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How I Met Your Mother: Murtaugh

By fred | March 31, 2009

(S04E19) We all know how unique this little sitcom can be, so much that it doesn’t even feel right to put it under that general term (General Term!) that is ’sitcom.’ but it is one, and in the past many have complained – yours truly included – that the show could resort to classic/cliché sitcom-esque plots or jokes that were beneath him and often resulted in less than average episode.

This week, what we had was still somewhat of the same, it didn’t had any of those HIMYM-special ways of telling a story, but used some classic sitcom-esque plot to make this episode. Yet, it worked. It might be because it was more inspired than before, it might be because every character got a chance to shine exactly the way you expect him/her to, it might be because Barney was at the center of it (though in the past that didn’t prevent such episodes from failing), or it might simply be because it was funny.

When Barney played house, with wife & kid, they just went for the same cliché of traditional sitcom and that’s about it, so there wasn’t much to find amusing (to me), but when they are using clichés from another genre, like the Lethal Weapon movies, they have to change the way it’s usually used, they have no choice but to make fun of it, not just re-use it but make it funny, and maybe that’s why it works.

The exchange between Barney and his Wire of a boss Laser Tag manager worked because it couldn’t be just a first degree serious thing, even though it was as Barney hold all the high scores in that place. And as predictable and cliché as Barney looking up and screaming ‘nooooo!!!’ might have been, it was just hilarious!

Filled with 80’s references, this episode made the most of Barney, who desperately tried to make all of the items on the Murtaugh list only to find out it wasn’t as easy as he would have thought, and maybe he was, too old for this sh.. stuff. I’m sure some of you were reminded of the Marathon episode, because it had that same idea of a challenge at the core of it, but I don’t think it took anything away from this one — and NPH is pretty awesome at physical comedy, whether he has to move or not.

What I found amusing was how Robin – of course – rapidly joined Barney in his attempt at proving Ted wrong, and how easy she seemed to handle things. Sure she didn’t had a badly pierced ear and she had a good night of sleep on her soft bed, so no back problems, but she help Barney get people to steal stuff, she went to the rave with him, and she did all that not looking the least affected by it!

(I also loved it when she called Barney on his cell, just so he would hurt his ear! Classic. Not to mention all the Canadian jokes of course…)

Also, I wouldn’t be surprise if the reason Ted was up at 4.00am was that after going to bed at 8.00pm and not going to sleep, he watched all of the Lethal Weapon movies and just never went to bed, pulling an all-nighter and not looking affected by it either! Maybe only Barney got too old for this stuff, or was trying too hard. Gotta say though, I loved his delivery at the bar, about his back not affecting him : “Closer to my booze!” Awesome.

And the moral of the story is : doesn’t matter, we’re not too old, let’s go TP the place and that’s it! I wonder though, what will Barney do now that he is still banned for life from this place?? And if you are wondering yourself if you’re still young or not, go take Barney’s hilarious Old Person Quiz right now!

As for Marshall and Lilly, I liked that plot a lot as well. Considering his hardcore Fight Club-esque time with his brothers, or the way they play “games” at Christmas and everything, it wasn’t much a surprise to see Marshall going all tough on the kids and yelling at them the way he did. It’s not how he usually is, but it’s how he remains deep down when it comes to such “games” after all. Plus, whenever he gets mad and yells at people, possibly especially kids, it’s just freaking funny!

And while he might be a little too tough on those young kids, Lilly’s method was clearly pretty stupid, unless they do actually give away everything in life: diplomas, jobs, houses, promotions… There’s a difference between playing just for the fun of it, not being obsessed with winning and just having a good time, and not even trying. But it was a lot of fun.

Gotta say though, I also have a lot of fun looking what ways they come up with trying to hide the pregnancies of both ladies on the show. Lilly hiding behind the basketballs rack was just hilarious to me!

Maybe a standalone without those HIMYM-special ways or big season arc or nothing, but a great episode nevertheless. That said, they better address the Barney/Robin before the season ends, and it better be pretty awesome! Same goes for that damn goat incident, which has to me no less than legen… wait for it… dary! Legendary! (Yes, it comes from that show…)

What did everybody else think?

Posted in Reviews
Shows: How I Met Your Mother