How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Leap"

The Leap (4x24)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Craig Thomas & Carter Bays

One Paragraph Synopsis: With everything that has happened to the gang in the past year, they need something to raise their spirits up. Ted can't even be bothered to make it to his own surprise party, as he's too busy working on the rib house design, which ends up being rejected. He's also held captive by the goat from last year's fiasco, and ends up getting headbutted as a result. Robin also learns about Barney's feelings for her, and tries to pull a Mosby on him to scare him off, which works until Barney learns what happened, and calls her bluff. While it isn't immediately clear if they end up as a couple, both of them need to take the leap along with Ted, which Marshall initiates. A good way to end the year.

Man, what a way to go. A big leap forward for the best season to date.

This tentative brief review will hopefully be extended in the near future, but rest assured that I rate the episode highly. And season 4's strong streak is continued to give this year an A, the highest rating to date. Every episode is quite good, every other episode being a certified classic. Take out some of the show's transphobic attitude and give Stella a little more time, and this might have gotten a plus.

Will season 4 continue the strong streak? Well, we'll see.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Right Place, Right Time"/"As Fast as She Can"

Right Place, Right Time (4x22)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Stephen Lloyd

One Paragraph Synopsis: As Ted heads off to live a regular day of work, he recalls everything that forces him to reach a specific place at a specific time, which involves a hodgepodge of collected stories involving the gang. Such as Robin's food poisoning, brought on by Ted's favorite bagel place, Barney's over-obsessive planning for his 200th sexual partner, and Marshall's chart addiction. All of this helps Ted to make it to go on a certain path, a path where he runs into fate- or Stella, if you prefer.

As Fast as She Can (4x23)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Craig Thomas & Carter Bays

One Paragraph Synopsis: Leading in from the previous episode, Ted runs into Stella and Tony, where he has a peaceful catching up with them. That should have been the end of things, but Tony dedicates it to himself to find someway to repay Ted for the grief he feels for having Stella leave him at the altar, resulting in a bunch of job offers. When nothing Tony tries out work, he takes it upon himself to go a step further by leaving Stella, which causes her to come to Ted for help to repair their relationship. Reluctantly, Ted agrees to talk to Tony, a decision he soon chooses to not regret, since Stella has simply found the one. His turn will come. Meanwhile, Barney consistently tries to get out of speeding tickets he obtains, but fails heavily at each attempt. Also, Lily returns at the end of the episode!

I was initially just going to do "Right Place, Right Time" by itself, but I had almost forgotten about the cliffhanger ending. That, and its structure doesn't allow for me to write too much about it.

So far, HIMYM has not been afraid to play with sitcom format, which has been one of its greatest strengths. There are plenty of episodes with simple A/B/C formats, which the series has done just fine with, but whenever an experiment like "The Platinum Rule"'s reliance on flashbacks to tell a story is done, the show helps to define itself as more than just your average TV comedy. Thomas, Bays, and crew often find a way to show their understanding of the traditional sitcom formula by often subverting it.

"Right Place, Right Time" follows in that tradition of noble experiments, but while there is plenty to like, I wouldn't call it a complete success. Do we really need to see the explanation of why Ted had to give the homeless person (played well by Homer himself, Dan Castellaneta) a dollar on his way out? The concept of pausing at nearly every angle is cute, but superfluous.

Especially when the ending reveal isn't all that surprising. Not to say that Stella's return is unwelcome, but the build-up here seems a little off for someone who could have been the future mother. Saget's delivery, which is typically strong throughout, hints at there being something else. And it was about time for Stella to come back into Ted's life, given the hole that she left.

It would be too obvious if Stella was mentioned in every single episode since the split, but her impact has definitely been left on Ted and the show itself. Seeing Ted's faith shrivel up into nothing and see him falter has made for an effective storyline, giving the character some roadblocks to surpass. It doesn't really work out in his favor, but seeing how he tries to keep his spirits high in moments such as running into his ex fiance shows how mature Ted can be when he needs to be.

Her return keeps things exciting as we near the end of the season. Allowing Tony to have some time for his own development also helps, as he finally has some fun and shows off some personality. It's not a surprise to see Tony as kind of a dopey guy, albeit one who at least means well. He loves Stella and has sincere compassion, as his attempt to find a good job for Ted comes off as likable and honest.

The thing is, Tony's judgement isn't all that great. To be fair, Ted isn't a whole lot better in this regard. Stella's a fine woman, some problems aside, but the best offer Tony made is the one that Ted instantly declined- a teaching job. Ted loves to talk, knows plenty about architecture, and has almost nothing going down. Deciding against the offer really is a bone-headed move on his part. And it's certainly a better idea than Mr. Statue of Liberty.

Tony's decision to leave Stella was similarly bone-headed, especially as Ted was truthful in saying that he doesn't want her back. While Ted does need help, this isn't the right way to go at it, and on some level, Tony must understand this. The split was only a defense mechanism, done so he can try to cope with the grief he's holding as best as he can. It's just not the right way to do so.

This all leads to Ted and Stella having a (seemingly) final discussion about all that happened. Stella's pleads of her long history with Tony offers the idea that this is something a long time going, which Ted couldn't have prevented if he tried. This concept was shown in "Shelter Island", and while the audience seems to have got it, Ted needed a little more time himself before he could. This was a story about true love, but not for Ted. He was a necessary part in it, but not the way that he wanted. That doesn't mean that Ted won't have his story, but merely that this is a stepping stone towards it.

I'll get back to the other episode for a little more in a moment, but "As Fast as She Can" is such a great episode as it gives this strong idea a big backbone and expands well. It's a necessarily cathartic release to one of the roughest parts in the show, and continues to bring the season to a nice close.

But while I'm less favorable towards "Right Place, Right Time" based on how its gimmick doesn't fully pay off, it's little subplots are mostly full of gold, just as Barney's story in "As Fast as She Can" is similarly entertaining. These episodes prove that you don't really need Lily to have fun on the show, as Robin, Marshall and Barney hold things off for her absence and Ted's heavier material.

Robin's food poisoning story is the most obvious of them, but Lloyd keeps her bond with Ted strong in his writing, as they say plenty without throwing much in your face. Besides playing well to dialogue that doesn't come off as obtrusive, Smulders' serious face is used well, as she tries her best to not ruin anything for Ted, even as she's becoming a little more aggravated.

Marshall's chart and graph obsession is great for bringing the intervention banner back alone (although Lily is sorely missed here- surely this could have been shot back before her pregnancy was becoming too obvious), but it does also allow him some harmless fun that has been missing in recent episodes. Marshall's dorky nature is front and center as he lives off his pun fantasies and brings some ingenious gags to life. His lack of insight resulting in a screw-up at work is only the coconut icing on the funky Marshall cake.

And Barney, well, is Barney. His massive list of women is gross, as gross as the way he treated the female officer. Luckily in both episodes, he gets his just desserts, though.

Barney's compulsiveness towards landing the perfect lay for his 200th is right for his character, but a hard trait to defend, and while it's not good to body shame, it feels natural to see Barney not win the way he wanted to. Meanwhile, his attempts to get out of tickets are increasingly fun to see be pulled off, but not nearly as much as seeing him fail each time. There's a gene in his mind to not allow him to pull this off, as he should not and does not. But to be fair, there are worse things to see Barney accomplish than to get a pass from a speeding ticket.

Also, Robin's comment on the lack of diversity in the names from Barney's list is one of the show's most insightful, yet undeniably hurtful lines in its run. Love it or leave it, this is one element that HIMYM could do better on.

But again, these are both strong episodes. The former isn't done as well as I would have liked, but still has a lot of good gags and a big enough heart going for it, while the latter is a great way to lead off into the season finale. Let's just see if the show can land the jump.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Three Days Rule"

The Three Days Rule (4x21)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Greg Malins

One Paragraph Synopsis: When Ted hits it off with a girl at the bar, he decides to call her almost immediately after getting her number. Barney and Marshall, however, are adamant about him not breaking the cardinal rule, where you should wait three days in hope of not rushing in. Eventually they get Ted to reluctantly agree to not call the girl... but he didn't say anything about texting. So he and Holli hit it off. Too well, until she sends a text that was not meant for him. Robin soon finds out that in actuality, Marshall and Barney swapped out Holli's number with Barney's work cell, and they've been messing with him the whole time. Robin cracks the information over to Ted, who then takes it upon himself to have his vengeance on them, as well as meet up with Holli to rectify their damage. Even though it turns out that she wasn't exactly the one...

Is the three days rule really that important? Well, you really do need some time before going on such a venture, just like this episode needed some time spread before hitting some of its key points.

