Welcome to a new Sitcom Tuesday! This week, I’m continuing my coverage of How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014, CBS), which is currently available on DVD and streaming.

How I Met Your Mother stars JOSH RADNOR as Ted Mosby, JASON SEGEL as Marshall Eriksen, COBIE SMULDERS as Robin Scherbatsky, NEIL PATRICK HARRIS as Barney Stinson, and ALYSON HANNIGAN as Lily Aldrin.

Season Five is my favorite post-Three collection. Although some critics at the time rightfully recognized that the show was now having to stall its development of the main narrative about how Ted met the mother of his future kids, I think this year is actually better than Four at engaging the premise on a regular basis. And that’s not only via more storytelling devices that inherently remind us of the unreliable narrator framework, but also in the stories themselves, with more rom-com dating plots for Ted, and at least one single burst of forward momentum that’s greater than anything we’ve observed yet. Thus, Five is more series-specific satisfying situation comedy to me, honoring the most important part of this high-concept series’ situation — its premise. And there are indeed a handful of classics as a result of this correct narrative emphasis… Concurrently, it’s perhaps not a great year for the characters — especially those at the crux of Four’s big dramatic tease: Barney and Robin, whose coupling at the beginning of Five looks to poise both for motivated growth that validates their pairing, capably demonstrating why Robin might be more suited for Barney than Ted. But that’s short-lived, for then the show doesn’t want (or know how) to write them as a couple and opts to split them in a hasty, ham-fisted, out-of-nowhere November Sweeps excursion, quickly negating everything that had been built up in Four. What’s more, Barney seems to regress after the split, going back to an extreme version of his bachelor ways that, to an extent, does enable some big-laugh half hours in evidence of his clearly defined personality, yet still feels like a letdown to both his character and the audience, given how much narrative energy was put into setting up this arc. Having it fizzle so abruptly, and with seemingly little consequence, makes it all appear for naught, abandoning the potential that was developing… Of course, the last four seasons will — to their eventual detriment — go about re-justifying Barney/Robin and asking us to root for them, but I can see how Five would disappoint, for them, compared to the promise of Four. And without any of the other leads brilliantly explored in story either, I’d say this probably ends up being a better year for the high concept than the elements of the low. But, again, there’s still decent sitcommery here based on the series’ designed priorities, as proven by this strong list.

 

01) Episode 89: “Definitions” (Aired: 09/21/09)

Lily forces Barney and Robin to define their relationship while Ted starts teaching.

Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas | Directed by Pamela Fryman

Season Five opens with a premiere that directly explores the series’ two current plot threads — its overarching premised narrative about how Ted met the mother of his kids, and the burgeoning romance set up in Four between Robin and Barney, two serial daters heretofore disinclined to seek serious attachments. And on the latter front — “Definitions” is satisfying, as Lily (in a great use of her own character and how she’s positioned within the group) demands that the two lovers stop evading a conversation where they actually define their relationship and agree to some type of tangible commitment. Accordingly, we can already see how the very nature of being together mutually forces both Barney and Robin into uncomfortable scenarios where they’re comedically and dramatically challenged, thus encouraging personal triumph and growth. It’s actually promising, and starts to make the case for, hey, even though the pilot was clear that Ted/Robin were intended as an emotional tentpole (despite her NOT being The Mother, the announced focus of the high-concept premise), she and Barney might be more correctly matched. So, this is a window into what this arc suggests — and it never delivers as much in Five as it does in this opener… As for said high concept, this outing essentially reveals that last year’s tease about Ted’s new teaching career bringing him to The Mother was really just cliffhanger bait, for we learn that she’s in his class, yes… but it’s just a one-off and he never truly meets her there, thereby kicking the proverbial can further down the road and setting Five up to look, like Four, as if it’s deliberately prolonging and therefore sidelining its premised necessities. Of course, while this maybe feels egregious, I think Five proves to give us more narratively and thematically affiliated ideas than Four did, as we’ll see below.

02) Episode 90: “Double Date” (Aired: 09/28/09)

Ted goes out on a blind date with a woman he actually blind dated seven years prior.

