Because if you were going to be just some lame suburban dad, WHY COULDN’T YOU HAVE BEEN THAT FOR ME? ~Barney
What a great episode. Lithgow and NPH really worked well together. I hope Neil Patrick Harris get’s an Oscar nod this year. He definitely deserved it for this ep alone. I hate to start at the end but that last scene really was powerful, and you definitely don’t know where it’s going for now. More after I make sure my pet possum isn’t trying to tear me a new one…
How I Met Your Mother Music
- I Will Come For You by Jack Dolgen (moment at the episode end between Barney & his dad Jerome and Barney’s “A kid needs a hoop” moment)
Barney & his dad. The entire ep really led up well to the last confrontation between Barney & Jerome. And I loved the fact there are still some funny moment even in that. I want to believe that Jerome is serious about wanting the relationship now but I feel like like its a small jump at least to have no contact and then say, well I want this now. Still the power of the acting and story overall led me past that question fairly quick. Is that all we every see of Jerome and family? Does Barney just need time? Is this the beginning of what Barney need to go back to Nora or is that chapter over as well? But come one Barney…picking on a kid? Though, “Good time to get into print media” was a great slam. On another thought, would you read a non-fiction or fiction book on asparagus? Veggie Tales doesn’t count.
Episode endings. I must say, HIMYM is getting pretty stinking good at the whole keep laughing while I sucker punch you in the gut ending. Don’t get me wrong it works well. I love it…but I could use at least one laugh it all up before we get to the season finale.
Marshall. I’m happy to see that we are getting past the death of Marshall’s dad. What’s more is that he now uses the experience really well. I mean the moment he hits Barney with that statement is powerful. And having the groups talk through why they are taking it easy on Marshall was a great B plot. You’ve gotta love Marshall’s test.
Well enough from me, I’m really interested in what you all think tonight, so on with my favorite moments and lines.
Legendary Lines
Barney: Don’t ask, you’re not ready.
Marshall: The Phantom Menace is by far the best Star Wars movie
Barney: …it ages well
Marshall: Lily, Keys…I am literally 11 inches from you!
Robin: Then, congratulate me because I’m the new defense against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. Expelliarmus!
Barney: He’s the mother of all fathers
Barney: Now we all know that you make excuses.
Ted: Scherbatsky, you wanna tussle?
Barney: This is going to be the second most fun I’ve had on an Asian leg…
Barney: A kid needs a hoop…
Moments of Awesomeness
- Barney & Tools. When Barney’s dad handed him the screwdriver and he used it like a hammer I literally spit milk. Totally unexpected at that moment and very awesome.
- Marshall played the dead dad card at the perfect moment. “No Barney, I’m the one that is never going to see my dad again”
- Rex the Possum Oh my, how cool was the possum…well until it tries to eat you as you sleep.
- I too agree that an outdoor stripper pole really isn’t a bad idea.
- Cham-e-le-on… nice Ted. I love how the gang ribs on each other.
- Ted’s house. Looking good, I’ve been wondering what’s happening with it since Home Wreckers.
- I’m not entirely sure I’m ready to know what the Rotating Vietnamese Shame Wheel is either.
- Intervention. This never gets old. I’m making an intervention banner tomorrow.
Lingering Questions
- We are seeing a ton of changes in Barney, love wise, father wise, you can see some big things coming in his life…what’s next?
- I hope not because John Lithgow was great tonight but, will this be the last we see of Barney’s dad?
- Who doesn’t love a good theory? As pointed out in the comments… should we read anything into Jerome’s mention of his daughter in college? There is a wedding we still need to see and Ted’s future wife is (was) in college… Stretch?
Such a great episode! Loved when they first met, “Guys I don’t think that’s Luise but I can’t be sure. Somebody introduce themself.”~Barney I felt bad for Barney when he met Jerry’s family, but it was funny when he was narking on JJ! “Watch this dad (trys to bend fork then breaks candle instead) Yeah, triceps!”~Barney Really great lines! Loved how Barney was standing up on the car trying to pull the basketball hoop off the house. Such an amazing episode, very entertaining! I <3 Barney!
Mother reveal??
Jerome said he had a daughter in college. Could she be the one in teds classroom that first day. It would be plausible then that she could be the roommate to Rachel bilsons character. The thing tho is that Ted meets the mother at a wedding where he is the best man. This could mean tho that Barney eventually marries invites his family to the wedding. Ted meets jeromes daughter. Since any wedding (possibly the one in the opening scene of this season) Ted would be the best man of Barney. I like this theory I will say. Thoughts?
