Sam's Review: HIMYM : The Leap

Followers of How I Met Your Mother know that this season’s output of shows was largely made up of episodic shows that do not really move the plot of the show. They were just stand alone episodes some hit and others miss. As Jordan knows from my weekly complaining, I thought the episodic episodes this year were mostly weak. But they were really only there to draw in more fans who were less familiar with the show. While I recognize this, I can only think of it as treading water before the finale. Well god damn it, they delivered.

Let’s start with what a lot of people have been waiting for in the HIMYM universe, the goat. This fucking goat really must have been pissing off these writers. Fans have been waiting a year to find out what the hell happens with Ted and the goat on his 31st birthday. What happens? Well, pretty bland humor actually. I mean, what can you do with the goat? The whole got thing saved after Ted was sent to the hospital via goat attack. When Ted gave his account of what happened with the goat, there was a display of hilarious goat on human ultra-violence.

If the goat montage didn’t suit you (pun absolutely intended) there was Barney and Robin question. When Barney finally gathers up the courage to tell Robin how he truly feels he is surprised to hear her say I love you before he can. This immediately turns him off to her completely which is initially a giant letdown to everyone who knows that they are perfect for each other. Later it is revealed this is all a ploy by Robin to “Mosby” Barney because she doesn’t really love him. I love that this way of getting someone to really not be interested in you is named for our beloved Ted.

Barney eventually finds out about this through Lilly. At the hospital barney calls out Robin’s use of “the Mosby” and this begins probably the best scene of this season and one of the best displays of talent the show has had in its run. First there is Barney’s great line responding to Robin saying she doesn’t want the trouble of going through the emotional stuff, Barney responds uncharacteristically but still in his character, “Maybe I don’t want to be saved the trouble. Maybe I want the trouble” This is Barney’s character finally growing up a bit after all these seasons. The two have a back and forth as Robin goes to the I love yous and Barney recoils but recognizes she’s doing it and they go back and forth until they kiss. Hooray! On behalf of everyone who watches the show. Of course, the extent to which they are together is pretty hazy, let’s say it’s a step forward for these two.

Oh, Ted has a story too. He is still struggling with his restaurant project. Well, that’s not that exciting but it is really just the impetus for the other things in the episode which are hilarious. “The Leap” is really the most important one to the series. Because Ted has been struggling (and failing) so much with his Mosbius Designs, Lilly tells him he just has to take a leap of faith that his life will work out, even if the path he is on now is not the path that is right for him. This leads him to teaching which is where he will meet the mother. Or not. But the mother is in the class he is teaching. Maybe she’s an 18 year old freshman, I sure as hell hope not. Lilly’s “leap” speech also gives Marshall the courage to finally take the jump across to the other building which was actually a callback to the episode where the boys buy a bar. Jason Segal was at his best, which he always is.

I feel like I did not do justice to how funny I thought this weeks show was so I want to stress that it WAS funny, really funny. It had heart, it had callbacks, it had flash forwards, it had a goat, it had cute Lilly and Marshall shit, it had Robin and Barney, it had a Ted I actually like now, it had everything that makes this show my favorite comedy on TV.

A

Notes:

-Oops this review went a bit long, ay?

-“You are now, because I explained it to you”- Barney after explaining the incredibly obvious
Robin as suits metaphor in the cold open, I will use this

-Hey, where is Neil Patrick Harris’ Emmy and Jason Segel’s?

-Another “I’m pregnant” joke, those writers must watch as much Scrubs as Jordan and me


-Hey Jordan, was that New Pornographers at the beginning and the end of the show? AC Newman? Neither and I’m an idiot?

-I liked in the bit where they’re all jumping across the buildings there is a clear body double for Alyson Hannigan

-I like how the Rib Town guys kinda break up with Ted

-Nice Sven callback

-Barney planned on being a violinist—everyone tells Lilly everything

-Notice someone in yellow shirt in class? Hmmm. Teaching makes sense for Ted

-Nice everything HIMYM (except most of the goat stuff and the jumping across the buildings was a bit hokey but I forgive)