While the lack of a subplot helps to keep the episode afloat, the pacing is still off after a tight first act. I feel that the reveal of Barney and Marshall's scheme could have been saved for a little, just as Robin's confession to Ted was also a little premature. Not for too long, mind you, as stalling can get tedious, but they almost cut right to everything in the grand scheme of things, making the revelations not as natural as they should be.

As a result, the ending is almost disjointed in how everything is spread across. Not that the resolution itself is bad, because it all makes sense, but the way to there is rushed and not given enough time to get its point across. Ted's gay dream scheme had a good thing going, but again, deserved some more attention as a way to break Marshall and Barney apart. Marshall's cuddly argument is among the episode's many highlights, but there was more gold to dig from this scenario, sadly cut too soon.

This is the only real problem that I have with the episode, which is otherwise a laugh riot from start to finish. Each act contains a new brilliant gag to help compliment the last, as it also gives into the need to balance out the chemistry between certain characters.

But first, I do want to mention Stan. Kevin Michael Richardson is a man with a gifted vocal complexion, who fits his tone to how it needs to mend, which he wisely uses as a smooth operator with a tender heart and a passionate appetite. His time with the guys is brief, but undeniably important. Articulate and poignant, but with enough sincerity to keep the lust alive. Stan was the man.

He added a good deal to Marshall and Barney's time together, but the two really have seen their friendship blossom considerably this season. Working together seems to help this a lot, as Ted is almost an afterthought in comparison to how Marshall and Barney easily connect to their devious plot. As the series does tend to get close to becoming Ted and his friends relating to Ted's issues, it's refreshing to see how his two best friends interact without him. Even as they almost destroy each other in the process, due to a good call on Ted.

Ted and Robin, meanwhile, have some fun themselves. Even before they team up, and Robin shows her continued inability to get with the picture as she stands by her ideal prank after Ted comes up with better ideas, sold in a dorky fashion by Smulders, Malins writes some solid interplay between them. Robin's reminder of Ted's naked lady laugh is a cute little treat, for example, especially when she gives him an example. There are other moments allowing the two to interact as more than just an old couple, but as friends that are out of the loop.

And as you can tell by the end, whether Barney and Marshall were right about the three days rule or their method, Ted dodged a bullet with Holli. Yikes. But I don't agree with the concept that women whose names end in the letter "i" that are meant to end in "y" have an agenda or anything. That's an old joke.

Albeit a rare joke that doesn't work here, as "The Three Days Rule" is just great throughout. Even with some pacing issues, the sheer amount of jokes and bonding is enough to push it over the edge.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Mosbius Designs"

Mosbius Designs (4x20)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Kourtney Kang

One Paragraph Synopsis: As Ted's architecture firm is finally starting up, he's doing literally anything he can to stall the application part of it, including hiring an intern, who rests firmly in the office of Ted and Robin's living room. It takes no time for PJ the intern and Robin to hook up, which helps to delay whatever process Ted can make with his work. He fires PJ not too long after, which results in Robin breaking up with him, as she enjoyed his authority in the apartment, giving Ted incentive to hire PJ back, only for him to hook up with Robin again, ad nauseam. It takes some scheming from Marshall and Barney, who are busy trying to find a way to make Marshall stand out in the building. All of this would be easier if Lily was around, but she takes a break after Barney reveals a particularly offensive joke.

This is it, the run of the double pregnancies. The way both are handled is thankfully done differently, as Lily is written out for a brief period after Barney's peanut butter joke in the cold opening (the punchline is available online, btw). It's cute, but doesn't last too long, probably since Hannigan needed to collect her paycheck by episode, so enough time could have taken place between the end of her pregnancy and the birth of her child.

By contrast, there is barely an attempt to hide Smulders' pregnancy, as her baby bump becomes embarrassingly present in certain scenes. If I had to retract points for anything, it would be Fryman's lack of effort in this regard.

But Robin still manages to hold her own in "Mosbius Designs", as she does a good job of playing her frustration towards her current livelihood. When Robin tells Ted how she didn't expect to settle on a guy who was literally just at her apartment, it comes off as sad, that she knows that she should be doing better, but really isn't. It's unfortunate, because she is a smart, likable person, but life isn't dealing her a great hand right now. Robin is still reeling from the disasters of her past few jobs, as nothing is going the way she'd normally want it to.

PJ isn't given a whole lot to work with, but his blind devotion to Ted indicates a kind of naivety that makes it easy to fancy him as stupid, or at least undesirable. Robin almost literally is only attracted to him due to his control of the bathroom, a concept that is weird, but also weirdly hot to her, as PJ has some sort of authority in the apartment. Take that away, and he has nothing.

It's not a whole lot to work with for a relationship, and Robin knows. So does Ted, who is understandably annoyed about the whole thing. And so does Marshall, who isn't afraid to call her out on it. And Barney might also realize this, but he's too hurt over Robin's neglect of his feelings to articulate this.

But I should focus on Ted a little before I go to Barney, or Marshall for that matter. After all, this is his episode, and his company's name referenced in the title. His fear of Mosbius Designs failing is a believable one, being that he started the firm all by himself after a string of rejection. But similarly to what Robin reminds him, you can't fail without even attempting to succeed, let alone actually succeed. Ted's fear of embracing his work is understandable, but also destructive.

We see Ted block any actual attempts at work throughout in the episode, as he focuses on good pens to use, plans detailed trips before obtaining any clients to discuss, and, like me, probably can't think of a third example to note. Fear is one thing, but deliberate ignorance is moronic.

In a way, the whole PJ ordeal was helpful to Ted, as it gives him enough time to consider forming a game plan. Or, in this case, gain the momentum to pick up the phone and try some numbers out. The way this builds onto Ted helps to make this one of the most interesting parts of the episode, building his idiosyncrasies into a unique method.

Ted and Robin's dilemmas fit well with Marshall and Barney, as the four each are at pivotal crossroads of their lives, but each have ultimately silly issues to deal with in an effort to distract each person from bigger things.

Marshall just wants to keep his job, at least for now. This still isn't what Marshall imagined that he would use his law degree for, but it's still a well paying job that he at least moderately enjoys, thanks to Barney and some wacky characters at GNB. While in most other instances, Marshall would hesitate to indulge in such gimmicks as Toy Guy (complete with plug-ins to fellow Fox production X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the ever-so-average addition to the wholly inconsistent franchise), or the cool-looking Fantasy Guy, here he sees merit in Barney's speech, as there really is something to say about the need to stand out.

Marshall's take as Sports Guy results in a successful way for him to stand out in the crowd, but as usual for Marshall, paranoia steeps its way in. Especially when money is involved, which results in some crack-up moments from him as he tries to hide the office's bets. This bit of fear sticks to Marshall's character, just as a surprising ploy near the end may shock, but not quite as much as you'd expect if you recall who Marshall is married to. This allows for Marshall to show how some of Lily's know-how has rubbed off on him.

Barney, meanwhile, continues to his crush on Robin to signify, in one way or another, his increasing need for growth. He has yet to put any actual pressure on Robin, as she is mostly unaware of his feelings, but she is still somewhat on a pedestal, which isn't a whole lot better. But it is hardly a secret, as everyone else but she already knows, and Barney is slowly becoming ready to let her know.

PJ plays the dopey romantic interest well this week, as it becomes easy enough to support Barney and not be crazy about the guy. His disappointment is palpable, and comes to a head as Barney and Marshall share a welcome heart-to-heart, which even helps to push aside how the lack of Lily might hurt the episode. Her husband really has learned some good things from her, and the two pull off magic throughout, as their core story is pretty great.

This is a pretty great episode, in fact. We're near the end of season 4, and have yet to hit a real misfire. If Fryman had only fixed some angles a little, this could have been close to a perfect episode.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Murtaugh"

Murtaugh (4x19)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Joe Kelly

One Paragraph Synopsis: When Barney is banned from the laser tag playhouse for being too rough with kids, he tries to get Ted to TP the place with him. Ted, who considers himself too old to do things like this anymore, pulls out the Murtaugh list, a combination of things that people over the age of 30 shouldn't do anymore. Barney decides to try to do them all in the next few days, and later comes up with a list which contains things people around the age of 30 are too young to, which Ted goes through himself. Meanwhile, Marshall coaches Lily's kindergarten basketball team, which she thinks he's too harsh with. Lily forces Marshall to calm down, which results in them failing.

I haven't seen a Lethal Weapon (although I have seen It's Always Sunny's sequels, and do intend to watch at least the first 2 in the near future) or the original Teen Wolf, so this episode might work better if I had. I have played Duck Hunt though, and fuck that annoying dog. Although he is apparently good in the new Smash. But this is irrelevant, as the episode itself is great.

