Season 4, Episode 9: The Naked Man Discussion

By JD

This was the first episode in awhile where I saw the story as more than just a sitcom plot and wished that the characters were not only real, but my friends so that I could partake in their adventures with them. The whole thing, soup to nuts, as it were, because what we witnessed tonight was nothing short of legendary. The haters need to take a seat, because The Naked Man had exactly what you needed. No more, and no less.

What Was Good

First, let me just say that the writers must be working overtime or got an in-house espresso machine or something because this is the second week in a row there was no slack in the B (and in this case C) plot. We saw three stories tonight and all of them were awesome.

First off, Robin. She is fantastic. She is totally a guy stuck in a girl’s body, and therefore expectations. Was Marshall wrong in calling her a slut? Probably, because you can’t fault Robin for who she is. She’s exactly the kind of girl who would have sex with a naked man, even after a poor date.

That leads us to Mitch. I love this guy. I thought he looked familiar but his IMDB didn’t turn up anything I recognized. I loved how honest he was. When he was telling Robin all the reasons why she didn’t have a good time with him at the restaurant and this was the “I’m not a slut date”, that was awesome. The sweating while eating, the fantasy football, that was a man who knew his place in life and had found a way to get by.

The overall episode structure was natural in the way in which this show excels. The Naked Man lead to Lily’s list, as it did to Barney’s challenge to Ted. As long as we’re talking about Ted…

The Ted I know and love is back, and he’s kept a little bit of outlaw Ted with him. First (and even second) season Ted would have never done The Naked Man with Vicky, even if the date was sucking he’d have never stripped down again after she dissed Neruda. But new Ted throws caution (and his clothes) to the wind and drops trou with reckless abandon. But it’s not all new Ted, as we saw in the very beginning. I love the elevator courtship, the shots of him leaving the entryway sheepishly and the girl doing the same. Did you notice how with each consecutive trip on the elevator the girl was dressing sexier and Ted was dressing fancier? That’s the kind of thing the show does so well. That was romantic Ted (which is my favorite Ted flavor) and it was glorious. And to the haters who say the episodes lately have been meandering, at least this story was an attempt to find the mother, and was an obvious step forward for Ted in his progress and emotional state post-Stella betrayal.

Additionally, the interchange between Ted and Barney in the bar is all you’ll ever need to convince someone to start watching this show (as if anyone hasn’t already.) Barney’s constant goading and Ted’s addmittance of total neurotic break down “are you wearing makeup?” was the exact kind of characterization and humor that makes this show what it is.

Speaking of Barney overall he didn’t have a lot to do in this episode but what few scenes he had he stole better than those guys Robin held up with her gun (more on that later.) I love his repeating of “Naked Man” to Ted in the bar, his inflections are always hilarious. And the phone conversation while they were both suiting-down describing differnt positions in which they could make their debut is the kind of thing that makes guys jealous they don’t have a friend like that with whom they can share a similar adventure.

It wasn’t just Barney and Ted who took advantage of The Naked Man tonight. Lily got her mojo working too. I love “big girl” Marshall and his romantic ideals (who’s the hopeless sap now?) are played perfectly by Segel. Horny Lily was back, with a nice callback to her casual fascination with the details of Barney’s Lothario lifestyle (“what gadgets?”) I also like he admittance that it sucks that she’s only been with Marshall because everyone will know the weird stuff they do if a game of “never have I ever” breaks out. The plays on gender roles in this show are wonderful.

What Was Bad

Did you see how long the “what was good” section was? I’ve got nothing bad to say about this episode.

