The How I Met Your Mother Blog

Hey everybody!  Sorry for the tardiness, Monday Night Football took over the night for me and I didn’t get around to watching HIMYM until late.  As an Eagles fan, I would have rather watching Ted and the Gang .  Okay moving on.

All in all, “Disaster Averted” was better than most this season, not as good as the first three, but a MAJOR improvement.  The jokes hit, the characters were back to being themselves, and I had a ball.

What Was Good

• They are finally moving the story along with Robin and Barney, as we are getting into sweeps, so it’s time!
• The opening bit with Barney 007-ing out with a bullshit save-the-kid story was funny.  NO!!!!!!!!!
• It is true, you haven’t lived until you inspire a sign. I’m working on it.  Why aren’t you?
• Ted being a boy scout; we’re finally back to having good-old douchey Ted that we can’t help but love.  And yes, the boots. The boy loves his boots.
• Just about every joke was Planet Earth-based (sorry) and interwoven with the characters.  That was a major quality missing for the past 5 episodes.  Nice to have it back.
• Nice reminder that Robin and Canadians can handle the weather.  Bikini weather!  BBQ Weather!  See what I mean?  It’s Robin!
• Marshall is neurotic to begin with, and mixing Edgar Allen Poe into the mix worked really well for me.
• The bear!  Loved the bear.  Jason Segel really sold it.  ”Not like this!  NOT LIKE THIS!”
• Kevin’s psychological breakdown of Barney was hysterical.  People, meeting parents is not that bad.  Chill out, Barney!  THERAPIST-TED!
• I was hoping to have more slaps, glad the writers found a way to give them to me.

What Was Bad

• Ted’s place in Westchester?  If he is talking about the house that he bought, isn’t that in Staten Island?  What place in Westchester?  Not really a bad thing, just a question.
• I really didn’t have any major complaints of this episode. I really loved it.  Check out my closing thoughts for my only real concern, which is not a bad thing writing-wise…I think.

Favorite Moments

• “But you’re not supposed to take the tie off!”
• “You can stay in school, that’s how.”
• Kevin wanting to avoid his mother’s birthday party with a long story.  This is a nice point of consistency; he has Mommy-likes-my-brother-better-than-me issues.  Even shrinks have issues.  They are not immune.
• “Boy-scouted..you’re welcome!”
• The Bear.  Simply awesome.  Great site gag that fit in with Marshall’s personality.
• “If the SEC pursues charges it’s going to be ALL our asses!”  I never get tired of coming into a scene at GNB with a line like this (them being evil capitalists).
• “Pink is easier to spot from the rescue chopper”
• “We have a baby on the way, an extra slap could really come in handy”
• “It’s like a big red…bulls-eye”
• “Your training is complete I’m so proud of this kid!”  Barney is still Barney, even vicariously.
• Don’t ya just hate it when the hot chick has a boyfriend?  DAMMIT!!!!  At least she said something.
• Hurricane baby!!!!  Nice little tidbit; we know that Barney is going to be a big part of how Ted meets Mama, now we know he’s a big part of Marshall and Lily’s demon spawn; it was made in his bathtub!  Sorry, I mean the baby, not it…

Closing Thoughts

For the love of God, if you still have feelings for an ex, DON’T HANG OUT WITH THEM.  If you are single and you backslide, you’re stupid.  If you are with other people and backslide, you are selfish and stupid.  Looks like Robin and Barney are both.  I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing writing-wise, we have been warned that things aren’t going to work out for the holy trilogy of Ted, Robin and Barney.  I am very much looking forward to how this will play out.

In a way, Kevin had this coming; dating one of your patients is a big no-no for a reason, bud.

But Nora is an innocent bystander by comparison, assuming this crashes and burns, she is going to have a rough recovery period.  And I know this is a matter of opinion, but I find her lovely and sweet.  She doesn’t deserve this shit.

Great episode.  FINALLY.  November, I love you.  I don’t love Monday Night Football (F–K!!!) but Sweeps brings the television thunder.  See y’all next week!  And don’t forget to check out the Sensitive Nice Guy Show this Wednesday night!

