Episode 6 - I'm Not That Guy
12 January 2009
Review
Synopsis: Marshall gets his dream job with the NRDC. But Lily encourages him to go to an interview with a big law firm anyway. There the CEO tries to seduce Marshall into working for them and he succeeds. Lily had pushed him into it because of her huge credit card debt. Meanwhile Barney discovers a porn star called Ted Mosby. Ted tracks him down and asks him to change his name. The Good: Marshall being seduced by the big money offer plays out predictably. By bringing in the idea of paying for his children to get a good education they effectively show what a dilemma it is for him. Lily being a shopaholic is a pretty serious problem. Spiralling personal debt is a real problem for many people so it’s an interesting new dimension for her character. She does the right thing by refusing to let Marshall solve her problems for her. The Bad: Boy do those writers love their sexual puns. A story about porn is a natural fit for them but they still don’t make this any funnier than an average episode. Again though why do they make so many double entendres in this show? The show is about a Dad telling his kids the story of his life. Would he really ever mention anything about sex? The Ted Mosby story doesn’t seem to have a point either. The fake Ted admits he did it to honour the real Ted but then refuses to change his name. It was clearly written so that the writers could indulge their dirty minds. Which I have no problem with; the problem is almost none of it is funny. Marshall’s story makes sense but it is dull. The scenes of seduction are basic and the acting is full of forced enthusiasm. Lily’s story is a good idea but is treated flippantly. The montage of her buying more boots is played for laughs, not for the very serious consequences her addiction brings. There is no real sense that Lily thinks she has a problem and this twist to her character does feel like it comes out of nowhere. Comic Highlight: Marshall tells Ted not to suggest making a pro and con list. He then weighs up the great money on offer against the immorality of representing evil corporations. Ted comments under his breath “Sounds like a pro and con list to me.” How I rate your episode: A pedestrian episode without any jokes to redeem it. The porn story is particularly difficult to understand, it seems to have no purpose whatsoever. But the lack of laughs make this dull to watch.
Feedback
Add your comments on this episode below. They may be included in the weekly podcasts.
|
’)