Episode 6 - Slutty Pumpkin
25 March 2012
Synopsis: It’s Halloween and Ted heads up to the roof to wait for a girl he met four years before (she was dressed as a slutty pumpkin). Barney uses three different costumes to try and convinced Ted to abandon the roof and come to a Victoria Secrets party. Down at the bar Marshall and Lily are determined to win the costume contest as a pirate and parrot. Robin brings Mike, a guy she has been seeing, but she doesn’t like him enough to want to be “couply” with him.
The Good: More good positioning of the characters. Once more Ted is focussed on finding Miss Right and Barney tries hard to change his mind and make him seize the day. Marshall and Lily are as sickening as happy couples can be while Robin really isn’t ready to give up her bachelorette lifestyle.
Ted’s hopeless wait for a girl who clearly won’t show up is somewhat poignant and somewhat pathetic. It’s certainly an interesting hook for viewers and fortunately Barney provides a lot of entertainment to keep things moving (see Comic Highlight). He and the writers make the most of all three of his costumes. His full on Top Gun entrance and his devil\angel moment with Ted are pretty fun. Barney is coming across as a very consistent character which is strong writing. Last week he selected a shiny shirt to attract women. This week he brings a second costume in order to hit on girls more than once in case he messes up the first time. He also desperately wants Ted to accompany him on his missions (as in 103) because being best friends means a lot to him. It is one of the redeeming moral features which keep him from being an unlikeable character. The way he dressed up as a penguin to mock Ted was pretty cruel and a nice red herring.
The characterisation of Robin is strong here too. We know she won’t end up with Ted but it seems an inevitable romance is blossoming. The writers deserve a lot of credit for laying the seeds now of what will doom their relationship. Unlike Ted, Robin is not ready for a big commitment. She is still very comfortable being single and being alone. Her interactions with Mike are pretty sympathy inducing too. Why shouldn’t she get to enjoy her own food in peace? Lily encourages her to share dessert with him “I can share dessert. He better want the brownie sundae.” She knows her own mind, she knows what she wants. It isn’t entirely unreasonable of her to not want to behave like joined-at-the-hip Lily and Marshall do.
Speaking of Lily and Marshall, their dressing up antics are harmless fun with the odd good line. But you will end up wishing pirates were known for saying something other than “Arrr.”
The Bad: The Robin story was a little on the nose at times. Mike was so pushy about being a ‘we’ and sharing food. It reached the point where the purpose of their interaction was being a little too clearly driven home.
Comic Highlight: Having struck out twice, Barney returns as a penguin (his third costume). After mocking Ted and taking off his “head” he explains that he finally got the hot girls number. She walks over and realises who he is and wants her number back. But he won’t give it back and says he is going to call her. “But I’m never gonna go out with you” she reasons. But that doesn’t worry Barney – “But how will you know it’s me? I’m a master of disguise!”
How I rate your episode: Decent character stuff with a few good jokes.
Feedback
Add your comments on this episode below. They may be included in the weekly podcasts.
|
)