HIMYM Episode Reviews: Season 1 Episode 7: Matchmaker

SummaryAfter Robin does a story on a match making service, she recomends that Ted uses it, but Ted doesn't want to. Barney does however, thinking it's a great way to meet vulnerable women, and tricks Ted into signing up. Ted is then convinced that he needs the service because there aren't actually as many women out there for him as he believes.So he signs up and is told to wait three days.

Meanwhile Marshall and Lily see an animal they dubb the Cockamouse, because it has the characteristics of both a cockroach and a mouse.

Ted learns that the dating service has failed to find him a match, but there is a woman he could be suited for. Unfortunately she is engaged. Despite this Ted hits on her, which freaks her out, and he is rejected.

Ted tells the owner of the dating service that she will continue looking for his match, but she'll now do it for free.

Notes
This episode will help set up the penultimate episode of the Season, by introducing Love Solutions. Ted is desperate to find his perfect woman and seven episodes in, he is already starting to give up on finding her through the traditional method. This is also the first time that it's mentioned that Marshall and Lily are believers in the supernatural, while Robin is doubtful. It's also interesting to note how in early seasons Barney could really dissapear into the background. In the first seven episodes he has yet to have an episode that was really "about" him, although Liberty Bell was close. But instead Barney simply seems to act as one of the forces that drives Ted to make decisions. It's not a bad thing by any means, Barney's scenes still manage to steal the show often enough, but it just seems like in Season 1, Ted is the main character while everyone else acts as his supporting characters. In later seasons it becomes a much more ensemble story.

Review
I don't really know what to say about this episode. It's definitely one of the episodes that contributed to me thinking Season 1 was weaker then later seasons. Season 1 always seemed divided between episodes that were funny and episodes that were important for the plot, while later seasons managed to do both. That said, this episode wasn't bad, and the whole idea of the cockamouse was kind of amusing, but it was nothing spectacular. The Love Solutions plot will pay off later, but I didn't particularily care for Ted tracking down his supposed match. It came off as too desperate. I think Barney tricking Ted into going with him to Love Solutions by claiming his "boat was sinking" may be my favorite part of the episode, just because of its randomness. I also like Ted's speech at the end about him being convinced that his soul mate is out there. That belief that everything will end up alright is much more in character then his earlier desperation. It also fits with this episode's them of believing in the supposedly impossible.

Ranking
5.5 out of 10.