Age seems to occupy this entire episode, particularly the importance of how your maturity should be tuned to your age. The core conflicts between Barney and Ted and Marshall and Lily make for intelligent discussion on both sides, as they're also just funny to watch explored.

The Murtaugh list contains things that even someone who is well below 30 wouldn't consider doing anymore, like go to a rave or get my ear pierced (especially by myself, jeez, Barney), which speaks to how it holds up. As you grow up, certain things are meant to be abandoned as you approach adulthood with tact and common sense, which Barney seems to have difficulty doing himself.

Barney's refusal (inability?) to age has constantly made him such a fascinating character. He has grown as a character enough to make him more likable as the show has progressed, but he still chooses to release his inner child more often than not, as he does during his entire laser tag spiel. He has fun, which is matters.

Here is a rare moment where his age catches up with him, though. Barney breaking his back is a little too obvious of a metaphor, but it works to get the point across that you're not going to remain where you are forever, so it's best to embrace age with open arms. Not as open as Ted's arms, of course, but I'll get to him later.

On some level, Barney does understand that he is getting too old to do everything that he used to, but he's not ready to fully admit this yet. And why not, as age is scary, especially when you're reaching it. But it is inevitable, and when you hit 30, there are certain things to consider, like how you interact with children. Barney definitely does need to change this, as his time with the kids in laser tag was uncalled for.

Ted was right as he watches Barney flail through the Murtaugh list, just as Barney and Robin are right that Ted is becoming too square for his age. Look at how he embraces the list they create, almost seamlessly. It's a little pathetic. While Barney is having difficulty adapting to his age, Ted needs to reflect on how he is acting, as he does at the end of the episode.

Ted's epiphany from his Lethal Weapon marathon is a great moment that helps bring the episode together. Here, he sees the error in his ways, as the Murtaugh list is retired, even though he and Barney still agree that there is merit to retiring some activities as you age. Compromise is the spice of life that makes it constantly worth tasting. Although they really should have thought better before TPing the laser tag place.

Marshall's material has him show a little more edge than usual, but it's a welcome change, especially as Lily plays a strangely serene take herself. Or rather, she is more serene than usual, just not fully, as she still plays fairly rough against Marshall.

But this is a strength of Lily's that is worth note- while she can be quite antagonist when she wants to, she knows to keep herself controlled in front of children, and usually succeeds. Marshall, however, doesn't have this going for him based on how he treats the boy in his team.

While some ferocity is necessary to keep a team pumped, you really need to consider the age group you're playing to. Lily teaches kindergartners, young children who need nurturing before they're ready for more competitive sports. Marshall doesn't seem to care, based on his reactions. This is not right, although Lily isn't exactly helping with her lollygagging as a coach, which doesn't even really count as coaching. You can see this by how badly they perform during the game.

The flashback to Marshall's history of playing with his dad brings some insight to his methods here, even if his actions aren't justified. He wants to succeed, and comes close, but he definitely comes off as a jerk here. I don't mean this as a complaint, but rather a fun way to spin the episode, as it somehow makes sense for Marshall's otherwise kinder character, especially when you remember how his brothers used to treat him.

But what really makes this subplot work, besides Marshall and Future Ted's exaggeration of the competing team's height, is the subtext being thrown here. Lily and Marshall are arguing about more than just effective coaching methods, but their ability to become parents. This otherwise perfect pair aren't on the same team here, in a way that wraps up towards potential parenting conflict. Marshall could be just as rough with his future children as he is to the boys, while Lily might be too carefree, or this is at least how each other view their lover.

The way that they don't exactly see eye-to-eye by the end suggests that Marshall and Lily just aren't ready for raising children yet, which might be for the best. There aren't hints towards a separation, just a lack of communication in this regard. That's just fine for right now, as the two still have more things to take care of.

These stories tie up the theme about how to handle age, as Barney's reluctance towards embracing adulthood and Marshall and Lily's conflicting methods fit well with each other. You are never really done growing, as evident here. And that's what makes the episode work. It's quite funny, and leaves enough to analyze the characters with to stand as a great episode, instead of merely a good one. Just as this is absolutely a great season.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Old King Clancy"

Old King Clancy (4x18)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Jamie Rhonheimer

One Paragraph Synopsis: Ted's ideas for the new GNB building keep on being poo-pooed by Bilson, a higher up that seems to be out for Ted. Until Bilson is dropped from the project, and all seems well for Ted, until he learns that the project is dropped, and Barney and Marshall went to extreme lengths to make it seem like he's still working on it, going as far as to hire random people to sit in on meetings, rather than telling him the truth. Angry with the revelation, Marshall and Barney try their best to make up for this, by getting a new opportunity for Ted, to get him to to redesign a particular room for another floor, but when Ted's look becomes far more elaborate than planned, Bilson fires him for good, just as Ted is fired from his firm. He then decides to take this in stride by starting his own architecture firm. At the same time, Lily is trying to figure out which Canadian celebrity Robin was propositioned to have a distinctly Canadian sex act with, and which collectibles said celebrity keeps. The result baffles Lily and the rest.

I love how Robin's story is based off of true events. An actual writer from the show had a friend with a similar situation as her, but also wouldn't identify which celebrity, collection, or offered sex act was involved. And I don't think that the story has been publicly dislodged yet.

Rhonheimer builds on the excitement that the gang builds, as she finds a way to embody this into genuine hope and curiosity. The concept of the freaky sex scheme and its effect on the gang, Lily in general, brings to life that emotion wonderfully. It's a great subplot, and I only hope that they really did stay at the bar for three days just to find out.

And the ending gag? Priceless. Robin's youthful grasp at the Frozen Snowshoe was a scream, as it reveals how she wasn't entirely truthful. And now I want maple syrup.

The A-plot is pretty strong, itself. Although I'm not crazy on seeing both Barney and Marshall lie to Ted. Barney makes sense, since it's in his nature, and he's just trying to make his friend feel better, but Marshall should know better. Still, like Barney, he's only out to protect Ted, and their method of doing so is surprisingly elaborate.

The ploy to get random, lower-maintenance employees from GNB, and the odd homeless person or two to fill out the firm is silly, but seems to work well enough for Ted, who never questions it, even after a crazy encounter with the cafeteria helper who doesn't speak English. As a way of avoiding the responsibility of telling Ted the news, this is a fairly crazy method, albeit one that's fun to watch on screen.

But it's still not the best policy. Honesty is, as shown when Marshall and Barney tell Ted what really happen. He is still bitter, but even more so after realizing that his best friends have been lying to him for a while. Ted's anger is fully justified, as he was denied important information, and thus was wasting his time. It's a shame, since this did seem like a good opportunity for Ted, but Bilson just seems like a massive tool.

Bryan Callen does a good job as the character, fully selling his unlikable streak, just as he makes his screaming matches funny to hear. It's a good performance that fits into the episode, which thankfully results in getting himself hit with a chair by Ted. Which may not be the best idea for his resume, but is well-deserved all the same.

The ending revelation of Ted's new architecture firm gives some hope to the character, though. This could be the piece of hope he really needs... or further bring him down. Only time will tell, but "Old King Clancy" still gives me hope for what has to be the best season yet. Even if this isn't nearly as strong as the last handful of episodes, it's a fun ride all the same, and I can't wait to see what's left.

How I Met Your Mother Reviews- "Sorry, Bro" & "The Front Porch"

Sorry, Bro (4x16)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Craig Gerard & Matthew Zinman

One Paragraph Synopsis: When Ted's old girlfriend Karen moves to New York, he meets up with her, has lunch, passionately reunite, and commit to each other, just before discovering that Karen is using him to let her current boyfriend know that their relationship is over, a tactic she used to do with Ted. A decade removed from that self, Ted has no patience for it and makes Karen confront her issues, which she does, and thus results in the two of them trying their relationship out again. This story is slowly being doled out to the group, half of which already don't like Karen while the other half is growing to not like her either, as Marshall shares his story of how he lost his pants at work.

The Front Porch (4x17)

Directed by Rob Greenberg

Written by Chris Harris

One Paragraph Synopsis: A couple of weeks have passed since "Sorry, Bro", and while Ted seems happy on the surface, Karen hasn't become any better of a person since Wesleyan. As such, it doesn't come as a disappointment or surprise when she and Ted break up early into the episode. But what does become a surprise is the revelation that Lily personally sabotaged their relationship, and that this isn't the first time she's done this for Ted. The selling point, however, is that Lily became a cataclysm for Ted and Robin's relationship, a decision that she regretted, but had to do for the good of her hypothetical front porch, where she and Marshall can see themselves play bridge with Ted and his future wife for the rest of their lives. There just wasn't a way for Ted and Robin to resolve their differences at the time to make it work. But a nice night later gives the two the opportunity to decide on potentially marrying each other if they're still single when they turn 40. Meanwhile, Marshall shows Barney the joy of a nice nightshirt, in a surprisingly tender moment with them.

