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How I Met Your Mother: The Three Days Rule
(S04E21) Perhaps this dates me a bit, but I remember an episode of M*A*S*H where Charles basically played both sides of a practical joke war between B.J. and Hawkeye, and ended up having the joke be on him in the end. That episode was what came to mind as I was watching this one, which was amusing but by far the least funny HIMYM episode in quite awhile.
The practical joke plot, with someone always being in the middle, is an old saw of the sitcom biz, and Bays and Thomas pulled it out of their bag of tricks this week. They tweaked it a little bit, though; this became more of an exercise in Marshall and Barney teaching Ted a lesson that ended up going way to far, and everything seemed to work out for Robin, who was the middlewoman. But it was familiar enough that it had the ghostly imprint of sitcoms past on it. And when that happens on this show, it's never good.
I give Barn and Marshall credit for trying to save Ted from his overly-romantic self. We've seen from the first episode how he can get carried away; heck, they even flashed back to it, when Ted told Robin he loved her on the first date (boy, they both looked different back then, didn't they?). So pretending to be Holli (with an 'i') to see if Ted breaks the three days rule was wise. Who knew that it would get to the point where a) they're looking with love at the big dude from The Knights of Prosperity or that b) they'd be in Barney's office arguing which of them Ted would rather sleep with ("I'm cuddly, bitch! Deal with it!" was Marshall's argument)?
Through this whole thing, though, the funniest scene to me was one where instead of Holli sitting on her couch in her old cheerleader outfit, reading architecture magazines, we see Marshall and Barney doing it. I wonder if NPH piped up and said to the costume designer, "I'll take the sleeveless one!" Considering how much of Jason Segel we've seen on the big screen these days, it was odd to see him be the one who was more covered-up in that scene.
More fun stuff:
- At least Ted got his comeuppance, as Holli was Ted in female form: too-soon joke about getting married, letting slip with personal details too soon, and a way-inappropriate trip proposal. Maybe seeing it used on him will make him see why it creeps most women out.
- I like how Ted doesn't seem to know when to properly use LOL in his text messages (or "texty texts," as his first one to "Holli" called it).
- As the middle woman, Robin was in two weird places: she was trying to push Ted to use the "three days months to live" story on Marshall and Barney, but then she also was there to defend her honor as Ted's former girlfriend. Just a slight bubble-up of feelings from her, but they're still there.
- At least Robin knows how to elicit Ted's "naked lady noise." Though, in real life, she'd be flashing him her baby bump.
- Speaking of which, I was trying to keep track of all the silly ways Bays and Thomas used to cover up that bump, but just couldn't keep up. I like that they know we're in on the joke and just keep plugging away at it.
- Best Barneyism: his theory on name spellings: Ends in "ly" is always dirty, and "i" where a "y" should be means they're a sexual roller coaster. Second place is how the three days rule could be traced directly back to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- Note that Barney and Robin still always sit on the same side of the booth, even when Marshall's alone.
- And it all works out for Robin, as she goes out with the uber-romantic Stan. I like the last line of the episode: "You like chicken wings?" "Yeah!"
- Old Ted gave a mother reference at the very end of the episode. Hm... wonder if we're going to come back to that... and aren't we due a Goat sighting at some point soon?
How I Met Your Mother' Photos
Actor Neil Patrick Harris arrives in an Audi to the Entertainment Tonight Emmy Party at the Disney Concert Hall on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles.
Kevin Parry/WireImage.com
Presenters Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris on stage at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards held at the NOKIA Theatre on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com
Presenters Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris on stage at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards held at the NOKIA Theatre on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Presenters Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris speak onstage during the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kristin Chenoweth;Neil Patrick Harris
Getty Images
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Actor Neil Patrick Harris (R) and David Burtka arrive at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards held at Nokia Theatre on September 21, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** David Burtka;Neil Patrick Harris
Getty Images
Actor Jason Segel attends CBS Comedies
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com
Actress Cobie Smulders attends CBS Comedies
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com
Actress Cobie Smulders attends CBS Comedies
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com
Actor Neil Patrick Harris attends CBS Comedies
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com
Actress Alyson Hannigan (R) and her husband, actor Alexis Denisof attend CBS Comedies
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com
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