I want the mother to be Barney’s half-sister.
But yea, good episode. Personally my favorite moment was when Marshall detailed how he had been testing the rest of the gang by doing/saying things, such as “The Phantom Menace is by far the best Star Wars movie.” And the possum, how could you hate that moment?
A good episode, but I wish (or at least hope in the future) there’s more about the dynamic between Barney and his dad. I’m probably in the minority when I say that serious Barney is good for the show. Also, does anyone know the name of the song at the end of the episode? Google’s got nothing. Thanks.
Wow!!!!! this episode was super epic!!! i really liked it, but i do feel like the show is getting a little too dramatic. what about Nora? im still kinda waiting to see what happens with her. I didn’t think this episode was too revealing but it was very interesting. And someone needs to give barney a break. 🙁 he dosent have much going for him these days.
So… the kids might literally have an Uncle Barney and Aunt Robin?!!! Have you cracked the code?!!!
I love this theory!
Amazing episode!
Thanks. This really is the best theory i have thought of or have read. It just makes sense. No real stretch or even surprise end game to the meeting of the mother (i.e. all those that want Robin to be the mother). And yes….there literally would be an Uncle Barney and possibly an Aunt Robin.
The fact that Ted meets The Mother at a wedding where he is the best man, is the only whole really in this theory. Does that set-up a possible Barney/Nora or Robin Wedding? Hmm….possible. I tend to think so. When I saw Ted and Marshall in tuxes in the wedding scene in the season opener, I really did think of Barney and Robin. They are the only two of the five that aren’t in that scene. Barney now wanting his dad to be a part of his life, we could meet this half-sister at that wedding, thus leading to Ted meeting his future wife.
What a great episode.. When Barneys dad came out to talk to him in their last scene.. It was so beautiful in a way. The way Barney got emotional. NPH is such a fine actor, and so is John Lithgow!
Hoping to see more of them together 🙂
Oh….. Am I the only one who got the chills watching the Trinity Killer stand by the door when Barney opened?;-)
(I’m still trying to get used to “Jerome”)
Am I the only one that’s just glad to see Ted’s house back?
I still think the “Uncle Barney” thing is stretching it, but good theory.
I hope they give us a completely light-hearted episode soon. They need to keep the balance.
1) I love the idea of Jerome’s daughter being Ted’s wife, as long as she’s cool. But I don’t feel like it. The season finale is probably the wedding from the beginning, and I’m not sure whether they can make a wedding which would have to include Barney and Robin or Nora or somebody completly else in only about 5 episodes. And I guess the series will end with the meeting of the mother, which would be in 2 seasons, since there’s gonna be 8 seasons, or at least there’s supposed to be. Plus, the Uncle Barney/Aunt Robin thing, is not a hint in my opinion. Ted also says “Uncle Marshall” and “Aunt Lilly”, so unless Ted has a threesome marriage with Barney’s half sister and -since Lilly doesn’t have any siblings- one of Marshall’s brothers*(see below) I feel like this isn’t gonna happen. Especially since Barney and Robin would have to marry too and I don’t believe that’s ever gonna happen either, no matter how much you all want it to happen. If the daughter’s called Tracy though, I take everything back. I believe in the Tracy theory! But so far for the Jerome’s daughter.
2) Is nobody else shocked by the fact that Ted doesn’t know the right pronunciation of a word? And Robin’s flaw is hi- wait for it -larious! Hilarious! Seriously, the North Pole thing cracked me up, but I love Robin anyways. Especially for the “Monkey wearing two tuxedos” (YouTube it! Right NOW!) =D
Great episode, I’m really excited to see how this season will end!
*Good, you’re still reading! I have got a question that’s been bugging me for quite some time now: In “Belly Full Of Turkey” (Season 1 Episode 9) there’s clearly a woman of the Eriksen family who has a kid. That kinda destroys the “only boys-theory” for me. Any explanations? Why else would that woman be there if she wasn’t family? Don’t think it’s a relative either, just doesn’t seem like it. And where is her husband or boyfriend? This is the Eriksen family from St. Cloud Minnesota, there HAS to be a husband! Seriously, I don’t know what to think of that.
