Which two exes? Robin and Barney? Ted & Robin (please God no.)? Ted and Victoria? Ted and one of 50 other failed relationships?

Who do you think it will be?

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    Tonight’s episode was pretty funny. And while, I think (or maybe I should say hope) that the writer’s haven’t finished with Robin and Barney, it appears they are trying to throw us that way…moving on. There was so many great things about this episode.  Mainly Barney tonight. You see kids, when a man is as funny, original and awesome…oh wait, I’m not old Ted. Either way, his plays and winks were hilarious. There were so many catchphrases that I can’t even count. Reminds me of last week (the rough patch) when he was in the fat suit (that most people hated) and randomly threw out the line “catchphrase” at the end of a sentence. And though I would have loved to seen the entire Lorenzo Von Matterhorn play, I thought the Scuba Diver was awesome. And I’m wondering if the playbook will make it’s self to the published world much like the Bro Code and Bro on the Go…

     I think in a way they are still working on Robin and Barney though. While Barney was definitely the focus of tonight, the Robin’s career focus subplot could either play a significant part (as indicated from the last scene), be a one off later in the season, or server as a segway back into the relationship. On the record, I think the last option is a long shot, but I still think it’s an option. The best thing that came from that in my opinion was the frozen waffles bit.

    So instead of the long drawn out commentary I’ll get straight to my favorite lines, moment and such. IF you think I left something great out then there is a great place to let me know in the comments section below. Overall for me, this was a really great episode with a ton of laughs, but enough about me, what did you think?

Legendary Lines:  

Barney: Correct! Circle gets a square!

Robin: My playbook? Bro… it’s a two volume set. Right here.
Ted: It’s a great read actually.

Marshall: Lawyered…of Nature!

Marshall: In that case, frozen waffles are…frozen waffles.

Robin: I will bang your heads together like coconuts.

Barney: And it…is…on.

Ted: For those of you keeping score, the Ted Mosby works!

Mother Music:

• Rondo Alla Turca by Mozart (the sequences from Barney’s Playbook)
• Nino Rota’s What Is A Youth from the 1968 film version of Romeo & Juliet  (Barney finally succeeds with "The He’s Not Coming" play)

Moments of Awesomeness:

• Frozen waffles, the whole gag (forshadowing?) of Ted & Marshall ribbing Robin about fining “the one” was great. Frozen waffles was the best though.
• All of Barney’s plays. And especially the wink after they work. What smorons.
• miltswanca’s
• Barney… period
• I love that Barney says Al-Qaeda stole the playbook.
• The twist ending to the Scuba diver. It was obvious where they were going, but still pretty funny to watch it play out.
• Lorenzo Von Matterhorn…in fact wikipedia did say this until they discovered it was part of the episode:

    Lorenzo Von Matterhorn was born somewhere in Switzerland in the spring of 1974. The exact date and circumstances of his birth are unknown since he was immediately placed in a basket and tossed in a river. Young Lorenzo rode the pristine Alpine glacial melt waters for hundreds of miles until a young Milanese woman discovered the basket along the banks of the river Po. Some say it was this first early journey to Milan that fueled both his love of exploration and fashion. The woman would raise Lorenzo as her own, naming him Lorenzo after her father and giving him the surname Von Matterhorn to reflect his Swiss heritage as well as his uncommonly large penis.

    Shortly after his family moved to New York City in the late 70’s, Lorenzo began rescuing stray puppies and other cute animals. As someone who had been abandoned himself, Lorenzo recognized both the pain of loneliness as well as the power of hope. One evening, while nursing a particularly cute Cocker Spaniel back to health, Lorenzo noticed the rest of his brood howling in unison. Curious as to their abilities, he spent the next several months developing their voices and then entered them as a musical act in a local festival under the name DOG STEVENS. They took first place, and went on to become one of the most successful animal musical acts since The Beatles.

Read more: Who The Heck Is Lorenzo Von Matterhorn? Don’t Ask Wikipedia…

The Re-Return:

Like I said earlier, the ending is quite intriguing and I don’t know where it will go… Ted and Barney try to convince Robin that the love of her life will walk through the door of MacLaurens. As each guy comes in she knows they are full of it… “The ironic part” is at work she meets Don.