Meh, I am behind, so I might try to do some more double reviews on a semi-regular basis. Not for every episode, obviously, but for whichever instances that combining two episodes into one post will work, why not? But I definitely wanted to do so for Karen's run on the show. She'll be back on the show in an odd flashback or two, but her time in the present is over for now.

Laura Prepon (post-That 70's Show, pre-Orange is the New Black) does a fantastic job at playing Karen's pretentiousness. The character isn't very likable at all, but Prepon knows this and plays it quite well, finding a good mix between keeping a straight face while she seems able to laugh at herself. Her French pronunciations are also perfectly obnoxious, and not fully accurate, either.

But that is just what Ted wanted around that time, as he wasn't a whole lot better. He may have enjoyed wrestling unironically and drank a beer or two on the side, but his ability to call up an impressive French pallet, years removed, proves it. Although to be fair, when they were seen together, Ted seemed a little too good for Karen, as his pretentious facade was merely a joke, not something to put people down for. Unlike Karen, who reveled, and still does revel, in putting down people who don't share her particular passion for culture.

Both episodes do a good job at showing how bad of a person Karen really is, even beyond Prepon's performance. The writing is strong throughout, as even in basic lines, there is a bitterness present in all of her dialogue, but not in a way that takes away from the show. The rightful balance is still kept, which explains how these episodes succeed.

"Sorry, Bro" fits with the show's classic framing ploys, in the way its stories are told without the gang leaving the bar in present tense, similar to season 3's "The Platinum Rule". Everything you need to know is going on through Ted, Marshall, and Barney's narrative, as the ladies sit and hear their tales. It's not only unorthodox in the sitcom world, in that this is technically based in real-time and nobody leaves the set until flashbacks occur, but it helps to bring the audience in along with the characters. Barney's overecstatic expression towards Marshall's pain is palpable, just as the tension between Ted's stalling can be felt.

Ted and Marshall's main stories aren't the only flashbacks here. We also get to see how the rest of the gang have dealt with their exes after breaking up, each with varied results. Barney's fear of Wendy the Waitress is unfounded, but the return of Scooter is welcome, as awkward as he can be to Lily. Marshall's throwback to grammar school, meanwhile, shows his general innocence in this grand scheme of things, as this young love was the closest thing to a real relationship he's had before Lily. And Robin is a gun nut, which is always a fun trait to return to.

But as for Marshall's material, it's silly, but a fun diversion to Ted's more serious story with Karen. Segel and NPH do a great job of bouncing off their reactions, as Marshall's ambivalent embarrassment and Barney's giddy admiration perfectly keep this set fresh, even as the material feels otherwise hokey. But that is the charm, how tired this story might otherwise feel.

Barney and Marshall get some more time together in "The Front Porch", as they hilariously bond over the joys of nightshirts, complete with a cute Big Lebowski reference. Usually Marshall and Barney's friendship with Ted is front and center, despite the former two working together, which is why the diversion to how they work as friends makes for a welcome change of pace. It's simply fun, a kind of fun that is displayed well here.

Ted and the ladies have their own time in this episode, as his fight with Lily reveals a new shade to her character. Lily has always been protective of her friends, but here some things finally add up. Her other sabotages, including Karen, make sense, but Robin hurts. It hurts because it makes all too much sense. Looking back, while she and Ted did still love each other, the spark was gone by this point.

It seems likely that the spark was gone as they were recalling just what the biggest roadblock in the way of their relationship is, even before Lily came in. It is kind of hard to forget if your beau wants kids while you don't, after all. Lily merely decided to try and find a way for them to have an amicable discussion about it, which did end up working, but not in the way she hoped for.

And it is hard to be mad at Lily, since Ted and Robin just were not meant to be then, or even now. Their romantic night together still shows shades of this, which explains why they made the friendly proposal for years ahead, rather than just get back together. These are smart adults, but if Ted had to give up his dream of children, or Robin her dream of breaking into journalism, just for someone they love today, it's not worth it. They can't see each other as their dream right now, which only confirms it.

This is what makes both of these episodes strong, but I've only touched a fraction of the humorous highlights. These are top quality HIMYM, as the show's love for character, humor, and heart is present constantly here. And you don't even need to bring up Karen anymore to prove the point!

How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Stinsons"

The Stinsons (4x15)

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.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Possimpible"

The Possimpible (4x14)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Jonathan Groff

One Paragraph Synopsis: Robin has been unemployed for long enough that her work visa to be in jeopardy, and she only has a week to find a job in journalism before being deported. Her interviews haven't been going well, and she isn't getting many great offers, so Barney volunteers to help her make a great new video resume to help entice potential employers. While his methods don't seem to result in much for Robin's benefit, Barney swears that it turned out well enough in that she was offered a couple of jobs, one of which he lands for her. At the same time, this talk of resumes has got Ted, Marshall and Lily talk about dead weight in their own, as they consider what is and isn't ultimately helpful for their prospects.

There's a stink of transphobia in this episode that holds it back from allowing me to call it one of the greats. The "dancer's feet" bit gets old fast, as the gang allows this to compare Marshall to a woman, which is tired. What's wrong with being a woman, let alone a man being in a woman's body? To merely relate something like this to Marshall's admiration of dance, and for no other cause, is simply stupid.

It's a shame, since "I dance more than you know" is a good line. This could have been a funnier subplot if done with more subtlety, but the show's constant reliance on playing with masculinity is one of its main flaws. If anything, the strength of the material in this episode beyond moments like this is the best representation of the show there is. Beyond tired jokes of sexism, there is some serious gold to find, enough to mostly support the series otherwise.

Because wow, is Groff's script great otherwise. I don't even recall the "Impossible is Nothing" video that he apes in this episode, but Barney's resume is easily among the show's all-time funniest moments.

The series doesn't always focus on corporate America, but Barney's character allows it the chance to on occasion, and it often succeeds. He has had plenty of time examining the ups and downs of the upper class, and he knows just how to rail in. Barney's confirmation of corporate America wanting someone who doesn't actually do anything seems absurd on the outset, but is true enough in hindsight, and all the more hilarious as a result. His lack of emotion towards his delivery shows Barney's desensitization to the scene, as he's fully aware of what's going on, but doesn't feel compelled to do anything about it, if he even could. Which is all the more fascinating.

Less informative as a character piece, but still entertaining, is everything else about the video. The cuts before the montage always bring something new to the table without being scary new, which is exactly what Barney intended, and keeps the thing fresh. A jump from Barney on, but not riding a horse to him on, but not riding a motorcycle is perfect for someone who says, but chooses to not do.

And how about Barney's sung montage? He swears that he doesn't sing, but c'mon. The editing is a little too advanced for someone like Barney, even using a shot of the moon to reflect the blue in his eyes in a surprisingly seamless manner. It's clever in a way that only someone as demented as Barney could pull off. The video was absurd in its pacing, as it never kept still and found non-traditional ways to keep things fresh, and was unique in its execution, as NPH helped to make this more than just a parody and stuck to his winning performance throughout.

Barney uses his know-how and eccentrics to make Robin's video, and while what we see of it is fun, I think that it's all for the better that we never see the thing fully realized. Let whatever idea could come out of our head to his be what is imagined. Nothing can top our imagination in this instance.

It is a sweet move for Barney, as well. Here he is trying to help the woman that he loves stay, and even if his methods are peculiar, he gets what he needs from her to succeed. Fryman and Groff don't push the subtext in your head, with only a brief nod here or there to Barney's grief as he works overtime to help Robin stay, and that makes all the difference.

Despite this episode being about her future, Robin doesn't get too much time to shine here, though. She does get some good lines, but from Barney's punchline heavy teaser, this is clearly his episode. Still, Smulders does a good job of emoting her anguish as her future in New York is in jeopardy, reminding us of her acting chops beyond nailing comic timing.

I got into Marshall's material above, but Ted and Lily also have similar jokes, albeit less transphobic. Ted's tales of Dr. X are cute, recalling how much of a dweeb he was in college, and still is today. He means well, but it's fun to laugh at Ted instead of with sometimes, since he allows it so well. And Lily eating so many hot dogs in 8 minutes is just awesome.