Ok….lets straighten all this out. Ted meets the mother at the wedding in the opener. He is the best man. He is the best man to Punchy and Robin. Now, if the opener is Punchy’s wedding, why would marshall be in a Tux. Just doesn’t make sense, since he wouldn’t be in Punchy’s wedding party. So that leaves Robins wedding. Marshall in the wedding party for this wedding makes a whole lot more sense. Now, there is no time in this season for a Robin wedding. This makes it much more logical that the season finale will deal with Punchy’s wedding. (Could this be where Ted and Zoey end badly?) I feel like there will be another flash-forward to the opener wedding, but that wedding will either take place in S7 or S8. Robin has always been part of the endgame with this show. The story Ted tells his kids starts with the day he met Robin, therefore she is integral to the meeting of the mother. If Ted meets the mother at Robins wedding, then that is why Ted started the story off with the meeting of Robin.
Now onto the half-sister theory. The show is changing the character dynamics. Barney is becoming more serious. He is starting to date, or at least have the desire with Nora, thus meaning he is willing to settle down in the future. Therefore its not hard to imagine Barney getting married down the road. Could there be a Robin and Barney reunion in the works???? Lets just work the theory out. Lets say Barney and Robin do get hitched or at least try to have a wedding. Then it makes sense for Barneys family meeting Ted, thus the half-sis. Yes if this works out then Barney and Robin literally would be Uncle and Aunt to the kids. Marshall and Lily would also be Uncle and Aunt, because close family friends are also referred to as uncle and aunts. I just want to point out the merits of the theory. The storylines of the attending the classroom ted was teaching at, the roommate, the umbrella, being at the St. Pattys day party (college student, they go to parties not a big leap there) would all be tied together. I’m not sure how this show will end, but this theory does have a lot of plausibility to it. I’m not saying its gonna happen, just trying to point out the plausibility of it.
One other note on the Barney’s sister/Ted idea: somebody else can do screenshots, but compare the quick view of the church where we see Ted and Marshall in tuxes in the first episode, with the quick view of Sam Gibbs’ (James Stinson’s father) church in the Christmas episode. They looked awfully similar, in my recollection.
In my opinion, Punchy’s wedding will be a red herring. He’ll meet somebody there, have a Victoria-type, 5-6 episode relationship, but then things end. Bob Saget – “Oh, you thought that was your mother? No, we met at a DIFFERENT wedding where I was the best man…”
Bloody briallant explanation Spencer. I need to have you writing all my theory articles. I feel you explain so much better.
I’ve got it listed above.. it’s I Will Come For You by Jack Dolgen
I think the churches are the same… The screen shots have too much similar to not be.
Thanks….I appreciate that.
Easily one of the best, if not the best, episode this season. Even though I find myself saying that nearly every time a new episode has come out this time, I think this week trumps most of the past ones. I thought it had a perfect balance of the hilarious stuff as well as the the emotional stuff. I was truly impressed by the performances of NPH and John Lithgow, their chemistry was amazing. I also loved Barney’s story of the conversation with his dad. Shows what a chameleon (yeah I did) John Lithgow is. I also loved the return of Ted’s house and the Intervention Banner. I loved Marshall’s test to see how far he could go, “I’m glad I don’t have any gaps…..I’M PERFECT. Oh come on guys!” hahaha That was great. I can’t wait to see whats going to happen in the last episodes of this season. It’s been such a good one thus far, I can only imagine they are gonna rock our faces off with the finale.
I think the only other episodes (this season anyway) that can compete with this weeks are: Obviously “Bad News”; “Cleaning House”; “Garbage Island”; “A Change of Heart”; and “Natural History.”
As far as the new Mother Theory thats going around, I like how plausible it is. But like everyone is saying, it just seems too fast. They have two whole seasons to play with, plus the last like 5 episodes of this season. I could bet that parts of the theory are right for sure, but I doubt everything is going to play out as fast as we want it. I think after six years of watching, we should know the writers have some tricks up their sleeves. My guess is, like in the past, when we have mother hints, we’ll know it.
I get your point Spencer, but still, as much as I like the “half-sister theory” I just don’t feel like it’s going there. And also her name would have to be Tracy.
It’s definitely plausible, but since all of this is pure theory anyways, let’s just say we hope it’s gonna happen =)
Anything on the Eriksen woman by the way? aaron maybe? I just don’t get it!
Now comin back 2 d wedding discussion..every1 seems so certain that it is barneys wedding bt as i see it,it must be robins wedding (with whom?may b barney)..think abt it..this season we saw each character growin bt nt robin..she played d siderole in all d episodes (xcept robin sparkles)..so clearly writers r saving her for sumthin big in near future.. i mean ted began his story wid d day he met robin so she obviously has 2 play a big role in ted meeting his wife..plus robin has already asked ted 2 b her best man..wat do u guys think?
