Review: 'How I Met Your Mother' - 'The Over-Correction': Trapped in the closet
Robin freaks out over Barney's relationship with Patrice
On "How I Met Your Mother," the gang spies on Barney's date with Patrice.
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A quick review of last night's "How I Met Your Mother" coming up just as soon as I dress like a Duluth streetwalker...
"The Over-Correction" found "HIMYM" trapped between the smart, honest show it used to be and the cartoonish show it is now that's willing to sell out any character or emotion in search of a laugh.
I think there's a good episode in Robin struggling to accept that Barney has started to mature while he's with another woman (though the show already did this to an extent with Nora). The problem is that it's Patrice, who exists only for that horrible running gag where Robin shrieks at her — which has never been funny and always makes me like Robin less. And nearly every part of "The Over-Correction" was pitched at that incredibly broad level, whether it was cutaway gags (Marshall as a stand-up comic, Ted somehow dating a convict in the handful of episodes between when Victoria dumped him and he dated Robin) that felt more appropriate for "Family Guy" than "HIMYM," or a gambit from Barney's playbook that felt pretty despicable even for Barney. And for that matter, this is another instance where a flash-forward designed to entice us winds up getting in the way of the present. We know Barney and Robin wind up engaged to be married sometime within the next 12 episodes(*), so Patrice, again, doesn't exist as a person, but simply an obstacle that we already know won't last very long.
(*) We are reportedly getting close to the point where Bays & Thomas need to know whether this will be the final season or not, and Deadline has suggested that Jason Segel may be the one holding up negotiations for a ninth season. I've said it before and I'll say it again: a ninth season is palatable only if they stick to the plan for this season, introduce the Mother by the finale, and then do something else next year, whether it's stories set in the present with the Mother as a part of the gang, or the idea Thomas once suggested where they'd tell 22 individual stories set in the margins of old "HIMYM" continuity. If they decide to push the Farhampton wedding to the end of next season, I think that might finally be an excuse to cut the cord.
The other subplots — Marshall and Lily's freak-out over their parents hooking up, and Ted's indignation that no one ever returns any of the stuff they borrow from him — weren't especially funny, either (and brought back one of my least favorite Ted running gags, involving his obsession with those red cowboy boots), but at least it involved the characters mostly behaving like themselves.
What did everybody else think?
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December 11, 2012 at 10:18AM EST Reply to CommentI'm beginning to think that the show's creators are actively trying to kill it. They're certainly doing their best to drive me away. Last night was the first time I ever entertained the thought of not waiting to find out who the mother is.
dyton99 Reply to comment...
December 11, 2012 at 10:47AM ESTdyton99 I was thinking the same thing! I feel like Thomas and Bays want this to be the last season, so they're tanking the first half like Jack was doing to NBC on "30 Rock". Then, when they get the go-ahead that this is it, we'll get quality episodes the rest of the way. At least that's what I'm hoping. Otherwise, I have no explanation for why this show has gotten so bad.
December 11, 2012 at 10:51AM ESTEAS
December 11, 2012 at 10:24AM EST Reply to CommentMarshall's mom and Lily's dad hooking up is just creepy. I'm not sure what the show thinks it could possibly gain by introducing that storyline.
jenfullmoon I second that. Actually it's just that bad because Chris Elliot is a creepy human being, period, and I can't conceive of anyone wanting to nail him for any reason, no matter how desperate.
December 11, 2012 at 1:29PM ESTDwight Mannsburden I third it. Ugh, Chris Elliot in this role is icky
December 12, 2012 at 12:18PM ESTblue chris-mas You might not be able to conceive it Jenfullmoon, but it has definitely happened at least once because our world exists with former SNL cast member Abby Elliot...I wonder what the Rachel Maddow impersonator is up to these days?
December 12, 2012 at 12:48PM ESTNick Bond
December 11, 2012 at 10:25AM EST Reply to CommentI assumed that when they said "broke up with Victoria" it was referring to the most recent breakup, which would make more sense.
MLBS Same.
December 11, 2012 at 8:32PM ESTGraig
December 11, 2012 at 10:28AM EST Reply to CommentI assumed Ted dating the convict happened after the second time he dated Victoria. Maybe you are correct though.
Ben I assumed this as well. Season 1 Ted wouldn't do that but I would believe that current Ted recently dated the convict.
December 11, 2012 at 10:44AM ESTsepinwall This is a fair point. I guess my mind has just already tried to block out the existence of Ted/Victoria 2.0. Plus, she was much less angelic the second time around, which would make the over-correction less necessary than it would have been after "Nothing Good Happens After 2 A.M."
