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timepiececlockI think the humor in HIMYM episodes are really come-and-go for some people. I get that. But the last, I don't know, 8 episodes have been solid make-me-laugh-and-giggle-ridiculously episodes. This one added to that. There's something very free about this season in terms of embracing the silliness and the love, and that formula has translated to mucho grande laughs from me.
We also all laughed for Robin's "I bought a really cute purse," line, and Marshall's charts.
Marshall: "This circle represents people who are breaking my heart. And this circle represents people who are shaking my confidence daily. And where they overlap...Cecilia." And..."Yes, it's true, since Cecilia your interest in my charts has been steadily dropping."
I laughed a ton through this episode. Not much really happened except jokes, but the jokes were gorgeously done (S-E-X-X-Y, youtube, presidents), and the continuity was brilliant. Fantastic. The return of the fish list, the interventions, Barney's gym, and several more.
Then we got to the end! I freaked out initially over Stella. I was babbling about it. But after a bit of thought I realized it's probably a decoy. In that sense I'm a little annoyed because we had the same trick with the car accident in 3x20, and the only thing that resulted in was Ted proposing to Stella, who dumped him. But honestly I'm not sure that if he hadn't been in the accident that they still wouldn't have broken up and ended up right here on this street corner again. So what's the big deal?
WHO CARES!
The big deal for this episode was the tag for ending Barney's storyline with the list. Aside from Marshall's wonky math with the sixteen years thing...
Barney: "Two hundred." *rips* "Now what?"
I was flabbergasted when I saw that. I was like, "What? What? Say QUE? Did they actually just, with one ridiculously simplistic storyline, justify the end of Barney's bimbo days entirely and set him ON THE COURSE OF MONOGAMY IN A WAY THAT IS SO RIDICULOUS IT'S ACTUALLY COMPLETELY IN-CHARACTER FOR HIM BECAUSE HE IS JUST SIMPLY THAT RIDICULOUS????"
Yes, I think they did. And it's genius. It's because his character is ingeniously designed. If we didn't already know everything we know about Barney...his long grudges, his ridiculous competitiveness, his childishness, his outrageous decision-making paths, etc etc...this explanation would never work. It's too simple, too silly, too utterly pointless for anyone BUT Barney Stinson.
Just. Like. That.
...okay, not quite just like that, but honestly...probably very much just like that. I can so see this about him having overcome a challenge just because, and now that it's done, he needs a new hobby.
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the_spin: Like, obviously I don't think this dissolves all his crazy. It's a tiny step, a tiny bit of unwinding his giant ball of issues. But I think it was a really brilliant way of bringing him to a point where he might actually be willing to consider the idea, if not actually to a place where he can follow through on it.
I've seen some people complain that this contradicts the Hippie!Barney backstory. Which is true if you look at it that way, but in other ways, not really. I can certainly imagine Barney holding onto something that stupid for 12 years and then deciding, after Shanon dumps him, to latch onto that goal instead. And plus, not everything has to work because Ted is an unreliable narrator. We know that.
Overall I've been quite impressed with how the season has handled Barney, and they way they've shaped him to be ready for something more serious. I had doubts it could be done believably, but the transition has been almost seemless. They've nearly got him to a point where I can believe he might consider turning over a new leaf.
We also all laughed for Robin's "I bought a really cute purse," line, and Marshall's charts.
Marshall: "This circle represents people who are breaking my heart. And this circle represents people who are shaking my confidence daily. And where they overlap...Cecilia." And..."Yes, it's true, since Cecilia your interest in my charts has been steadily dropping."
I laughed a ton through this episode. Not much really happened except jokes, but the jokes were gorgeously done (S-E-X-X-Y, youtube, presidents), and the continuity was brilliant. Fantastic. The return of the fish list, the interventions, Barney's gym, and several more.
Then we got to the end! I freaked out initially over Stella. I was babbling about it. But after a bit of thought I realized it's probably a decoy. In that sense I'm a little annoyed because we had the same trick with the car accident in 3x20, and the only thing that resulted in was Ted proposing to Stella, who dumped him. But honestly I'm not sure that if he hadn't been in the accident that they still wouldn't have broken up and ended up right here on this street corner again. So what's the big deal?
WHO CARES!
The big deal for this episode was the tag for ending Barney's storyline with the list. Aside from Marshall's wonky math with the sixteen years thing...
Barney: "Two hundred." *rips* "Now what?"
I was flabbergasted when I saw that. I was like, "What? What? Say QUE? Did they actually just, with one ridiculously simplistic storyline, justify the end of Barney's bimbo days entirely and set him ON THE COURSE OF MONOGAMY IN A WAY THAT IS SO RIDICULOUS IT'S ACTUALLY COMPLETELY IN-CHARACTER FOR HIM BECAUSE HE IS JUST SIMPLY THAT RIDICULOUS????"
Yes, I think they did. And it's genius. It's because his character is ingeniously designed. If we didn't already know everything we know about Barney...his long grudges, his ridiculous competitiveness, his childishness, his outrageous decision-making paths, etc etc...this explanation would never work. It's too simple, too silly, too utterly pointless for anyone BUT Barney Stinson.
Just. Like. That.
...okay, not quite just like that, but honestly...probably very much just like that. I can so see this about him having overcome a challenge just because, and now that it's done, he needs a new hobby.
the_spin: Like, obviously I don't think this dissolves all his crazy. It's a tiny step, a tiny bit of unwinding his giant ball of issues. But I think it was a really brilliant way of bringing him to a point where he might actually be willing to consider the idea, if not actually to a place where he can follow through on it.I've seen some people complain that this contradicts the Hippie!Barney backstory. Which is true if you look at it that way, but in other ways, not really. I can certainly imagine Barney holding onto something that stupid for 12 years and then deciding, after Shanon dumps him, to latch onto that goal instead. And plus, not everything has to work because Ted is an unreliable narrator. We know that.
Overall I've been quite impressed with how the season has handled Barney, and they way they've shaped him to be ready for something more serious. I had doubts it could be done believably, but the transition has been almost seemless. They've nearly got him to a point where I can believe he might consider turning over a new leaf.
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Date: 2009-05-05 09:14 pm (UTC)Oh yeah, I don't think this has to contradict the hippie-Barney story. I think it actually makes Barney make more sense, really. Because yes, he used to be innocent and he believed in love and that all got pulverized with Shannon. But Barney is like crazy and compulsive about nailing new girls, and I don't think all of that would necessarily come just from having your heart broken. Barney's craziness is like the perfect storm of all these other things: the promiscuous mom, the missing dad, Shannon, etc., and for me the bullying plot totally fits into that. Kids made fun of him at school, so part of his quest for awesomeness has been to prove them all wrong and to prove that he's better than they are.
(obviously people's miles will vary on this, but that's my interpretation of the character)