HIMYM Episode Reviews: Season 1 Episode 22: Come On!

Summary
Ted has decided to hit on Robin one last time. He surprises her at her apartment with flowers and a group of musicians with blue instruments. He asks her to finally make a decision and be with him, but she refuses to make a decision, and he leaves sadly.

Meanwhile Marshall learns that Lily has a fellowship to San Francisco which begins a massive fight between them, which they decide to pause while they give Ted advice.

Ted decides to give it one more shot with Robin. She is going on a camping trip with Sandy Rivers, and Ted realizes that he needs to stop this from happening, so he decides to make it rain. He gets Barney to enlist an ex who knows how to do a rain dance, and he sets about making it rain.

Meanwhile Robin takes one of her dogs to the vet, who after hearing about Ted, tells Robin that Ted is one of a kind.

Ted yells for the universe to make it rain, and it complies. He goes to Robin's apartment and the two are finally together. He then returns home to find Marshall sitting alone. Lily has left him to go to San Francisco.

Notes and Season Wrap Up
Ted begins his relationship with Robin, while Lily and Marshall's relationship comes to an end. This somewhat parallels the pilot where Marshall and Lily got engaged, and Ted first met Robin only to blow it. I call this the Sixth Phase of Season 1. To recap, Phase One was episodes 1 and 2 when Ted first tried to get with Robin. Phase Two was episode 3-9 when they were just friends. Phase Three included episodes 10-12, and Ted's secret crush on Robin that ended up going nowhere. Episodes 13-18 marked Phase Four, where this was reversed and Robin liked Ted while he dated Robin. Phase Five happened after Ted screwed up, and included episodes 19-21. Episode 22 marks the Sixth and final phase of the season. Ted and Robin finally get together. I like how many phases there are in this season. Later seasons had much less phases, and plotwise were less dynamic. Of course this season was somewhat off in terms of character, and it was only towards the end where everything clicked. The great thing about HIMYM is that each season adds more to it, and the buildup of inside jokes provides an upward trend in HIMYM seasons, usually. On a particular note, Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof guest star in this episode. Besides being close to members of the cast these two played Fred and Wesley in Angel, two tragic lovers who I loved.

Review
The Season One finale is a fantastic episode. Season One of HIMYM is very different then the rest of the series, and I felt that if it was a single romantic comedy I could have been very satisfied with this being the ending. It's beautiful to see Ted finally get the girl, and heartbreaking to see Marshall and Lily split. Both of these events were well foreshadowed, espescially in the last two episodes. It's great to have a get up and shout for joy moment, followed by a sit down and cry moment. Of course the show does continue, and things change, but if the show had been cancelled after Season 1, I would  have been satisfied with this as an ending. Of course I'm glad it didn't get cancelled, because I love the rest of the series, but there we are. I feel like this is the ultimate Ted/Robin episode. A lot of Ted/Robin fans who honestly believe they're going to end up together clearly stopped paying attention after this episode. To them, I recommend just stopping after this episode. Season One was about Ted chasing the girl, and it ends very happily with him getting her. But they aren't actually meant for each other, and Season Two will show that. Anyways I loved this episode, and am looking forward to rewatching Season Two now for my future reviews.

Ranking
10 out of 10. Perfect.

HIMYM Episode Reviews: Season 1 Episode 21: Milk

Review
It is Ted's 28th birthday, and Barney's gift to Ted is to hit on a girl at the bar with the "greatest pickup line ever" which includes calling in paramedics for a girl who must have had a terrible fall because she looks like she's an angel.

Ted then receives a call from Love Solutions, saying that his perfect match has been found. He prepares to meet her, when he is called away by Lily. He meets Lily in Dutchess County, where he learns that she is going to interview for an art fellowship in San Francisco. He realizes that she's having second thoughts about getting married. She ditches him, leaving him stranded, while she heads to the interview.

Meanwhile Marshall has fun working for Barney as his Executive Mischeif Consultant. He realizes that he has more fun doing this then he ever would have working for the NRDC.

Ted calls Robin for a ride to meet his perfect woman. He goes over the checklist and how perfect this girl is supposed to be, while she tells him how she doesn't match up with his perfect woman. She drops him off and shows him her hair which has terrible highlights in it.

Ted is about to meet his perfect woman, but realizes that he doesn't want perfect, he wants Robin.


