Monday, February 19, 2007

HIMYM: I hope you're all happy now

"How I Met Your Mother" spoilers coming up just as soon as I moisteurize...

See? Thomas and Bays care about you people. They care about the "Slap Bet" fans worldwide. They gave you a payoff within seven episodes, and in a completely surprising and yet totally appropriate setting. So here's the deal: I don't want to see another slap for at least a season, if not until the series finale -- which will hopefully be many, many years from now. I like the idea that Barney is deep into middle age -- if not moving down to Del Boca Vista -- and he still has at least a slap or two hanging over his head.

A very strange, very funny, very "HIMYM"-y episode. Another random fear (Lily's hatred of "moist"), more legalese (the friends making rulings for each other, with Marshall's pants the highlight), Canadian mockery (though does that chain really exist?), twentysomething etiquette (Barney's explanation of favors that should no longer be asked at their age), Marshall's unrelenting enthusiasm (in this case for audience participation), and a novel comic device (the dogs-as-exes). Maybe a little too much Ted and Robin for my tastes, but splendid overall.

And, again, did you see the slap? Awesome. Unbridled awesomeness.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I shouted "YES!" so loudly that my upstairs neighbor phoned to make sure I was all right.

Also: the Playbills.

Jefferson Burns said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jefferson Burns said...

oh. I just fell of my couch with the slap. that was sooooo, soooo worth it. and yes, I too don't want to see another slap for awhile, but darn, is that just priceless...thank you Thomas & Bays!!!!!

Eric said...

Definite return to the high plateau the show hit around Slap Bet.

I hope that we get to see some other scenes from "Suck It Lilly" on Barney's Blog or somewhere like that.

Anonymous said...

I cheered when Marshall stood up because I KNEW what he was going to do. I rewound my Tivo to see it again. LOVED IT. A big up to Thomas & Bays for final satisfying the mad itch I've had since Slap Bet!!!

Anonymous said...

I'm pretty sure Danby's doesn't exist. If I'm wrong, I going to have to return my Canadian passport.

And I hate to say this, but Barney was essentially right when it came to things you shouldn't still be doing in your twenties for your friends. That said, he totally deserved the slap.

RA said...

I don't know if Marshall said it first or if I said it right along with him: "That's two!" Nice!

Anonymous said...

Barney's one-man show was the funniest thing I've seen since "Let's Go To The Mall!" The slap at the end made it priceless -- although how Marshall could resist slapping Barney during the recorder portion is beyond me.

In A-plot land, I'm really surprised Ted and Robin are moving in together, Robin's so commitment-phobic. Anyone else feel like we're headed for a May break-up?

Heather K said...

Living together is totally going to break those two up.

I watched with my roommates who only occasionally watch and had missed slap bet. I think they thought I had lost my mind. It was awesome.

Anonymous said...

Oooh! Another thing! The callback to the thing from last year when the lawyers were posing each other impossible choices in the format: "A....or B? GO!" Which we all remember because it seemed like a throwaway joke but turned out to set up a Robin vs. uh, Victoria? cliffhanger.

mom2katie said...

Here I thought I was a huge fan, but I completely forgot about the slap bet. It was funny enough without remembering, but now it brings it to a whole new level of awesomeness. Too clever. :-D

John Coulter said...

I would go for "mermaid top"

Eric said...

Human top, fish bottom. In fact, I recall a limerick on the subject.
But it involves "that word."
There once was a sailor named Fred...

Tosy And Cosh said...

Loved the ep, but just having watched the pilot of Dead Like Me, which also features a female character displaying an irrational hatred of the word "moist," was feeling some strange deja vu.