The How I Met Your Mother Blog

This is a weekly column where the episodes from seasons one, two, and three will go head to head in a humor cage match. This week, the episode ten’s.

Season 1: The Pineapple Incident

After sucking down a quintet of shots at the bar, Ted blacks out. He wakes up the next morning with a sprained ankle, a burned jacket, a phone number written on his arm, a pineapple on his dresser, and an unknown woman face down in his bed. With the help of his friends, Ted attempts to piece together precisely what happened the night before.

This is in the top three best How I Met Your Mother episodes ever. This is the episode I show people if they’ve never seen the show. It was hilarious (Josh Radnor is excellent at playing drunk) and it had the awesome Danica McKellar as Trudy (who we saw again this season). The basis of the episode, that Ted over thinks and should take a night off from being so cerebral, get wasted and see what happens, was believable and executed with genius using what would become the signature flash-back style of the show. Told from the following morning Ted woke up with a girl in his bed, a pineapple in his bedroom, and a phone number on his arm. Turns out that anytime Marshall, Lily, or Barney put him to bed, Ted ended up back at the bar. From Cheap Trick Karaoke to using the women’s restroom, it was a rough night for Ted and a great episode for us.

My favorite line from this episode, if not the whole show: “How hard is it to sneak into the zoo? I need to see some penguins like right now.”

Season 2: Single Stamina

Barney’s gay black brother is in town, but he doesn’t want to tell Barney that he’s getting married because he’ll be losing his only single sidekick.

This was a fun episode. We got to see Wayne Brady catch-phrase and high-five alongside Barney. The ratio of humor/drama was balanced with Barney’s slow acceptance of marriage. I loved Marshall’s envy of girls getting to order fancy drinks and all the scenarios that Barney and James had for picking up guys and girls. It was one of the first flash-forwards also, showing Lily and Marshall married at James and his husband’s wedding a few years later. This scene, showing Ted and Robin dancing together, opened up the opportunity for the two of them to be together a long time (even though now we know that’s not true). Overall, a fun episode.

Season 3: The Yips

When Barney loses his way with women, he hopes a trip to the Victoria’s Secret Fall Fashion Show will help him regain his form.

I liked this episode. It was Barney-centric and hilarious. I agree that something about it felt a little “blah”, maybe because it didn’t really advance the overall plot so much. Read more on my thoughts from the recap earlier this week.

Advantage

The Pineapple Incident is the clear winner. It’s one of the season one episodes that still stands up. It is also the first episode, for many fans, that really sold them on the show. A rare decisive win for season one.

Scorecard

Vote

The photos above are of the female guest stars. I’ll put up episode stills later tonight or over the weekend.

This is a weekly column where the episodes from seasons one, two, and three will go head to head in a humor cage match. This week, the episode nine’s.

Season 1: Belly Full of Turkey

Ted and Robin are surprised to run into Barney when they volunteer at a homeless shelter on Thanksgiving. Lily is on the brink of freaking out when she goes to Thanksgiving dinner at her future in-laws house.

Personally, this episode always felt a little weak to me. The group was split up, no one was in the normal setting, and the B-plot about Ted looking for volunteer work wasn’t strong. It was funny that Barney was serving mandatory community service but just happened to be awesome at it. Also, that mayonnaise salad Lily made was disgusting. I’m sure that this isn’t the episode of the three that will end up being discussed so let’s move on to the main event.

Season 2: Slap Bet

Ted and Barney discusses their viewpoints on knowing things about women. Barney thinks that the more you know the more likely you are to find a deal breaker. Ted wants to know the deal breakers right away, as Robin refuses to go to the mall to cover her secret.

Slap Bet. Wow, when this episode first aired I thought that it would be the one that brought in a bigger audience for the show and, historically, would be when the show ‘made it’. I think that was true, to a point. Casual HIMYM fans always mention this episode in their favorites. It also had the wonderful Robin Sparkles video which was a truly awesome reveal. For me, this episode was special because the week before it aired I had predicted that Robin had been married at some point before meeting the gang. While not technically correct, it was still cool that I was kind of right.

I loved the dialog in this episode. Ted pestering Robin in bed about the various reasons she might not like malls: “Got arrested in a mall? Found out you were Canadian in a mall? Got mauled in a mall? Trapped under a fake boulder at the mall?” and Robin’s answers to Ted’s inquisition of her wedding details. Also, this episode has what might be the funniest “edgy” line of the show. Barney, having been slapped my Marshall says “Your hand is enormous.” Marshall replies “What do you expect? You’ve seen my penis.”

I didn’t think Season 3 had a chance against this episode, that was until I saw Slapsgiving.

Season 3: Slapsgiving

As Marshall and Lily prepare to host their first Thanksgiving as husband and wife, Barney eyes Marshall’s Slap Bet Countdown Clock website with dread.

This was a great episode. We had the payoff for slapbetcountdown.com and got to see slap #3. The Ted and Robin storyline was as good if not better than the Robin Sparkles secret (which I’m sure will receive some contempt from other viewers). Slapsgiving was more dramatic, more mature. The characters are getting older and its showing. This episode, like Slap Bet, ended in a song performed by one of the characters. Side to side, 80’s music video aside, I think “You Just Got Slapped” beats “Let’s Go to the Mall”.

It’s also important to keep in mind that Slapsgiving could not exist without Slap Bet. In that sense, the success of this episode, a year later, gives even more points to Slap Bet and season 2.

