Ted: This show is all about Ted and his relationships, the ones that will define his life, so establishing the importance of Barney in his life while at the same time having him say things "Yes he is that lame" was fun to watch. Seeing Ted get swept up in the fun and immediately angry when it falls out shows the guarded fun Ted has with his very good, but not best friend, Barney. Plus Ted saying "Don't you dare go up that escalator! or that subsequent escalator!" was funny but very derivative of a Family Guy joke I had laughed at years previous.
Marshall: A real strong outing for Marshall, who is singing to himself at home and accidentally sings to Ted to answer the phone. "Ka-chong Marshall parking only" "I'll sock him in the kisser" and his other dismissive statements to Lilly before singing that his relationship is built on trust. All of this was strong but his excitement to get in on any plan that he was driving to Philadelphia and did not know why, is why Marshall is always first in the best friend race.
Lilly: I simply do not accept a world where men ignore Allison Hanigan. Premise failed. Besides that even if these guys only goal was Robin, they would still talk to both of them because ignoring the girl you are interested in's friend does not exactly help you talk to her.
Robin: Ok, now the premise of someone choosing Cobie Smulders of Allison Hanigan can hold water, but Robin is starting to come into her own as a friend of this group, although she doesn't bring the laughs (yet, the writers certainly got more comfortable with giving Robin fantastic stuff to do as time went on, do we even know if she is Canadian yet?)
Barney: OK, well Barney used empty (except for condoms and a power bar) luggage to hit on women, he is an international business man, and he let us know that cute girls are not from Buffalo. This is the early stage of this series, but I enjoy Barney's bravado while earned also acutely aware of the real world. When he gave Ted the speech about living his whole life with the seat belt sign on but quickly and politely demured to the flight attendant, when he shows true fear and childlike defensiveness to being taken in by airport security, that aspect of Barney has been lost over the years, because, well relentless ego, is also very funny, but slightly less human.
MVP: Not even close, this is Barney. It could have been won on the two pictures he sent Marshall to convince him to go.
Season count:
Marshall- 1
Ranjeet- 1
Barney - 1
Continuity:
- Marshall is singing the things he is doing, which while not shown a whole lot I guess he will do a whole lot because it will really annoy his friends in 2 years
- Marshall stood up the guy he thought was hitting on Lilly only to be relieved that he was in fact not because he had never been in a fight before. I guess he is either not counting his fights with his brothers in ep 410 or is terrified of strangers. (ok they forgot about this episode when they did 410
- The first mention of the "hoopty assed Fierro"
Wait for it: 1 (2) And I hope you're not allergic to milk because the next word is dairy
'Have you met...': 0 (2)
Going in my blog: 0 (1)
Have you met....: 0 (5)
Barney: Still 1 confirmed, Barney did say that when he climbed out of the bag on airport security it in fact 'worked' so as it stands now, 1 confirmed, 1 possible
Up next: Ted revisits a past relationship with Cut Throat Bitch
