Episode 22 - Robots vs Wrestlers
12 May 2010
Review
Synopsis: Barney is thrilled to announce the new tradition of watching a show called "Robots vs Wrestlers." Ted then opens some mail for former resident of the apartment Marissa Heller. She has been invited to a party in a beautiful building called the Alberta and the guys decide to gatecrash. Once there Ted is delighted to find a high brow crowd who enjoy his interests. Barney is upset by the thought that the group is disintegrating around him while Marshall and Lily discuss the idea of having a baby.
The Good: Ted finding people who share his interests.
The Bad: I hated this, it was awful.
The relentless fart noises actually fit with how the group has treated Ted over the years. So seeing him finally be able to indulge in his high brow tastes was actually quite fun. Then once he reached the height of acceptance amongst this elite group he decided that he looked like a douche. Why? All we saw was him having a great time and being genuinely touched by the compliments of the other party guests. The answer seems to be that the writers think anyone who likes high culture is a douche. That's how simplistically this was written and that's pretty offensive to a whole segment of any society.
It was also just a weak finish to Ted's story; it didn't seem believable that he would feel that way. The mystery over Marissa Heller was completely ignored as well. The question of why she had so many conflicting subscriptions being delivered to the apartment was actually somewhat intriguing and there was no payoff at all. I was also less than thrilled with Barney deliberately banging the antique gong as if potentially damaging someone else's property is funny. It also seemed like an action which might have gotten Ted kicked out and so was decidedly unkind. I wouldn't have minded as much if Lily and Marshall had looked shocked at his stupidity.
I have voiced before how much I dislike the doppelganger idea. It has no basis in reality nor in humour. Why is it funny that Josh Radnor is dressed up as a Mexican wrestler? It's so clearly unreal that there is no humour in it. Just like the idea of humans fighting robots. Again I'm struck by how odd this show is. Robots v Wrestlers is humour which would barely make a ten year old laugh yet this is a show which resorts to sexual humour so often that it can't argue it's appealing to a wide demographic. Oh and we had another of my favourites, Robin answering the phone while live on the news. Again no basis in reality just plain dumb.
Comic Highlight: Barney lies his way round the party attempting to score some action. "...as undersecretary of the treasury I had a big hand in crafting that legislation. Now I wonder if you'd like to join me in the map room and give my package some stimulus?"
How I rate your episode: Bad on several levels including an anti-elite one which I did not like the tone of.
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