Notes
The "paramedics" at the beginning of the episode are played by show creators Carter Bays, and Craig Thomas. Just thought I'd point that out, anyways Lily's anxiety about getting married leads to her applying for an art fellowship that conflicts with the wedding. She has created an escape route, and will spend the next episode considering whether to take it. Ted reveals what the audience all already knows. He wants to be with Robin. I'm glad he realizes that he has to give him and Robin a chance before he meets his perfect woman, or we'd be in for another Victoria situation. A lot of people think this perfect woman might be the mother, but while I think she definitely represents the mother, she isn't actually her. I suspect the actual mother to be a few years younger then Ted at least. We do get some tantalizing picture here though, of what the Mother might look like. I'm curious as to whether the Writers actually have an actress in mind, or whether they just know how Ted is going to meet her. Finally we get Marshall revealing that he is actually considering staying to work with Barney, finally admitting that the corporate life is actually attractive to him.

Review
I love the pick up line at the beginning, totally the best pick up line ever. Lily's anxiety about getting married is understandable, but distressing and you can just tell things are about to go horribly wrong. I do however love Ted realizing that he has to make a final bid for Robin. He just can't move on until he's seen that the relationship isn't meant to be for himself. Finally I thought Barney's rivalry with Clark Butterfield was great. Overall I thought this was a very good episode, and am excited for the season finale!

Ranking
8.5 out of 10.

HIMYM Episode Reviews: Season 1 Episode 20: Best Prom Ever

Summary
Marshall and Lily get their dream location for their wedding. However it's in two months, so Lily is stressed as she has to plan the wedding very quickly. Meanwhile Robin is still mad at Ted.

Lily searches for a band, and when Marshall suggests one she decides she has to see them play their song. This leads to her, Robin and Barney sneaking into a prom. Later Marshall and Ted have to sneak in with sheet music as well.

At the prom Lily has flashbacks of breaking up with her high school boyfriend Scooter, because she doesn't want to be tied down. This causes her to freak out about her upcoming nuptials. Robin tries to calm her down and helps broaden her experience by kissing her.

Meanwhile the guys get kicked out, when they get into a fight with another student, although Ted is proud to "have Marshall's back." Barney ends up distracting the guards, so Marshall and Ted can sneak back in.

The band plays Lily and Marshall's song, with they dance. Ted and Robin also dance, and Robin admits that she's missed Ted.

Notes
We're on the final stretch of the season now. Lily is freaking out about her wedding, and the seemingly resolved issues from previous episodes rear their ugly head. The wedding concerns seem fairly one sided, as Marshall seems unworried about their wedding, and excited that it's only going to be in two months. Robin begins forgiving Ted in this episode, and by next episode things between them will be back to normal. We also get our introduction to Lily's high school boyfriend Scooter, who will reappear throughout the season. Finally on a Barney/Robin fanboy note, I like seeing Barney take Robin to prom even though she ditches him and it's not a big deal in the show. It's all these little moments between them early on that leads to something much bigger later in the show.

Review
Good episode. I like seeing Lily sort of self destruct under the pressure of planning her wedding. Robin and Lily's kiss is a little overrated, but it was kinda funny. I also love the violent femmes song they played. Good Feeling is great. Overall, I come out of this episode thinking that Cobie Smulders is extremely hot. She looks really good in this episode. I guess that says something about my taste in women's apparel but whatever.

Ranking
8 out of 10.

HIMYM Episode Reviews: Season 1 Episode 19: Mary the Paralegal

Summary
Robin has been nominated for an award, so the gang prepares to go to her award ceremony. Ted doesn't know if he should go, because of his recent blunder with Robin, and Barney suggests he does and that he brings a hooker as his date. Ted refuses until he finds out that Robin is bringing her co-worker Sandy Rivers as a date. Ted consents to bring "Mary the Paralegal" who he believes to be a hooker.

Robin wins the award and purposely leaves Ted out of her acceptance speech. Ted proceeds to take Mary up to a hotel room to have sex with. However he can't go through with it, because she's a hooker and he tells her so. However as Barney reveals to Marshall, Lily, and Robin, Mary is actually a paralegal. Mary slaps Ted.

Ted gets revenge on Barney who paid for the hotel room by running up a huge bill.

Notes
Alexis Denisof plays Sandy Rivers. He was in a previous episode but I forgot to mention him. Oops. Anyways, he's from the Buffyverse where he played Wesley. He is also Alyson Hannigan's real life husband, which is part of an inside joke in the show. Sandy continues to play a part in Phase 5 and the finale of season 1. Ted and Robin are not on friendly terms at the moment, as she is majorly pissed at him. We also see another vampire in this episode, Vampire Lou, and Lily appears to be very angry at them, which appears to be a veiled reference to her role as Willow on Buffy. We also get some telepathic conversations in this episode which might be another reference to the Buffyverse, but will be repeated throughout the course of the series.