December 11, 2012 at 10:53AM ESTDarkdoug I actually thought that they were going to call Robin the over-correction to Victoria. On paper, she could be considered something of a "bad girl" what with the tomboy attributes, the guns, etc. Plus, the reluctance to start a relationship. I though that might get into some sort of character examination of Robin that might inspire changes or something that could motivate the eventual resumption of the relationship. I mean, this show USED to be character-driven, after all.
December 12, 2012 at 8:12AM ESTAnother thought is that they are not-so-cleverly setting us up for Robin to be the over-correction to Patrice, that after she and Barney split, he & Robin dive in too fast to a wedding. Maybe the whole whirlwind wedding in Farhampton is Patrice's dream thing, but she bails on Barney and Robin kind of clears her throat and step into her shoes after several more episodes of carrying the torch enough to get the other three on her side again.
Or maybe they are stretching it another 34 episodes.
Matt
December 11, 2012 at 10:43AM EST Reply to Commentwas that the worst episode yet? I think the show is firmly in the CBS style of cliche and broad attempts at humor that no one finds funny. It's in Two and A Half Men territory now
mrbilliam I wonder if Carter/Bays realize how broad their humor has become. Have an interviewers ever asked them about that? Usually interviews are about the plot of the show.
December 11, 2012 at 11:07AM ESTiris I agree and it has been for the last 3 or 4 seasons
December 17, 2012 at 6:22PM ESTMark S.
December 11, 2012 at 10:56AM EST Reply to CommentIn general the sheer quantity of Ted's stuff that was borrowed started going past silly and into funny again. And I did laugh when Barney pulled 3 ornaments out of a box marked as Ted's Christmas decorations, juggled them and then just dropped them when we went to answer the door.
eg: Mike Smith
December 11, 2012 at 11:05AM EST Reply to Commentworst episode of this show ever. and given the low levels of comedy that this show has had over the last 2 seasons that's saying a lot. one of the better shows on TV has become one of the least palatable. i didn't even chuckle once throughout the entire thing
ChampSkins
December 11, 2012 at 11:07AM EST Reply to CommentMaybe it was because recent episodes have been so bad... But I didn't really think this episode was bad. Outside of the cartoonish aspect of it, thought it was decent.
Also, weirdly, I enjoy robin's shrieking at Patrice. Its almost like the more she does it the more I find myself liking it.
Eric11 yeah, I'm with you.
December 11, 2012 at 11:56AM ESTI don't know why I don't hate the Robin and Patrice thing, but I don't.
And come on, Marshall doing his Fish routine and Dice Clay?!?!
Was I the only one to find that funny?
Guess so..
Mike I actually did appreciate Marshall as Dice, but the Patrice thing just doesn't work for me at all. If you want to do that, and have that type of character, than watch Parks and Rec and see how they treat Jerry... that's how you approach that type of character if you don't want to make Robin look like a terrible bitch for the way she treats her.
December 11, 2012 at 1:36PM ESTSteve It was Chris Rock, not Dice Clay.
December 11, 2012 at 7:28PM ESTAllan He did do a Dice impression and then Chris Rock.
December 11, 2012 at 9:22PM ESTsanalayla I thought the Robin/Patrice joke was funny in the beginning, when it was just snatches of scenes without much context. Now, the more we get to see Patrice and Robin's work life, it's getting rather odd. It doesn't seem like Patrice is a screw-up (like Jerry is on "Parks & Rec") and she doesn't seem to have a golden life (like Jerry). And it also doesn't seem like everyone else in the office is annoyed by Patrice. So this just makes Robin look like a "mean girl" who is a bully, as opposed to someone who has any legitimacy in her over the top and irrational anger.
December 12, 2012 at 10:27AM ESTThe Barney thing just seems like a redux of what they did with Nora and the stripper (can't remember her name). The only difference is that Robin has an existing annoyance with Patrice, so she's showing her anger/frustration as opposed to be zoned out most of the time like she was with Nora and the stripper. It's not fun to watch, though. It really isn't.
James
December 11, 2012 at 11:10AM EST Reply to CommentI hope that the show decides to push the Farhampton wedding to the end of next season JUST so Alan's loyalty can be tested. I seriously doubt his ability to walk away from this show at this point. While he may no longer comment on it, I WOULD BET EVERYTHING I OWN that he will still watch.
aflapr
December 11, 2012 at 11:18AM EST Reply to CommentI am afriad the whole Barney/Patrice thing is going to be written off as some "long con" that Barney and Patrice are in to get Barney together with Robin. This will either be excused/explained as Patrice's idea (since she is so endeared of Robin) or that Patrice willingly aided Barney for the same reason. Either way = ugh.