As awesome as this show is. Again, "The Possimpible"'s good points being weighed down by an unfortunate choice of jokes at the expense of womanhood is a big reminder of what HIMYM often is, a series with more than enough great qualities, but still a series that occasionally doesn't think ahead too well. Still, this is a fun episode that keeps itself fresh throughout.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Three Days of Snow"

Three Days of Snow (4x13)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Matt Kuhn

One Paragraph Synopsis: When Lily is about to return home from a trip to Seattle, she and Marshall decide to not keep their tradition of picking each other up from the airport as the other arrives with a local craft beer going. They're growing, and it's time for the relationship to grow with them, at least until the both of them start to realize what a mistake they're making, as they rush to fix this. Marshall has Robin drive him up in the middle of a giant snow storm, only to find out that Lily's flight is delayed by two days; meanwhile, Lily and Ranjit rush to the nearest liquor store to find the first Seattle-themed micro brew that they can. Lily and Marshall's eventual meeting results in a new tradition. As this is happening, however, Ted and Barney are living one of their fantasies- they're running a bar!

As the show matures, the show must mature with us.

Marshall and Lily have long been the heart of the show, simply based on how they've continued to show an unconditional love that has yet to waiver over the course of the show, an unfortunate sidestep aside. But they have been together for over a decade, and oftentimes, nice little things are meant to be retired.

But just because Lily and Marshall don't tell each other what they eat apart from each other anymore, this doesn't mean that their love is depleting. If anything, this just confirms that they're perfectly happy together. You don't need to know every little detail, and I mean EVERY, to keep a successful relationship, and the married pair recognize this. If anything, this means it's time for new traditions to share.

The airport ritual is a good way to tie this episode's theme of progress together. If anything, Marshall's addition of the marching band to his meet-up with Lily shows his further admiration for her. A six-pack isn't enough to indicate their love- a full band accompanying their arrival is more fitting to get the idea across. When Marshall stares into Lily, he hears music. This way, the music literally comes to life the moment they first see each other days removed.

Marshall and Lily's separate stories are interconnected well, as they're intelligently composed together despite being a couple of days apart. The framing allows it to feel like these are set simultaneously, even as repeat viewings allow for context that this isn't the case. Note the dates at the airport for one, contrasting with the realization of when Marshall and Robin are heading over.

I wrote only two years ago about how I appreciate Robin and Marshall's under-explored friendship, which this episode thankfully allows a little more time to expand on. While "Little Minnesota" focused on their similar feeling of isolation and nostalgia for home, here is where their differing views make for the story. Marshall remains committed to his take on the perfect relationship, while Robin wisely contends that he doesn't write the book on love after he speaks to her condescendingly.

This fits for two reasons, one as it brings up Robin's past history with the gang. Hers and Ted's relationship is only sparingly brought into the conversation at this point, but its presence still lingers. It's hard to forget that your best friend was dating another close friend for a year, after all, and it's still believed that Robin wasn't as emotionally responsive as Ted, which viewers know is only marginally true. While Robin did have her holdbacks, she was still not afraid to speak up for herself and show her affection to Ted, which was genuine for a good while. Their split resulted in simple conflicts of interest, as much as it may have hurt.

Ted seems to have taken the break-up well in the year and a half since, but Marshall apparently harbors bitter feelings, as he feels that his best friend was poorly represented for whatever reason. This comes to a head when Robin stops the car, and only through a uniquely HIMYM turn of events (ie, Marshall thinking that Robin was hitting on him- seriously?) does this become resolved. Marshall's civil duty to play the protector of his best friend wasn't needed here. Not anymore.

Lily's time with Ranjit, meanwhile, allows for everyone's favorite side character to have a little more screentime. While he does border on racist, he's given a similar leeway that allows for Apu of Simpsons fame to be more than just a caricature, as he's slowly become a more fleshed-out character. Ranjit is a bit of a perv and has a funky sense of viewing things, but he is very dedicated to his friends, which the gang are among his best. Marshall Manesh also helps to soften the bow, as he always seems to have fun as Ranjit, and finds certain mannerisms to make the character come off as loving as he is fun.

Both Marshall's time with Robin and Lily's with Ranjit result in their eventual reunion and change in tradition, but also gives them good moments to shine as themselves on the show. Marshall is still his sweet, if pretentious self as Lily will always be the slightly hypocritical, but rarely cross person that they are, with or without their soul mates. Episodes like these are good reminders of just that.

Barney and Ted's material, similarly, is a solid showcase of their friendship. While the two have differing mindsets on many things, they do share a bond of being single together, and the desire to have fun and not make this a limitation. Ted can easily be repulsed by Barney, as should we all, but he's just as likely to be in awe of his dedication.

This week's plot is a good one, even if Cocktail is a weird film to try to ape. But it does result in what has to be the best use of "Kokomo" ever, as it gleefully is used lightly throughout their time in the bar, culminating in what must be the funniest telepathic conversation to date. This allows for the two to bond, uninterrupted by much else but the desire to run a bar.

Keep note of the other five little words used, and the locations they're used in. These will come back soon. But for now, Ted and Barney's attempt to run a bar wasn't entirely successful, but it does lead in fun. Fun to see the lengths the two go to in their desire to keep Puzzles not crash, but also telling of their male ego, as running a bar is a typical adult man's dream. The concept of struggles keeping the bar afloat merely comes and goes here, but this plot is enjoyable for what it is.

"Three Days of Snow" is another hell of an episode. I feel like I keep on saying this for all of my reviews, but hey, the show has been on a roll lately. Let's hope it stays this way!

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Benefits"

Benefits (4x12)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Kourtney Kang

One Paragraph Synopsis: When Ted and Robin aren't getting on as roommates, the two realize that the only way they can settle their differences is by literally fucking away their problems. After Marshall catches them in bed, it doesn't take long for the secret to be out, yet Robin and Ted are convinced that this is a good strategy. And it is effective for them, as the sex does ease their issues. The only person it really seems to hurt in the long run is Barney, who is still harboring unrequited feelings for Robin. When confronted about it by Ted, he takes the hint and cuts their little deal off, as he does a solid for Barney. The reason that Marshall discovers what Ted and Robin are up to, meanwhile, is due to his hope of not being caught "reading a magazine" at work. It takes a little while for him to, but he does eventually conquer his fears.

That image, man. One of the highlights of this episode is Barney's running gag of breaking TVs, which culminates more than once in him buying new ones just to smash. He can actually afford to blow money on new televisions just to throw them to the ground, which is just awe-inspiring. The way his first trip to the store is set up is almost reminiscent of a cartoon, where similar events can happen on a daily basis. That's just gold.

Much of "Benefits" is pretty great, in fact. Even the celebrity cameos are cute, despite Kim Kardashian being the only relevant one in the bunch. She's also the celeb to get the best (but really, only) reply from Marshall of the episode, which is entirely worthy of praise.

Marshall's story works quite well for something that's literally about pooping. Which, to be fair, is a genuine concern many people have about doing in public, and it makes sense. But everyone has to, and nature's calls are what restrooms exist for, so there's no real reason to hold it in. Own up to your shit, and you'll be a happier person. This is the lesson Marshall learns at the end, and it's a good one. And of course, the ending punchline is killer. I don't have too much to say about the story, since it's fairly one note, but not in a bad way at all. Definitely an enjoyable component to the episode.

Because the main story is where it's at. The series has done a good job of keeping Ted and Robin's history respectfully dormant since their break up. It came up in the first few episodes after the fact, as it should, but attention to their past relationship has been spare since, a brief fling in "Slapsgiving" and the whole of "Shelter Island" aside.

Here though, it makes sense how neither of them feel any real nostalgia for their dating history, they just merely enjoy the sex. There doesn't seem to be any real pining for their relationship to return as of now, even if both Robin and Ted are both single. Even Ted's accidental kiss seems more like a typical reflex of him, rather than a reminder of a passion he misses.

But maybe that reflex is indicative of Ted missing Robin as his girlfriend. Radnor made the little kiss seems like second nature, which fits well with the awkwardness of the situation, given both of their stances. Sex helps both of them ease the tension of their living situation, but anything more will remind them of why they did not work out as a couple.

Having Robin and Ted end their FWB arrangement in a mature manner sounds good enough, but the real reason it ceases makes a little more sense, with the Barney of it all. His crush on Robin has been referenced frequently this season, but his stupid ass still isn't ready to make the move. But as seen by his reactions here, Barney sure wishes he can.

Neil Patrick Harris submitted this episode for his Emmy performance, and it's easy to see why. He's great in it, as he does his best to keep a good face while feeling struck by Ted and Robin's escapades. The hurt in his eyes feels real, which NPH keeps consistent throughout. Right down to his ending talk with Robin, where he can be seen wishing to tell Robin just how he feels, but too restrained to go through with it. This is strong acting, but what kills me is NPH's eyes when Ted catches on. Damn, he's good.

