Season 4, Episode 8: Wooo! Discussion

Great, a Robin episode. It’s about time. Although it wasn’t really just a Robin episode, it focused on everyone. This double plot line makes me wish they’d done this all along instead of letting some characters languish in episodes past. Tonight we saw that Robin and Ted’s lives have been better, that Marshall really is Ted’s best friend, and that sometimes Lily wishes she was single (apparently still from the first time she went out with Robin in Sweet Taste of Liberty.)

The Good

I love that Marshall can translate the girl speak. “You know who, at the place, events transpired.”

Drinking beer at work during “conference calls” is awesome. I might have to start that up. The Mad Men bit was really well played too. I love that show.

Oh my god, Sven is the greatest thing since that band in The Big Lebowski with Flea. Also great that Barney thinks they’re French. “Your desk is here in the head of the Tyrannosaurus Rex.” It’s even better that the lead Sven guy resembles Neil Patrick Harris, in the pitch I thought it was him. “This is a waste of time. Pushups!” It’s nice that Marshall fathered Barney a little and then covered up for him in the bar too.

The whole Ted/Barney/Marshall storyline would’ve been a B-plot in a lesser episode. This proves that with a little extra effort both plots can be legendary.

I love the girl who’s secretly in love with Sigler offering a three-way. And then she suggested Ted! Poor Barney in the background, not able to stand. Although his physical humor is one of the show’s best, under-utilized strengths. Although now both he and Ted have ridden the tricycle. Or has Ted now ridden it twice? Although, for you continuity nazis it’s true that Ted said they left the bar after tying Barney to the bull. I like to think the girls found him somehow. I don’t think we’ll ever get 100% confirmation on a tricycle ride, he is telling this story to his kids.

Lily in the plastic fireman’s hat is adorable. Something tells me she was never a woo-girl. I love that the show sticks to the fact that Lily and Marshall have been together forever and are lacking a lot of the social navigation factors that one learns as a single adult. It’s really good characterization. Lily isn’t a woo-girl and Marshall drinks girly drinks with reckless abandon.

The Bad

The “Lily wants to have fun like a single girl” plot was a little too morally motivated in an episode that was otherwise fairly irreverent. Robin was right about the true nature of a woo-girl though, and the captions were awesome. This isn’t really a complaint, I loved everything in this episode. This is just as close to a complaint as I could find.

I guess it does annoy me that they did such a good job with double story lines here while they’ve ignored characters for a single plot in past episodes.

Favorite Moments

  • “Talk blocking” Nice
  • Good to see Bilson, the douche who hazed Marshall when he started at Barneycorp. “No one hates other countries more than me.”
  • Love Ted drawing Princess Leia topless. All the Star Wars stuff this season has been wonderful.
  • “My boob just fell out at the bar. Trick! I pulled it out for a free drink!” Jamie Lynn Sigler did a great job. She’s totally a Woo-girl. Also a real First Class Jerk.
  • “You want to go down to the current GNB building, and, pee on it a bit?”
  • “You picked it because you wanted to work in a cool dinosaur building.” Who wouldn’t?
  • “It brings the fire, Marshall.”
    “Fire Marshall!”
  • Do pigeons hold a grudge?
  • Ted “wooing” was great. The comic timing on this show is amazing. You did not see that coming.
  • “Paint mixer” setting? I think I’ve seen how that ends.

Barneyism of the Week

Woo-girl. Why haven’t I thought to name this species before? Robin’s line was good. “Maybe she only observes the high holidays.” Barney would run like hell for a gaggle of woo-girls, it makes sense. Guys love woo-girls, at least at first. It’s instinctual, we can’t help it. The Barnicle’s speech is motivational though. “Tiny cowboy hats would only be worn by tiny cowboys.” What would the world be without body glitter, novelty shot glasses, and stretch Hummer limos?

What I always thought was true Robin proved. Every girl is secretly a woo-girl. Or at least wants to be one. Even though they are sad, sad, creatures. It’s the mask single girls wear when at their most desperate. Maybe this is why guys like it, easy targets. And the guys liking it causes the jealousy of the non woo girls. What a vicious cycle.

Closing

This was a great episode. If this is where the show is going, I’m on-board. There was top-notch humor, a good moral, social depravity, and all that without any active search for a mother. It still moved the characters forward—we saw that Ted and Robin are not in a very good place in either their social life or their careers, but that it’s OK, that’s part of being an adult. For those that are worried the show is off course, I offer this episode as proof everything is A-OK.

