Lily was right, when two exes decide to just be casual, someone always gets hurt. But this time, it was just not one of us. ~Ted

My Thoughts:

Is How I Met Your Mother taking some cues from Scrubs? The episode was truly funny but threw in enough to make you feel a little emotional about friendship. Past that, I do feel like we have seen similar “relational” story lines in Scrubs and Seinfeld…hello anybody? Despite that as well as my objections and strong feeling about playing the Ted & Robin card again, I liked the way the episode played out as a whole. It left the door completely wide open for a Robin and Barney thing and hopefully closed the door for good on Ted & Robin. what’s more is despite being a “self contained” episode it gives you enough of an ongoing story line to make it seem like the same series.

I wasn’t thought the reality stars guest spots would be pretty lame, they were enough of a sub plot to be entertaining but not annoying. Plus Marshall made fun of Kim Kardashian. Let me also take a moment to request more Carl and especially Wendy!

Legendary Lines :

Barney: I’m responsible? Excellent… Excellent…excellent. DRINKS ARE ON ME!!!

Lily: Are you OK?
Barney: Yeah, why do you ask?
Lily: Well, for one thing you’re openly weeping.

Barney: Only one thing to do. You have to stop sleeping together. Please.

Ted (to Barney): Are you in Love with Robin? (note: this line is awesome because it’s about time he asked!)

Marshall: Robin do you want me to see if the waitress has any giant sugar cubes for that high horse of yours?

Robin: It was weird. Weird. Weird. Weird. Weird. W-I-E-R-D. Weird.
Lily: That’s not how you spell weird.
Robin: Come on Lily, nobody likes a Ted.

Marshall: You’re right, super hot lady that my wife keeps telling me why you are famous but I keep forgetting. Let’s do this.

Ted: She used all my stamps so, long story short, the postman rang twice.

Robin: He’s all like…
Barney: I love you
Robin: Exactly. He’s not like you…

Moments of Awesomeness:

• Barney smashing TV’s…even buying one when he can’t find one to smash.
• Marshall makes fun of Kim Kardashian. Nice.
• Barney invading Lily’s kindergarten “feeling hour”” to tell the kids about his feeling about Robin, in his chair from Little Minnesota…while smoking.
• It’s is always awesome when we see the Awesomeness Poster in Barney’s Office.  Also, anyone else notice the office posters changed again? Just a bit. Post coming soon, plus did you notice the Perfection Poster? It’s actually my favorite!
• Barney’s every world conflict is due to sexual tension theory.

Bro-cabulary:

“Read a Magazine”, v. – to go to the restroom, take a dump, see a man about a horse…

“Private Thing” – Ted and Robin’s thing from Season 3 were they salute every time someone uses a word identifying with a military rank.

Music:

Thanks to my readers!

• No More Wishing by Hayley Taylor (closing of episode)
• Pure Imagnation from Willy Wonka (plays both times Marshall goes to the 8th floor to “read a magazine”)

What really happened:

It’s the winter of 2009, Robin and Ted are roommates and things are not going well. They are at each other’s throats about everything. When they stop to ponder why things are so tough now versus when they were together as a couple and decide it was because they had sex then. Going on Barney’s theory that all world conflicts are because of sexual tension, Robin and Ted tease that they should just start having sex then. And they do. They agree that no one can find out, then Marshall walks in.

They race after Marshall who is home to “read the paper”, because he hates having to go at work. While Ted understands, Robin says no until Marshall blackmails her with his “knowledge.” At the bar, Lily does what she does best…blabs (still a good running joke) and Marshall hands over his apartment key to Robin. Lily says they need to stop before someone gets hurt. Ted says that Lily was right, but more on the later.

Barney is clearly not excited about the friends with benefits arrangement but Ted and Robin seem not to notice. Ted and Robin say it is a great arrangement because they have agreed to have not feelings and no romance, just sex and to make matters worse they even credit Barney’s theory for the idea. It’s seem like the perfect set-up. Ted & Robin argue, they have sex, Ted unknowingly tortures Barney with the details, Barney smashes TV set in the alley.

Marshall’s magazine issue seems to be solved when he finds out that the 8th floor, and the bathroom, have been vacated. Ted and Robin’s arrangement is going great until one morning Ted kisses Robin goodbye before work. Both realize there is an issue after Ted leaves. Ted, Marshall and Barney talk about the event at the bar, Barney spits out that he is in love with Robin but then plays it off as a joke. Robin talks to Lily about how awkward it was and everyone agrees  they need to stop the benefits.

Ted and Barney end up relapsing after an argument and again Marshall catches them. When Barney finds out he smashes another tv (how funny). Later, Ted comes home to find Barney taking care of anything that could cause an argument. He bought stamps, cleaned, bought a dishwasher and even filled the fridge with milk. Barney says that he just wants to help his friends but Ted realizes something more is up and asks Barney, “Are you in love with Robin?”

Barney denies that he has feelings for Robin and tells Ted that the situation does not bother him. Next we see Barney talking to Lily’s Kindergarten class about his feeling for Robin. Marshall overcomes his fear of ‘reading magazines’ and his triumph inspires Barney to tell Ted the truth. Barney arrives at the apartment to find Robin. She says that she and Ted’s arrangement is off. Ted ended it because ‘someone will get hurt.’ Barney is relieved and there is an interesting exchange of words where Robin says that dating friends  is always a bad idea. There is a great song at the end (any ideas?) and everyone is at the bar as friends again. Ted knows know about Barney’s feelings now, but also knows that someone did get hurt, it just wasn’t he or Robin.

Lingering Questions:

Is Robin foreshadowing the future with

The Re-Return:

Nothing this week… too bad. I love those extra clips.

*episode pics (usually taken from screenshots) taken from legen-waitforit.com