Written by Matt Kuhn | Directed by Pamela Fryman

This solid but underrated half hour is a textbook example of Mother and a favorable ambassador for this season. There’s a big-laugh idea-driven B-story that evokes the series’ desired comedic sensibilities, setting up a fun doppelgänger running gag that Five is able to effectively use down the stretch to reinforce its continuity and establish larger arc-based concerns. It’s paired well here with a smart A-story that, okay, doesn’t directly bring Ted closer to The Mother but is a rom-com notion where Ted goes on a date, and the series can engage both narratively and thematically with the kind of fodder that its premise implies it’ll follow: Ted’s complicated romantic journey. What’s more, this installment has him going out on a date with someone (Lindsay Sloane) whom he once dated seven years prior, thereby allowing the entry to cut back and forth in time and juxtapose the two encounters — an interesting spotlight on the series’ storytelling, which has often been ostentatious like this in reflection of its high concept, stemming from an unreliable narrator whose way of telling a tale opens up opportunities to bounce around chronologically, in accordance with the manner in which one might spin a long-form yarn. This is a simple sample of what the show should be on a regular basis, in turn evidencing how Five is slightly more aware (than Four) of its need to acknowledge the premise.

03) Episode 91: “Robin 101” (Aired: 10/05/09)

Ted gives Barney tips on how to be a good boyfriend to Robin.

Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas | Directed by Pamela Fryman

From my understanding, there have always been mixed feelings in the Mother fandom about Barney and Robin’s coupling, both because of how this romance threatens to tamp down on his comedically bold characterization (one of the most enjoyable aspects of the series in terms of its low-concept elements), and also because of just how much emphasis has heretofore been afforded the Ted/Robin relationship, going back to the expectations-establishing pilot. That is, if Ted/Robin are what we’re supposed to care about, then Barney/Robin should naturally feel like a time-wasting diversion. However, future seasons after Five will make Robin/Barney look inevitable through their elongated multi-year lead-up to a wedding that’s framed as the duo’s shared happy ending — wearing down skeptics — and since we also know that Robin is not The Mother, which means Ted has another great love of his life coming, it becomes increasingly okay to accept Robin/Barney and perhaps even prefer their pairing. Five doesn’t commit to that point yet though, and to be fair, it has more active things to do in moving Robin beyond Ted, as this offering — with its “rules” structure and deployment of a “Robin 101” dossier (which feels very much in the named idea-driven gag-based ethos of Mother) — smartly uses its A-story to accomplish, proving that Ted/Robin was necessary for her to get to Barney/Robin, with a continuity here that flatters both relationships and these three characters.

04) Episode 96: “The Playbook” (Aired: 11/16/09)

Robin steals Barney’s Playbook of different tactics to seduce women.

Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas | Directed by Pamela Fryman

My choice for this year’s Most Valuable Episode (MVE), “The Playbook” is one of the most enjoyable half hour displays of How I Met Your Mother’s identity in actual practice, boasting a jokey and laugh-focused Barney-led plot that’s imaginatively arranged in reflection of the high-concept premise via storytelling devices enabled by an unreliable narrator. And with an episodic fetishization of a named piece of trivia — Barney’s eponymous “Playbook” — which speaks to the show’s micro idea-driven leanings (mirroring its macro interests of the same stripe), this installment is probably the most fun, memorable encapsulation of what the series is and wants to be outside of the “how Ted met The Mother” plot it’s otherwise structurally obligated to cover. In other words, this is a show that celebrates so much of what Mother is apart from the premise itself, emphasizing its most comedic character in a story that’s fundamentally reliant on the particulars of his depiction: his babe-hound proclivities and the ordered, business-like way he approaches such pursuits, with a formal list of tactics that then also provides license for this sample to follow a special narrative template, as it can then bounce around in time… just like a narrator going off on tangents or providing incidental anecdotes to a long-form tale. Accordingly, although its subject matter might not be about Ted and the high concept, that foundation feels addressed on a subliminal level given how this story is told — in a manner that this situation allows and even encourages as part of its self-expression, revealing one of the main things that genuinely makes the series unique. This uniqueness is harder to find in Mother’s low-concept world beyond the well-established Barney and this kind of idea-driven details (like his “Playbook”), both of which are spotlighted in this flattering excursion that embodies the best of what Mother can be on a regular, more casual basis — without the crutch of any on-the-nose plot movement related to the premise. And best of all, said premise doesn’t feel ignored either, for, again, it’s there implicitly, rendering this a fine bit of series-specific sitcommery.

05) Episode 100: “Girls Vs. Suits” (Aired: 01/11/10)

Ted dates the roommate of his future kids’ mom while a girl asks Barney to stop wearing suits.

Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas | Directed by Pamela Fryman

The series’ 100th aired entry, “Girls Vs. Suits” is another classic that would have also made a compelling MVE, as it not only plays up the charms of Barney Stinson — this show’s most comedically defined and individually fruitful character for idea-generation — but also because it more explicitly engages the high-concept premise in story (not just storytelling), as Ted has his closest brush yet with the future mother of his children. The effect of that last point can’t be overstated — the series’ entire situation, and what makes it unique in this overcrowded ensemble hangout subgenre, hinges around its promised intent to follow how the central character met his forthcoming partner, whose identity is deliberately kept a mystery. And that’s been, as we’ve seen, a difficult thing for the show to keep addressing in weekly plot, so to have a development on this foundational topic is intrinsically thesis-fulfilling. And it’s cleverly handled here too, with 2030 Ted telling us that the woman 2010 Ted is dating (Rachel Bilson) is the roommate of his kids’ eventual mom. That’s a tease allowed by a narrator like Ted, who plants intel when it makes sense in the plot and/or elevates the entertainment value, keeping the listener compelled. There’s also a payoff that accentuates the series’ prized continuity — via the yellow umbrella, an object of established import that was entered into evidence years ago. It finally comes back when Ted leaves it in The Mother’s apartment — crossing paths with her by giving back what he unknowingly took, not actually meeting her but still satisfying the premise with this stated proximity. So, with a narrative that honors exactly what this series promises to be, and a Barney subplot that highlights the comic juice of the show’s strongest character, this is a gem. In fact, if not for the extraneous musical number — a gaudy device NOT enabled by the narrator framework and thus more gimmicky than situation-supported (a sign of strain I don’t love in Five) — it would have been my MVE. It’s up there with the series’ best.

06) Episode 102: “Perfect Week” (Aired: 02/01/10)

Barney tries to have a perfect week — seven days of sexual conquests with no rejections.

Written by Craig Gerard & Matthew Zinman | Directed by Pamela Fryman

Another showcase for Neil Patrick Harris’ Barney, the series’ funniest and best-defined character, this offering is not quite a classic like the few above. Although it employs a unique narrative structure in which Barney recounts the events of his week to a fantasy version of Jim Nantz in extension of a sports analogy that runs throughout the half hour (equating Barney’s conquests to athleticism), I think it’s also an example of Five pushing beyond premise-sanctioned disruptions of the traditional linear form for something that’s simply gimmicky and not as well-motivated by the high concept itself. In other words, the storytelling here is ostentatious… but not in a way that reiterates the notion of Ted telling a story about mother-meeting while being an unreliable narrator. Nevertheless, it is a funny episode that sets up a natural template — the week — as it follows Barney’s efforts to score with a different woman every night, minus any rejections. That’s an ordered manifestation of his character, displaying the kind of comic sensibilities that reflect the series’ general ethos. Also, I highlight “Perfect Week” because it’s the perfect representation of how quickly Barney, after his relationship with Robin, goes back to his old habits… with less emotional continuity than expected.

07) Episode 103: “Rabbit Or Duck” (Aired: 02/08/10)

Ted asks Marshall and Lily to set him up while Robin tries to decide if she likes her co-anchor.

Written by Carter Bays & Craig Thomas | Directed by Pamela Fryman

With a basic rom-com story where Ted asks Lily and Marshall to arrange a marriage for him, this outing feels like it upholds the premise and is inherently satisfying on those terms. However, I also love this script’s use of a central debate — the rabbit or the duck? — which is all about individual perspective, and that’s an important theme for Mother as a series, given that it’s ostensibly one long story being told by an unreliable narrator who is limited by his own point-of-view and selective about when he wants to be objectively big-picture in scope or when he wants to stay in the moment and mirror past Ted’s headspace during the recounted action. That is, when the characters here in this entry settle on the distinction between ducks (viable love interests) and rabbits (not viable love interests) and discuss how they differ, the show is also spotlighting some of its innate dramatic tension with the premised mother pursuit A-story, where some women are ducks and some are rabbits. In that regard, this is a great and actually pretty sophisticated subject matter, reflecting the series’ identity in a mature, thoughtful way. Additionally, the Barney subplot is very funny and fitting for his character, and I appreciate the continuity of the returning Naked Man stunt, which Robin’s new beau tries out on her here.

08) Episode 105: “Of Course” (Aired: 03/08/10)

Barney attempts to pick up a relationship self-help author trying out her own tactics on him.

