"How I Met Your Mother" spoilers coming up just as soon as I figure out whether my nose is overflowing with awesome or influenza...Like "Single Stamina," "How Lily Stole Christmas" wasn't quite up to the level of "Slap Bet" (few things are, admittedly), but it was still pretty damn good. The scene with Robin playing mom to Barney was especially funny, as was the "Ted Evelyn Mosby!" payoff to the "Ted Vivien Mosby" setup.
In case anyone was uncertain, I checked with a friend at CBS, and in case there was any confusion whatsoever, "Grinch" was code for the C-word, not the B-word. (In the rough cut I saw, Future Ted went on for quite a while about how it was a word that no woman ever wants to hear under any circumstances.)
The plot logic behind Lily being able to move all the Winter Wonderland supplies from Brooklyn to the Bronx by herself seemed written by someone who'd had a toke off whatever Flashback Lily, Flashback Ted and Flashback Marshall were smoking. And Jason Segel playing stoned? Old-home week! On the other hand, Flashback Ted's blatant Jewfro clashed with present Ted's whacko Christian cousins.
Aside from Marshall's UPS subplot falling flat, another strong episode in a season packed with them. What did everybody else think?
There was singing!!!!!!!! That was the best part, that and Barney sick.
ReplyDeleteI missed the first five minutes, so I wasn't sure which word they were alluding to, but I figured it must be the c one, thanks for the confirmation.
Maybe Ted's cousin were jews for jesus?
Not the best episode, but after SLAP BET few things can compare.
ReplyDeleteStill moping over the stupid, stupid decision to give the post-SB slot to Criminal Minds. Blah. What a waste.
All CBS would have had to do is throw in a bunch of Barneyism commercials during the Superbowl and they'd have hooked a huge audience.
This may be way overreading, but note the appearance of Mom's boyfriend Clint (and you know we'll be seeing more of Harry Groener than that at some point), whose name is notorious as something you should never, ever use in comic strips that are lettered in all-caps.
ReplyDeleteThis is kind of random, but here it goes:
ReplyDeleteSo I'm watching the episode and whenever they reference Ted's Mom's boyfriend "Clint" I kept saying to myself, "Damn, I wonder how long they spent in the writers room deciding on Clint." Because if you think about it, 'Clint' is, in a way, the perfect semi-creepy name. It has the sound of common name, but I'd argue that outside of country music or state fairs (which may or may not be the same thing) Clint is actually kind of rare.
Anyway, it made me laugh. So bully to HIMYM for hitting the jackpot with "Clint."
PS. No offense to any Clints out there, I'm sure you're all good people.
i kinda figured grinch was code for the C-Word...why else would she be SO offended?
ReplyDeletefor me..the best part was after lily heard the message - ted said "fudge" - "but, he really didn't say fudge" - nice little allude to ralphy in a christmas story
Barney was overflowing with awesome. That was the best Barneyism so far. Even better than "Penguin-suited up." Unfortunetly, the episode wasn't overflowing with Barney.
ReplyDeleteAm I the only person who is wondering if Marshall is going to portion out the slapbets in further episodes. Seeing Future Marshall slap Future Barney in front of Future Ted's kids and FM saying "that makes ten" would be a wonderful joke to use at some point.
C word... I thought it was the W-word...
ReplyDeleteIs this the first time we've seen Barney in attire that isn't a suit? It is a tribute to NPH inhabiting the character so perfectly that I was jarred by the sight of him in a t-shirt.
ReplyDeleteI honestly always assumed Ted was Jewish. He gives off a seriously Jew-y vibe.
Barney has worn costumes (Top Gun on Halloween) and uniforms (Laser Tag), but this may have been the first time we saw him in casual clothes.
ReplyDeleteJosh Radnor is very, very Jew-y (not that there's anything wrong with that). But is the Jew-y-est actor to play a non-Jewish series lead? Hmmm... things to ponder...
Whoo hoo! They Mayor! Anotehr Buffy Alumn!
ReplyDeleteThe question that kept running through my head was whether or not they had initially wanted to use another sub for the c-word, one close in sound to it ("runt?" "dunce?"), but were foiled by the censors. Because "Grinch" sounded like "Bitch," creating the off-feeling that the word really wasn't so bad.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, "Grinch" then set up Lily stealing all the Christmas stuff.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else flash on Phil Hartman saying, "It's prounounced Eeeevelyn!" on Newsradio?
ReplyDeleteAlan - true. And there really isn't a very good "clean" substitute for the c-word, is there?
ReplyDeleteI thought "bitch" was the word too. I'm really surprised. Although "grich" has replaced "fudge" as the baddest of them all. You want to stop a conversation cold - throw in the "grinch" word. I'm glad there's some like that left.
ReplyDeleteI thought the UPS angle was a bit lame too. Not the best episode, but it did make me laugh out loud a few times.
"Josh Radnor is very, very Jew-y (not that there's anything wrong with that). But is the Jew-y-est actor to play a non-Jewish series lead?"
ReplyDeleteI don't know if he counts as a series lead, but Jason Alexander as George Costanza is probably the best example of this phenomenon.
I wonder if "Clint" was used for the mother's boyfriend name because C L I N T with the L and the I together looks like C LI N T.
ReplyDeleteThank you for solving this. We had a bet at work about which dirty word he was saying.
ReplyDeletei've caught this show a few times here and there, but this ep made me want to see the show again the following week. i'm still laughing at the whole 'ted evelyn mosby' joke.
ReplyDeleteps i thought george costanza WAS Jewish - i mean, his dad was played by jerry stiller, for pete's sake.