How I Met Your Mother: Benefits
By fred | January 13, 2009
(S04E12) After a disappointing episode of The Big Bang Theory, I really hoped this one would be good, and make me laugh enough so that I can forget about it. As it turned out, this episode was even better than I had expected, it was the perfect How I Met Your Mother episode and it did so much more than just make ma laugh, although it did, make me laugh, laugh out loud, repeatedly.
This was an episode that could have easily been not that good, as the “benefits” and “ground rules” we were talking about are nothing new (everyone remembers when Seinfeld tried to do it…), but all the brilliance of this show was put to good use, and this was probably one of the best episodes of the season. Also, while everyone was talking about how to “reading a magazine” or focusing on the new roommates that are Ted and Robin, once again the real driving force was the one and only, uncle Barney.
But he was not like you’d expect him to be, or, like you would have ever thought he could be, back in the days. I don’t think anyone would have ever thought that if, on this show, you were to be crushed over someone’s sentimental troubles and deeply feel for that person, it would be Barney we’d be talking about. Barney was always the awesome guy, the one who jokes about everything and never let anything affect him.
He’s not really familiar with the concept of “feelings” and he’s certainly not who you’d think could have ever melt you heart, and yet he did “caught” feelings and he’s now in love. Barney is in love, and he’s having a really had time dealing with it – which, for him, means hiding it. Of course when Ted and Robin started to sleep together, and thanking Barney as he – and one of his awesome theories – was responsible for it, Barney was crushed.
We knew it of course, and so did Lilly, but he tried not to let any sign show — except for the constant smashing of TVs he did behind the bar. But of course Ted eventually figured it out, really how could he not after all that Barney did, willingly or not, from the “af..some” and other “aws..ful” to cleaning up the apartment and buying more than enough milk to ensure Ted & Robin would never have to “fight” ever again, or when he just let out an “yes I’m in love with her” only to try and cover it up (”that is what you… that’s you, dude!“).
We got to see what, not so long ago, we never suspected existed, a vulnerable Barney. And while he kept being awesome along the way, seeing him trying to deal with his feelings without really knowing how to do so was just great, and Neil Patrick Harris was – as always – amazing. By the end, when Barney told Robin that he loved her, but she of course took that at what Ted would say, and then went on to say how Barney was different and how relationship between friends could never work, Barney was just crushed, and so were we.
His misread declaration for Robin was a real hit, for him and for us, but now that Ted knows about it too, it will be interesting to see how things will go. I’ve always said I was uncertain about how they could keep Barney being the driving force of the show as he’s always been, all the while having him developing feelings for Robin, but at the same time we all know how perfect for each other they are, and it seems just impossible now that Barney just “forgets” about Robin and his feelings for her. I don’t know what’s coming, but I can’t wait.
This was the heart and soul-crushing part of the episode, but other than that it was a pretty hilarious episode, and this was apparently the episode with a few guests from celebrities I never heard of and nobody, not even Marshall, knows why they’re famous. But they didn’t really had a part to play, it wasn’t the Britney mess all over again, it was tiny and did not hurt the show.
And while Barney ending up talking about his problems to Lilly’s class was more than predictable, the rest of the episode was just hilarious. Like how there was a general consensus – General Consensus! – on what “reading a magazine” meant, for everyone but Barney, who thought it meant masturbating – of course. Aw, that’s the Barney we all love! And I absolutely loved to see Ted & Robin doing the “general” thing, just awesome.
And if this episode showed one thing, it’s that even a new, vulnerable Barney with feelings can still make the show and be hilarious. Plus, he’s got his own bathroom if his office, just how cool is that?
What did everybody else think ? What was your favorite line of the episode ?
Posted in Reviews
Shows: How I Met Your Mother
I laughed histerically for over two minutes in the scene when Barney runs out of TVs and has to buy a new one. It was a little absurd, “Family Guy” style. It was different from what I would expect from “HIMYM”, and I LOVED it.
“General Consensus” was not the only piece of continuity. Did you notice how Barney, when discussing his theory about international conflicts, starts with “So I told her, Madeleine…” referring to the known fact that he slept with Madeleine Albright?
Oh yeah, the Madeleine Albright bit was great, and perfect for the occasion.
Barney taking his time to buy a TV only to smash it was indeed not the usual you’d expect from this show, it had that FG style yes, could have felt too sitcom-esque but I thought it worked here.
I thought this was one of the worse episodes in a while. The show needs to move somewhere! We knew Barney loved Robin a long time ago. And Ted and Robin AGAIN?!
Did no one get the impression that the writers don’t know where to go with the storylines?
The Marshall storyline was pretty stupid too.
Fred?
Well, Aidan, I think you’re crazy ;P
I liked this episode, I really don’t think it was on the “worse” category at all. Sure, we’ve known about Barney’s love for Robin for a while, but I don’t feel it’s been dragged on for too long so far.
Plus, it’s easy to see why they would take their time with it : (a) one thing people don’t want to see on TV, maybe especially sitcoms, is change; and (b) we’re talking about Barney Stinson here!
Which also means he wouldn’t change in one week from his old self to a Ted-version of himself.
But now that Ted also knows about it, and seeing how barney could barely hide it this week, I’m thinking (/hoping) we’ll see more development there soon enough… who knows, maybe the goat incident has it all! ;)
About Ted & Robin, I had the same reaction at first, but it’s not like they were back together or nothing, there were no feelings or nothing more than sex, even from Ted! Thank God, because otherwise that would have been wrong.
And Marshall’s plot, I liked it. I never have nor would “read a magazine” at work/school/etc so I could relate, and I think it was a fun plot. Maybe not the most hilarious one, but still good. Plus, I was so happy to see them use their latest “guest stars” that way, that was great, too!