Oh YEAH!  Right?  RIGHT?  Who’s fired up for Mrs. Cruise to make an appearance?  She certainly was an adorable creature before she fell off the deep end and joined the Super-Adventure Club.

Heh.

Anyway, the plot reads as follows:

• Ted runs into the “Slutty Pumpkin” but realizes that she is not ‘The One”.  Barney learns he is part Canadian and Lily has pregnancy brain.

Sounds promising (happy to have Ted be the A-story), and as many of you have pointed out, November means sweeps month!  On Halloween night, the Sensitive Nice Gal and I will be home handing out candy to neighborhood children who are commencing their journey to diabetes, so once again, I’ll be watching HIMYM and trying not to gorge on Kit-Kats.

Btw, check out this picture of the slutty pumpkin from a flashback during, “The Leap.”

And compare to the pic above.  Explanations?

Cheers

Jordan

Welcome back!  Episode 6 ready to rock!   Jordan Rockwell here, and, I might add, don’t forget to listen to my show this Wednesday night!  Everybody getting fired up for Halloween?  At the moment, I’m planning on going as Marshall’s “favorite college professor of all time”

Anyway, as we know, “Mystery Vs. History” was a quote on the cover of Ted’s New York magazine, where it said, “Mystery Vs. History: Is it Better Not To Know?”  Many of us (present company included) thought that was B&T perhaps hinting to us that we would never actually “meet” the mother…which still might be the case (hope not!), but at the very least, it refers to tonight’s episode.  Here we go!

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And so is this special lady  Everyone excited?  You should be, because:

• According to this site, the season premiere pulled in 11 million viewers, while the following episode pulled in 12.2 million.  Think about that.  The ratings actually went up!  Maybe that had something to do with 2.5 Men, but whatever.
• Check out this review from Donna Bowman on the AV Club.  My favorite quote: “I watched an unremarkable sitcom pilot last night, full of actors I like but devoid of style or spark. (More about that next week.) Watching the premiere of How I Met Your Mother, by contrast, felt like the major leagues. Professionals at work both in front of and behind the camera, demonstrating impeccable timing, delivering moments of real emotion, and never forgetting what makes them funny.”  Amen to that, Donna.
• According to what has been released, “Ducky Tie” will be about the following: “Ted runs into an old girlfriend and tries to make amends with her since he cheated during their relationship. Marshall and Lily make a bet with Barney that could force him to wear Marshall’s ducky tie.”
• As we know, the tie metaphor has everything to do with Barney’s wedding, so this might be interesting, but more importantly…
• Victoria is back!  This writer always liked her the best out of all the “non-mothers”, simply because Ashley Williams is friggin’ adorable, but also because Ted was the one who blew it, not her (Stella, looking at you, baby-doll).  Should be interesting.

Stay Tuned…

Jordan Rockwell here, you’ll be seeing more of me this season alongside JD’s posts.  Check out the Sensitive Nice Guy Show if ya like (okay, shameless plug, I’ll admit, but oh well) where I often discuss HIMYM.  Thanks for reading, and thanks for JD for letting me sub in!

Episode two of season seven will feature fan-favorite Victoria (Ashley Williams). But maybe she goes by Vicky now, or Tory, or Iktor. Probably not Iktor.

Reader Rich has an interesting theory put better than I could:

The episode “Unfinished” to me had Victoria written all over it. Note the plane in Ted’s hand when he realised he had unfinished business. The unfinished architect thing was a distraction – the real unfinished business is Victoria. Ted nearly getting hit by a bus, but not. A bigger bus will hit him later – a realisation that he met his chick a long time ago and simply screwed it up. He had to learn some lessons (like nothing good happens after 2am).

What do you guys think? Are you totes excited? I’m unfortunately in the “she’s kind of shrill and affected” camp regarding Victoria but so is Ted so she might be his OTP. Also, don’t you think Williams here looks a little like Deborah Ann Woll here? Also, you might want to check out this Google Image Search, I’m just saying.

Martin Short is also Marshall’s new boss. Guest stars abound.