Written by Matt Kuhn | Directed by Pamela Fryman

After Season Three’s stunt casting of Britney Spears, the show has now opened itself up to periodic gimmickry of the same type, and this year has more than a few big names. Now, fear not — we’ve not reached Will & Grace levels of ostentatious, situation-irrelevant cameos, but this episode does boast Jennifer Lopez. She’s, fortunately, moderately funny in her role as the author of a series of self-help books that tell women how they can play hard-to-get in order to snare a noncommittal bachelor into marriage. And she’s paired well with Barney, as the two have their own playbooks — literally! — that they’re attempting to use against each other. What a great display of his character! More than that though, I love the reveal that she’s actually been tasked with targeting Barney by Robin, who is resentful of how Barney was able to quickly move on following their split. Huzzah! There’s finally some emotional continuity for this major narrative arc that once promised a lot of introspection and evolution for these two characters. I’d have preferred to see more of that earlier, but to be fair, this re-contextualization of Robin’s perspective over the last several months is fitting for Mother’s complicated yet premise-approved style of storytelling, rendering this still a smart, winning sample of the series. A favorite.

09) Episode 106: “Say Cheese” (Aired: 03/22/10)

Lily is fed up with all the random girlfriends Ted has brought around the group over the years.

Written by Robia Rashid | Directed by Pamela Fryman

With a story that’s about Ted’s difficult romantic life and acknowledges the deep history shared by the regulars both during the series and before it, “Say Cheese” is a strong play for the premise and these characters. Not only is it rooted in the continuity of friendship between Ted and Lily (especially), it’s also revealing, as new details are filled in that help provide a greater, richer context to their bond. What’s more, the topic is exactly right — Ted has gone through many girlfriends, a lot of them have been very briefly around — and that speaks both to his elemental and ongoing pursuit of love, but also to the show’s very raison d’être, which revolves around the long journey it takes him to find the woman with whom he’ll eventually settle down and have kids. This half hour self-consciously makes comedic and dramatic hay out of how drawn out and episodic this exploration of that premise has been, with support both from the characters and their relationships, along with many nested flashbacks that reinforce the series’ uniquely earned storytelling. And it’s therefore a smart display of so many aspects of Mother’s situation — an individual entry that reflects the whole. (Laura Prepon appears again.)

10) Episode 111: “The Wedding Bride” (Aired: 05/17/10)

Ted realizes that Stella’s husband wrote a movie based on Ted being left at the altar.

Written by Stephen Lloyd | Directed by Pamela Fryman

The amusing Judy Greer is Ted’s love interest du jour in this excursion, which deals heavy-handedly but nevertheless effectively with the appropriate rom-com subject matter of emotional baggage, visually personified in a quirky yet literal bit of imaginative fancy that signals the series’ broadening idea-driven scope with regard to gimmicks. Again though, it’s a correct theme for a show with this topic and style, and it works well inside a plot that is indeed about Ted’s own past romantic failures — namely, his ill-fated relationship with Stella that culminated in him being essentially left at the altar. With that earning this baggage talk, there’s a dramatic cohesiveness here that feels well-planned and indicates a micro version of the macro command on long-form narrative that Mother almost guarantees given its premise. To put it another way, this feels like a representation of what the show is, fundamentally… beyond merely the plot and plot devices that are telling us explicitly. Now, sure, the satire of Ted’s life in the “film” written by Stella’s husband offers easy yuks — we’ve seen this type of sanctioned self-parody before on other sitcoms; it’s nothing new — but it’s not to the distraction of what’s explored in this, one of the purest one-off, self-contained premise-based samples from the show’s middle trimester. (Jason Lewis, Malin Akerman, and Chris Kattan appear in the adaptation of Ted and Stella’s story.)

 

Other notable episodes include: “Doppelgangers,” the pensive season finale that has some narrative contrivances but is capably introspective about the leads and their growth up to now, along with “Slapsgiving 2: Revenge Of The Slap,” which introduces Chris Elliott as Lily’s dad and continues the Mother-unique “slap bet” running gag, “The Window,” a solid rom-com entry where Ted has another potential mother prospect, and “Home Wreckers,” where Ted doesn’t get closer to meeting the mother of his kids but does buy the house in which he will raise them and tell this long-form tale. I’ll also take this space to cite “The Sexless Innkeeper” and the Carrie Underwood-featuring “Hooked,“ which both offer examples of named social phenomena that encapsulate the series’ special comic sensibilities in its idea-driven episodic storytelling, and both “Jenkins” and “Robots Vs. Wrestlers,” which lack comparable specificity with regard to character or premise but are amusing and agreeable.

 

*** The MVE Award for the Best Episode from Season Five of How I Met Your Mother goes to…

“The Playbook”

 

 

Come back next week for Season Six! And stay tuned tomorrow for a new Wildcard!