Favorite Moments

  • “Exactly 10,000 drinks. However long that takes.”
  • Did you guys think Vicky was cute? Nice bone structure but something was off.
  • Anyone recognize the song playing in the elevator montage? Thanks to Aaron for pointing out the song is “Gorgeous Behavior” by Marching Band.
  • A heart pendant is the perfect thing to compliment cleavage. The top mirrors the shape and the bottom points to the action. Girls, take note.
  • Ted’s awkward discussion about the break dancing old woman was classic awkward Mosby.
  • I’m always impressed when a not-so-in-shape actor has the confidence to birthday-suit up with aplomb. On the flip side of that coin Neil Patrick Harris and Josh Radnor have nothing to hide.
  • The flashbacks for weirdest things Ted’s walked in on were great. I love the Barney drowning magic trick. Was that Robin counter burglaring qthe robbers in the one flashback? That’s freaking bad-ass. The date suggests that was before her and Ted even started dating. Who says Canadians avoid conflict?
  • More hints toward the goat. Bays and Thomas have not forgotten. Neither have we.
  • “When you leave, take the seat cushion with you. That’s trash now.”
  • I loved Robin’s phone interview responses.
  • “It’s shock, and awwwwwww”
  • I love Barney’s reverence for the simplicity of The Naked Man. Although he almost did it by accident in Zip, Zip, Zip. Robin didn’t go for it then.
  • “I’m like Batman. This Mitch fellow? He’s Superman, he just rips off his clothes and he’s good to go.”
  • “So this is how it’s going to be? I come home and guys you’re dating are just going to be naked?”
    “I wish I could say no.”
  • “I call slut” Marshall is awesome. “the only thing standing between you and sex is clothes.”
  • I love the group collaboration when creating the list. Also the Pavlovian erection Marshall gets when he’s flossing.
  • The ones on the list that didn’t make sense now do. Paratrooping, banging for roof, Cheetos sex, “this is getting a little hard”
  • “Slut”
    “Oh no Robin I have a bad cough”
    “I don’t have a bad cough the college roommate is for Robin.”
  • Barney’s tall girl fantasy is so specific.
  • “This is the third outfit I’ve tried on. I got my hair cut three times.”
    “Screw you, I want my eyes to pop.”
  • I liked the Austin Powers man-part cover ups.
  • Shouldn’t Ted have noticed Vicky’s crazy eyes?
  • Of all the different poses, I like the Mr. Clean is my favorite. Or maybe the Heisman.
  • “You know who writes good poems? Jewel. Her teeth are crooked and she lived in her car so she has stuff to write about.”
  • “I just had decent sex with a terrible person. I’m back!”
  • “What pose did you go with?”
    “I went with ‘I’ve got boobs.’”
    “And she nailed it.”
  • The bit at the end showing Mitch’s shadow as a cape was amazingly geeky. I loved it.

Closing

This has been one of many episodes this season that works as a stand-alone. There were a couple last year (like How I Met Everyone Else) but I’m liking the increase in this type. They’re still awesome for the hard-core fans and perfect to pull out when friends come over and you want to pour out some funny. I defy anyone to complain about The Naked Man. Go ahead, try.

Two more things. First, do you guys think The Naked Man would ever really work? I bet it would. What do you think?

Second, would one of our Spanish-speaking readers translate the Neruda poem that was referenced tonight? It might have some significance for the future. I jotted down a stanza from a screen shot and found it online:

Desnuda eres tan simple como una de tus manos,
Lisa, terrestre, mínima, redonda, transparente,
Tienes líneas de luna, caminos de manzana,
Desnuda eres delgada como el trigo desnudo.

Desnuda eres azul como la noche en Cuba,
Tienes enredaderas y estrellas en el pelo,
Desnuda eres enorme y amarilla
Como el verano en una iglesia de oro.

Desnuda eres pequeña como una de tus uñas,
Curva, sutil, rosada hasta que nace el día
Y te metes en el subterráneo del mundo
Como en un largo túnel de trajes y trabajos:
Tu claridad se apaga, se viste, se deshoja
Y otra vez vuelve a ser una mano desnuda.

Thanks to reader Eru for his translation, Eric also emailed me and his fits the show even better:

Naked (feminine) you are simple like one of your hands
Lithe, earthly, minimum, round, transparent
You have moon lines, trails of apple
Naked you are thin like the naked grain

Naked you are blue like the night in Cuba
You have orbits(wrappings) and stars in your hair
Naked you are big and yellow
Like the summer in a golden church.

Naked you are small like one of your nails
Curvy, subtle, rosey until the dawn
And you get underneath the earth,
Like in a long tunnel of suits and jobs,
Your clarity stops, gets dressed, sheds its leaves,
and again becomes a naked hand.

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In Episode Discussion, Season 4 | Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 12:07 am GMT -4 | By JD
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84 Comments to “Season 4, Episode 9: The Naked Man Discussion”

  1. Rachael |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 02:05 am GMT -4

    The best line of the show was "well that explains why I get an erection while flossing" .

  2. JustinDickinson |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 02:19 am GMT -4

    I expect a full report once said project is completed.

  3. JustinDickinson |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 02:19 am GMT -4

    I think you mean the Burt Reynolds, but I see how you could make the mistake.