CB I think I agree. There was that scene where Barney and Patrice are talking on the balcony, and we can't hear what they're saying...I think maybe they were refining their strategy or something. Also, we never actually see Barney and Patrice make physical contact (no kissing or anything), which leads me to believe this is a fake relationship.
December 11, 2012 at 12:58PM ESTEric11
December 11, 2012 at 11:24AM EST Reply to CommentI thought it was definitively the best episode of the season. It has been a long time and very infrequent where the jokes and laughs are intertwined within that what is (IMO) usually boring and lame love, or otherwise, story lines (s).
but that is when HIMYM is at its best. When the jokes aren't separate one off laughs. When the storyline doesn't feel crammed in, or smushed. When the scenes are more ensemble, as opposed to the one-on-one love stuff. When they do all the throwbacks to the "inside jokes" from previous seasons. (I wish I knew more names of fish).
It just felt cohesive to me, and made me laugh a hell of a lot more than I normally do to this show, nowadays.
I don't care about the mother, I don't care about Robin and Barney, I care about laughing, and it did that.
And also, I cannot for the life of me tell you why, but I think it's funny when Robin yells at Patrice. It's so stupid and lame, but it makes me laugh is a silly way. I think Cobie Smulders is an underrated comedic actor too, fwiw.
Noah Body I agree! I really liked it, despite the usual (these days) broad humor. In general, I thought the jokes themselves were funnier than usual, but when Lilly was revealed to also be in Barney's closet, that pushed it up a notch in my book.
December 11, 2012 at 11:56AM ESTI also really liked Robin's line "I hope this is about my drinking."
Eric11 right.
December 11, 2012 at 12:00PM ESTyeah a lot of it was forced, but the Fish routine, the Red Boots, and an Intervention, (and also the Bro Code and the Playbook) all in one episode?
Eh. I enjoy when they go back to that sort of stuff.
Mike The problem with HIMYM being referential at this point is rather than making me reminisce positively, it just makes me sad about how the show used to be good to great, and now is without question the worst show I currently watch because I'm way too pot committed at this point.
December 11, 2012 at 1:39PM ESTEric11 well said, Mike. It really has a depressing nostalgia aspect to it.
December 11, 2012 at 1:44PM ESTAnd yes, I don't watch shows twice as good as this one! That's how bad it is (in relation to the majority of other TV shows I watch).
E. Skewghz This episode is kinda like life in general, when you spend your later years looking back at all the fun kooky stuff you did when you were younger and life was more fun. Happy holidays!
December 12, 2012 at 12:53PM ESTLoopyChew
December 11, 2012 at 11:26AM EST Reply to CommentI actually think Patrice will end up being considered the final piece of whatever causes Barney and Robin to get together. While I still find Robin yelling at Patrice funny for whatever reason, its funniness is bound to wear off soon. They'll probably start turning her into someone Robin genuinely appreciates (her delivery of "sisters fight!" makes me grin). On the AV Club, last week I suggested that Patrice will be a bridesmaid of not Maid of Honor for the Stinbatsky wedding, and I still stand by that.
The red cowboy boots are also still funny (to me; obviously Alan doesn't like it), and I really loved the commitment to the "Property of Ted Mosby" gag. Even if I didn't care for Ted's actual reaction to everything, seeing the "Property of Ted Mosby" label everywhere was amusing (particularly when we cut to Robin using his drill to break into Barney's apartment).
Dezbot Did his label maker also have a "Property of Ted Mosby" on it? I was giggling pretty hard when he found it and didn't notice. Also: Bart Simpson did it first.
December 11, 2012 at 12:00PM ESTAsh
December 11, 2012 at 11:29AM EST Reply to CommentI found it quite peculiar how they had so many references to past episodes in this one episode (interventions, red boots, Marshall's widowed mother, Barney's books, Marshall's fish standup routine etc) when maintaining continuity has been something of an oversight recently.
Also... Carter the Great might have been a real magician but I couldn't help but think the poster on Barney's wall was a little /too/ intentional. Surely Carter Bays didn't plant that? Or maybe I'm reading too much into it? :P
sepinwall The Carter poster has been there forever, and is a nod to both NPH/Barney's love of magic and to Carter Bays.