Robin: Damnit Marshall

This was such a funny episode, or maybe I just enjoyed Barney’s line from above and the re-appearance of it. So many great lines, one offs and call backs. It really reminded me of so many of the really great episodes from Seasons past. I really thought everyone was at their best tonight. Lily was anti-annoying. And oh my Barney and Robin played their slightly changed characters well. Clearly, the fat guy and the old lady have never been who Robin and Barney were(are?) which could make this episode feel way out there and too far off. But I felt like it’s just Ted’s way of embellishing the facts to make a point. (Warning: Spoilers start here)

Now does this mean the Robin and Barney will never be right for each other like Ted & Robin or just a not now thing, working through the rough patch?…I take that thought a lot from Ted’s last statement. Then again , Robin does bring up the deal with Ted, but I think that more of a decoy and a red herring.

I will say it’ll will be nice to see Barney be more Barney again. One of the final scenes where “old” barney walks back in and turns the head of every hot chick in the bar, did make me cheer a bit, even though I wish they would have done more with B&R. In fact, my only criticism of this episode is how they ended B&R. Yes, you could see it coming, but still it’s like they are together and miserable, apart and happy and still cool with each other. I’ll reserve my complete judgment for now because who knows where they next few episodes will take us…just saying.

On the positive side, the Neil Young jokes were amazing. That was a great argument and needed to be done. And let’s talk about the stakeout. The Stormtrooper jokes, Ted’s porn jokes, Alan Thicke, Danger will Robinson, we needed a van, ( I could go on)…the point is it all worked so well.

I think this episode (and last) gave us some little things to look forward to. I do feel like we will see another slap sometime soon, and I take it from the re-return that we may get another Robin Sparkles moment… maybe not. But at very least I’m anxious to see where R&B end up by the end of the season. And who knows, we might even get some more mother clues.

That’s all I got, what did everyone else think?

Legendary Lines:

Barney:…Do not humanize the enemy Ted!…

Lily: Are you sure? I mean no biggie, we can just swing by the back alley and drop these off in the dumpster.
Marshall: I see six of the words you just said on this video label.

Barney (while eating wings): Sorry Ted. I’m my own wing man tonight.

Marshall: We have two alpha dogs in our relationship.
Lily: Sure we do sweetie.

Ted: Ok, now yours just quoting the video…were you in that video, were you the guy with the farmer tan?

Marshall:  Ok Barney’s ordering…five of something.

Old Ted: That was the moment we learned that relationships are hard work, but eventually everything will work out…and that was the moment we unlearned that other lesson we had just learned a few seconds earlier.

Barney: I’m not happy, I wish I was, nothing would make me happier than being happy…

Mother Music:

• Murder Train by the Foreskins (it was composed for the show but I’m begging them to release it!) – plays during Lily’s planned fight of Barney & Robin
• the Peter Gun Theme  by Henry Mancini – Barney walks into the bar as all the women eye him and proclaims, “Daddy’s home”
• I also noticed a short instrumental while the plotter watch B&R from the station wagon. Getting more info!

Moments of Awesomeness:

• Barney’s Help message recorded over “Archisexture” because he knew Ted would watch it, and let Marshall watch it too…btw, was I the only one expecting a reference to Ted Mosby the sex architect on that movie?
• Legen, wait for it…. dsofthefall. Legends of the fall! (an no  it was not OK. LOF sucked)
• Murder Train
• Lily as a diabolical planner was great and their arguments… Star Wars, Old Girlfriends, Dirty Dishes and the Canadian/American War!. Well played.
• The was Ted sensors and exaggerated the story to the kids. “They only let themselves go a little bit, but to use they seemed like this”… well that and Porn is vile and bad into his tripping story.
• Marshall’s favorite 70’s t.v. show, The fat guy and the old lady.
• “Catchphrase” . Probably one of my favorite moments is when Barney is talking and Robin is sitting there with her fingers in her ears saying, “Shutup, shutup,shutup,….”
• The station wagon scene was LEGENDARY! That kid of back and forth comedy is amazing and HIMYM can do it so well, they just don’t always do it.

The Re-Return:

Alan Thicke and Robin say goodbye, and he lets’ it slip that he and Robin were also in a failed Canadian T.V. variety show, which he mentions would be quite embarrassing.

Legendary Lines :

Ted: Arizona, You know I have always wanted to know what an Arizona driver’s license looked like?
Barney: (whispering) I already ran that play both are 21 their good.
Ted: Thank God.

Ted: It’s Snow problem. (nice line)

Robin: I monkied around with the thermostat for about an hour before I realized it was the intercom.
Marshall: Yea, I heard you swearing downstairs.

Carl: You wouldn’t know the first thing about running a bar.
Barney: Serve the hotties first?
Carl: Here’s the keys.