Review
A fun, light hearted episode to follow up the previous episode's darker tone. I love Ted telling Mary she's a hooker when she's not. He just keeps on digging himself in deeper and deeper. I love the telepathic conversation too. Overall I just really enjoyed this episode because everything just seemed to click. Barney was funny, and his plot was evil but hilarious. I love Alexis Denisof regardless of what part he plays. I also like seeing Robin angry at Ted. She can be real cold blooded when she wants to be. The Barney/Marshall interaction of Barney making up a statistic only for Marshall to "lawyer" him is also fun. First Seasons are always a little weaker then later seasons, but I feel like HIMYM has really caught its stride by this point.

Ranking
9 out of 10.

Favorite Scene

Ted: You're a hooker.

Mary: No, I'm a paralegal.

Ted: No....you're a hooker.

Mary: NOOOO. I'm a paralegal.

Ted: (realizing his mistake.) You're a paralegal....

(Barney's evil laughter can be heard in the background.)

HIMYM Episode Reviews: Season 1 Episode 18: Nothing Good Happens After 2 AM

Summary
Ted heads over to Robin's to make juice. However he knows that he's really planning on hooking up with her, and wrestles with the moral dilemma with his conscience, which takes the form of his girlfriend Victoria. He calls his friends to ask their opinion and Lily tells him not to go over there, because Robin likes Ted. This only encourages Ted, despite the fact that his mother always told him that nothing good happens after 2 am.

Meanwhile Barney sets out to prove that good stuff does happen after 2 am, by setting the group up to hang out with Korean Elvis. This turns out to be pretty lame, and Barney seems to have failed. However after Korean Elvis hits on Lily, she kicks him in the "nards" which proves Barney right by making the night awesome.

Ted tries to hook up with Robin despite knowing it's wrong. He goes into the bathroom to break up with Victoria, however he grabbed the wrong phone, and when he comes out, Robin has answered his phone to find out Ted is still dating Victoria. Ted leaves, ashamed of what he's done, and on his way he breaks up with Victoria. Ted and Robin both go to sleep, sad and alone.

Notes
This is the second part of the two parter began in Life Among the Gorillas. Phase Four is officially done, as Ted breaks up with Victoria, and Robin's feelings are out in the open. Now we are ready for Phase Five, which will be Ted trying to regain Robin's friendship after making a huge mistake.

Review
A good episode that is quite unique for the series. It's got a much more depressing tone, and the whole episode takes place after 2 am, so it's all very dark. I like this change of pace, and I understood Ted's dilemma. The truth is, him and Victoria is over, and he's been in love with Robin for quite a while now. He finds out that she has feelings too, and invites him over. Of course he's going to go. But the timing is just a little wrong, and it ends up derailing Ted/Robin yet again. When the episode ends, I felt bad for both Ted and Robin were so close to getting everything they needed to be happy. This episode would have been perfect, excpet for the lame B story involving Korean Elvis.

Ranking
8.5 out of 10.

HIMYM Episode Reviews: Season 1 Episode 17: Life Among the Gorillas

Summary
Marshall starts his new job at Barney's company. He finds his co-workers to be idiots, and dislikes the job because he always wanted to be an environmental lawyer since he read Life Among the Gorillas, and learned that the environment was in trouble. He considers quitting, but Barney convinces him not to quit, so he can make money for his family with Lily. He decides to simply blend in with his co-workers which pisses off Lily, who yells at him. He tries to defend his actions, and invites Lily out to a karaoke bar to meet his co-workers. She is unimpressed with them, and continues to be mad at Marshall.

Meanwhile Ted is having trouble with his long distance relationship, and seeks advice from Robin. She helps him out, but he still gets an E-Mail from Victoria telling him that she thinks they need to talk. He believes this is a break up call, and waits for Victoria to call him. Realizing that he's actually waiting for the phone to ring, he leaves to go karaoke with his friends. He tells Marshall how he feels like his relationship with Victoria is over, which somehow inspires Marshall to go make up with Lily by sing "Don't Go Breaking My Heart".

Ted returns home, where at 2:00 am Robin calls wanting him to come over. The episode ends on a cliff hanger.