"Benefits" has a good emotional core to it, just as this could be one of the funniest episodes of all. Barney infiltrating Lily's talk time with her students is another of many great moments in this episode. Despite this being a brief review, this is another season 4 highlight, of which we've hit many just as the half-point is reached.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Little Minnesota"

Little Minnesota (4x11)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Chuck Tatham

One Paragraph Synopsis: It's Christmas time, and Robin misses Canada. While she isn't able to get a plane back, Marshall decides to show her one of his favorite little fixer-uppers when he misses home, a little hole in the wall called the Walleye Saloon, a literal tribute to the state. The two bond over their time at the place, until Robin ends up fitting a little TOO well, causing Marshall to reveal how she's actually Canadian. While she ends up getting kicked out, she does find her own Little Canada to head to whenever she's down. As this happens, Ted's sister Heather moves to New York in hopes of working at GNB and Ted co-signing her lease. Ted is reluctant, given Heather's history of unreliability, even though she swears that she's grown up. Ted is especially suspicious when Barney meets her and expects the worst, and almost gets it when the two decide to mess with him, only for Heather to later prove that she's taking this seriously. Ted realizes this, then agrees to co-sign and buy a new briefcase for her as support.

You know, hearing Robin's speech about Canadians blessing the earth with Trivial Pursuit just reminds me of how much I love this show. HIMYM is just always great at finding the right, specific dialogue for its characters, and making it always come out on top.

But what might even be a better moment is the ending punchline of Marshall getting the Canadian bar to sing "Let's Go to the Mall" along with him. The show is already keeping its history tight, and it's just a joy to watch the references to previous episodes come around.

Robin and Marshall are there along with Barney and Lily as characters who work well together, but just given as much time to interact solely as they should. The dynamite duos tend to be relegated by gender, as Lily and Robin have great bonding sessions together, while Ted, Marshall and Barney always work well whenever one or the other are around each other. Evened out, besides Lily and Marshall being the dream couple, Robin is still given ample, useful screentime with Ted and Barney. So little moments like their time in the Walleye Saloon are a nice change of pace.

I do dock points for the episode for the knocks against Ted and Barney's lack of masculinity, but it's still fun to see Robin and Marshall bond over a nice beer, jumbo burger sliders, and fishing simulators. It's a nice relaxer for the two characters, as they share one important detail in common- their homesickness.

Of the core gang, only Lily and Barney are New York natives, so they don't really have much to miss. While Ted does occasionally speak about Ohio, he's far more likely to sing the praises about the greatest city in the world, and thus is similarly out of reach. Marshall's pining for Minnesota isn't always expressed, but recently it has been revealed that he doesn't find New York to be all that it's cracked up to be, so the idea that he misses home is believable. Robin, similarly, hasn't previously expressed too much nostalgia for Canada, but consider how she is easily the furthest away from home than the gang. By comparison, she is bound to be the one to have the most to miss, especially as she has been increasingly opening herself as a person after meeting her friends.

But the other unique facet of Robin's personality is how she was raised to be a boy, at least by society's standards, and thus, it doesn't feel right to her to accept said pining in any other way. This is why spending time with more traditionally masculine men in a traditionally masculine environment, away from the increasingly sanitized New York local, is a good form of catharsis from her. It's not exactly right, but fits her way of thinking quite well.

Really though, I love the concept of there being bars dedicated solely to the concept of keeping the spirit of Minnesota and Canada alive in NYC. The city is big enough to have plenty of people from all over the world stay in it, and any given person can feel homesick at any given time. Bars like the Walleye Saloon and the Hoser Hut can be just what the doctor ordered. I wonder if they have a similar bar for Floridians with Sweet Water constantly on tap and Tom Petty playing frequently. I'd probably like that idea better if I actually liked Sweet Water.

The feeling of home is brought over to Ted's story, which is more of an shared A-plot than anything. His sister has only briefly been mentioned before, but "Little Minnesota" does a good job of informing the audience of what Heather is like, and why Ted has his doubts. Radnor does a good job of keeping himself passionately alert while she's around, as Erin Cahill (who sadly doesn't seem to have many roles of note to her name) is apt at keeping up with the show's energy, as she has solid timing on top of the ability to keep a serious performance down.

Their story works well, even if it is a tad predictable at parts. The episode seemed to be leading towards a positive reveal for Heather as far back as the latter part of the first act, which it delivers in modest fashion. This isn't a negative point though, as Heather does a good job of maintaining a nice appearance throughout, never stepping out of line or doing anything outlandish. This makes the resolution deserved and welcome, although I should point out that it almost feels like a cheat that Heather never shows up in the series after this episode. Maybe she does so well at GNB that she doesn't need to rely on Ted afterwords.

While Robin and Marshall get plenty of screentime in their storyline, the other three characters have enough of their own here. As mentioned before, Ted does a good job of playing the skeptical big brother, something he does seem to have a justified cause for, even if it turns out to be unnecessary by the end. I still give Ted the benefit of the doubt though, since I'd be suspicious of anyone who pawned my stuff in for Nine Inch Nails tickets. In Spain. While Ted might seem a little too mean when he declines the opportunity to co-sign Heather's lease, it's not without reason, as she does need more time to prove herself to be reliable enough to do so for.

Barney can prove to be just the obstacle that can make or break such a decision, though. And while Barney does seem to want to bang Heather at first, he somehow changes sides with her quickly, and helps her out. Their plan to trick Lily and Ted into thinking that they're cavorting is well-timed, as only Barney can pull off. There is still a case of him giving off mixed signals during the group's earlier dinner sequence, with him politely whispering to Heather whenever Ted replies to her. "Now he's just stating a fact", indeed.

And Lily has some fun with her inability to keep secrets, a cute reminder of her big mouth. She means well, but it is evident that it's just a little too difficult for her to. The characters don't seem to hold this against her too much though, and simply accept Lily's loose lips as an irreplaceable part of her person. At least she blabs for good, after all.

"Little Minnesota" has its problematic lines and an eventual case of the missing sibling holding it back, but it's still a damn fine episode regardless. Both stories hold well, which is given benefit from equal time and effort put into them. This is the show I love, for better or worse, and I'm glad to still be writing for it.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Naked Man" (take 2)/"The Fight"

The Naked Man (4x09)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Joe Kelly

One Paragraph Synopsis: When Robin's date, Mitch, isn't working out, he pulls out an old standby- the naked man, where you literally just hang out naked and wait for your date to find you. It works two out of three times, and Robin just so happens to be one of those two. The concept of the naked man stays in the heads of the rest of the gang, as Ted and Barney consider it for their own dates, while Lily and Marshall argue about reasons for sex besides love.

The Fight (4x10)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Theresa Mulligan Rosenthal

One Paragraph Synopsis: The gang have a loyal supporter in McLarens bouncer, Doug. Maybe too loyal, as he's known to kick people who sit in their booth out. One night, the people who he yells out to leave insist on fighting, so Doug tries to get the men to join him out. Marshall stands his ground and refuses, but after some deliberation, Barney and Ted decide to go out and join Doug, only to discover that he took care of the men for him. Doug, who has a history of blacking out randomly, is convinced that Ted and Barney helped, and offers them free drinks forever, and the two accept and bask in the glory. Before being sued. The two convince Doug that they weren't involved, and all is resolved, but not before Marshall shows off his skills in combat.

Let's try this again.

Both "The Naked Man" and "The Fight" deal with elements of life that often become increasingly distant as one ages, being random sex and physical confrontation. At least the kind of random sex that occurs from just up and dropping your clothes.

These episodes aren't so different, as they fit well in tone and in theme. The execution is a little different in both though, as "The Naked Man" allows for a couple of stories to fit together, while "The Fight" works with only the A-plot. As a whole, the latter episode is a little tighter in terms of pacing, but "The Naked Man" would get my vote for the better episode.

For one, there are less problematic lines to work with. "The Fight" is loaded with kindergartners of varying degrees of acting talent calling people who don't fight wussies, and has a small scene where the gang dogpile on Marshall by calling him feminine. The latter is especially hard to work with, since transphobic jokes aren;t original or fun, and it does drag the episode down a little bit. Although I'd lie if I said that the kids weren't funny in spots. It almost builds on the trope of small children swearing, which is always funnier than it should be.

The kids almost seem to be fighting against the message, though. Not that violence is always wrong, as there are instances where it really is best to defend yourself, as proven by the end, but the point is that random violence is meaningless. Doug was wrong to ask the men at the table to leave, and was even more wrong to accept their offer to step outside (or was he the one who offered? The episode doesn't really make that clear). Doug learns this as he gets the lawsuit handed to him.

