The How I Met Your Mother Blog

And here I was so excited that we’d have an hour-long episode…nope.

And after last week, we are back to mediocre HIMYM.  Sorry to report that.  A few decent moments, but overall, I was disappointed.

What was Good

• Monkeying with the opening credits, with Barney as the leader of the gang.  This has been his ultimate goal, but then again, doesn’t he already think of himself that way?  He’s the Barn-ih-cle, for crying out loud.
• Nice to have Stripper Lilly back, and I’m glad the show did not mince any words about NYC Russians and their stripper girlfriends; yes, they have brought the old world with them, and yes, they will try to rob you.  You can’t turn a hooker into a housewife, people.  But I digress.
• The final denouement.  Indeed, as time goes on, where we may be will change, but our love for one another will not.  Loved the booth metaphor.  I’m sure I’m not alone in this.
• The “Early Relationship Chicken.”  A nice true moment.  I would argue the key in life is to say yes to more things for the sake of saying yes alone.  Wouldn’t you?

What was Bad

• Chris Elliot.  The man has made a career out of playing that awkward douchebag you can’t stand (There’s Something About Mary, Groundhog Day, Everybody Loves Raymond, ect.).  My problem with him as an actor is that, well, that’s exactly what I think of him.  And now the writers have taken the dude into lame sitcom territory as “the THING THAT WOULDN’T LEAVE!!!!” (it was done much better as a short sketch with John Belushi on SNL years back). To think, just last week, they actually had a realistic and touching storyline regarding how Lilly simply can’t forgive her father for abandoning her and being an all around moron of a human being, and now this.  LAME…and not the kind of LAME I like.
• Okay seriously, one more time, the wacky roommate that just won’t leave???  HACK WRITING.  I think I just torpedoed any chance of the producers inviting me to the set (guys, I live right around the block from the Fox lot, pretty please?).
• I think it’s pretty clear at this point that Ted just isn’t the star of his own show anymore.  I’m gonna stop complaining about this now, as I have bitched about it enough.  Sad.  Sad sad sad.
• No wait, seriously, one last thing; if you were to show this season with episode 4 on to someone who had never seen it, there is no way in hell they would assume the show is about Ted.

Favorite Moments

• “But I don’t understand, you can get spray-tans here!”
• “Barney…is the NEW…leader of the gang and life just got more awesome!!!!”
• “Do not touch the fudge in my nightstand…we need ant traps for the night stand.”
• “I hate to agree with Barney’s near-paralyzing abandonment issues, but he has a point.”
• “Let’s go to a strip club!” – every night since 2005.
• “Lot of great memories here…mostly discovering my body.”
• “Barney, I don’t need a lap dance, I need to talk to my….friends.”
• “I’m realistic” – yeah too bad your show isn’t anymore, Ted.  BA-ZING!!!
• “We go to underground poker game in mostly abandoned insane asylum.”
• Ted winning at poker (though lets face it, that ain’t happening in real life) actually made me laugh pretty hard.  The only time I did this episode.
• “And the guilt just makes it dirtier and better.”

Random Thoughts/Questions

• Wait, when did Kevin and Robin start sleeping together?  And how long are they going to keep going with this idea that, oh, btw, ROBIN CHEATED ON HIM???
• Correct me if I’m wrong, but Robin does NOT like strip clubs, and made it quite clear to Barney as much when they were dating.
• Glad to know that Aldrin games actually had one hit.  I’m not THAT cruel.
• Anyone who speaks Russian and watches this episode, well, gee, that poker game double-back joke just won’t work, now will it?  Okay now I’m nitpicking.

Closing Thoughts

Not a fan of this episode, and so far, I’m not sure I’m gonna be a fan of this season.  A few gems so far, but a lot of duds.  I still love this show and I will stick with it to the bitter end.  Indeed, I love it enough to be honest about it.  I am honest enough to admit that the Star Wars prequels suck, I’m 34 years old and I can’t eat cheesesteaks anymore, and WHAM is not getting back together.  I can do it with HIMYM too.

Welcome back everyone, and happy 2012!  It’s going to be nothing but awesomeness, alright, because we are going to prove those silly Mayans wrong, won’t we?  Let us have faith in hope and optimism, not silly folks who used to rip out hearts to make sure the sun came up every day (right, Mel Gibson?).

Let’s dive in!

What Was Good

• Jason carried this one to the brink, baby.  He knows exactly how to play this kind of sadness with humor.  Witness his performance last year during his father’s funeral.
• I’m glad we finally get to see where Jason got his love of Nessie and all things supernatural and weird; Papa.  The Apple doesn’t fall far from the eccentric lovable goof!
• Puzzles was a nice nod to Cheers.  Where having a place to go where everybody knows your name isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.
• The return of the crazy bartender, sans toupee, Doug!!!
• I initially didn’t like the fact that the three brothers would fight over having alone time with Dad, then I shook the cobwebs and realized that a) they were building to something great and b) this is true to their characters.  They still haven’t gotten over their father’s passing. What a touching way to show it.  Indeed, one thing siblings must learn to do in order to get over their rivalry is to share their parents equally (common love of a sports team can do the trick, albeit temporarily).  Just pray it happens before Mom and Dad are gone.
• Indeed, once brothers bickering, always.  Ask my bro and me (what up Scott?)
• Loved the turn-around with Lily and Marshall mutually accepting their beliefs and non-beliefs.  Did not see it coming that her father would come back to her, and it made sense.  The guy can’t help who he is (damn board games) but is sincerely trying to be a better father to Lilly.  And Marshall continues to show her that he is the man for her.  What a guy.  Love ‘em.