Notes
This is the first part of a two parter that ends with Nothing Good Happens After 2 AM. I've called this part of Season 1 Phase Four, marked by Ted's relationship with Victoria and Robin secretly liking Ted. Well that is coming to an end, as Robin and Ted are about to collide again. The writers never let the Ted/Robin relationship go for more then a few episodes without coming back into the spotlight into this season, and this is apparent here. On a different note, I have no idea how Ted talking about his relationship with Victoria ending inspires Marshall to make up with Lily. It's rather random. Lily and Marshall's different opinions  on his job is another issue brought up but not really dealt with in this episode. It's a part of the overall story of Marshall selling out, but I think it may also be one of the more subtle signs that the Lily/Marshall relationship is in some trouble.

Review
This episode is really a Marshall episode, as it deals with his career storyline, and provides some insight into his backstory. I like the opening scene where Marshall rails against coffee and what it's doing to the environment, but then ends up drinking a cup anyways. That's really an apt example of Marshall's overall struggle with his career. On the one hand he's an idealist, and really wants to be an environmental lawyer trying to save the world. On the other hand he just wants to drink some coffee, or have some money to start a family with, or have fun with Barney. The legal guys at Barney's company remind me of a friend I had in high school who was always using words like "dope". It's funny, but could easily get old fast so I hope they don't show up again too much, or if they do they act differently. And Barney at work with his "motivational" posters is hilarious. I had his "awesomeness" poster as my desktop for quite a while. It's kind of hard to judge this episode, which doesn't have a lot of Robin, without considering the next episode where she reappears. I almost feel like I should combine the two episodes for one ranking, but I already started writing this one...

Ranking
7 out of 10.

List of 10: Ten Careers I've Considered Pursuing

I'm in college, and honestly have no idea what I'm  going to do with my life. These are the top ten careers I've considered pursuing, though I'm unsure of any of them, and not even positive how to pursue some of them. How does one become a Film Critic?

1. Lawyer
2. Novelist
3. Screenwriter
4. Politician
5. History Teacher
6. Historian
7. CIA Agent
8. Shepherd
9. Cult Leader
10. Film Critic

HIMYM Episode Reviews: Season 1 Episode 16: The Cupcake

Summary
Victoria, Robin, and Lily go wedding dress shopping, while Barney, Marshall, and Ted shop for a suit for Marshall's job interview with the NRDC. Victoria has recently been offered an opportunity to attend a culinary institute in Germany, however if she goes she has to break up with Ted. Victoria deliberates whether to stay or not, while Ted tries to decide whether to ask her to stay. In the end Victoria decides to stay, and Ted decides not to ask her too. However when they meet to discuss it they both change their mind, and realize they need to break up. Marshall asks why they needed to break up right away, so Ted decides to spend one last good day with Victoria. Afterwards they decide to try long distance which Future Ted warns never works.

Meanwhile Lily has ruined an expensive dress, and Marshall has bought a really expensive suit, so Marshall has to take a job at Barney's company instead of getting his job with the NRDC.

Notes
Future Ted warns that long distance is a bad idea, and indeed this will contribute to the end of Ted and Victoria's relationship. Many fans wonder what would have happened if she had stayed, or if instead of doing long distance, Ted just waited two years for Victoria to come back. But this isn't what happens, and so the Ted/Victoria relationship is doomed. Marshall is forced to get a job at Barney's company which is the first part of a series long struggle Marshall faces between joining the NRDC and "selling out." Monetary needs force Marshall to "sell out" for the moment, and in a lot of ways foreshadows how he's going to act out this struggle. Barney pulls at Marshall's pragmatic side, while Lily tries to pull at his idealistic side. However Lily ends up putting financial strain on Marshall that forces him deeper and deeper onto the "sellout path".

Review
I like getting to see Barney's tailor and how sketchy it is. I also like the idea of Marshall working with Barney though we don't really see it here. That was the writers being smart and planning ahead, as Marshall and Barney at work provides plenty of plot opportunites. I also like the 3 girls 3 guys dynamic in this episode. That's one of the things that Friends had was sexual balance. I guess by having only two girls, Lily and Robin have a much stronger relationship because they don't have a Phoebe to deal with. It also makes it more of a guy's show which I can't complain about. Anyways, Marshall's career struggles provide some interesting plot. By the way, why hasn't he graduated yet? He's 28, and in my experience most law students graduate at 26. Wow, I'm getting off track. I guess it's because this episode sets up a lot of things without actually standing alone very well. I feel like if I was watching the first season back when it was first showing and I got this episode for a week I'd be dissapointed because it sets up a lot of things we don't get to see. As it is though, I can watch the next episode whenever I like, and this episodes sets it and others up very nicely.

Ranking
6 out of 10.