Barney and Ted, meanwhile, learn that you should own up to your actions, otherwise you'll get something you don't deserve. Barney, whose infatuation with Robin was mentioned in both episodes, nearly gets a date he doesn't deserve by sticking to the lie that he was a part of the fight, but got his vengeance acted out by Robin's walking out, in an long but cute extended escape plan from her. And Ted gets punched in the end.

"The Fight" is pretty basic, but effective enough. Even besides the aforementioned problematic moments, there is fun to be fun throughout. Will Sasso in particular does a good job as Doug, as he has a long enough history playing a likable doof with a little too much of a punch behind him. He finds a good balance for Doug, allowing for his blankness to explain for some of his actions, but his brief moments of roughness are done well enough to make him not too likable. It's a good balance for an overall good, but not really a great, episode. Also, props to the return of "Murder Train" during Marshall and his brother's flashback fight.

"The Naked Man" really is a great episode though, but I cant' seem to articulate why. Not every line here is perfect, but so much of it works anyway. The concept and myth of the naked man is a great one, wonderfully brought to life by Mitch, who fittingly is given tribute ala The Dark Knight at the end. Radnor nails the delivery on the monologue, as the actor fits the character well throughout.

The argument towards reasons to have sex is a fun plot device, but hardly necessary, as you really don't need any reason to have sex besides consensually wanting it. I feel that Lily instantly picks up on this during her spiel, especially towards the end as she tries her own take on the naked man.

Ted's take is necessitated by the loneliness he feels after being left at the altar. He's over it enough to not want pity, as evident in these episodes, but it clearly still hurts, as shown when he pours his heart out to Vicky. This date was meant to be a rousing success at form for Ted, but turned out to be a disaster thanks to his choice in partner. His use of the naked man is a quick hope of desperation, that he can get at least get something out of his first date post heartbreak. Vicky may not have been a great date, but he feels a little better by the end.

And Barney. Does Barney really need a reason to try the naked man out? Probably not, which explains why his attempt was the unsuccessful one out of the bunch. That, and he didn't seem to pick the right girl for it. I'd say "no harm, no foul", except that his date does seem harmed, and she lets him have it by not letting him have his clothes. It leads to a funny end, with a fantastic closer in particular. It's here that Mitch's two out of three rule is proven, but we do still see his attempt, and I still feel that the episode would have been even better if we got to see two more to even things out.

Robin's falling into the naked man fits her current place, as she's still not holding a great job and is piggybacking on Ted by living in his apartment. A good night's sex could be the best thing she gets in a while, especially after a bad date. That, and sex is fun. Her "not a slut" date shows some repentance, but I don't see a need myself, as there's nothing wrong with random sex. Not at the gang's age, anyway.

And to cap off this look at the gang, Marshall's initial lack of sympathy for Robin is explained by his conservative upbringing and continued personal beliefs. That, and to him, every passionate night with Lily is for one reason only- love. Their admiration is never questioned, but Marshall does learn through this episode that there's nothing wrong with sex just for the sake of convenience and fun.

It all fits together! And I do hope that Ted burned that seat cushion.But yeah, a great episode followed by a pretty good one. Not bad at all.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "The Naked Man"

The Naked Man (4x09)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Joe Kelly

One Paragraph Synopsis: When Robin's date, Mitch, isn't working out, he pulls out an old standby- the naked man, where you literally just hang out naked and wait for your date to find you. It works two out of three times, and Robin just so happens to be one of those two. The concept of the naked man stays in the heads of the rest of the gang, as Ted and Barney consider it for their own dates, while Lily and Marshall argue about reasons for sex besides love.

To be fair, this episode would have worked better if we got to see the naked man attempted three times. Or perhaps six, because four does not cut it. That said, what we got was damn fine.

Being naked is funny lol. I can't write n e mor.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Not a Father's Day" & "Woooo!"

Not a Father's Day (4x07)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Robia Rashid

One Paragraph Synopsis: After a pregnancy scare turns to be false, Barney decides to celebrate his lack of child raising by starting a new holiday dedicated to fellow men who aren't, nor have any immediate plans to be fathers. But what's more important is Lily and Marshall's decision to have children themselves. As they have Robin, who was living with them, move into Ted's place, the two plan a romantic night that gets side-swapped by an important business meeting for GNB. Lily becomes increasingly drunk while debating the pros and cons of child bearing, as she decides to surprise Marshall at his meeting. A night of taking care of a drunk, almost child-like Lily has Marshall realize that he's not ready for the responsibility just yet, so the couple put their baby plans on hold.

Woooo! (4x08)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Craig Thomas & Carter Bays

One Paragraph Synopsis:  After getting close to a fellow teacher at work, Lily decides to spend time with her and her friends outside of the school, and has Robin tagalong. It turns out that the girl in question, Jillian (played by Jamie-Lynn Sigler) and her friends are woo girls, a concept that confuses Lily, but Robin soon embraces. This causes Lily to attempt to join in on the woo, but as it turns out, she's not right to woo. Girls who woo are at an awkward place in their lives, which happily married Lily doesn't fit in with, but single, unemployed Robin does. That said, Jillian and the girls don't appear after this episode. While the girls learn a lesson, Barney invites Ted over to help redesign Goliath National Bank's main building, a move he's excited for, only to be outvoted by a flashier design from Swedish architect visionaries Sven. It doesn't help that Barney votes against Ted, which Marshall does his best to get him to change his mind, and succeeds, as Ted gets to work on this fresh new project.

I wasn't really planning to do a double review at first. Just a simple one episode for "Not a Father's Day", but I got a little sidetracked, and then saw how the next episode finished the first disc, so why not. These have a little more in common than some of my other double reviews, so at least there's that.

Both episodes explore where the gang is currently at in life, each in different ways, all mostly successful. The themes are different in each episode, but this general idea is present.

In "Not a Father's Day", the main topic is childbirth. Barney is thrown into the ringer when he almost becomes a father, but the false positive brings him back into usual spirits, with Barney going as far as to make a day to celebrate his lack of responsibility.

It's always been a joke that despite being the oldest member of the gang, Barney is the least mature, and this episode rolls with that, as he laughs off his pregnancy scare with tacky merchandise with tackier people. His periphery gang is supplied by a group of peculiar-looking faces, who for the most part are game to play their roles as Barney's less-desirable underlings, culminating in a reprisal of his earlier Cheerleader Effect theory. While the teaser's use of this theory has a mild reek of sexism to it, the concept's honesty is better represented here, as Barney's long, hard look at each guy proves Robin's point. None of these men are childless by choice, but Barney at least has a better likelihood of fixing this.

The Barney Stinson of 2008 is perfectly happy living the single life in chauvinistic fashion, but who says that the Barney of, say, 2013, or even 2009, will be? Barney has conditioned himself to be so crude, but he is human too, and raising children is a human desire. Even if he ends up raising a future him, there is still room for growth.

Also consider the motif of the episode- the sock. Barney's warm reaction to this little sock shows a shade of him wanting children at some point in the near future. You can't look at a thing like this with this response without at least considering the idea.

After all, look at Robin. Even she keeps the sock in her purse for a while. This is an interesting notion, since despite loving Ted, she still wasn't ready to consider having children with him. This was over a year ago, though, so it seems like the idea isn't as scary to her. At least in theory, perhaps? After all, Robin is still single, and she does spend a fair share of the episode debating against kids to Lily. But I'll come back to Robin and her current self later here. But I will note how the "scared of babies" montage is brilliant.

Since after all, this episode is mostly about Marshall and Lily (I hope you don't mind me skipping Ted- well know that he wants kids. I'll come back to him later as well, though). It's an interesting twist, in that Marshall wants children, but Lily is the one with doubts. With a body like his, I can see why she'd fear for her lady parts, but Lily's concerns are more than just biological.

One of her biggest storylines revolves around how Lily feels smothered and irrelevant as she furthers herself into adult life. Her artistic career is increasingly becoming less of a reality, and she's not getting any younger. Having children is almost the end of such dreams, as without a steady job in the field, it'll be too risky to try to get into the scene when she has a mouth to feed now.

Lily not only recognizes this, but also sees more to her life right now. Her current apartment isn't great, while Marshall is becoming busier by the day, but isn't making great enough cash to justify his distance. To truly consider having kids, the two might need to be in a more stable place, but how long can that take? My guess is as good as Lily's, which explains her stress.

Marshall, on the other hand, seems to be thinking a little less practically here, and has the cuteness of babies on his mind. Despite not wanting children of my own, I get the feeling, Marshall tends to shift between thinking wisely, and not planning ahead, which isn't so much a lack of characterization, but an ultimately human trait. Sometimes you have it all planned out, sometimes you don't. He means well, but it makes sense.