Advantage

The poll shows seasons 2 and 3 in a dead heat. I think it’s too close to call so I’m going to go with a tie. It may be like kissing your sister, but isn’t that better than being a teenage pop star in Canada or getting slapped? What do you think?

Scorecard

Vote

Not only is today Thanksgiving but it’s also my birthday. That’s why right now I’m off somewhere deep in the woods of Connecticut with my family and this post is being published by robots.

This weeks’ showdown is going to be awesome. To make sure it’s as awesome as can be, I’m delaying till Friday or Saturday due to the double holiday. Check back tomorrow to weigh in on your favorites.

In the meantime, we can start voting.

Cheers, have a great Thanksgiving Slapsgiving.

This is a weekly column where the episodes from seasons one, two, and three will go head to head in a humor cage match. This week, the episode eight’s.

Season 1: The Duel

As Lily becomes more of a permanent fixture in the apartment, Ted feels like he is being edged out of the mix by his engaged roomies. Petrified of being left alone and homeless, Ted tells Marshall that when he and Lily are married, he wants the apartment. The problem is that Marshall wants to keep the place too, so they settle it like real “grown-ups” — launching into a sword fight that leaves one man down for the count.

Going into this week I did not have many fond memories for this episode. I rewatched it and while I still don’t love it, it’s not as bad as I remember it being. A few good moments I’d forgotten: Ted’s Tollbooth, Marshall’s use of ‘anhedonic‘, Robin’s date with yet another Freaks and Geeks alum (who has changed a lot between then and now), Barney’s Lemon Law, Lily’s apartment becoming a Chinese restaurant. At the time, I like this episode because I couldn’t yet imagine the greatness that the show would offer in the future.

Season 2: Atlantic City

Marshall and Lily drag the gang to Atlantic City to elope, and their quest to overcome the three-day wait for a marriage license crosses them with some Chinese gamblers, a ship captain, and a sexy novelty shirt.

Just like “The Duel” I didn’t have many memories from this episode. It was outside the normal setting and kept the whole gang together. Win or lose, this episode has the distinction of featuring Robin’s bikini shirt. The only thing better was Ted wearing it around the apartment later. “Is Robin even here?” Lily asks. “God, I hope so” Marshall replies. The crazy Asian game that Marshall immediately understood was funny too.

Season 3: Spoiler Alert

Marshall awaits his bar exam results; Ted introduces his latest girlfriend to the gang, who all see the flaw that Ted has missed.

This was a strong episode, one of the strongest this season. We got to see the game fight with each other which makes everything seem much more realistic. We also got what might be the most quotable episode of the whole series. No huge plot developments but, then again, the other episode eights didn’t have those either.

Advantage

Due to mediocre entries from both season 1 and 2, season 3 is the winner.

Scorecard

Vote

Start getting excited. Next week is the ultimate showdown between Slap Bet and Slapsgiving. It’s gonna be legendary. Belly Full of Turkey doesn’t stand a chance.

This is a weekly column where the episodes from seasons one, two, and three will go head to head in a humor cage match. This week, the episode seven’s.

Season 1: Matchmaker

When a matchmaker with a 100% success rate turns Ted away because he is not compatible with any of the available women in her database, he is still determined that he is going to find his match. After getting information from the matchmaker’s computer, Ted pays a visit to a very cute, but taken, dermatologist in an effort to prove the prediction wrong that there are no women out there for him. Meanwhile, Marshall and Lily are obsessed with ridding their apartment of a critter.

This episode never did anything for me. The “Ted is un-matchable” storyline was a little bit lame — Ted has never been a pariah, just a self-devastator. The thing with the doctor was probably the most pathetic Ted’s search for Ms. Right has been. The B-plot, about the Cockamouse, is cute, but not so memorable. I haven’t watched this episode in a long time so maybe I’d change my mind on repeat viewing.

Season 2: Swarley (aka Crazy Eyes)

Marshall goes on his first real date post-breakup with Lily. Not only do Ted and Barney try to warn him that this girl has got the crazy eyes, but Lily decides to do everything she can to find out about this her and break them up. Also, Barney gets a new name.

I love this episode. It was interesting to see Marshall trying to date. It’s always good to see Barney squirm. The laid-back fun the gang had with Barney’s nickname foreshadowed some of the better ribbing we’ve seen later in the series. Plus, Marshall and Lily get back together, how can you not love that? Plus we’ve got the great visual gag of Ted and Barney seeing “crazy eyes” and Lily-as-Quasimodo chasing Chloe down the street.

Season 3: Dowisetrepla

Marshall and Lily’s plan to buy an apartment is hampered by mistakes and Lily’s hidden debt; Barney claims to love commitment to seduce a girl.

I liked this episode. It shows the group growing up. Marshall and Lily’s hunt for an apartment was a more mature storyline than some we’ve seen in the past. Even the B-plot was tied in. What was the B-plot exactly? Barney’s girl? Random banter with Ted and Robin? The whole episode felt well crafted.

Advantage

A combination of hilarity and the reunion of a couple that turns even Barney into a blubbering romantic gives Swarley the decided advantage. Not only in this SvS but as one of the top three episodes ever in the show’s history.

Scorecard

Season 1: 1-4-2
Season 2: 3-2-2
Season 3: 0-5-2

Vote

If you notice, this is a season-total tally. That’s right, I’ll be posting back-dated Season vs. Season very soon. I’m going to post them as if they came out on time so as not to upset the chronology of the site too much. Be sure to check them out so we can discuss the older episodes.