How I Met Your Mother: Best Episode Yet

I'm practically jimping, that's how good that episode was. Seriously, it was like head and shoulders above any episode thus far this season. There are several factors that contributed to this. I will take each in turn:

1. The believable yet slightly absurd but always hilarious plot. Lily and Marshall get into an argument over washing the dishes that spirals into an argument about a whole bunch of other stuff. Realistic? Yes. Hilarious? Yes. Robin and Barney do very weird things to stop themselves from arguing. (Barney abruptly walks out of the room, and Robin takes off her clothes.) Realistic? A little bit, although their methods are extreme. Hilarious? Yes. Also, I loved the juxtaposition of these two couples: one so good at being in a relationship that it's sickening versus one just starting out that has a lot of roadblocks to normalcy in its way. It was nice to see everyone make up in the end.

2. The newly-invented term. From this evening's episode, it was "playing the bagpipes," a euphemism for having sex very loudly, and "new relationship smugness," thinking your new relationship is better than all others. Based on the quality of the episode, I think they will quickly join the ranks of "reading a magazine," Old King Clancy, Lemon Law, and last but not least The Hot-Crazy Scale.

3. The inside jokes. At one point in the episode, Ted and Marshall make a slap bet. Now, you may remember that there was a running slap bet between Marshall and Barney that started back in season two--you know, right around the time that this happened. It was nice to see that concept brought up again.

4. The fast paced dialogue. Seriously, tonight felt like a joke-a-minute episode, but not in a way that felt rushed, but in a way that makes me want to go back and watch the episode over and over and over again.

So for me those are the four criteria for a fantastic HIMYM episode and tonight we saw all of them in play. And in case you were wondering, I totally side with Lily. Dirty dishes go right in the dishwasher, leaving them in the sink attracts flies.

I will leave you with some quotes:

"Hell I've forgotten more about microwaving fat-free popcorn and watching Sandra Bullock movies than you'll ever know."--Marshall to Barney.

'You can't fight if you're not there, that's what Gandhi taught us." "Well that's not true."--Barney and Ted

"Call me crazy." "Crazy."--Marshall and Ted. HAHAHAHAHA.

"There are so many great things to do with the human mouth, why waste it on talking."--Barney. UP TOP.

"You're right, I'll do the dishes....right after I do this."--Lily to Barney is his fantasy (which kind of sounds like my fantasy, except maybe we both wash the dishes. Ok, fine I wash the dishes because I know she won't do it right. There, happy now?)

"Barney...with his crazy well thought out theories that probably might work."--Marshall about Barney

'We spent the whole weekend cuddling by the fire. No black diamonds, but a lot of red hearts."--Robin. This is when I threw up. Just FYI.

"It's like Gandhi said, smile don't cost nothing sugar." "I'm not sure you know who Gandhi is."--Barney and Ted

"I knew you were lying. You've got to wake up pretty early to slip one by the T-Mos." "Stop it."--Ted and Robin. Don't worry T-Mos, V-Dog approves of the nickname.

"You're dirty, maybe I should leave you in the sink."--Lily to Marshall. You can leave me in the sink anytime, Lil. Oh yeah, UP TOP.

How I Met Your Mother: Feeling Out of Place Never Looked This Funny

Ah yes, here it is: a wonderful, gleeful, very funny episode of How I Met Your Mother. Yet again, this show seems to have a direct link into my brain: tonight's episode was all about feeling out of place in your own life, something I've been feeling a bit lately. For Robin, this means considering having to give up her Canadian citizenship, i.e., the very core of her identity. For Ted, it means realizing that your bro trips will never be the same as they were when you were 19, except for the violent stomachaches after bad pizza. The meaty plot, coupled with some very funny jokes, made for my favorite episode of the season thus far. Let's look at what worked:

Robin studies to become an American citizen. This was funny because (1) we got to see Robin act Canadian, A LOT. I love Canadian Robin. Especially drunk, I-will-fight-you Canadian Robin. (2) We got to see Barney teach her to be an American. My favorite lesson? Holding up a picture of Queen Elizabeth II and telling her it was Elton John. Priceless, and not really that much of a stretch. (3) We got to GO TO CANADA. More specifically Toronto. Even more specifically a Tim Hortons. I love Tim Hortons. And I love that we finally got to see a Tim Hortons, because Robin always talks about them. And they are great. (4) Curling, Canadian money, hockey......do I really need to go on? I want Robin to take a trip home with Barney to meet her parents. That would be funny. (5) Robin thinks being American is basically being mean and telling people what to do....basically act like drunk Canadian Robin.

Marshall brings Lily on the bros trip. Don't get me wrong, I like being single, but I get where Ted is coming from. Sometimes you don't want to feel like the third wheel to someone else's relationship. It's a little demoralizing, especially when your trip full of energy drinks and beef jerky turns into massages at Crumpet Manor (I will get to that later). Additionally, the fact that Lily needs to pee constantly is pretty damn funny. Also, that book on tape would make me want to kill myself. Loved the gross pizza place they went to and the stomachaches they got afterward, especially when Marshall screamed "CUT IT OUT!" I've been there, and it's not pleasant.

Crumpet Manor. Marshall and Lily would go to a place like that. Cornmeal massages, a wishing well, a bench to sit on. The place sounds like it should be a stop on the next version of Candyland. Also, love the fact that all the pampering made lulled Lily into an almost comatose-like state.

Tantrum. One word: TANTRUM!! Excuse me while I go do push ups in the kitchen.

THE SONG. You know the one I'm talking about. The one about when I wake up. The one involving me knowing I'm gonna be, I'm gonna be the man the man who wakes up next to you. CAUSE I WOULD WALK 500 MILES AND I WOULD WALK 500 MORE JUST TO BE THE MAN WHO WALKS A THOUSAND MILES AND SHOWS UP AT YOUR DOOR. BA DA DA DA. BA DA DA DA. DUM DIDDLE LA DIDDLE LA DIDDLE LA DA DA. Come on, you know you were singing along too. And you loved it. Every minute of it.

Lily has an iPhone. Nothing else really here except that I love my iPhone so much and was looking for an excuse to say it.

There really was nothing I disliked about this episode, it was all great. I will leave with you the quotes:

"We were like Lewis and Clark, if Lewis and Clark peed in a soda bottle and had a bong made out of a cantaloupe."--Ted

'Tantrum!"--Ted

"We'll stay up all night. I'll drill you, then I'm gonna help you study."--Barney. UP TOP.

"Punch buggy yellow. Yellow. That reminds me I have to pee."--Lily

'Let's go buy something that's bad for us, then sue the people that made it. That's American, Robin."--Barney

"Now to prove you are American as apple pie and the childhood obseity it leads to...""--Barney

"Maybe I'll rob a liquor store, maybe I won't, my choice."--Robin, being American

"Learn English!"--Robin trying to be American and yelling at a cab.

"Oh my god what happened last night?" "You went Canadian."--Robin and Barney, as he finds her in a trashed hotel room in Toronto.