Review: 'How I Met Your Mother' - 'Lobster Crawl': Baby's first flash-forward
Ted looks after Marvin, while Robin tries to lure Barney back one last time
On "How I Met Your Mother," Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) shows off his latest invention.
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A quick review of last night's "How I Met Your Mother" coming up just as soon as I get the naming rights to that lollipop bin...
After the disaster that was "Twelve Horny Women," "Lobster Crawl" couldn't help but be an improvement. On the plus side, Ted trying to live out his fatherhood fantasies through Marvin was a good emotional payoff to what had that point been a very goofy story (the minute Lily stayed in the living room to keep complaining about not seeing Marvin crawl rather than going into the bedroom is when I threw up my hands). And the Bro Bib (and Lily's obsession with it) is among Barney's better inventions of late.
On the other hand, much of the episode was built around the Barney/Robin relationship, and, as I've said, the show long since extinguished my interest in whatever the outcome of that is. Too much dithering back and forth, so that I wasn't invested either in the emotional stuff about Barney trying to grow up (albeit with the help of Patrice, one of the most cartoonish "HIMYM" characters ever) or in the more comic material like Robin having a Homer Simpson-esque debate with her brain (which, like Homer's brain, eventually bails on a losing argument).
Also, the show's sense of institutional history — long a strength even in the more problematic periods — has really gone away this season. We know from "Girls vs. Suits," for instance, that Marshall only has eyes for Lily, and yet here he gets turned on by Robin flirting with Brandi. (Though at least Lily's interest in Robin was an old thread they remembered to pick up.) The lobster analogy was there to set up the Robin/Barney conflict, yet there's a much more direct, pre-existing parallel — albeit one that would have prevented the show from putting Cobie Smulders into allergy makeup — in how she reacted to finding out she was infertile. And even the Bro Bib story started off with an "I'm getting too old for this shirt" joke, which either necessitated some kind of direct callback to season 4's "Murtaugh," or else should have been dropped.
What did everybody else think?
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupLoopyChew
December 4, 2012 at 11:37AM EST Reply to CommentI'm sorry, my libido is pretty much overruling any common sense the rest of my brain may have had regarding this episode.
Brian
December 4, 2012 at 11:40AM EST Reply to CommentCould not agree more, Alan. Especially with the institutional history point. Its like they brought in an entirely new writing staff this season who only has a passing familiarity with the show's history. Please, Please, let this be the last season. I'm only watching this point to see how they wrap everything up. I'm not sure even the desire to see how it ends is enough to make me watch another season of this dreck.
nic919 I was waiting for Robin to talk about the infertility and how she learned to accept it, but this show has long since dropped the emotional threads that used to make it work.
December 4, 2012 at 12:06PM ESTeg: Mike Smith This show jumped the shark a long time ago. If you ask me, it probably happened after they brought on the girl from Scrubs for Ted to be left at the altar. I hate-watch this show now and I'm really just hoping they end it soon and wrap things up nicely but the way theyre going now, they'll probably just forget about the whole yellow umbrella that was used in earlier seasons.
December 4, 2012 at 12:50PM ESTDan
December 4, 2012 at 11:48AM EST Reply to CommentDid I miss something, or did they also just gloss over Ted completing a lifelong dream and building a skyscraper in Manhattan?
Brian Yea, I had the same thought. Maybe I missed something but I didn't even realize that he was still working on the GNB building. Did he stop being a professor? Was he doing both at the same time?
December 4, 2012 at 11:52AM ESTNate He kept being a professor while being an architect for the GNB building. Last season had an episode where he tried to take his class on a tour of the construction site.
December 4, 2012 at 12:16PM ESTThis show has always been completely unrealistic on what an architect's job is. To design a skyscraper in New York you'd have to have a huge firm with many people working on the job, not one random guy who still has time to have another job and go drinking every night.
KDT42 The GNB Building got PLENTY of screen time from the Zoey plotline and they also celebrated Ted on the New York Magazine cover. Who says they moved in or won't have an office warming party? There's still time, but really that's old news by now.
December 5, 2012 at 8:19PM ESTNate's got it right. Not much realism here anyway. ;)
Brian The Zoey plotline only covered the approvals necessary just to knock down the old building and break ground on the new building. The only time they even addressed Ted's work on constructing the buidling, I believe, was during the episode where he was discussing what light bulbs to buy. Other than that, seems like they should have delved into what, as OP said, was basically a life long goal of Ted's.