And bully for Ted! Landing a huge architecture contract and (potentially) riding the tricycle all in one night? That’s pretty legendary.

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In Show News @ 19/11/2008 | By JD
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49 Comments to “Season 4, Episode 8: Wooo! Discussion”

  1.  Kirk | November 19, 2008 @ 1:02 am

    Great episode for sure!!

    When Barney booked it out of the apartment, I probably laughed the loudest I have all season, if not all time at this show, just something about it…..

  2.  Canadian Wingman | November 19, 2008 @ 1:03 am

    I agree 100% JD… this was a fantastic, classic HIMYM episode. This is the type of episode along the lines of “The Pineapple Incident” “Slapbet” and “The Bracket,” that can be used to introduce new viewers to this show. A stand alone-type episode featuring great use of all characters. This show is such a view into real-life it’s unreal.

    Is Sigler booked in for any future episodes? There is certainly motherish potential with her, especially with his “woo girl” caption. Think we’ll see her again?

  3.  Cy | November 19, 2008 @ 1:04 am

    What was the deal with barney checking out robin’s ass?
    It happens on the way out of the bar when the boys decide to pee on GNB.

  4.  Shariq | November 19, 2008 @ 1:28 am

    Ha! Someone else noticed it too! Poor Barney. :(

    I really liked this episode a lot, but I have to say one thing: I really miss the gang hanging out in Ted’s apartment. It’s been quite a while since they were all there.

  5.  lethalboi | November 19, 2008 @ 1:52 am

    Ok, it was a very fun episode. I just have 2 things to say:

    - I thought Ted’s working life was good with the building of his own design in order to be a substitute to the Hammond Druthers’s the giant fake penis building? or did i miss an episode which is impossible?
    - the dialogs using Woo as a rhyme weren’t very funny

    the french guy (and i’m serious, i’m not from sweden

    BTW, i love the blog

  6.  roland | November 19, 2008 @ 2:13 am

    This episode had me laughing out loud even though I was sitting in the library (yea, got a few wierd stares!)
    Unfortunately I thought the dinosaur building was just ridiculous.
    The woo rhymes were actually funny!!! I like that Robin and Lily picked it up from Barney. And Barney checking out Robin is yayness! :) Ted is such a woo boy! Marshall was hilarious too, overall great ep except for the flame-breathing building lol

  7.  slightly | November 19, 2008 @ 2:38 am

    my only complaint is that the dinosaur thing was a little too ridiculous. it took me out of the show because clearly it couldn’t really exist. still, the fire marshall joke was my favorite of the night so i appreciated it for that.

  8.  Kelly | November 19, 2008 @ 2:43 am

    I agree that the flame-breathing building was ridiculous. But I definitely see why Barney loved it so much. It is totally a Barney-type building.

  9.  Tim | November 19, 2008 @ 5:13 am

    I dunno, this episode was one of the weakest of this season for me. the whole wooo-girl-plot was pretty lame and after I was so excited about last episde (with the unforgettable robin: get your head out of your ass, marshall) I’m frankly a little disappointed with the show.. I hope next week is gonna be better again.

  10.  Humberto | November 19, 2008 @ 6:57 am

    I agree Barney’s dinosaur building was too ridiculous. HIMYM has done impossible gags that worked hilariously like Robin’s somersault on a bike or Barney running across town in 2 seconds to watch a girl-fight. But the dinosaur building was like a lame gag you’d see in an Austin Powers movie which is why it was so jarring almost ruining what otherwise was a pretty good episode.

  11.  Jonas | November 19, 2008 @ 7:07 am

    This episode was hilarious! Everything had perfect timing, and The Sven Collective.. I would buy anything they marketed!

    Does anyone know the actor who acted as the chick who likes Sigler?

  12.  aaron | November 19, 2008 @ 10:11 am

    @Jonas… I think that was Erika Medina.

  13.  Tim | November 19, 2008 @ 10:17 am

    “Robin was right about the true nature of a woo-girl though, and the captions were awesome.”

    @ JD

    I have to disagree here. Some people just like to have fun. Their woos aren’t necessarily covering up some sort of disappointment or emotional pain.