December 11, 2012 at 12:37PM ESTJaynee
December 11, 2012 at 11:40AM EST Reply to CommentI stopped watching this show last season, but happened to turn on last night's episode, and as I flipped away at the halfway point I thought, "Oh, that's right - THAT'S why I stopped watching this show." So sad - this was once one of my Monday night staples...
Tausif Khan
December 11, 2012 at 12:13PM EST Reply to CommentAgain really glad that they are writing more for Lily the show is much better for it.
I don't like Robin shrieking all the time at Patrice it is quite cartoonish and should not be used this frequently.
Greg
December 11, 2012 at 12:14PM EST Reply to CommentI don't understand why you still have hopes that HIMYM could become good again once the mother is introduced. Most of your complaints (that the show is now selling out characters and emotions in search for a laugh or that it became so incredibly broad that resembles Family Guy) are not mother-related, but simply the current state of the show.
jenfullmoon I dunno. I think a lot of their problems boil down to having to keep all of the characters (except Marshall and Lily) "on hold" for so very long. They're killing time and stalling and while they do that, things have been deteriorating.
December 11, 2012 at 1:31PM ESTI thought last night's show had a few good moments here and there, and did actually use continuity pretty well. But again, nobody cares about Patrice and I never liked the "Robin's rage object for no reason" thing anyway, so why bother? Just GET ON WITH IT, YOU GUYS.
Greg But the cartoonishness and broadness of the show are also unrelated to the stalling, which means that even if they stop stalling, that doesn't mean they will stop being cartoonish and broad. And besides, stalling doesn't explain why HIMYM has been so unfunny for so long. And I think this is the problem with the show. If it at least made us laugh, we could forgive its mistakes. But it's a comedy that can't even be funny anymore. So yeah, I just don't see how the unfunnyness of HIMYM can be repaired by introducing the mother or stop stalling. That can only happen if they replace the writing staff or at least the showrunners, which's what happened to The Office (a show that was far worse than HIMYM last season and it's currently much, much, much better than HIMYM's last 3 seasons).
December 11, 2012 at 3:14PM ESTStuckey
December 11, 2012 at 12:22PM EST Reply to CommentThe Robin stories the last 2 episodes have really been against character in my mind, more so than previous storylines for Robin. But Alan, I did find the Ted's stuff not being returned and labeled very funny. My wife and I laughed quite a bit at it, until it undercut the emotional beat when Barney burned the Playbook. And I'm sorry to disagree, but the red cowboy boots are funny and they only get mentioned once a season or so.
CB
December 11, 2012 at 1:00PM EST Reply to CommentDarn, I thought the jump line was going to be "...as soon as my bladder is as big as your betrayal."
val
December 11, 2012 at 2:45PM EST Reply to CommentI think this show jumped the shark two years ago.
belinda
December 11, 2012 at 4:05PM EST Reply to Commentfelt like a poor imitation of a frasier-esque farce episode. The set up was there, but the buildup was pretty poopy.
Dan
December 11, 2012 at 4:16PM EST Reply to CommentI thought it was a decent episode. I thought your intro would be, just as soon as I go to Bernie Man.
Ben
December 12, 2012 at 6:02AM EST Reply to CommentReally don't understand you. The best episode of the season so far and last week was also the best before.
Jonathan
December 12, 2012 at 11:08AM EST Reply to Comment2 points:
(1) I'll say it because it appears that Alan Sepinwall is too nice to say it and for some reason no one else has said it: The problem isn't that Patrice is annoying. The problem is that Patrice is really overweight. In all of the years we've known Barney he goes for very attractive women, and Patrice doesn't fit the mold. At all. It hasn't been mentioned on the show, hasn't been mentioned here, yet it's the elephant in the room. We are supposed to realize that Patrice isn't exactly his type, but the writers want us to think it's because she's over-the-top annoyingly kind to Robin. NO, it's because she's really big. I'm sorry for making this a point, but it is. I believe this is something that should be acknowledged on the show or at least in a critical review.
(2) The fact that the writers are saying they need to know NOW whether the show is coming back next season means that they plan on delaying the mother reveal until next season if it is returning. Otherwise they would proceed with normal shooting.
Stinkweed I think the point (not the "problem") is that Patrice is not Barney's usual type. Even with Nora and Quinn, he went for typically "hot" girls. This time around, he's gone for someone who's really just nice and sweet.
December 14, 2012 at 9:06AM ESTAnd for the record, not all guys think that "big" = "not attractive." Maybe it wasn't mentioned so far because no one else thought her weight was a detraction from her attractiveness.
