In this episode, the major plot points of the first two episodes took to the sidelines to make way for flat, not funny jokes about Lily's pregnancy breasts and a recap of Ted's encounter with his first flame (of the series): Victoria.
Victoria... Surely everyone remembers Season One's biggest minor character, the cupcake baking sweetheart that seemed maybe a little bit too much like Ted. Their combined corniness and sappiness made even me cringe, but in a sense, I still always felt like they were a good match. The Robin-Ted-Victoria triangle is probably one of Ted's biggest mistakes, and I know a few fans who dislike Ted because of his actions there. Maybe last night's episode will have changed their minds and allow them to forgive Ted as Victoria has.
The Victoria encounter was a much needed closure to their relationship, which ended badly and tensely and never seemed quite resolved, as Ted quickly moved into a relationship with Robin and didn't seem to dwell on his mistakes with Victoria for too long. To be honest, I would be happy with Victoria ultimately being "the one," but I think the series has pretty clearly established that she is not. So I definitely enjoyed this segment of the episode.
With that said, I thought the second part of the episode - the subplot between Lily, Marshall and Barney - to not only be flat and juvenile, but also a step back from Barney's character development in the previous two episodes. It felt cliche and strange, considering that he is trying to be serious with Nora, and I doubt she'd be happy about his actions during this episode. She seems to be completely forgotten in this episode. I know that Barney's sexual tendencies define his character, but maybe they shouldn't. After all, they seem to be trying to change his character (something rare for sitcoms) - he is getting married by the end of the season, after all. Plus, the 'male friend wanting to see platonic female friends breasts' has been done before, I'm sure by many sitcoms, but off the top of my head I can just think of Kelso wanting to see Donna's breasts in That 70's Show.
Furthermore, the transitions between the two plots also seemed forced. Robin kept asking Ted what happened, and no one else appeared to be interested. Why Robin? Why should Robin be the catalyst to move Ted's plot along? Was it because she was the only character left after Marshall, Lily and Barney got side tracked? Was it something to do with the direction the series seems to be taking?
In the final moments of last night's episode, a major bomb was dropped in the form of Victoria's analysis of Ted's relationship failures. Robin. Is she just bitter? Possibly, but it seems like a serious analysis of Ted's character that the writers will be referencing and using to influence the events in the rest of the season.
I'm not so sure that Victoria's analysis is accurate. Yes, Robin was a problem for Stella, but only because Stella was projecting her own fears about her ex-fiance onto Ted. With Zoey, I don't recall Robin ever being a major catalyst to their relationship failure. No, it was the fact that Zoey opposed Ted's major project and passion, so far as to completely risk ruining Ted's reputation and therefore sacrificing any chance at reconciliation in order to preserve a building that, in all honesty, was a health and safety risk.
Does Robin stand in between Ted and his romantic success? There haven't been many indicators of that in previous seasons. Robin obviously still has feelings for Barney, however, and I would expect Robin to be a bigger obstacle for Barney (in the future) than for Ted. To be honest, as someone who maintains friendships with previous boyfriends, I am skeptical of the "they can't be friends" plot. It's possible to be friends with exes, and it's annoying when writers and people in general promote the opposite.
As for Barney and Robin: While Robin's feelings for Barney were also shoved aside for this episode, the end seemed once more to hint at a possible change in dynamic, not only for Ted and Robin, but also for Robin and Barney. In the last shot, when Ted foreshadows the upcoming changes, Lily and Marshall have left. Robin and Barney sit across from each other, and Ted sits facing us and facing them. It is as if he is on the sidelines, observing them. It seems, to me, to be foreshadowing a potential relationship there.
I would love for this to happen, and I would be disappointed if Barney ended up with Nora. I always thought that the end of Robin and Barney's relationship was kind of a cop out. I would love it if the reason for that ended up being something like, "Wow they really are good together - we will have to save this for the ending." I'd much rather him end up with Robin than Nora... but it seems weird that they would have Barney get married at all...