What Was Bad

• The cloud of Kevin was finally realized by having actual Kevin there, and all I could think was, “Dude, the guy in the suit banged your girlfriend.  Nevermind that you haven’t even hit it yet, but still!  Barney, you bone his girlfriend AND make him carry kegs up four flights of stairs AND shoot down his Puzzles idea?  You suck.  Kevin saying, “That’s my girl”??? Nope, buddy, she ain’t.  Kevin is a good guy and I hate seeing him treated like a chump.
• Sandy Rivers, once funny, now to me is nothing but a cartoon character that you would never bump into in public.  Drinking on camera? He’s FIRED in real life, period.  Ticker below him be damned, funny as it was.
• “Enigmas of the Mystical” – eh.  Like the idea, but the title of that book was so decided in the writers room by committee when they couldn’t come up with anything better.
• Very obvious from the get-go that Robin was going to end up on air.  No suspense, really.

Favorite Moments

• The reveal of what Marshall is really doing there at the grave site.  Go Viks!
• “Even scarier without the toupee” Indeed, fellas, if you are losing your hair, just shave it and get used to it.  The line of ladies to your bedroom will remind you later that you did the right thing.
• “Why are the hats all wet???” So much funnier by not revealing the reason.
• “Tina quit…” while holding a bag of frozen peas on his cheek.  That’s how Sandy rides!
• “I’m gonna read it to baby Eriksen at night-night!”
• “I wouldn’t use the M word…only they can call themselves that.”
• “Faith is what gives life shape and meaning” the very theme of the show in general.  Many people, Marshall especially, need to believe in something bigger, something mystical.  What HIMYM teaches us is that all you need to do is believe in yourself, and find someone who does as well.
• “A bar…where we get chicks drunk…and bang them!”
• I love douchey-intellectual Ted.  Never gets old for me.  Him referring to Manhattan as Gotham nailed it.
• “Has the book changed…or have I?”  No seriously that’s a good quote!  Maybe I’m a little Ted myself  Feel the same way about Dracula.
• The Puzzles song.  True to character and funny as hell.
• The montage of raising the drink prices had me on the floor.  A very funny way to show that unless you know how economics works, you will fail trying to start a business.
• “There is a pretty good chance I don’t exist…HOW DARE YOU?” LOVE IT

Random Thoughts/Questions

• Was this the first time (during the “Robin I’m no therapist” speech from Kevin) that we’ve gotten a reverse angle of the living room?  Sweet!
• I guess the writers didn’t have an alternate version planned.  I suppose they figure that the majority of fans won’t get the fact that the Vikings got spanked by the Bears for real.  Sorry, Vikings fans (Go Eagles).  That touchdown the bros celebrated over? Twas the only one in the game, in the first quarter.  Sorry boys.
• Without hitting Wikipedia (no cheating) anyone know the significance of the name on the apron?
• I wonder if that’s Allison Hannigan’s real baby belly?
• Kevin is either a) gay or b) banging someone else on the side.  Just my humble opinion.  Ladies, forgive m…no don’t.  I speak for all guys with an active libido.
• Lilly and Robin both have so-called, “Daddy-Issues”.  Yet both turned out differently in life.  Thoughts?
• Why does New Years Day have to be our fresh start? Why can’t we decide whenever the heck we want when are fresh starts are?
• Did I miss something, now that they are in the burbs, what happened to LAME’s apartment in Dowistrepia?
• And I seem to remember WAY back in Season 1, the tallest brother had a wife too.  Now he’s living at home unemployed with Mom?

Closing Thoughts

“Hey Marvin, can you pass me a burger?”

Raise your hand if you have lost a parent just a little too soon.  Yup, me too.  Part of growing up is losing your parents, and a big part of moving past that is seeing your deceased loved one within yourself.  Marshall is one step closer to becoming a proper Dad himself and this was a very moving way to show it.  Remind me to bring a glass of Chardonnay to Old St. Paul’s in Baltimore.  Ma, I know you’re getting blitzed in heaven and loving every minute of it.

Indeed, private moments are overrated (with all except the woman/man you love, of course!).  We are never meant to spend our lives alone.  We need friends, family, loved ones, dogs and cats to get us through the roller coaster.  Be grateful for every moment you have with someone, you never know when it will be your last.  The more, the merrier, amen.

See y’all next week!

And don’t forget to check out the “Sensitive Nice Guy” Show this Thursday night on iTunes and Stitcher!

And…if you have read this far…check out the Puzzles Bar Website!!! GOD I LOVE THE FOURTH WALL BREAKING OF THIS SHOW!

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