Of course, Marshall quickly changes his mind after having to deal with a childlike Lily, drunk off of a full bottle of wine. This montage is a little too on the head, but does work to add some funny moments in, as Marshall has to chase her around. Hannigan is always talented at crying for the camera, for both comedy and drama, as she allows for a funny little moment as she sobs after Marshall steals her bottle. But naked cartwheel Lily? What a humorous mental sight! I can see why Marshall changes his mind quickly after this.

Marshall's involvement in "Woooo!", meanwhile, isn't as big, but definitely existent and important enough to talk about. He basically plays the straight man, recognizing how Barney has betrayed Ted, and does his best to fix this. In a nice twist, Marshall gets Barney both to switch his mind, and be acted on for Ted's revenge.

Because Barney really was a jackass in this episode. He didn't start off that way, as his good word for Ted was an actual nice gesture, but switching over to Sven's side so quickly was not cool. It doesn't help that the guys from Sven look like your average art house posers, but even their building wasn't that impressive. And it's just not fair for Ted, who was offered this good opportunity, but had it taken away almost immediately. Good thing for Marshall's intervening, as well as Barney's traces of a heart, though.

Ted really does need the job, after all. His previous big break seems to be going nowhere, while he's still dealing with the aftermath of Stella's leave. He is, in a way, a woo girl himself, but instead a cis male. But while Ted stays in good condition in "Not a Father's Day", Radnor shows sign of remorse here, playing Ted rather well as he still grieves. Hopefully, the building turns out well.

But this is an episode that is primarily about the ladies, which is totally welcome, considering how little attention Lily and Robin have received together. At least together, that is.

Initially, it seemed like Robin and Lily were becoming friends to fit a certain feminine quota, as the two were the only women in the series, and thus were meant to bond for merely this reason. A few seasons of development has been doing good things for the two though, as they work greatly as friends. Robin admires Lily's honesty, as she's never afraid to speak up and share her two cents in any given instance, while Lily recognizes how Robin does her best to keep up with the gang, corny jokes and all, and finds her to be a great addition to their gang. They're perfect to sit down with each other, drink wine, and talk about things that they can't with the guys around.

This feeling of connection is why Lily wants so bad to become a woo girl, even though she just isn't right for it. The woo girl is an interesting concept, a type of single female who is in a hard place, but isn't afraid to go out and have fun to help forget about it. Considering the show's occasional bursts of sexism, this concept for women is surprisingly welcome, and hits close to real life. Jillian and her friends are constantly unhappy away from the dive they frequent, all of them being attractive women, but not having much else to justify their attempt at the game.

Robin isn't desolate, but she is hardly where she wants to be. The lack of a relationship doesn't otherwise seem to be much of a problem, but her lack of job and her current living situation with her ex isn't exactly ideal. Sometimes, there is little else to do but woo.

Lily, meanwhile, may not have her dream job, but she's always been happy teaching kindergarten, while she is with the love of her life. Her life could be better, but Lily does seem to be doing fine. Which explains why her attempt to talk like a woo girl is met with deafening silence and confusion.

This isn't a big conflict, but the way Lily and Robin recognize their differences does a good job of reflecting where they're currently at, and how to count their blessings. Robin will recover soon, like Ted, while Lily has much to be thankful for.

Both of these are good episodes, even if "Not a Father's Day" has some problematic gags, even beyond the aforementioned Cheerleader Effect montage. "Woooo!" is just classic HIMYM, this time switching the guys out of the A-plot for Lily and Robin to have effective development. I am now a third into the fourth season, and it's been nothing but good stuff thus far.

How I Met Your Mother Review- "Happily Ever After"

Happily Ever After (4x06)

Directed by Pam Fryman

Written by Jamie Rhonheimer

One Paragraph Synopsis: After Stella left him at the altar, Ted seems to be taking it pretty well. Or not really, since he seems to be taking it TOO well. In fact, Ted has chosen to not blow off steam, instead maintaining a relaxed state. It turns out that Ted has made a map of places in Manhattan that he'll be likely to run into Stella, in hopes of avoiding her, which the gang uses to find a place to have dinner at. Lily chooses a tapas place that she got a recommendation for... from Stella, who arrives that night. When Ted has the gang hide under the table to avoid her, they share stories people that each would personally do the same for, which has Ted end up deciding to track Stella down and tell her how he feels, especially after finding out that she and Lucy moved downtown for Tony. As Ted goes up to tell her off, he sees how happy the family is, and Ted decides to leave it at that.

One of my favorite things about Robin is her penchant for making bad jokes, and laughing at them to compensate. It's very adorable, and helps her to keep a dorky exterior inbetween everything else. Smulders always gets the laugh down right, while the rest do a good job at maintain their unimpressed faces without coming off as too mean.

Even though this is Ted's episode (and his material is definitely good, as I'll get to soon), I feel like Robin is this episode's underdog. Her flashback is the most pertinent after all, as Robin's description of her relationship is a great indicator of just what Robin, Sr. is like. Robin has mentioned before that her father wanted a boy, but this episode helps to explore this, as we get a glimpse of him.

Eric Braeden (of The Young and the Restless and Titanic fame, and sadly won't reprise the role for much longer) succeeds at keeping a cold demeanor, as he maintains his own serious face, but isn't so far removed from the show's structure as to not have a little fun with his material. Robin Sr. doesn't get many jokes, but he is allowed for nice delivery as he plays a stereotypical man's man. What makes this characteristic work is how it collides with Robin, who is clearly not a man, but in all of her flashbacks does her best to be what her dad wants, despite clearly not being too fond of it.

It is similarly cliched to have a female character's fate questioned by a romantic moment with a guy, but this also isn't a bad idea, as Robin was of the right age to allow her hormones to get the best of her. She doesn't do anything wrong at all, as opposed to her father's continued repressing of Robin's femininity. Even though she's no longer a teenager and never went very far with the guy (her take on moves as compared to hockey statistics is an understated highlight), it's clear that this is more than just a father not wanting his daughter to hook up with her teammate. It really does seem as if Robin, Sr. wants his junior to not blossom or address her girlhood, which is something Robin had to do herself in the decade+ since, with no support from her father. Damn.

Of course, Lily and Barney's stories are also cute, if less emotionally important. Lily's makes sense for her age, or in general, because let's face it, ripping one in public is pretty embarrassing no matter how old you are. Lily has done some less-than-great stuff, but she does find remorse in giving Gasser his name, which is at least a good call on her part.

Meanwhile, Barney's typically gross, not for his conjugal visits, but for his callous response to the incarcerated woman's disgust. He's definitely in the wrong here, just as she has a right to be angry, but at least the scene has its moments. Some sexism aside, primarily the way the fight between her and the other inmate is shot. While there was also a fight about to brew between Robin and Lily in "Intervention", that was in a different context, where it comes off as funnier. Here, there's an almost erotic response in the direction, not helped by Barney's gaze.

As for Ted, on the one hand, I do agree with his friends. It's best to embrace your emotions. Talk about what's wrong, and don't be afraid to confide in whoever hurt you. This isn't weak, but rather a sign of maturity. When you're hurting as obviously as Ted is, this is the best way to help let go of the pain.

But I do give Ted credit for trying his best to not show how saddened he is. Ted has every right to be sad, or mad, or bitter about Stella's decision, but it takes some kind of commitment to not show it to even your closest friends. It makes for some interesting character insight, but he almost contradicts everything by hiding away from Stella. Choosing to not show your grief off is one thing, but complete isolation so rarely works. Sorry, Ted.

Ted's character arc is strong in this episode, as he goes from one verse of "Let It Go" to the next, although I do believe everyone already knew how he was feeling. Still, his brief expressions of anger are almost cathartic, considering how long Ted has been holding it in, contrasting well with his lame approach to hiding everything earlier on.

This flash of anger is exemplified during his taxi drive to wherever Stella is going, right after finding out that she moved in with Tony. One of the biggest fights Ted and Stella ever got into was her unwillingness to move into the city with him, something Tony seemed to get her to agree with no problem. Now that's cold.

Or maybe not. Radnor's reaction to the scene of Stella, Tony, and Lucy happily embracing as she returns with tapas is wonderful, showing his honest regret of the moment. I mentioned in the last review that this isn't Ted's love story, and it really isn't. He was the nice guy who wasn't Mr. Right that you'd find in any given screwball comedy, and played the role well. Well enough to deserve his own Katharine Hepburn or Rosalind Russell. I'm sure she'll come soon, but this is a good way to end a solid to great episode. I only wish that I had the time and energy to write more, but we're still on a roll this season.