  4. JustinDickinson |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 02:22 am GMT -4

    Yeah, I doubt Neruda wrote anything about "applesauce". This translation is good enough for me. Thanks!

    I think it's great that the meaningful poem Ted supposedly loved is really just another joke about The Naked Man. This show is awesome.

  5. JustinDickinson |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 02:23 am GMT -4

    You know, Bays and Thomas probably read sites like this and see people getting all wet in the pants over Victoria. This was probably a nod in our direction.

  6. Ike |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 02:49 am GMT -4

    Wonderful episode. Full of great lines and hilarious jokes. The naked man is so genius, there's going to be a great increase in this strategy. It is so more realistic than 83% of Barney's pick-up strategies. Vicky was amazingly cute, but definitely had the crazy eyes. This is the Ted I mentioned last week, and he's back! Seeing Ted be awkward and romantic was nice, and I liked how once he saw that Vicky was a horrible person the quickness to move on and detrou. I think the best line of the night, was Lily's I've got boobs pose, and Marshall's gymnastic announcer response. Robin trying to not-be-a-slut was really weird because it was so out of character, but the second date was funny enough to forgive that minor mistake. I cannot wait for next week.

  7. Tim Kirschenheiter |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 04:01 am GMT -4

    Anyone notice that the Goat flash-forward said like May 8th or 9th, while ted's birthday is April 25th? What's up with that?

  8. Tim Kirschenheiter |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 04:09 am GMT -4

    P.S. Mitch was THE best part of that episode. Everyone else was great, but Mitch stole the show. By far, my favorite one time character ever.

  9. Tom |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 04:11 am GMT -4

    the flashback to 2004 didn't show Lily with red hair! That was a miss I think!

  10. Katie |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 04:30 am GMT -4

    i love this episode. classic how i met your mother. i think the naked man may work, it all depends on the circumstance. but it was overall an excellent episode.
    my favorite part was barney and teds whole phone conversation.
    legendary to say the least.

  11. katie |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 04:33 am GMT -4

    by the way i found this.

    Nude poem by Pablo Neruda

    Nude art as simple as one of your hands:
    Smooth, land, minimum, round, transparent.
    You have moon-lines, roads applesauce.
    Nude art thin as wheat naked.

    Naked you are blue like the night in Cuba:
    you have vines and stars in her hair.
    Naked you are round and yellow
    as the summer at a church in gold.

    You're naked little as one of your nails:
    curve, subtle, pink-born until the day
    and you get in the underground world

    as in a long tunnel of costumes and work:
    Your clarity is turned off, dresses, was swimming
    again and again becomes a bare hand.

  12. Dex |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 04:47 am GMT -4

    I'm not sayin this was a bad thing but was anyone else thinking Seinfeld with the whole Naked Man thing? It just rang the right bells in my head the way it kept getting repeated and finally is tried by everyone.

    I thought Barney's date would've beaten him to nakedness when he returned, forgetting the 2 out of 3 success rate.

    Apparently Ted forgot about the Crazy/Hot scale with Vicki. =)

  13. Amy |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 04:51 am GMT -4

    Uhm not really. When I was living in NYC I've heard about CPK long before I moved out here. Actually, I haven't really seen one around here. It's not that classy, but neither is Pizza Hut. But I'm convinced that anything that has to do with California gives New Yorkers the impression that it's cooler. i.e. In-N-Out

  14. John Darc |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 04:56 am GMT -4

    I thought it was funky that Barney pointed at the fourth wall to give the bar some ambience.

  15. John Darc |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 04:56 am GMT -4

    I both must try the Naked Man, and know a girl who had it tried on her.

  16. DianaF |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 05:01 am GMT -4

    My favorite naked man position was the Tom Selleck! Down to Barney chewing gum!!
    More comments to come after I watch it a second time.

  17. Steve |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 05:08 am GMT -4

    It was the Burt Reynolds, not the Tom Selleck

  18. Sarah |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 05:13 am GMT -4

    Does anyone else think that this episode is one big goof on Segel. The whole basis for Forgetting Sarah Marshall is the naked man and yet Marshall is the only one not partaking in it????

  19. John Darc |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 05:21 am GMT -4

    I actually wondered about the crazy eyes. You can see it as Ted ignoring them to be an outlaw, or that she wasn't crazy, just mean.

