7.3/10. Ahhh, Marshall and Lily are the best. At some point, I suppose I'll get tired of their storylines that typically follow the same trajectory -- there's some issue affecting young couples (e.g., what to name a baby/what gender the baby should be), Marshall and Lily disagree about it (raising girls who'd be seen as sexual beings would be uncomfortable/all the worst kindergarteners are boys), they scheme to get their way (pickled herring and ice bath vs. lemons and hairdryer), and eventually they figure each other out, reaffirm their love for one another, and realize they'll be happy with whatever happens as long they're together. It's a formula now, but a reliable one, and the comedy of bits like Marshall's dad's enthusiasm or the physical comedy of the two of their pre-coital routines helps carry it, and the well-developed rapport between the two characters makes it work.
I'm less high on Robin's little girl vs. being a responsible adult part of the episode, but I really like the idea of what they're exploring, so it gets a pass. From looking at how weird the phrase "who's your daddy" is, to guys finding the helpless naif routine sexy while Barney's little boy shtick is offputting, to the entire idea women like Robin being capable can make it harder for them to be a desirable mate, the episode does a good job at highlighting all these various double standards, which dovetails nicely into Marshall fondly remembering singing a ballad about his crush's behind, but recoils at the thought of boys doing the same with his daughter). As has been the case generally so far this season, the show isn't exactly subtle about it, and the humor is pretty broad, which drags it down a bit, but there's a lot of meat on the bone and the show has fun chewing on it, so much of it works.
It is nice to see another human moment between Robin and Barney. I've never been on board with the two of them as a romantic pairing really, but moments like these, where Barney seems like an actual person and shows why he would appreciate Robin in a way that even the romantic Ted wouldn't help to at least lay the groundwork for why they would ever date. It's still a really tricky balance when Barney's a cartoon character in the rest of the episode, but I at least appreciate the way they do these little things to explain why the two of them could at least conceivably be compatible, even if it requires some handwaving in terms of character development.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2016-06-09T17:09:31Z
7.3/10. Ahhh, Marshall and Lily are the best. At some point, I suppose I'll get tired of their storylines that typically follow the same trajectory -- there's some issue affecting young couples (e.g., what to name a baby/what gender the baby should be), Marshall and Lily disagree about it (raising girls who'd be seen as sexual beings would be uncomfortable/all the worst kindergarteners are boys), they scheme to get their way (pickled herring and ice bath vs. lemons and hairdryer), and eventually they figure each other out, reaffirm their love for one another, and realize they'll be happy with whatever happens as long they're together. It's a formula now, but a reliable one, and the comedy of bits like Marshall's dad's enthusiasm or the physical comedy of the two of their pre-coital routines helps carry it, and the well-developed rapport between the two characters makes it work.
I'm less high on Robin's little girl vs. being a responsible adult part of the episode, but I really like the idea of what they're exploring, so it gets a pass. From looking at how weird the phrase "who's your daddy" is, to guys finding the helpless naif routine sexy while Barney's little boy shtick is offputting, to the entire idea women like Robin being capable can make it harder for them to be a desirable mate, the episode does a good job at highlighting all these various double standards, which dovetails nicely into Marshall fondly remembering singing a ballad about his crush's behind, but recoils at the thought of boys doing the same with his daughter). As has been the case generally so far this season, the show isn't exactly subtle about it, and the humor is pretty broad, which drags it down a bit, but there's a lot of meat on the bone and the show has fun chewing on it, so much of it works.
It is nice to see another human moment between Robin and Barney. I've never been on board with the two of them as a romantic pairing really, but moments like these, where Barney seems like an actual person and shows why he would appreciate Robin in a way that even the romantic Ted wouldn't help to at least lay the groundwork for why they would ever date. It's still a really tricky balance when Barney's a cartoon character in the rest of the episode, but I at least appreciate the way they do these little things to explain why the two of them could at least conceivably be compatible, even if it requires some handwaving in terms of character development.