Ian I agree Jonathan, in that it seems bizarre that Patrice's physical size exceeds believability in terms of Barney's known character traits (even with the understanding that her character is ostensibly about him "changing up" what he goes for. That could still have been done without requiring such a suspension of disbelief.)
December 15, 2012 at 9:06PM ESTAnd with respect to Stinkweed, Patrice--who seems more likeable than any of the main characters nowadays--nonetheless from a physical standpoint would be heavy-set even by Peter Paul Rubens standards. That "no one(!) else thought her weight detracted from her attractiveness" flies in the face of every understanding of the human psychology of sexual attraction that I've ever seen. She falls well outside the mean of what most people are likely attracted to with respect to body size. (It goes without saying that that has no bearing on either the actress or the character's worth).
stinkweed Perhaps the point was to show that Barney is actually growing and maturing past the need to only sleep with "hot" girls and that as a more mature man, he sees past the physical and to the truth that Patrice is "more likeable {sic} than any of the main characters."
December 16, 2012 at 11:48AM ESTMy statement that no one else thought her weight detracted from her attractiveness" was meant to point out that no one else in the thread had bothered to mention it. Maybe it was a non-issue to them, not them being "is too nice to say it" as Jonathan stated.
Ian I will grant that while I view Patrice/Barney as pushing the bounds of believability, it does nonetheless fit with the general trend of the show forgoing subtlety. (To bad it also goes with the trend of making all of them pretty self-centered, rotten people. So in that sense, I'm glad the Patrice thing at least goes against that...short lived as it'll most likely be. (Unless future Robin is wearing a bridesmaid dress and Patrice is marrying Barney; though I think that was ruled out).
December 16, 2012 at 6:13PM EST(Also, not important, but "likeable" isn't spelled wrong. At least in the US, it can be spelled either "likeable" or "likable.")
Ian Whoops. That should read "Too bad it's also concurrent with making them self-centered, rotten people..."
December 17, 2012 at 12:29PM ESTJoshua
December 12, 2012 at 2:37PM EST Reply to CommentI was just happy to know Stuart and Claudia have made it despite the difference in their attractiveness.
shichiroku
December 12, 2012 at 8:14PM EST Reply to CommentLike many others, I am only watching to see who the mother is. This show has not had a good episode since season 5. Guys, please do us a favor and end the misery. Make this the last season and just tell us who the mother is and end this show with some dignity.
geoff_rose
December 13, 2012 at 8:39PM EST Reply to Comment"...the smart, honest show it used to be and the cartoonish show it is now that's willing to sell out any character or emotion in search of a laugh..."
And that's why I follow your work, Alan. Perfectly said. Not overly mean, just honest and accurate.
jw2s
December 15, 2012 at 8:04PM EST Reply to CommentAgreed. Terrible episode. Just adding a vote for Robin's screaming as funny because she's just so funny doing it. They found gold and I don't mind how much they have taken advantage of it. It helps that Patrice is generally unfazed. If it hurt her feelings all the time, it would not be funny.
Barney going door to door is not funny. It's not only predictable, it's stupid (the first one didn't even close her door yet) and it's like he's panhandling for sex. I think the idea could have been pulled off in a much more lighthearted way and been fine.
The question is always "Do I want to hang out with these guys? Are these characters people I would want to drink and talk with?" At first, absolutely. For several seasons now, with few exceptions, no way. When Lily's dad is swishing water and talking about leaks, I actually found myself liking him for about 3 seconds because he broke a little and smiled genuinely and appeared to be having a really good time. That is so appealing! If more of the characters did that more often, I would enjoy right along with them. All the closet hiding farce elements were cute but in the first few seasons, there's no way they would have escaped without Barney catching them.
I also really hoped that when the playbook was found, Barney had confessed that he was sleeping around even to this day, and was just using Patrice for revenge on Robin... and then Patrice would say that's ok, I'm enjoying our time together extra because I know I'm torturing Robin and she's treated me like crap long enough... and then they'd agree that it's a good thing they never kiss or have sex, because that could make this difficult, and smile and skip off together.
Not only would that be a nice twist, but then Robin would be able to say SEE, GUYS? and they would all be flabbergasted that it was true all along.
But then we wouldn't get the intervention. I do think the intervention, although absolutely predictable, was suddenly, for just one moment, the show we love. It was as though that one scene were cut out of an episode from several seasons ago. It had heart and was funny and was real and had love.