December 5, 2012 at 8:23PM ESTEric11
December 4, 2012 at 11:53AM EST Reply to Commentthere are way too many potholes to start nit-picking them, IMO.
they've obviously given up on putting any real effort into making the show funny again (which is the only reason I watch it, not because of the relationships), but when they're walking down the same love road for the 3rd (4th?) time, there just is literally nothing like to be said (or written).
which is why, they should go back to trying to make it funny again, but we all know that will never happen.
When do we find out if this is the last season, or not?
Anyone hear or read anything from Bays/Thomas about if they've written the end of this season in a way that they can walk away from?
I sure hope so, because if not, then WTF could they possibly do next year (aside from a full season WITH the mother as a regular character, and Mr. and Mrs. Stinson).
Greg I guess that we can find about this being the last season until February, like FOX did with House last season. I doubt this will be the case, though. The ratings are still too strong.
December 4, 2012 at 12:40PM ESTEric11 Right. Makes sense.
December 4, 2012 at 12:42PM ESTI mean I think it's pretty much understood or thought that most of the cast, mainly NPH is well over this, but CBS will just keep throwing more and more money at them. But at SOME point, someone from the cast, and I assume it would be NPH will have to say, "ok, now it's REALLY time to move on"
we shall see.
ScarletKnight
December 4, 2012 at 12:06PM EST Reply to CommentThe Robin Homer Simpson scene came only three weeks after Jenna did the same thing on 30 Rock.
Dezbot And both times, I said to myself, "Simpsons did it first!" :-)
December 7, 2012 at 11:58AM ESTSHough610
December 4, 2012 at 12:53PM EST Reply to CommentHIMYM is the second show to do a Homer Simpson brain bail in the past month after Jenna Maroney had the same thing happen.
ScarletKnight Yes, I said that 47 minutes before you did.
December 5, 2012 at 3:56AM ESTsrpad
December 4, 2012 at 1:01PM EST Reply to CommentI lost track but I thought no one know that Robin is infertile.
A.B. She told Marshall and Lily after Kevin proposed to explain why she didn't say yes real quick but made him think about it. And she told Ted after she and Kevin broke up to explain to Ted why she and Ted can't be together. He wants kids and she does not. I don't know if Barney knows though.
December 4, 2012 at 1:12PM ESTCisco
December 4, 2012 at 1:36PM EST Reply to CommentI'd probably rate this Lobster Crawl as one of the all-time lows for this show. The episode didn't do the characters justice: Ted whining about how empty his life is after successfully completely a NYC skyscraper was particularly obnoxious, even for Ted. And Barney has just gone AWOL. Barney's date with Patrice is such a wild deviation from everything that has ever been established about Barney's shallowness that to introduce it so nonchalant and casually felt absurd. (Really, after all we know about Barney, the whole episode I felt that the only logical conclusion was that his platonic front was just an act to lure Robin into his bedroom).
I hate to nitpick, and even with lousy episodes, I try to just enjoy the better parts (if there are any), but this episode almost felt insulting, like the writers just couldn't care less. Besides the character arcs, the jokes all seemed like they were pulled directly from Sitcom Tropes 101. Particularly the Homer Simpson brain (it seemed verbatim at the end) and the parents missing all of their baby's achievements.
Oh, and the last thing that irked me: the stained tie, "Cornelius", at the beginning. Too often the characters feel like caricatures now. It used to be that the gang would make jokes about things, while are that they were jokes. The "I'm too old for this shirt" would have been a heck of a lot better if Barney wasn't saying it like it was true, but realizing the humor in it. They - even Barney - used to be self aware; it's what made the show one you could relate to.
Thanks, I had to get that off my chest.
Dan I wholeheartedly agree. The first time I laughed was during the tag (when Marshall and Lilly got their revenge by taking Ted's daughter to see Santa). And it wasn't much of a laugh even at that. Absolutely pathetic episode.
December 5, 2012 at 11:11AM ESTI fully expected that sequence of Robin at Barney's door to end with Robin waking up in Barney's bed and the whole Patrice aspect being a nightmare. That would've been lame, but it would've made more sense than what we got. The cheap porn music, the lingerie... come on.
asdf You know, the hostility to Patrice is one of the ugliest things about the show and its fandom. Go back and re-watch all her scenes in previous episodes. The unabridged list of Robin's reasons for disliking Patrice: 1) she's sweet, and 2) she's fat.
December 6, 2012 at 5:04PM ESTIt's supposed to be a super-snub, that Barney's genuinely more interested in Patrice than Robin. And it's not totally out of character for someone who desperately tried to change for Nora and couldn't (especially considering how it ended between them). The fact that he's with someone he'd never consider in the past showcases how desperate he is to change. Now whether Barney actually deserves someone so nice is another story.
