i know i'm one of the only people on ilx who watches *how i met your mother* on a regular basis, but did anyone else see the robin sparkles episode? where robin didn't want people to know that she had

good catch, looks like they've used that name a lot on the show, from googling. maybe it'll turn out Michael York will be her father...

tara lols via meta and singing

"Coming up, a Manhattan architect gets punched in the throat!" + cut to Ted holding his throat = IRL lolz

yeah, that was beautiful

OK, Ted and Robin's dead-eyed car alarm singalong was one of the single best things I've ever seen on this show

last night's was the best one in AGES. Funny enough but also maintained a good balance with the more serious character stuff. Marshall's corporate self was finally (and nicely) dealt with. Barney's story was pretty funny but they turned the screw at the end which was good. Even if I'm not convinced by Dr. Cameron or what role she plays, it was alright too. And The Captain worked.

basically it accomplished a lot without ever feeling like it was trying too hard.

yeah...I have kind of deliberately avoided whining in this thread when I haven't been real into new episodes, but I haven't really been feeling the magic much for a while, and last night was like a perfect crystallization of everything I like about this show.

haha also thank you for finally helping me figure out who the girl is, was really bugging me that i couldn't remember where i knew her from and kept forgetting to google it

So, how distracting was Alyson Hannigan's cleavage in the scene where she's talking to Extinct Marshall?

Jennifer Morrison, yowza.

my wife and I were both kind of fixated on Hannigan's dress the entire episode

it was pretty nice

omgomgomg

the slapsgiving reference was amazingly subtle fan service

robin's friend and her accent had me laughing.

Hey Beaver Come on
When you feel alone
Just Pick up that phone
And I´ll be there to share my…
Ice cream cone
We´ll lick it side by side

Two Beavers are better than one.
Da da da da da da da da da
Two Beavers are better than one
they´re twice the fun
ask anyone
Our beaver are second to none
Two Beavers are better than one
Da da da da da da da da da

My favourite Beaver

Two Beavers are better than one
they´re twice the fun
ask anyone
Our beaver are second to none
Two Beavers are better than one

the interweb sure is fast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZezVwU7BPPQ

wow.

i wonder if that made forksclovetofu explode.

gotta say i really enjoyed Smuders/Scherzinger softcore on multiple levels

can't stop playing beaver song.

good ep

why the heck did that video uploader flip the image horizontally?

So the automatic copyright infringement bots that scan YouTube won't recognize it.

didn't stop them with daria ;_;

The Queen!

omgomgomgomgomgomgomgpunchysweddinggonnameetthemotheromgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomgomg

Great episode. Barney's list of reality show exit catchphrases had me rolling.

Enjoyable enough episode. Could have done without the Lost references.

It did strike me that the premise was the kind of thing that this show does better than pretty much any other sitcom, which is the neurosis of a late-20s/early-30s mind. I'm struggling to think of previous examples, but an episode based around the feeling that if you leave the party early, you'll miss out on the awesome stuff, even if you don't feel like being there anymore. I wish it had wrapped into the Zoe narrative in some way, or in the larger theme of the end better. I feel like 3 or 4 years ago the writers would have knocked it out of the park, where here they're just serving the premise adequately enough. Maybe I've got rose-coloured glasses though.

Ha, the Lost references were my favourite part.

Is the "gentlemen" thing a reference to something else?

The Aristrocrats?

For some reason it reminded me of the fops from SNL.

http://snl.jt.org/caps/episode_sketches/1995-11-18-2.jpg

wasn't explained, but quite reminiscent of 'a gentleman's agreement -- huzzah'

Really quality tonight.

back to the punchy well, huh

I feel like 3 or 4 years ago the writers would have knocked it out of the park, where here they're just serving the premise adequately enough.

Feeling this too in general. Even if the episodes aren't 100% knocking it out of the park, i'm really glad they seem to be trying so hard this year with the unconventional episode structures and writing. Pretty good stuff tonight, though - and i do like it when they manage to make Ted's douchiness work

I am still o_O at tonight's episode.

sad ep

strong stuff from segal!

Was watching Twitter while it was on, and everyone was like, "What's with the wacky countdown numbers going on in this episode?" then BLAM.

http://www.bestweekever.tv/bwe/images/2009/12/SHIT-JUST-GOT-REAL-GIF.gif

yeah segal and hannigan both really played that last scene well, very convincing and not at all overacted, brought the right amount of gravity to the scene that kind of took you out of the sitcomminess for a second without feeling too tacked on or incongruous.

i somehow totally missed the countdown numbers, had to look up what phil was even referring to on a recap site.

agreed. also missed the countdown numbers? but i also missed the opening few minutes

thought the wacky numbers thing was a bad clash w/ the last scene. weirdly tasteless. also, barney was overly creepy throughout.

also, I saw the ending coming btwn the title and the phone calls, but Hannigan + Segal really sold it, so brutal.

Holy shit. I missed the countdown but that was really great.

Ha, rewatching, the countdown is so obvious.

But yeah, I really liked how they pulled together a number of running threads within an especially heavy major episode: the doppelganger, all of Robin's on-air history, including minor things like Barney's 'dirty girl' dare or the Japanese news show.

Didn't notice the countdown at all, and without knowing the title of the episode that was a helluva surprise. That episode really brought out what I love about the show, there aren't many sitcoms (or sitcom actors) who could pull that off without making it seem like a Very Special Moment.

xposts

I didn't think Barney was overly creepy. He's been a lot worse.