A Christmas-Themed Movie Snack

Oh Frabjous Day, calloo, callay! How I Met Your Mother is back in top form. Maybe not Hot-Sister-Carols form, but "False Positive" is pretty awesome nonetheless.

"That's exactly the element of whimsy this celebration of love needs!"

Ok, I'll admit it, Punchy is growing on me. I still think it's a little weird that he doesn't have any friends of his own in Cleveland, but the way that he and Ted relate to each other is pretty genius. And having the connecting thread of this episode be Ted's need to be a good, assertive best man actually worked out pretty brilliantly in the end.

And can I just say: no Fucking Jennifer Morrison! I hope the positive response to "False Positive" will keep her off the show for good. This episode really proves how great the cast is as an ensemble, and how difficult it can be to sustain intruders into that ensemble for any extended period of time. Remember Stella? Ugh. Now let's all forget her.

Anyway, the show did what it does really well, which is weave together intersecting storylines and flip back and forth through time and then eventually bring all the characters together at the end for the big unifying joke, which, I have to admit, Ted totally brought. As all the drama and self-doubt unfolds among the others, Ted's just chillin' with his Christmas-themed movie snack, holding it all together, waiting for the moment when he can fix everybody's problems.

Honestly, though, Robin is the one who really rocks it this episode. Yeah, Marshall and Lily, having a baby, blah blah blah, but Robin is just in a much more dynamic place right now and the writers are really writing well for her this season - even in the terrible FJM episodes she's managed to shine. In "False Positive" we finally see her put on a career path that's actually going somewhere.

I think my problem with the Marshall and Lily storyline was that it didn't seem even the tiniest bit realistic. I mean, Marshall has wanted to have kids since forever, and they've been trying for months, and there have already been what, two other episodes about them freaking out about babies? They really should have a handle on what having a baby means by now, and even if they don't, I don't need to see another episode about it. At this point it feels like they're just dragging it out and I'm bored of it. Plus, it just wasn't a very funny plotline.

But overall, I loved the episode! Quite a nice reminder of how good the show can be when it's good.

Aw, and I'm all for Heartwarming Barney, giving away suits and banging those in need.

Notes and Quotes:

"I don't want to be sad Aunt Robin, the aging coin flip bimbo who gives her the creeps...I want to be cool Aunt Robin, the respected journalist who gives her beer."

The multiple flashbacks to Marshall shaving his head reminded me how brilliant that scene is - also made me think of: "Hat. We thought of traditional Indian headdress before we thought of hat."

"See those pinstripes? Diamonds. It is the uppest one can ever suit."

"That research job sounds hard. And I'm pretty. I'm really pretty."

"BARNEY'S FAVORITE THINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"I'm riding this wave all the way to hell"

"Don't reach into the living room!"

"Son?"

"It's just an expression, I'm still not your dad."

So let's just hope that HIMYM keeps it up and that Fucking Jennifer Morrison disappears forever (possibly leaving Kyle Mclaughlin behind, because I do enjoy The Captain). In the meantime, Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas and a Barney New Year!

"Everybody! Sister, sister, sister...."