake reviews of Ted), which contains 62 glowing reviews, with only a single mediocre one among them. Being Ted though, he hastily glosses over this one poor review as it drives him wild.
And that's what his bus trip consists of- Ted trying so hard to not be boring, that he drives his fellow busriders crazy. What is even more crazy is that most of his fun facts would probably really interest his other students that gave him good reviews, but here it rightfully pisses off everyone in the area. A sharp angle is kept in the bus, which makes it easy to keep up with the action and tune into Radnor playing Ted as lovably nerdy as ever.
Barney... is doing pretty fine. Too fine. But that's a part of this episode's glowing charm, right down to his botched heart attack episode, which gives him a taste of just desserts when his scheme doesn't turn out as planned. Still, Fryman and Neil Patrick Harris keep a good balance of staying intense and keeping Barney's cool alive, which makes for a winning pair.
And it comes handy when Barney is shown to be the one who helps push Robin forward in the end, helping to keep their mixed, yet altogether welcome, bond alive. And Robin really does need the push, given how her life is right now. Losing Don and gaining Becky has got to hurt.
If this episode is about anyone, this is Robin's quest to prove her status as a resident of the greatest city on earth, as this is a reminder of where she is right now. She loves her native Canada and must miss her family, but her place in life is meant to be in the big apple, which Robin needs to take charge of. The episode does everything it can to show how Robin has adapted to New York, which it succeeds in, right down to Maury Povich having fun with his multiple cameos.
And Pamela Fryman constantly succeeds in making Robin feel as big and important as she possibly can, which is why this episode totally succeeds. The five characters are given plenty to do in a clever set-up, with each being given as much love as the other thanks to the one-two punch of Fryman's great direction and Harris' script. The series never won too many Emmys, but it sure deserved some love, at least here.
No comments:
Post a Comment