HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: I Love Barney & Robin…and Tacos!
January 13, 2009 by Kath Skerry
Usually when I am crying during HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER it’s because the show is so damn funny that I weep with laughter. While last night’s ep did tickle the funny bone, it was the unexpected emotional pounding that left me all kinds of weepy. What can I say, I love the taco lover.
The whole underpinning of this series is relationships. The relationship between Ted and the mother of his children. The relationship between these group of friends. The relationship Barney has with his suits. But I never thought it would be the non-relationship of Barney and Robin that would have me so emotionally invested.
Despite appearances, I do not get any kick back from sharing the Neil Patrick Harris love. My love is genuine. It’s very real. It’s on this constant stratospheric incline with no end in sight. And when he pulls of what he pulled off last night, what with his range of emotions, well I fall just that much harder.
The Robin/Barney storyline wasn’t planned from the get go, but tonight, as Barney truly struggled to suppress his feelings for Robin, it seemed like everything we know about Barney Stinson was carefully planned out from Day One just so we can experience what it’s like when a womanizer like Barney falls in love. I like seeing this side of Barney. But I can’t say that I’m rooting for the guy to get the girl.
I worry that if Barney and Robin were to end up together for the long term now, it would fundamentally change the character of Barney and ultimately the show. Let him pine away for her, and let him land Robin towards the end of the series. Let them have their happily ever after…just not right now. Let the audience experience the emotional and vulnerable side of Barney Stinson on occasion, but let’s not lose the essence of who he is. Keep Barney being Barney.
As for Marshall, well let’s just say that if I were holding the Feely the Share Bear and sitting in the share chair, I would tell you all just how sweet, adorable and child like Marshall really is. I’m glad he finally learned how to read a magazine. It seemed like a big accomplishment in his life. I was proud, and I’m sure Heidi, Spencer and Kim Kardashia were proud too. And despite my protest about this trashy stunt casting, I was happy to see just how very little of the episode featured these wanna be celebs.
So are you a Barney/Robin fan or are you still pulling for Ted and Robin? What did you think about last night’s ep? Any favorite moments?
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I loved last night’s episode. And I love NPH. I love this show!
Episode 412 was hard to watch. You’re right about the Barney Robin non-relationship being so…captivating. I care more about this relationship than the Ted-Stella relationship. NPH is breaking my heart and it seems like only Robin is unaware of what’s going on.
Episodes like these are hard for me to watch. While I like Robin/Barney as friends, I just don’t see them as a romantic pairing. They make me cringe, actually. They seem like the type that could be best friends. When Robin is around Barney, it’s as if she’s one of the guys.
I love Robney!!!!! 😉
Oh my god I loved last nights episode! It broke my heart when he said “I love you” and she thought he was talking about Ted. I can’t get enough NPH! He is amazing. Or when he burst in the door and yelled “I LOVE…..tacos” I cracked up! I think Barney and Robin are perfect for each other and I love that they are taking so long to get together because I don’t think it would have made sense to throw them into a relationship too quickly.
I loved it – and I am now fully on the Barney/Robin bandwagon. However, I agree with you that it shouldn’t happen until close to the end of the series. I don’t want to watch “relationship Barney” for two years or so; I’d rather watch Barney as we know and love him, but with this new twist of pining for Robin every now and then. The show was hard to watch, as others have said – I’ve been there, and I totally felt his pain.
I had to look away from the screen whenever one of the magazine covers started speaking. Painful!! Not at all necessary and I can’t imagine that the appearance of those jackasses warranted much of a bump in ratings. That being said, I loved the episode overall and NPH can do no wrong. At all. Ever.
LOVED IT !!!!!!!! Monday night is the best night of TV. jmo
I’m still not on the R&B Bandwagon. I love Barney. I love Robin. I just can’t get over the Ted & Robin chemistry to the point I don’t ever want R&B together. Thus, for the time being at least, I agree with the major premise of your argument. *Salutes* Major Premise.
Thanks for the awesome recap Kath. 🙂
I’ve been wanting Robin and Barney to end up together since season 1, though I do agree with Kath that I don’t think it should happen this season or maybe even too much before the end of the series (which hopefully will not be for a while). NPH is all things great and I love that the writers have given him this storyline to expand the character of Barney.
I loved this ep – it went into the keep file in the DVR. I think I said “Aw, Barney!” like NINE times during the ep.
I really liked the episode.
My only complaint was the Marshall subplot – of course I am not much of a Marshall fan to begin with.
But to my point – if Marshall feels everyone is judging him when he is carrying a magazine to the bathroom, how is it better to leave the building or go to another floor? They still see him carrying the magazine in the hallway.
The bigger embarrassment is the selection of magazines he is carrying.
I am not a crier. I didn’t cry at the end of all of the emotional greats. I did not cry during any great childhood classics. I did not cry during any of the great romances. I don’t cry during movie/TV shows.
At the end of last nights episode, watching Barney while he was watching Robin… I cried. Yeah. I do agree with you though. 😉 Not until the end of the show.
what a great, touching episode. a testament to the writers…during season 1 and 2 i thought robin and ted had such great chemistry, but last night i hated them hooking up…it felt totally lukewarm, and i just wanted her to be with barney. i agree kath, i think that barney needs to stay barney 90% of the time but i love seeing this side of him. and go ted at the end for supporting it. uncle barney and aunt robin are for sure a couple in the end.
I am liking Barney more, and the sweet side is touching, but I still am hoping that somehow there will be a plot twist that allows Ted and Robin to be together in the future. I liked them together so much, and it was such a romantic story. I like Barney the womanizer. I can see how he and Robin get along so well, but I think they’re too much alike. I can see her getting swept up by a romance that changes her mind about getting married someday, but I can’t really see her being swept off her feet by Barney. Also, he is kind of short/skinny and Robin (who is so skinny, really but tall) don’t look right together. Finally, I don’t like this trend of sitcoms needing to pair all of the main characters off. Some of them could remain single at the end.