HIMYM Episode Reviews: Season 2 Episode 2: The Scorpion and the Toad

Summary
After Marshall checks out Robin's ass, Barney decides he's ready to hit the dating scene. He takes Marshall out to pick out girls numerous times, but each time he ends up stealing a girl away from Marshall.

Meanwhile Lily is back from San Francisco. She meets up with Ted and Robin, and although she puts on a brave front she eventually cracks after missing out on an apartment. She confesses her summer was awful, and she wants Marshall back.

Lily pleads for Marshall to take her back but he rejects her. However, in order to help make things up to him she sabatoges Barney from trying to hook up with a set of twins.

Notes
Barney reveals his talent at magic, as he steals several women from Marshall. In real life Neil Patrick Harris is a member of the Magician's Guild. Although Barney is seemingly acting selfishly here, we'll later find out differently. Meanwhile, Lily is back from San Francisco now, but she and Marshall aren't back together, instead they will wearily try to be just friends for a while.

Review
I liked the Barney/Marshall side of the story, but found the Lily part to be kind of annoying. I dislike that she only realized it was a huge mistake because things didn't go well. It would have been better if she had just missed Marshall in my opinion. But I do love Barney using magic to steal chicks from Marshall. I thought hungover Ted, Lily, and Robin was pretty funny, with Robin still being drunk the morning after. The show is focusing on the Marshall/Lily drama which is good for now, but I don't like seeing them broken up. It hurts.

Ranking
6.5 out of 10.

Season Comparison: Season 1 vs. Season 2: "The Purple Giraffe" vs "The Scorpion and the Toad"

I may be judging The Scorpion and the Toad harsher then I would if it was a Season 1 episode, but there's no doubt that this episode is not as good as the Purple Giraffe. The second episode of the first season was an even better introduction to the show then the pilot, and introduced the awesomeness of the word "casual." In season two we get an episode that serves to move the plot along, but while half of it was very funny the other was a little off. Perhaps if the entire episode was as good as the Barney and Marshall part this would be a closer race, but as it is it's no real contest.

Winner: Season 1 Episode 2: The Purple Giraffe.

Score: S-1: 1        S-2: 1