Episode 8 - Spoiler Alert
12 January 2009
Review
Synopsis: Ted introduces the gang to his new girlfriend Kathy. They all seem to dislike her but he can’t see why. When they tell him that she doesn’t stop talking, he begins revealing their annoying habits and they all become angry at one another. Meanwhile Marshall has lost the password which will allow him to access the results of his bar exam.
The Good: The writers get the plot points across in clever ways and make sure that each story is tied up logically.
Barney mentions his dog pooping video early on and Marshall refuses to ever watch it. So when he tricks him into watching it with the promise of his results it fits neatly together and is a classic Barney trick to play.
Similarly the use of Marshall’s annoying singing leading him to remember his password and getting his results is logical and a pleasant twist in the middle of a big argument.
All of the annoying habits fit the characters established traits. Excluding Lily’s chewing which she can’t control; all the others have long exhibited the annoying habits which they are accused of having. The final scene where they all exhibit them seems natural and the conclusion of the story makes sense. In real life annoying habits are usually tolerated and ignored.
The Bad: Despite the logical storytelling however, much of this is not particularly good.
First off the idea of a dog pooping on a baby is disgusting. With an almost limitless supply of alternatives, this is a strange and unfortunate choice of videos. The fact that Ted and Marshall find it so funny is an odd thought.
The big problem with the show is the details of the annoying habits. Lily has of course never chewed loudly before in the show, so it has no resonance, and is probably not something we will ever see again. But when Marshall and Robin hear it they tear into her, even though there is little she can do about it. Marshall is scripted to say rude things to her, which if said in that tone in real life would really offend your wife. It’s a careless moment after scrupulously good management of Marshall’s sweet treatment of her for three years.
The nature of bad habits in real life is of course more complex than it can be presented here. Some habits everyone sees and some habits people just don’t care about. Most of the time they lead to private resentment or a shared joke. Here the characters get angry and start accusing each other and reality just feels too far away. Although the glass shattering is an effective device for showing each character realising other people’s flaws, it doesn’t reflect real life and so falls flat.
Comic Highlight: Ted tells Marshall about Lily’s loud chewing. Marshall hasn’t noticed and Ted asks why he thought Ted called her Chewbacca?
Marshall: “I assumed because she’s loyal, wears shiny belts and I resemble a young Harrison Ford.”
How I rate your episode: The show gets from A to C in a logical and reasonably entertaining manner. But unfortunately B is where it counts most and this is lacking in good jokes and in a strong connection to reality. The result is a weak episode but not a terrible one.
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