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How I Met Your Mother’s Barney and Robin: just a typical couple

how i met your mother cobie smulders

“Yes, totally. Only thing, I like my testicles attached to my body rather than rolling around next to some eyeliner in Robin’s purse.” – Barney to Ted, about changing to be a better boyfriend to Robin

I said a few weeks ago in my post about the premiere that I loved the way they were handling the Robin / Barney pairing. Yeah, they blew that tonight. After Robin becoming the typical girlfriend last week, jealous over Barney frequenting a strip club, “Robin 101″ gave us a run-of-the-mill typical relationship angst episode. All that we love about Barney and Robin has died, withered like the plant on my mantle.

Sure, we got the Bays-Thomas non-linear storytelling, we got some funny quotes and we even got some catch-phrases, but the overarching problem of this episode just kept nagging at me. Man, I think I sound like Aryeh, don’t I? I don’t mean to be negative, really I don’t, but I didn’t laugh out loud tonight, and I really, really want that from How I Met Your Mother.

Can we talk about the gags? They were a little bit entertaining, so I’m going to list them, but an inaudible chuckle was a sad replacement for the obnoxious guffaws in my living room the night of the premiere.

  • Barney trying to sneak out: “It’s not a one night stand, we’re dating. Come back to bed.” – Robin
  • Lily having questionable dreams starring Robin
  • the Bermuda triangle, a.k.a. the curb in front of their building
  • Fantasy football, the go-to excuse when you don’t want anyone knowing you’re talking about them
  • the slide show of Robin’s facial expressions
  • Diffusing the bomb
  • picturing Robin’s thumb-less uncle eating corn on the cob
  • If only Robin’s dad would share: “Robin, I’m proud of you, eh.”
  • “Oh captain my captain.”
  • the left knee lie
  • The useless information in your brain after you break up with someone is “the emotional equivalent of an English degree.”
  • thumbs up!

Did this episode fall a bit flat for you tonight?

Photo Credit: CBS

Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Oct 05, 2009 @ 21:01 EST5EDT

9 Responses to “How I Met Your Mother’s Barney and Robin: just a typical couple”

J
October 5, 2009 at 10:02 PM

Really? I am loving the way they are handling Barney and Robin. This episode was really great. Much better than last week’s if you ask me. And Cobie Smulders was great tonight.

Ryan
October 5, 2009 at 10:15 PM

Dude, you’re supposed to make me want to come back to this show. :(

Swarkles was my favorite part…

Dave
October 5, 2009 at 10:40 PM

I LOVED tonight’s episode and laughed out loud several times. I guess we weren’t watching the same show.

Ivey West
October 6, 2009 at 12:08 AM

I missed enough of the beginning that I missed the origin of the bowl joke :(

As per usual, if Deb didn’t like an episode, I did. Sure, it did drift into sitcom cliche, but I don’t mind that as often (Mainly because I don’t watch any other sitcoms (save Scrubs, and now BBT), so I’m immune to burnout). But the HIMYM twist on things was funny.

I loved most of the gags that barely made you giggle…

Aryeh S.
October 6, 2009 at 4:54 PM

Whoa. Just whoa.

Let’s just say, keep your eyes peeled for my rejoinder. Oh yes, my rejoinder. ;)

meh
October 6, 2009 at 9:58 PM

anyone who didn’t laugh out loud at “Oh captain my captain” is clearly broken.

I thinking your worrying too much about what’s gonna happen with barney and robin that you can’t enjoy the show. just let and trust in HIMYM to make it work.

Caroline
October 9, 2009 at 9:12 AM

I laughed out loud numerous times. Especially when Robin used the sledgehammer to open the briefcase the minute that Lily turned around. And Alyson Hannigan had me cracking up with her facial expressions even when she wasn’t actively part of a scene.

I’m actually enjoying the progression of Robin & Barney’s relationship cause it seems realistic to their characters. They’re struggling between how they want to act towards each other cause they’re in love and how they think they should act towards each other cause they think they should be “too cool” to fall in love.

Johan
November 10, 2009 at 9:26 PM

You really suck my friend. This episode were acctually really good, but how on earth did you miss Robins penguinmonolog. Superb

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