  14.  Hee | November 19, 2008 @ 10:49 am

    I liked this episode even though it wasn’t as good as last week’s. I really hope we don’t get too many of these types of episodes. We’ve had plenty already and I’m starting to reach my limit. There was nothing clever about a dinosaur building that breaths fire (unless I missed it). This element was completely Scrubs-like. I feel conflicted cause on one hand I like this episode and on the other hand it’s not something that I want from HIMYM.
    Ah well, as the episodes get dumber the ratings go up. Yes, I think I really did just say that.

    Loved how at the end all three of the boys are Woo girls. Also loved the return of Barney’s inner ear thing. When did he previously mention that? However I didn’t find Barney falling down at the end particularly funny. It should have been, but it just wasn’t.

  15.  Tyler B | November 19, 2008 @ 11:04 am

    You know… I don’t think Ted did ride the tricycle that night.
    I’m not sure he’s ever rode the tricycle…

  16.  Cosmo | November 19, 2008 @ 11:20 am

    Hands down, the best part of the entire episode:

    “PUSH IT, PUSH IT FOR GLORY!” – Lead Sven guy to Barney re: the fire button

  17.  opencasketfortheladies | November 19, 2008 @ 11:23 am

    JD bang up job on the review

    I found this episode really funny, and thought everyone had some good lines.

    the whole episode worked well, and i’m glad the story is starting to pick up again, which is why i primarily watch

    great episode… woooo!

  18.  Maria | November 19, 2008 @ 11:37 am

    For all of you How I Met Your Mother Fans – just saw this amazing opportunity to meet the cast during a set visit to the show!! Its going for really cheap now, so thought I would pass this along to other fans of the show. It’s for an online charity auction called Give Hope by Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi – here is the link to bid…

    http://stores.ebay.com/Woodbridge-Wines

  19.  Nick | November 19, 2008 @ 12:30 pm

    This was an interesting episode. Good, but not great…Funny, but not hilarious…

    I am still interested in Ted finding the mother…or at least his pursuit…Maybe that is why I found it average…

  20.  JD | November 19, 2008 @ 12:39 pm

    Couple points I forgot to mention:

    I loved the rhyming dialogue with Lily and Robin. I totally missed that the first time due to pausing and note-taking.

    I thought the dinosaur building was so great because it totally represents the “too good to be true pitch meeting”. This really happens (though maybe not to this extent.) An agency comes in and amidst a Copperfield level of smoke and mirrors promises the world hoping the client gets so caught up in the idea that they won’t realize it isn’t possible to deliver on the promise. I saw the scene as satire and loved that Barney was “that guy” who bought it hook, line, and sinker.

  21.  Little Barney | November 19, 2008 @ 1:24 pm

    worst episode i have seen.
    only ted wooing was funny.
    everything else made me fall asleep.
    i think out of the whole show, this was the worst episode.
    i hope they pick up their game next episode.

  22.  Geri | November 19, 2008 @ 3:23 pm

    I think I’m amongst the few that didn’t love this episode (not that I really care).

    A few things that were awesome though:

    Marshall’s pigeon call. Loved it!
    The dinosaur building. AWESOME!
    And of course Sven were hilarious. TAKE THAT IKEA and your piece of crap yet affordable furniture!

  23.  High Hoper | November 19, 2008 @ 3:30 pm

    I think that this episode is 1000 times better than the awful not a father’s day…

    It isn’t what I have in mind for stand-alone episodes, but I gotta say I liked it.

    The scene with “the birds” was very good.

    This doesn’t mean that I don’t fear where the show’s direction going into. Wish they have some better stories to tell soon that the upcoming episodes…

  24.  Pineapple | November 19, 2008 @ 4:47 pm

    It’s weird that no one else has mentioned that the rhyming dialogue was a tribute to Dr Seuss! They’ve already referenced it once this season with Robin’s Intervention Speech to Marshall’s “cat in the hat” hat.

    Oh, and when have they mentioned Barney’s inner ear thing before?

  25.  Ian | November 19, 2008 @ 4:55 pm

    Yet another proof why I love this show.

    When Barney checks out Robin’s ass as they walk out of the bar… it isn’t mentioned by anybody, or followed up in the episode.

    A lesser show would’ve made this a focal plot point

    Bays & Thomas are just giving us a subtle reminder that they haven’t forgotten about this storyline yet.

    Genius!