  20. DianaF |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 05:21 am GMT -4

    You're right…. that's what I meant… brain fart!!

  21. DianaF |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 05:27 am GMT -4

    Ok, some of my favorite moments:

    "It's a series of steps… .from her bed to the front door!"

    I know she was dressing sexier for ted's benefit, but the last elevator outfit was really inappropriate for work!!

    Barney pulling a Houdini! Marshall crying!

    "shock and awwww"

    Lily's list was great (thanks for the preview!)

    Marshall being excited about Mr. Wang's being back in business.

    "A connection of specialness and feelings"

    Marshall's "not really coughing".

    Barney seemed so very proud of Ted birthday suiting up.

    ALL of the poses. Especially the Burt Reynolds (thanks to the dude that corrected me!)

    If Marshall/Lily didn't pull the naked man, would Barney have succeeded?

    The little tag after the last commercial break – Barney skipping the cheap suits and staying naked.

  22. JustinDickinson |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 05:28 am GMT -4

    I hadn't thought of that but it's a very good point.

  23. Lengedary |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 05:32 am GMT -4

    I guess if you consider that Marshall didn't partake in it then neither did Robin.

  24. Sarah |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 05:36 am GMT -4

    Well yeah but he was was getting upset about it. I more or less meant that they were all kind of getting naked and doing the naked man and i just thought it might be a reference to the fact that the plot in FSM is real and that actually happened to segel.

  25. aaron |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 05:54 am GMT -4

    JD. The elevator song is "Gorgeous Behavior" by Marching Band. Kinda catchy.

  26. Super Mario |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 06:24 am GMT -4

    He was probably driving the "Havent been laid in a while" truck

  27. Payel |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 06:31 am GMT -4

    Did anyone else remember, first time the concept of naked man was told in first season? Actually on the season finale of first season when Ted asked for Robin's apartment key Barney thought that he was planning to wait for her naked in her apartment.

  28. JackAtak08 |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 06:36 am GMT -4

    What I didn't like:

    1. The name Vicky was too close to Victoria
    2. Barney has a body to make you go gay for :-[

  29. JustinDickinson |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 06:55 am GMT -4

    Holy crap. You're right. And he started to tell a story about it working with a certain Raven-haired Au pair.

  30. bbautista |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 07:08 am GMT -4

    Ted and Barney deciding on poses made me laugh harder than anything else I've seen on TV all year. My favorite was Mr. Clean.

    Here's the clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWvfGGGH3m8

  31. JustinDickinson |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 07:26 am GMT -4

    And I've saved the clip so when it gets pulled down we'll still have it…

  32. Marko |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 07:28 am GMT -4

    Here is a translation of the poem. http://www.poesia-inter.net/pn59027uk2.htm

  33. JustinDickinson |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 07:28 am GMT -4

    Scratch that, it's official!

  34. cas |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 07:30 am GMT -4

    how weird – the imdb says that vicky character was in the last episode too – woo girls. i guess she was one of the woo girls? and then she coincidentally ends up in the same elevator with him a bunch of times in this episde too? interesting.

  35. Eru |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 08:08 am GMT -4

    Yeeergh…this sounds Babelfished. Here's how I would translate it except unfortunately without the poetic genius of Neruda and with a really rusty grip on Spanish.

    Naked you are as simple as one of your hands,
    Smooth, earthy, minimal, round, transparent,
    You have lines of the moon, paths of apples,
    Naked you are slim as the naked wheat.

    Naked you are blue like the night in Cuba,
    You have vines and stars in your hair,
    Naked you are vast and yellow
    Like the summer in a church of gold.

    Naked you are small like one of your nails,
    Curved, subtle, rosy until the day is born
    And you withdraw yourself in the underground of the world
    Like into a long tunnel of clothing and work:
    Your clarity is put out, is dressed, and stripped,
    And once again returns to being a naked hand.

  36. Mothership |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 08:50 am GMT -4

    Things to complain about

    Barney Robin no more anything…..

    There will now be a large number of guys that try to use the naked man.

    Ted being a man whore…You hated that before!

    In fact all characters changed into things they are not. This is not the story/people that we fell in love with. But we know them so well know we look at them through rose colored glasses.

    BTW what if we never met the mother……….

  37. natsirt |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 08:57 am GMT -4

    For once I agree. That was a great episode. I would like to point out that the show had no guest stars and involved Ted telling a story to his kids. It was back to the basics: inappropriate stories told by a father to his children.