Your comment would be easier to read if you typed with proper English.
I like the new theory. Its fun to feel like we are close to figuring it out. However, it contradicts the Tracy theory. The half-sister’s name is Carli. Now I don’t know what to think.
@james-oh i m sorry for my incorrigible mistake..sorry for my colloquial english,sir, bt i cant be a purist like u..lolz..wud u be kind enough 2 point out some mistakes,sir..PS: i think u r smart enough 2 get my point (on robin)..ur thoughts wud be appreciated..grow up..
Before you tell me to grow up, look at your own comments. And I never said I didn’t get your point, I said it would be easier to read if you used proper English. And I’m not a purist, but I think your English is hardly colloquial, maybe on a high school forum, but I’d like to assume this is a more mature blog than that. I’m not trying to start shit with you, and I wasn’t before. I merely said, it would be easier to read if you typed different. Don’t make this a big deal, that’s not what this blog is for.
fine..bt plz point out some errors it will help me 2 improve as english isnt my 1st lang..
@Soyneil
Re-watched “Belly Full of Turkey” again…all the women seen are wife’s of Eriksen men and the only children mentioned are boys. If you are seeing something else then shoot me a screenshot.
play nice kids. I love the comments regardless of where they come from or the commend someone my or may not have of the english language. I’m completely open to episode discussion and reading into things isn’t a problem.
Just remember that we are a community of fans. All I ask is that we treat each other with respect…or I’ll start deleting comments to make it seem like we do anyways. 😉
As a fan of the show, I really do find myself enthralled by the mythology and the endgame of the mother. The biggest clue that we have gotten has to do with the roommate and with the wedding. Now the wedding has been quite a topic of conversation I have had with several other people on other sites, as well as this one.. A lot of people believe the wedding is Punchy’s while I have always stated it is either a Robin or Barney wedding (or even their wedding together). My response has always been that if we look at Marshall, it makes no sense as to why he would be in a tuxedo for Punchy’s wedding. However, after watching some past episodes, I think I can be almost 100% certain the wedding is NOT Punchy’s.
The facts:
According to the Lucky Penny episode, If Ted was not in NY, he would not have met the mother.
Punchy is not from NY, (HS friends with Ted in Ohio). Therefore the wedding will most likely not take place in NY.
If the opener wedding is where Ted meets the mother, then because Punchy’s wedding will most likely not take place in NY, then its reasonable to assume that the wedding in the opener is NOT Punchy’s.
Now, Ted is already the best man of Robin, so therefore that is the only future wedding that we know Ted will be a part of, as of now. Can Barney also get married and Ted be the best man? Yes. However, why would the writers have Ted be in 3 weddings? That is just too many weddings to cover. So therefore that I why I say its Robins wedding that we saw in the opener. Punchy’s wedding is all a misdirection.
If I can find the link ill post it, but I read an interview from where the creators stated that there are big plans for Robin in S7. She has taken a back seat the vast majority of this season. If we have small doses of Robin now, then it makes sense that the writers have something big planned for her….just another reason why a Robin wedding makes much more sense.
http://www.tvsquad.com/2011/03/10/whats-next-how-i-met-your-mother-HIMYM/
Heres the link.
I’m with ya man… I mean think back to episode 1… Robin to me has to play a major part in order for the story to start with her right?
I really think that HIMYM will not be ending on season 8 there is more to come.AS theexecutive producer Bays talked about whether he and Thomas have set an end date, he addressed whether they’ll stay with the show beyond the current sixth season, and he talked about whether the show’s cast has been locked in for the seventh and eighth seasons as well. He discussed where all the characters are going, and how the mother of the title fits in.
We got used to ‘Lost’ executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse saying they had a plan for the show’s endgame, and for some time now, it’s been Bays and Carter’s turn to say that too. But Bays added that they’re not going to necessarily unleash that endgame in the upcoming seventh and eighth seasons. The show could go beyond that, Bays said, and if it does, he and Thomas are sticking with it as day-to-day showrunners and with so many people coming with so much of ideas there are chances that the show wouldnt be ending on S8. really Spenser according to your given site this could happen and i hope this show keeps on going….
Fine… But please point out some errors, as it will help me to improve because English isn’t my first language.
Am I the only one who cried like a little girl at the end?
No Leandro, It broke my heart all when all the pain that Barney is carrying around came to the surface. Like we see in the next episode with John Lithgow, Barney is broken and lost and the thought of how much he needed a father and never got one is heartbraking.