  26.  Ike | November 19, 2008 @ 5:00 pm

    This was a good episode, yet really middle of the line for HIMYM. Barney’s speeches are amazing, and NPH delivers them so well. I totally missed the rhyming conversation, but that is funny. The fire marshall line was amazing and felt natural. One explanation of Sven’s crazy-over-the-top presentation is that it was told by Barney to Marshall who told Ted when they were wasted, that’s like playing telephone and then saying what you heard 22 years later. It was still funny even if it was unrealistic. I hope we can see some more of the apartment next week, and while I’m fine that Ted is taking a break from the mother search I hope Ted’s single phase doesn’t last too long, because he’s no good at being single.

  27.  JD | November 19, 2008 @ 5:24 pm

    Regarding Ted being single. I say bring it on.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schadenfreude

  28.  Geri | November 19, 2008 @ 6:55 pm

    Ted being single is part of the journey.

    It’s not called “Only the girls I had relationships with before I met your mother”.

    JD, nice Schadenfreude reference……but did I miss something? Was it mentioned on the episode?

  29.  JD | November 19, 2008 @ 10:27 pm

    It wasn’t referenced, I was referencing it to define why I enjoy seeing single Ted fail with girl after girl.

  30.  Geri | November 19, 2008 @ 11:43 pm

    JD, you are legen – wait for it – awesome!

  31.  Canadian Wingman | November 20, 2008 @ 1:22 am

    Wanted to post an awesome link for you guys….. an article linking the games used in HIMYM with the characters dating life. Somebody who is maybe more hardcore than JD!

    http://da-phoenix13.livejournal.com/9596.html

  32.  robin charles | November 20, 2008 @ 10:10 am

    Am I the only one that is missing Barney saying “Legendary”? He hasn’t said it once in this season so far

  33.  daserca | November 20, 2008 @ 12:50 pm

    The episode was in general terms a good one. But not the greatest of this season, not even mentioning the best of all seasons.

    Had a couple of good things, but not that many. It was solid argument but not extremely funny, like previous ones. It didn’t cove all my expectations but I can’t say that I hate it like “Best burger in NY”.

    Anyway, I hope that next one will be better

  34.  JackAttack08 | November 20, 2008 @ 3:41 pm

    My hope is that they don’t do a new Barney-ism every week. We’ve already got two in a row. Not a Fathers Day and Woo Girl.. Oh , and another Cheerleader effect.

    It can start to get a little much.

  35.  JackAttack08 | November 20, 2008 @ 3:42 pm

    Also, when are you going to start doing the season comparrisons again? You know, Episode 8 of season 1, 2, 3, 4 together like you used to?

  36.  JD | November 20, 2008 @ 3:43 pm

    @JackAttack08

    They’ve always done Barneyisms like that. It’s part of what makes him so great. Think about The Platinum Rule or The Hot/Crazy scale. Barney’s been coming up with these things since day one. They even made fun of themselves for doing that in Spoiler Alert.

    I like it.

  37.  JD | November 20, 2008 @ 4:37 pm

    @JackAttack 08

    The season vs. season are on hold for the time being. One, they take a LONG time to write as I watch each episode, take notes, go back and review, etc. Also, when I was originally doing them, I had all the episodes on my computer so I could open several at once and quickly reference back and forth. I had a hard drive failure which lost both season one and two which makes things trickier too as I have to use the DVDs which slows things down considerably.

    It’s also tough to re-do SvS that I’ve already done, with season 4 mixed in. It feels redundant in a way.

    What I might do instead is create a bracket-style comparison that’s more community based where we try to narrow it down to the best episode. Still planning the details of that though so it won’t be till after the new year (which will probably see quite a few updates to the site.)

    Glad to know you guys like them though! I wasn’t sure they were even read.

  38.  DaveR | November 20, 2008 @ 4:49 pm

    @ Canadian Wingman

    Hey there fellow Canuck! Thanks for the link. While it may be stretching in some ways … still a very interesting read!

    This may be my first post, but I gotta say I love the blog JD!

  39.  Pedro_CZ | November 20, 2008 @ 6:56 pm

    I saw all of episodes in one week(this week :) ). My sleeping time was something about 3,5 hours per night. And I love HIMYM.=) I think, that it’s maybe even better then Red Dwarf. No. It’s totally better. Maybe I love it, ’cause I am in fact same as Ted. De facto, I am Ted xD But Berney is the best. So SUIT for next episode UP! It gonna be legendary… wait for it… dary?!