    I loved the return of horny Lily. I think the Vicky being close to Victoria thing must have been intentional. My first thought was "Is this going to be the new Victoria?" That was answered with a resounding NO.

  38. John Darc |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 09:24 am GMT -4

    she says that she just laughed at him and he sheepishly put his clothes back on. I'm thinking she did it wrong, cause she's supposed to laugh, and he's supposed to stay naked till she either throws him out or has sex with him. He cut it short.

  39. John Darc |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 09:26 am GMT -4

    I'm on a college campus, and while discussing The Naked Man with people, someone said if it was tried and the roommate of the girl walked in, it'd be pandemonium. I suggested that you turn the Naked Man into the Switch, and become "an orgy guy" with orgy friends and clothes and a mustache.

  40. John Darc |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 09:32 am GMT -4

    I just rewatched it to see, and to be fair, Barney had whipped cream on. That's not naked, at least not according to the FCC. Take that, Varsity Blues.

  41. John Darc |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 09:33 am GMT -4

    It's the same site that said Claudia was a different woman. Don't take it too literally.

  42. John Darc |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 09:34 am GMT -4

    The naked man is bigger than BrOTP.

  43. Neil |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 09:35 am GMT -4

    I am going to pull off the naked man tomorrow and watch the show with her right afterwards.

  44. John Darc |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 09:40 am GMT -4

    man, the gang's opinions on getting over a long relationship are sorta weird. does this mean that Ted/Robin, and more importantly, Marshall/Lily, still have some work to do? Marshall got better faster than "one week for every month you were together". I did the math. It's alot of weeks.

  45. John Darc |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 09:42 am GMT -4

    Yeah, I was oddly taken aback by her being "Vicky" (no Ictor?), and she gave me a weird Samaire Armstrong vibe.

  46. John Darc |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 10:05 am GMT -4

    you know, that fact that Barney picked up a girl at the bar…there's a good chance she was going to sleep with him anyway, as per most of the women he picks up at the bar. Was doing the Naked Man even necessary?

  47. Cyrus |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 10:12 am GMT -4

    I have a feeling that robin is gonna have a breakdown soon. Last week's episode gave the hint. This episode just furthered it.

    She was a slut. So was Ted…

  48. John Darc |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 10:13 am GMT -4

    Mitch manages a CPK (California Pizza Kitchen). Not only had I never heard of it before, and that it sounds classy (classier than Pizza Hut), there is only one in NYC. It's probably a big deal to be a manager of one, and it's probably more famous in CA. Way to be regionally aware, guys.

  49. BGeo |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 11:03 am GMT -4

    Great episode. A lot of good comments as well.

    @sarah- good point regarding FSM. Didn't even think of that.

    I thought everyone had some good lines. Loved Marshall's coughing. There has been a lot of funny stuff this season. If this is where HIMYM plans on going I'm fully on board.

    Posting Lily's note on this site before the episode was the best possible spoiler. It gave nothing away about the episode, was funny, and made a lot of sense after the episode. Thanks JD

    I definitely thought of pulling a Captain Mo. right before Ted suggested it. Ted went with the magician. Good choice

    On a final note I noticed when Lily said "… Robin, the girl you claim to be in love with…" to Barney, he had every opportunity to say: I'm not in love with her! but he didn't… Foreshadowing perhaps?

    p.s. The only thing that could have made this episode better was if Mitch had said " it woks 5 out of 6 times." 5 out of 6 = 83%

  50. John Darc |  Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 09:52 am GMT -4

    Yeah, this show seems to have given up with hair continuity. It's probably hard to put on the wig (although they do full set and costume redressings, so why not a wig) and it's almost impossible to fix Jason Segel's hair lately.

    What happened to the big book of continuity, Craig and Carter?

    All those flashbacks threw me for a loop. I'm re-watching.

    edit: Come on! A full Houdini escape scene, and no wig. Nice going with the broken ceiling from the flail, though. I don't think we ever got to see that part of the ceiling in the other seasons.

    Just checked, they show it in Purple Giraffe, just as I thought. It's perfectly fine, not broken, which is an error if the thing was already broken in 2004.

  51. redviper |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 01:05 am GMT -4

    Barney is pretty damn hot without his clothes!

