photo: cbs
Field Trip
Original Air Date: Oct 10, 2011
Caitlin – Associate Staff Writer
caitlin@thetwocentscorp.com
For me, tonight’s episode of HIMYM was divided into two parts- the stuff I liked, specifically Ted’s and Marshall’s storylines, and what I was indifferent about, specifically everything involving romantic relationships.
Yes, that’s relationships with an “s”, because Robin ends up dating Kevin. Her therapist Kevin. They at least get those issues out of the way, but maybe you can sense some reason for my lack of enthusiasm.
Initially Robin and Kevin seem to be getting along as patient and therapist, but then he runs out on her, eventually revealing it’s because he likes her. They decide they can’t be together even if he’s not counseling her, but they start out eating together and things go from there. Meanwhile, Ted is taking his class on an architecture field trip. At least, he’s trying to. The trip begins with them being locked from his building site.
Much of this episode revolves around Ewoks, those teddy-bear like creatures from Star Wars. Marshall is given reason to believe his boss, Garrison Koots, is soft (like a teddy), but has faith he’ll turn out fierce where it counts (like an Ewok). This theory does not prove true. After Barney learns that Nora doesn’t like Ewoks, he decides she must be 37 (don’t ask) and that he needs to break up with her.
Ted drags his class across New York with increasing desperation, taking them to his apartment, to look at windows, and eventually to be used as poll subjects. As Marshall watches his firm celebrating getting far too little money from evil planet-killers, he’s eventually goaded into confronting Garrison. Garrison responds by telling him the whole world is doomed anyway. He’s just a bit creepy.
Everyone’s depressed and Ted’s poor class is at the bar just to watch him drink. But then one of the students was inspired anyway and everything changes. Marshall brings a picture of his and Lily’s ultrasound to his boss, managing to convince him there’s hope for the future. Barney tells Nora he likes her even if she’s 37, which of course she isn’t. And Robin decides that if she and Kevin can be vulnerable with each other, they can be together. I’m not sure how I feel about those last two.
I feel like I’m hating any relationship for Barney and Robin that isn’t them being together, but I’m not sure dating someone who stops being your therapist just to date you is better than actually dating your therapist, and fast-forwarding through all their initial dates took away from Robin and Kevin’s chemistry. As for Barney and Nora, since he ended up deciding her age didn’t matter, why have him almost break up with her over it in the first place?
No matter my feelings, these two will be together a bit, so I hope they have something happen between them that isn’t him lying to her or doubting her and making up for it last-minute. Lily needs more storylines, too. But please don’t think I disliked the whole episode! Its namesake, the field trip, was great fun, and I’m loving Marshall in his new place of work. Overall, things were good- they just felt a bit more like filler than a lot of recent episodes.
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I loved Marshall’s line about “Breakfast Club edited for TBS”… I actually made a joke about slipping her the “hot wild affection” last week. Classic.
I read an interview with CS about how she starts dating Kevin and how it just HAPPENS. Apparently they’re going to go backwards to show it all (sort of like with the “mother”) but we’re supposed to just go along with it. I personally love it and their chemistry works. It’s Kal Penn, after all! I really enjoyed their breakfast dates. Super cute.
Barney bothered me all episode long. And what was that facial hair Ted had going? LOL
My female therapist and I really hit it off, but we can’t hang out and be just friends for two years after therapy ended. We were discussing why that was (it’s a therapy rule or psychiatrist law or something), and I was explaining it was the very reason Kal, excuse me, Kevin, was telling Robin about being vulnerable. So I just kept yelling, “Two years!” at the screen whenever they talked about it. Although I’m older than 37, I didn’t see the SW trilogy when they first came out, and I’m not all that fond of Ewoks either. Not sure how Barney’s charts work. Not sure I liked Barney this ep, either. At least he’s still wearing the tie.