HIMYM – Is Barney broken?

The question — independent of the identity of a certain maternal character — that has plagued fans of How I Met Your Mother is whether or not Barney has grown, will grow, or even if we want him to grow as a character. I would be lying to you if I said that I saw Barney’s revelation to Jerry and drifting driver coming. It isn’t like it came out of left field, considering Jerry’s story, but it isn’t exactly how I expected things to end.

Riding back with Jerry, Barney admitted to his father that, while he might love his life, he’s not sure he “like[s] that he loves it.” I’ve been feeling Barney’s emotional growth for a long time. He is destined to be with Robin … Many fans are with me on that prediction, and those that aren’t, well, you’re just missing out. Sure, he’s still whoring it up, but at this point, it is all about the overcompensation. And there’s a good chance he’s going to have one big swerve before he finally makes it work with Robin … I’m not even sure that’s whom he was talking about when he said, “Maybe I’ve met her already.” But one day it will happen … oh yes, it will happen.

It took way too long, but I had to transcribe this:

“Oh, we’re not drinking here, tonight we’re going big. Let’s see, what club should we hit first? There’s Club Was … There’s Wrong.” – Barney
“Umm, those places shut down a long time ago.” – Marshall
“Oh no!” – Barney
“Oh No shut down, too.” – Marshall
“There’s Where.” – Ted
“Where’s Where?” – Jerry
“Where’s where Was was isn’t it?” – Lily
“No, Was wasn’t where Where was, Was was where Wrong was. Right?” – Barney
“OK?” – Jerry
“Not OK, that place is lame.” – Ted
“OK is Lame? I thought Lame was a gay bar, or is that wrong?” – Robin
“That’s wrong. That’s not Wrong.” – Marshall
“Guys, focus.” – Barney
“Oh, I like Focus, let’s go there.” – Robin
“Where?” – Ted
“Not Where, Focus.” – Robin
“I thought Focus was closed?” – Lily
“No Was was closed. Once Was shut down and reopened as Closed.” – Barney
“So Closed is open.” – Marshall
“No Closed is closed.” – Robin
“I don’t know … third base!” – Jerry
“Ehhhh … Third Base is all frat guys.” – Robin
“I’ll go any place, OK?” – Lily
“NOT OK, OK is lame.” – Ted
“OK is not Lame, Lame is a gay bar.” – Robin
“Guys, shut up.” – Lily
“No, Shut Up shut down. I can’t believe I don’t know the clubs anymore.” – Barney
“Guys, just pick a club, OK?” – Marshall
“NOT OK.” – Ted
“OK is LAME … Gay bar!” – Everyone
“For the record, I was in there once by accident, I’m pretty sure it’s pronounced Lamé.” – Marshall
“It’s Hopeless, isn’t it?” – Barney

Notes & Quotes

• Legen-Jerry!
• “We’re not getting too old for anything!” – Barney
  “Are you sure? I feel like we collectively learn the opposite lesson like at least once a year.” – Ted
  “My Dad would be all, ‘Why don’t you marry Robin, you guys would be cute together? Deep down you know you were never happier than when you were with her.’” – Barney, in what I’m calling a big nugget of truth in that little, little lie
• OK, temp title sequence rocks, on several levels.
• I really thought that Marshall’s one rock-opera was going to be about a Dracula puppet.
• “This is Awesome!!” – Barney
  “Barney, how is that [gestures to Jerry on the dance floor] awesome?” – Robin
  “I finally know what its like to be embarrassed by my dad!” – Barney
• Ted’s Red Boots!!!
• “Sorry, small town preacher from the Midwest, is that a law against dancing????” – Jerry, in a nod to Footloose fans everywhere
• So, we finally see the Cylon come into Robin’s life … I’m curious as to where the story leads us next.

Clacked by Ivey West
on Apr 18, 2011 @ 21:15 EST5EDT