  52. Actual-Sized Barney |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 01:44 am GMT -4

    I knew someone would bring that up… in real life… people occasionally have the same name… that is such a lame criticism

  53. Actual Sized Barney |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 01:45 am GMT -4

    They do/did live in NY (they worked on Letterman)… I'm pretty sure they're regionally aware!

  54. High Hoper |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 01:51 am GMT -4

    5/6 WOULD HAVE BEEN LEGENDARY!!!!!!!!!!!

    Really good episode. I start to believe that stand-alone episodes can work out. But I fear "the fight…"

  55. jwdoke |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 01:57 am GMT -4

    RE: The actor playing Mitch looks familiar.

    I think he bears a resemblance to Kevin Heffernan of Broken Lizard fame. Could that be it?

  56. MarieMJS |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 04:32 am GMT -4

    News flash :

    Cobie is pregnant!
    Let's go crazy about that ehehe :) Speculation begins now :D

    http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20242944,…

  57. BGeo |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 04:53 am GMT -4

    WHAT?!

    I think it's safe to say we're in for a heck of a season finale…

  58. barnacle |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 07:44 am GMT -4

    anyone know the spanish themed music/guitar instrumental that plays when the Naked Man is performed by Ted, Barney, and Lily? I've heard it before but don't know who it is or what it is..

  59. DaveR |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 08:22 am GMT -4

    5/6 would have been funny. But then they would have needed a bizarre story line to prove it right!

  60. DaveR |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 08:24 am GMT -4

    I thought he kinda looked like Ted Mosby, Porn Star.

  61. roland |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 08:37 am GMT -4

    Yup, I caught that one too! Looks like The Incident of the Goat won't happen on his birthday after all! That, or Missy shows up again after his birthday too…which would be wierd =/

  62. Mothership |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 08:44 am GMT -4

    Try the naked man……let me know…

  63. John Darc |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 08:45 am GMT -4

    I really hope the writers just ignore the pregnancies…..somehow.

    Also, besides all the discontinuity in Ted's flashback…his birthday is April 25th. The birthday goat shows up on May 8th? What's up with that? Is this another case of bad writing, in that this was the Bracket writer, and that episode threw all sorts of errors into the HIMYM canon. Barney could drive, Anna was a blonde, Barney's scrapbook, the wavy hair debacle.

  64. Mothership |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 08:56 am GMT -4

    1. Victoria's nick name is Vicky!
    2. We didn't ask DON'T TELL!

  65. Gaelle |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 09:41 am GMT -4

    I love The Naked Man and how it echoes the whole superhero movies craziness lately. It’s how smart the show is for me, taking annoying/amusing stuffs and making them bigger than life. Some other shows do that too but HIMYM just nails it 2 out of 3 times (or 83% of the time, I’ll have to re-do the maths later)
    And if Neil Patrick Harris tried the Naked Man on me, there’s no way I would throw him out the way that girl did, he’s yummy ;-)

  66. bmcguirk |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 09:54 am GMT -4

    I don't know if this means anything to anyone but me, but the "I'm not a slut date" restaurant shot is actually a restaurant in Providence, RI called Capriccio's. It's a nice Italian restaurant: http://www.capriccios.com/capriccio/ .

    I'm from Providence, so I recognized it immediately. Everybody I was watching with burst out with "WO! What the hell?"

    It's probably nothing, but I kind of wonder if there's a connection between HIMYM writers/producers and Providence or maybe Brown. JD would be better placed to answer this than I would. BTW – I love this site. I read it every week. This is the first time I've ever commented, though.

  67. BGeo |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 10:06 am GMT -4

    agreed… just something i noticed

  68. Mehmet |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 10:32 am GMT -4

    It was a really good episode.After Stella left the show i was expecting better episodes, but writers are doing even better job.

    MITCH. Even i would have sex with him if i ever saw him naked in my house.lol. I think he looks better than Ted or Barney. What do you say people?

    And Marshall."There is only one reason to sleep with somebody, and that is "love." I totally agree with this idea! I am also aware of that my two comments are contradicting:) But that is the tricky and charming point of "the naked man"

  69. Synbios |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 12:25 pm GMT -4

    Thumbs up for the translation. It's pretty accurate, but i would translate "Tu claridad se apaga" as "your clarity fades" since it's refering to a light, or a metaphorical one, since people normaly don't shine ^_^.