Marshall: Robin you’re not a robot and if you are then you’re an incredibly advanced model and the human race doesn’t stand a chance.

Melissa (college chick): I don’t know if you guys have ever seen Star Wars but it is like Hoth out there!
Ted: Dibs.
Amanda: It reminds me of when I used to go sledding with my dad…before he left.
Barney: And dibs.

Moments of Awesomeness:

• Marshall & Lily’s locally brewed beers (Fort Lager Dale, Minne Cider, Aspen Yards Ale, Puget Stout…)
• Carl is back! and he looks very different.
• Barney’s  pickup advice for and sidebar talks with Ted .
• ‘Puzzles’ Barney & Teds bar name…and later band name.
• Barney & Ted are awesome bartenders. Well, about as well as I would do.
• For Old Anzine being played by the Fighting Hens band was very cool. It almost maybe me misty eyed.

Vocabulary (Bro-cabulary?):

• Party School Bingo – a game Barney makes up from Playboy’s top 25 party schools placed on a BINGO card. Once he scores with 5 in a row it’s Bingo. Oddly enough he is the only player.

Music: The Bar/Coctail scene song:the Beach Boys – Kokomo

What really happened:

Marshall and Lily have had a tradition since college of surprising each other at the airport and bringing locally brewed beer. But in 2009, they both consider breaking the tradition. Meanwhile Ted and Barney’s attention turns to some college girls who are in town with their band. Ted attempts to hit on the chick with repeated pickup advice from Barney. Then is starts to snow. The blizzard of 2009 brings us three amazing and eventually intertwining stories.  Barney wants a shot at winning Party School Bingo (see Bro-cabulary above) so they are waiting at the bar to meet the girls. Marshall is at Ted and Robin’s apartment trying to fix the heater, which is evidentially stuck on hi because Robin look shot in more ways than usual. She convinces Marshall that Lily will bring the six pack so he starts for the door towards the airport. Lily sitting on the plane explains this time there will be no six pack. She eventually convinces herself Marshall will show and she needs to find beer which is perfect since her flight is an hour early. Carl (finally back form who knows where) decides to close the bar, but Ted and Barney convince him to leave it open under their care. Five years ago Ted had uttered 5 little words that even I have uttered “We should by a bar.” He and Barney were going to call it Puzzles, have a 3 story margarit fountain and more importantly have no last call. Then we get to see the fine bartending skills of Ted and Barney at MacLarens. Lily gets off the to find Ranjit waiting for someone else and he ditched his client to help Lily find beer for Marshall. Ranjit is awesome. The girls (Melissa and Amanda) finally show at the bar, but with their entire band, the Arizona Tech fighting Hens Marching Band. One mental conversation later, Barney and Ted open the bar to the band. Robin is driving to Marshall to meet Lily and telling him how silly the whole rituals thing is. Marsha and Lily (in different scenes) explain how all of their rituals have been tossed aside. The what they had for lunch as soon as they get home talk, their lunch time phone calls and kissing at midnight on News Years Eve. Then Marshall tells Robin she doesn’t understand love, so she pulls over till he apologizes. the next few scenes are switching in and out so try and keep up. Despite Barney & Ted’s vow for no last call, when Carl calls they get scared and decide to close the bar down. Robin and Marshall argue until the car gets covered by a snow plow. Lily and Ranjit go to get the locally brewed beer to find a keg instead of a six pack, which they take anyways. Marshall apologizes and thinks that Robin hits on him as they climb out of the sunroof to go get Lily. As Barney and Ted close down the bar they have a change of heart (no last call) and move the party to the apartment just upstairs. Moment of truth at the airport and what? A surprise ending? Seems the call from Lily that Marshall let go to voicemail was to say she was delayed two days. So no Lily at the airport. Seems the  three awesome stories were three separate days. Tuesday was Robin and Marshall. Wednesday was Ted and Barney as bartenders. Thursday was Lily returning to no one at the airport…or so it would seem, but just then a single clarinet player sits beside Lily to play Ol Anzine. Suddenly there instruments join in until the entire Fighting Hens band is playing and Marshall shows up with sign to renew all His and Lily’s rituals. Great surprise, great ending.

The Re-Return: Ted and Melissa are talking on the couch (Ted: Puzzles. Melissa: That is a great band name) when she wonders where Amanda is.  Just then Barney emerges from the restroom to scream “BINGO!” note: for more episode recaps check out legen-waitforit.com for suggestions.