The problem is that we the audience are supposed to dislike Patrice as well. But without any good reason. All this Patrice stuff does is show a side of Robin that's hateful and cruel.
Does Robin have any friends who don't secretly want to hook up with her? She and Marshall barely interact at all. Ted and Barney both love her, and Lily wants her. So how is Patrice's clinginess (her one genuine flaw) any different from her hot friends' pursing her?
(Also: Barney probably considers this flirting a test by Robin rather than genuine interest in him. Which in a way it is.)
agarre Robin finds it hard to let people genuinely care for her. It irks her when her friends just want to make her feel better. Remember how she wouldn't let them comfort her when she found out she was infertile? That is the reason behind her loathing for Patrice. Patrice has been nothing but kind and it just gets on Robin's last nerve. That's why it's funny. Has nothing to do with Patrice being fat. Patrice is a nurturer. Robin desperately needs nurturing, but she pushes away anyone who tries. Patrice is a big part of Robin's character arc. And I would guess that she will learn to like Patrice and being nurtured before she gets her happy ending.
December 7, 2012 at 1:44AM ESTjon88
December 4, 2012 at 1:40PM EST Reply to CommentPainful. The only thing that made me even half-smile was "Dylan. Girl Dylan."
Lynn
December 4, 2012 at 2:31PM EST Reply to CommentI have watched the first 6 seasons in the past month. I have enjoyed every episode (except for the Stella ones..) The continuity, the clever references, the deep story lines, those were lost at some point during the 7th season. I am truly disappointed at what is now being presented as a finale to the show. I want the old HIMYM back. I enjoy watching the show now as much as watching Two Broke Girls..and that says a lot.
Brian
December 4, 2012 at 3:05PM EST Reply to CommentOutside of Lost, this is shaping up to be one of the worst endings of an overall good to great show in recent memory.
tedmosbyisnotajerk
December 4, 2012 at 4:04PM EST Reply to CommentRemember when Robin was one of the strongest examples of a strong female sitcom character who had independent goals and was not victim to lazy "women are soooooo emotional" and "men make women sooooo crazy" jokes?
Well, that's officially out the window.
Over the past few seasons, the writers have destroyed one of the best characters on television.
Kyle7
December 4, 2012 at 4:52PM EST Reply to CommentHalf the time I think they should just go straight drama since they fail so much at joke writing nowadays and still occasionally hit decent emotional beats.
I've always really disliked the way they've written Robin's relationship with Patrice. First, the over-the-top "NOBODY ASKED YOU PATRICE!" was annoying the first time, let alone the 20th. Second, since they've never fleshed out Patrice very much (which is not a problem in and of itself), Robin just comes across as mean for constantly yelling at someone a half level above a background character. I've often contrasted it with Jerry on Parks&Rec, where the disrespect he gets from everyone is balanced by the fact that we know he's happily married, likes his job, has a huge package, etc.; we get the sense that he takes the abuse in stride because overall he's happy. Also, Jerry does genuinely mess up somewhat regularly, where it seems like Patrice's major offense is existing in Robin's life and trying to be nice.
ederscl cito
December 4, 2012 at 6:30PM EST Reply to CommentDid anyone else think about the lobster parallel with Friends - Barney was Robin's lobster. (Friends did it better).
KDT42 Thought of that too and I agree Friends did it better. Then thought that neither Lily or Robin would be a Friends fan. Not to mention the show being on another network. ;)
December 5, 2012 at 8:06PM ESTlis
December 5, 2012 at 12:43AM EST Reply to CommentThe Playbook was the episode that dragged me aboard the HIMYM bandwagon.
This one, even though it had the same musical cue and the same title cards, may be the one to drag me off.
KDT42
December 5, 2012 at 7:57PM EST Reply to CommentHad such high hopes for Robin's epiphany sound at the end of the previous episode, as if she had realized the short distance of "No, I don't want Barney to stop trying, cause I want to be with him"... But this seemed like an over-exaggerated roundabout stretch out the Barney Robin will they/wont they crap (agreeably at the cost of my and some other viewer's interest in their relationship). OR maybe they tipped Robin and Barney's flash forward of happiness too early at the "legendary wedding boast/let's have lunch, sweetie" scene and it is hard not to feel impatient. Though it was cute to see Robin try to pick up Barney using playbook tricks and failing, it doesn't have the pay-off it should at this point in the series. I agree that the "I was told I could never have children and I was totally depressed about it, but I got over that" would have been way more genuine for Robin's character.