Victoria... Surely everyone remembers Season One's biggest minor character, the cupcake baking sweetheart that seemed maybe a little bit too much like Ted. Their combined corniness and sappiness made even me cringe, but in a sense, I still always felt like they were a good match. The Robin-Ted-Victoria triangle is probably one of Ted's biggest mistakes, and I know a few fans who dislike Ted because of his actions there. Maybe last night's episode will have changed their minds and allow them to forgive Ted as Victoria has.
The Victoria encounter was a much needed closure to their relationship, which ended badly and tensely and never seemed quite resolved, as Ted quickly moved into a relationship with Robin and didn't seem to dwell on his mistakes with Victoria for too long. To be honest, I would be happy with Victoria ultimately being "the one," but I think the series has pretty clearly established that she is not. So I definitely enjoyed this segment of the episode.
With that said, I thought the second part of the episode - the subplot between Lily, Marshall and Barney - to not only be flat and juvenile, but also a step back from Barney's character development in the previous two episodes. It felt cliche and strange, considering that he is trying to be serious with Nora, and I doubt she'd be happy about his actions during this episode. She seems to be completely forgotten in this episode. I know that Barney's sexual tendencies define his character, but maybe they shouldn't. After all, they seem to be trying to change his character (something rare for sitcoms) - he is getting married by the end of the season, after all. Plus, the 'male friend wanting to see platonic female friends breasts' has been done before, I'm sure by many sitcoms, but off the top of my head I can just think of Kelso wanting to see Donna's breasts in That 70's Show.
Furthermore, the transitions between the two plots also seemed forced. Robin kept asking Ted what happened, and no one else appeared to be interested. Why Robin? Why should Robin be the catalyst to move Ted's plot along? Was it because she was the only character left after Marshall, Lily and Barney got side tracked? Was it something to do with the direction the series seems to be taking?
In the final moments of last night's episode, a major bomb was dropped in the form of Victoria's analysis of Ted's relationship failures. Robin. Is she just bitter? Possibly, but it seems like a serious analysis of Ted's character that the writers will be referencing and using to influence the events in the rest of the season.
I'm not so sure that Victoria's analysis is accurate. Yes, Robin was a problem for Stella, but only because Stella was projecting her own fears about her ex-fiance onto Ted. With Zoey, I don't recall Robin ever being a major catalyst to their relationship failure. No, it was the fact that Zoey opposed Ted's major project and passion, so far as to completely risk ruining Ted's reputation and therefore sacrificing any chance at reconciliation in order to preserve a building that, in all honesty, was a health and safety risk.
Does Robin stand in between Ted and his romantic success? There haven't been many indicators of that in previous seasons. Robin obviously still has feelings for Barney, however, and I would expect Robin to be a bigger obstacle for Barney (in the future) than for Ted. To be honest, as someone who maintains friendships with previous boyfriends, I am skeptical of the "they can't be friends" plot. It's possible to be friends with exes, and it's annoying when writers and people in general promote the opposite.
As for Barney and Robin: While Robin's feelings for Barney were also shoved aside for this episode, the end seemed once more to hint at a possible change in dynamic, not only for Ted and Robin, but also for Robin and Barney. In the last shot, when Ted foreshadows the upcoming changes, Lily and Marshall have left. Robin and Barney sit across from each other, and Ted sits facing us and facing them. It is as if he is on the sidelines, observing them. It seems, to me, to be foreshadowing a potential relationship there.
I would love for this to happen, and I would be disappointed if Barney ended up with Nora. I always thought that the end of Robin and Barney's relationship was kind of a cop out. I would love it if the reason for that ended up being something like, "Wow they really are good together - we will have to save this for the ending." I'd much rather him end up with Robin than Nora... but it seems weird that they would have Barney get married at all...
With that said, apparently Season 8 will be the last season of How I Met Your Mother. What could happen between Barney getting married and the end?
Overall, I felt it was an awkward episode, but definitely important for setting up the developing story line. It's going to be an interesting season. As much as it sucks to hear that the group dynamic is going to be changing, as implied by Ted's final lines, it was probably pretty clear that would happen when Lily found out she was pregnant. As we have already learned in the series with Robin and her best friend, Jessica Glitter, pregnancies (apparently) largely alter friendships (I have no experience in this department).
Where will the season go from here? We'll just have to wait and find out.
Where will the season go from here? We'll just have to wait and find out.
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