  40.  Hee | November 20, 2008 @ 11:13 pm

    Did everyone notice that the first magazine featuring Sven on the cover was Architecture Vision Weekly (AVW), awesome call back to S3.

    Also forgot to mention we finally got a Robin & Lily episode (they’re supposed to be BFFs and yet we never get to see them together without the others) and finally got some Ted & Barney interaction (this is possibly the first interaction since the bro-ke up). It was also kinda nice to see some Barney and Marshall time too.

  41.  Inga | November 21, 2008 @ 7:54 am

    I’m from Sweden and thought that this episode was hilarious! Fun thing: On the cover of the third magazine of Sven it was some text written in Swedish. I’m impressed! The writers are really good! (Although Sven’s accent were more Danish then Swedish…=))

  42.  JD | November 21, 2008 @ 10:48 am

    @Inga

    What did the Swedish text say?

  43.  Scott | November 21, 2008 @ 12:34 pm

    pretty great episode, i don’t think everyone should worry too much about teds search for the mother, the series started off with ted directly looking for a true love, now it’s more of a “me having to turn into the person i needed to be to meet her” type thing, which isn’t bad, just remember what we knew from the start…ted does eventually fall in love and get married, dispite where the story goes we know where it ends

    Did anyone else notice that they mentioned what barney’s job was? its been a few days since i seen the episode, maybe i’m wrong, but when ted was pitching his idea i could have sworn they menioned a title, if i’m wrong correct me, just something i picked up on

    Glad the next episode is supposively involving ted getting over stella, even though we know a lot of ppl didn’t like her, he still seemed to get over her a little quick, and i’m also a little surprised that with all the woo girls we never saw barney attempt to hook up that much until the very end, you’d think barney would be all over that sorta thing, anyways, just mentioning thoughts like i always do, love the show more and more all the time, and JD your awesome, and i wish i could do as awesome a job as your doing, having said that, lets see where the next episode takes us, especially since it apparently involved a naked man or something, haha

  44.  opencasketfortheladies | November 21, 2008 @ 1:08 pm

    @Scott

    I totally agree with your point of Ted does eventually fall in love and get married. Ted also states that he has to become the person he had to be in order to meet his wive. Good reference

    Barney did however try and hook up with the woo girls… the instant marshall said lily was with woo girls he fled the apartment, and he follows the woo girls after jillian suggests naming her breasts.

    I believe at the beginning of Sven’s proposal they asked “where is Barney Stinson? Head of the Research Committee.” good pick up on your behalf but i feel this is more of a project position rather than his actual position. I could be mistaken, its happened before.

  45.  High Hoper | November 21, 2008 @ 3:17 pm

    I don’t think Barney’s job is research committee. As opencasketfortheladies said (wow lol), I think is a project position instead of his actual position.

    Nevertheless, research committee seems a higher position too than president of france LOL

  46.  Nanda | November 21, 2008 @ 3:25 pm

    The swedish text said pretty much the same thing that narrator Ted said. It’s even in past tense.

    “Sven was a swedish architect group that was famous for their innovative art”

  47.  ashlee | November 24, 2008 @ 12:43 pm

    @ Scott/opencasketfortheladi – I also noticed something about barney's job being mentioned. something about Head of the Search Committee, but Head of the Research Committee sounds better.

    I really liked this episode. I'm glad that we saw some time between characters that we haven't seen for a while: Ted/Barney, Barney/Marshall, and Lily/Robin. A lot of them are Marshall/Lily, so it was nice to get something a little different.

    I thought the wooooos standing for something different and bad were clever, esp. seeing ted as as a woo guy.

    Barney liking the T-rex building i thought was really funny and just like him. Who wouldn't want to work in the brain of a t-rex that breathes fire? i also thought marshall's reply about how a T-rex has a really small brain was a good comeback.

    Also, i was watching season 2 the other day, and found out that Barney mentioned a website that isn't real (yea, i really did pause and rewind to check). I'm not heart-broken about it, but just thought that i'd share.

    Anywho, i can't wait to see what naked man or whatever mondays ep is called is about

  48.  Oh the things you’ll hear… « Adam Richter | November 27, 2008 @ 4:06 pm

    [...] very very drunk group of Wooo girls walking down the street “Let’s go get drunk bitches!.” [...]

  49.  www.miniclip.com | June 13, 2009 @ 6:23 pm

    Good read :-) I stumbled upon your blog recently, and it's good to see that not everybody is exclusively into micro-blogging and Twitter :)

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