HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: The Naked Man

Hey everyone, it is Jen back again for another HIMYM episode commentary. Next week (12/1) is a repeat of last season’s “The Bracket”. But don’t stray too far because there will be a new episode the following week (12/8) and we’ll be keeping you posted on any big news.

Now, on to the show.

Ted is  trying to figure out just when he’ll be over Stella. Everyone has a different time line for getting over an ex. Marshall’s theory is by far the one I’ve heard the most – It takes half the time you were with a person to get over them.  [GMMR: I was kind of hoping Barney would haul out the whiteboard from some elaborate equations.]

As Future Ted thinks back on his post-Stella era, he can’t help but recall another certain memory from back in the day. Future Ted reminisces on some seriously bizarre events he encountered just by walking into his apartment –  Lily and some acrobats; Barney doing an underwater trick for over 12 minutes; Robin holding a gun to some robbers, and even something in our future, the goat (May 2009)! Bays and Thomas haven’t forgotten that carrot they keep dangling in front of us devoted fans. Damn them and their goat!

On one particular occasion Ted got quite an eyeful when he entered the apartment he shared with Robin and found Robin’s date, Mitch, in all his unholy nakedness. Ted’s poor couch has not only been featured in porn but now is also the setting of the new phenomenon: “The Naked Man”. Seriously, Ted needs to put a plastic cover over that bad boy.

I’ll give it to Mitch; he’s so pleasantly open, honest and upfront about everything. But why is he naked? Mitch knows that Robin is out of his league. He knows he has no future with her.  So getting naked and waiting for her to return to the room is his one shot at having sex with her.  When “The Naked Man” works (which is 2 out of 3 times) the woman is first shocked and awed but eventually finds the man sans clothes funny and that will lead to sex.  [GMMR: Without saying too much, a friend of mine has had the “naked man” encounter – it didn’t quite work out as the guy planned.  But we are still laughing about it to this day.]

Ted spills it to the group about Naked Mitch, so when Robin admits she slept with him, it spurs some hilarious events.

#1: The Slut. Marshall calls Robin a slut. Aww, kick her when she’s down buddy. She has no job, she had to move in with Ted who just happens to be her ex-boyfriend, she became a “whoooo! girl”. And now Marshall says that about her. Wow.

To prove Marshall wrong, Robin decides to go on a second date with Mitch.  But Mitch has been there before.  He knows that this is a “I’m not a slut date.”  Robin is busted.

#2 The “The Naked Man” test-drive. For Ted it’s all about helping him get over Stella and move on.  For Barney it’s just another sexual experiment.

Ted, he decides to try out the Naked Man when he realizes that his date is going really bad.  He has nothing to lose.  Why not get naked.? For Barney, he’s has no shame – time to birthday suit up.

My favorite part had to be the pose-off. What pose would Ted and Barney do when attempting “The Naked Man”? My favorite Ted pose was the Coppertone Baby. I do give thumbs up to the Captain Morgan as well as the Mr. Clean. My favorite Barney pose is a toss-up between the Superman and the Burt Reynolds.

#3: The Sex List. Lily’s task is to write down the 50 reasons to sex just to prove she can do it. Hilarious!!

Check out Lily’s list below. Please take note of #39, which is a callback to S2 E3’s “Brunch”. Lily loves Marshall’s calves!

Lily gets in on the Naked Man Girl action as well.  Marshall doesn’t seem to mind.

Ted, Barney and Lily prove that The Naked Man does indeed work 2 out of 3 times. Due to my nitpicking sensibilities, I don’t think Lily’s should count. She is not a guy. I believe The Naked Girl” has a higher success rate than “The Naked Man”. Guys, I’m not saying you are weak when it comes to a naked girl, but I personally feel finding a random dude I barely know naked in my apartment is just creepy. Keep it in your pants, literally.

Overall, the episode didn’t push too much, which is fine. It got Ted past his Stella problem, which is fabulous.

Now on to my ponderings and thoughts:

• I am amazed Ted has allowed Robin to have a gun in his apartment. Not only when defending his television but also as his new roommate. He hates guns. She attempted to cancel her magazine subscription for him when they were originally going to move in together.

• The double standard of Robin being a slut yet Marshall hasn’t coughed-talked about Barney’s womanizing ways.

• Bravo to Josh Radnor, NPH and Adam Paul (Mitch) for having the guts to strip down for what probably ended up taking quite some time to shoot. Kudos to all the Austin Power-esque shots.

• Marshall being the girl in the relationship sometimes. He’s reading “The Notebook” and he was the only one to think of love as the reason to have sex.

• Surprised Barney hasn’t thought of suiting down as a last ditch effort for sex before. We have seen Barney suit down for Robin though in “Zip, Zip, Zip”.

• Now that Ted is ready to move on, will Jillian making a return?

• Dare I ask: after this episode will anyone be attempting “The Naked Man”?

So, what did you think? Share in the comment section below!

-Posted by Jen

GMMR’s resident HIMYM aficionado Jen feels that this November sweeps seems to be a lot shorter than previous years. She is not enjoying to the deep winter that has already brought its chill to Boston. She hopes to stay close to her television this winter in order to stay warm and toasty.