Seeing as my good friend Ben at howimetyourblog.com has decided to stop updating the site (we will miss you dude) and J.D. at have-you-met-ted.com keeps delaying his reviews because of his busy social life (congrats on all the cool stuff you’ve been doing by the way J.D.), I decided to start writing some How I Met Your Mother recaps. Be easy on me… I’m no where as good as those guys. On to the show.

What Really Happened:

Robin is wanting some girl time with Lily because things aren’t going so well for her right now (much like Ted). Problem is, Robin can’t seem to get any time without Marshall. Ted who is similarly down in the dumps get’s a chance to design the new Goliath National Bank building thanks to Barney, but he is up against the Swedish design firm “Sven.”

Lily ends up taking Robin to a coworker’s birthday party at a bar called “Giddy Up” but is shocked to find out they will be hanging with a group of “Wooo! Girls” (much like the Knights who say ni, girls who say Woooo…for everything!). Ted pitches his design for the Goliath building and feels he got the job for his firm, which would be a major account, but Barney later tells Ted that the board voted for “Sven.” Lily also notices Robin in a Limo screaming “Wooo!”

Marshall finds out that the board wanted to go with Ted’s design but Barney decided to go with Sven. Marshall confronts Barney, who tells him he was going to go with Ted but then Sven’s design was dinosaur shaped building that shoots fire and he wanted the Office in the brain. Marshall tells Barney there will be no further “conference calls” and locks him on the roof because he did that to a friend.

Lily goes to "Giddy Up” to try and be a “Wooo girl” but Robin tells her she doesn’t need to because wooo girls are really unhappy and wish they were like Lily. Barney is on the roof with Sven and decides he made a mistake. He goes to “Giddy Up” where even Ted is yelling “woooo!” and tells Ted he got the job, as he is fixing to tell Ted the truth, Marshall cover’s for him and all is well. and though we don’t see it, Marshall later tell Ted the truth and they tie Barney on the mechanical bull for 3 hours.

My Thoughts:

Despite not playing into any story lines (LAME baby, Barney & Robin, Robin moving to Ted’s…) tonight’s episode wasn’t bad at all. There was some great lines at the beginning and the “Ted’s Best friend” gag never fails to get a laugh. Here lately, some of the episodes have seemed rushed but this one seemed to move a great pace.  As an former “aspiring architect” I would have loved to see the dinosaur building actually built. The “Woooo Girls” were a decent story line, but didn’t hit home as much with me as the Ted/Marshall/Barney story line.

I also think that Barney’s speech writer needs to work for the President (who knows…maybe he does). And Marshall’s pink cowboy hat cracked me up especially compared to Lily’s plastic fireman’s hat. If you always wait until the end for the “wrap-up bonus scene” you saw Barney getting off the mechanical bull. Quite humorous, but does anyone else notice that the tricycle keeps being alluded too? (Barney shows up with the two girls at Ted’s place during Happily Ever After… must just have been a popular bit.) Pigeons really are scary by the way. Thoughts?

Legendary Lines :

Marshall: Dude, Sweden is not France. You know that?
Barney: Oh, It’s France.

Marshall: You wanna go down to the current GNB building and…I dunno… pee on it a little bit?
Ted: Yea. Yea, I think I need that.

Lily: We saw you wooo.
Robin: Saw who woooo?
Lily: Saw you woo.
Robin: I didn’t woo.
Lily: You did too.
Robin: That’s not true.
Lily: Your nose just grew

Barney: So it’s agreed. All ATM fees are now called “Freedom Charges”

Barney: I never knew it until now, but I’ve always dreamed of that!

Barney: I picked it because it breathes fire Marshall.
Marshall: Fire Marshall

Sven: This is a waste of time. Push-ups

Moments of Awesomeness:

Barney’s speeches (these always remind me of the “We will be What’s up New your Speech”): American Architect speech, Woooo Girls speech, Barney’s Ted got the job speech.

Lily and Robin’s rhyming conversation.

Vocabulary:

“Woooo Girls” – a woooo girl is a young woman who like the coo coo bird or the whippoorwill gets her name from the signature sound that she makes

“conference calls” – a great excuse to hang out at your job on the roof drinking beer.

How I Met Your Mother Music:

• Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd (wooo girl explanation)
• What Cha Gonna Do by the Classic (club mix)
• Dime Whatever by ProdLab (club mix)
• Num Num by the DNC (club mix)
• all other Club Mixes were scored by the show composer.