  70. Geri |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 12:56 pm GMT -4

    [quote]Barney’s tall girl fantasy is so specific.[/quote]

    I think Barney may have been making reference to this:
    http://media.metronews.ca/images/ca/72/9469234447…

  71. Geri |  Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 12:56 pm GMT -4

    "Barney’s tall girl fantasy is so specific."

    I think Barney may have been making reference to this:
    http://media.metronews.ca/images/ca/72/9469234447…

  72. KJO |  Thursday, November 27th, 2008 02:05 am GMT -4

    I think that this was probably the funniest episode of the year. Not necessarily the best overall, but from a purely comedic standpoint, this episode was all you could ask for. Nothing more, nothing less, right?

  73. Humberto |  Thursday, November 27th, 2008 03:00 am GMT -4

    I for one applaud Marshal for calling Robin out for the slut that she's been. One good thing about this episode and the show in general is that Lily & Marshal always end up being rewarded for the path they chose in life, while Robin & Barney are punished for theirs which is something you don't see alot of coming out liberal Hollywood nowadays

  74. Tom |  Thursday, November 27th, 2008 04:57 am GMT -4

    Yeah, fortunately it was a really fun episode.

    But I'm slowly getting upset that they're ignoring continuity too. It's a bit funny because I used to point out the parts to my gf where they kept up with continuity. Now I do the complete opposite!

  75. John Darc |  Thursday, November 27th, 2008 08:15 am GMT -4

    I had some more thoughts about the episode today on the train. I can't remember them, but I do remember some…How did Mitch get a date with Robin if he is so poor at everything? And I don't really get how the Naked Man was a hail mary with Ted or Lily. Lily is hot and the wife, and Vicky clearly dug Ted anyway. He probably didn't need the naked man. And frankly, Barney usually gets to sleep with the chicks he meets at bars anyway. How did he get all the way to her apartment and yet not make a move or put the moves on her or imply in any way that he didn't want sex, or better yet, that she wasn't into him? Really? Inviting a guy to your place from a bar, and neither of you implying sexual desire?

    Also, Lily's hair was the wrong color, and when I checked "Scorpion and the Toad", Lily distinctly says "new city, new hair" or something to that effect.

  76. Amanda |  Friday, November 28th, 2008 03:39 am GMT -4

    That would have been amazing.

  77. nakedman |  Friday, November 28th, 2008 10:59 am GMT -4

    hahaha touche!

  78. nakedman |  Friday, November 28th, 2008 11:05 am GMT -4

    In the scenes were Ted and Barney are discussing possible poses to display their naked man in, What is the song playing in the background?
    Sounds like a tango!

    Come on, "Dig deep people!!" (Barney from "the bracket")

  79. Desmond  |  Saturday, November 29th, 2008 02:01 am GMT -4

    Anyone notice Lily was drinking water instead of alcohol like the rest?

    Great to hear that Alyson is pregnant and taking things real. :lol:

  80. Super Mario |  Sunday, November 30th, 2008 01:45 am GMT -4

    Well Yeah those are good points but Lily did say that Robin and Mitch were on a Blind Date and Barney said sonthing like about see her aquarium ao maybe he invited himself to her place

  81. ben jackson |  Wednesday, December 10th, 2008 03:45 am GMT -4

    I went on google translations and found it – Nude art as simple as one of your hands,
    Lisa, land, minimum, round, transparent,
    You have moon-lines, block roads,
    Nude art thin as wheat naked.

    Naked you are blue like the night in Cuba,
    You have vines and stars in the hair,
    Naked you are huge and yellow
    As the summer at a church in gold.

    You're naked little as one of your nails,
    Curve, subtle, pink-born until the day
    And you get in the underground world
    As in a long tunnel of costumes and work:
    Your clarity is turned off, dresses, was swimming
    And again once more a bare hand.

  82. PUNKBOOKKEEPER |  Friday, December 12th, 2008 10:23 am GMT -4

    I love the napkin, but am so disappointed that the Lily character, a school teacher, made such a grievous misspelling of "exercise" in #13.

  83. Burak |  Saturday, January 24th, 2009 12:40 pm GMT -4

    Hey everybody .. Is there anyone else who knows the song's name in the scene while ted was waiting for her naked and noticed the pablo neruda's book and while reading that ..?

  84. Jesal |  Thursday, February 4th, 2010 06:02 pm GMT -4

    Brilliant episode and love the analysis. FYI I have tried the Naked Man and, surprisingly enough, IT GENUINELY WORKED!! Seriously!!

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