As for Ted, the "project was my baby" thing was lame even for him, but not totally out of character. WE GET IT. TED IS READY FOR A FAMILY. For a second I thought maybe Marshall and Lily signed him up to teach swimming to the kids towards the end, instead of asking a NYC head hunter to meet them at the kiddie pool hour. Seriously?!?
Can I just comment on how disappointed I was in Lily's judgement this episode? For the master relationship manipulator, I can't help but wonder if she really missed the mark on Robin's behavior intentionally in order to devise a legitimate reason to hook-up with Robin? (Running gag or not, it's been referenced a few too many times this season. Someone better acknowledge crazed Lily's bisexual tendencies soon!) Is it post-partum pregnancy brain???? lol ("son of a me" was pretty awesome laugh though, I barely noticed or cared about Marvin's room jumping gag)
Barney... Well, I'm appreciating his long-time coming emotional growth too much to rag on him for being a caricature (cause face it, he is a caricature most of the time :) Still buzzing off his confession scene at Splitsville. NPH did the best of all the character through-lines this episode.
Lastly, it has been reported that Jason Segel wants to be the first to quit after this season. Though reps deny the validity of that claim, I think it will take a lot more money to keep the show going for all the original cast members. As fans of LOST as well, a friend and I postulated the possibility of a "mother season" once she is met. "See kids, your mother had to become the person she was in order to meet me too!" That way, they original cast can merely guest star in the upcoming season during saga cross sections such Ted being in her apartment, No Tomorrow, etc. Producers are happy and the show goes on!
KDT42 P.S. HitFix - This wasn't Baby's first flash forward. The Trilogy episode was.
December 5, 2012 at 8:21PM ESTasdf
December 6, 2012 at 12:44PM EST Reply to CommentThis was a decent episode by the standards of the season, but whoa that's not saying much. The actors seem to understand that it's time for all this to end. I'm not sure why the producers don't, unless pressure from the network is keeping the negotiations up. If they'd just make a decision now, at least that lets the writers do something other than spending every episode designing more and more awkward contrivances to keep the thing moving towards the continueclusion. It might get them back on track.
I'm actually rooting against Robin/Barney at this point. It's just taken too long. The problem stems from Robin/Kevin & Barney/Nora.
When Robin and Barney were going to leave Kevin and Nora, she asked Barney why he even liked her. He told her that she was as messed up as he was. Then later, Kevin answered the same question by saying that she was wonderful and just didn't know it. Kevin's answer won, but I think Barney's was the right one. Those two are very similar characters-- lots of cartoonish bravado over a very fragile ego. NPH played the moment brilliantly, but to me, the writers just can't turn back from that now and put them together.
Barney running back to someone who did something so cruel won't work. It's only by TVlogic that they're even still friends. So to make the karma work out, Barney HAS to have the chance to humiliate Robin back. Having Robin throw herself at him and then lose him to Patrice, in front of Patrice, is supposed to be that. And he didn't even wound her knowingly, so it's not vengeful. I think it's supposed to be a moment when the audience finally gets to feel bad for Robin and senses the hidden depths of her feelings. But instead I hoped that she'd realize that she's missed the boat with this guy one too many times, and that it's time to move on.
Finally, and this is the controversial part, the girl/girl stuff. Played for laughs and more than a little fan service, but there's some institutional history to this one, too. Robin's mother and father both shared a mistress (also named Brandy!) who helped bridge the gap between them. That was played for laughs at the time, but the only way two personalities like Robin and Barney would work is if you have some kind of nurturing emotional center (like a Nora or, hell, even a Patrice) who can keep them afloat. The two characters who might have done that (non-sexually) were Ted and Lily, who both have unrequited feelings for Robin. This not being HBO, an actual third love interest is off the menu.
So it's better for each to find someone else and be friends. Sadly, it doesn't look like that's not going to happen either.
LJA
December 6, 2012 at 4:56PM EST Reply to CommentThe terrible sitcom trope of Lily's stupid obnoxious crying murdered this episode in cold blood. I don't even have an opinion about the rest of the material. As soon as they started going to Lily wailing, I completely shut down.
April
December 7, 2012 at 11:12AM EST Reply to CommentI'm so sick of the Barney?Robing thing, it's turned into the old Ted/Robin. I could care less who ends up with who, the show is now about Barny/Robin and everyone else has taken a backseat.
Alan, you stopped reviewing The Office but you still review this show? I would love to hear your thoughts on the last season of The Ofiice.