photo: cbs
Tick, Tick, Tick…
Original Air Date: Nov 14, 2011
Caitlin – Associate Staff Writer
caitlin@thetwocentscorp.com
Last week’s episode got more comments than I’ve ever gotten for a recap of anything, so needless to say, what happened last week was a big deal. And for better or for worse- probably the latter- it gets bigger tonight.
As I said, I was thrilled about last week’s developments regarding Barney and Robin. Still, that doesn’t mean what they did was right. And an emotional, spontaneous moment of kissing in a cab is one thing…
…Having sex is quite another. Barney and Robin are both regretful, but they can’t decide what this means. They also agree not to confess to anyone. This, folks, is a Very Bad Idea. At the work event they have to go to with Nora and Kevin, they avoid their feelings and continue to lie. They’re haunted by their own consciences and, for some reason, the entertainment. What issue is taking up Ted and Marshall’s time during all this? A “sandwich”. You remember “sandwiches”, right? They don’t want to tell Lily what they’re…eating at the concert they all go to, but she finds out, and makes them get her nachos in return.
As Ted and Marshall go in search of foodstuffs, we find out that these “sandwiches” were made with something special. They get in line for a ladies room multiple times, run away from a man with a guitar, and lap the arena like athletes. Barney and Robin finally come to their senses and try (“try” being the operative word) to tell their significant others what they’ve done. When their first attempts fail, though, Barney says he knows they both still have feelings for each other and maybe it’s all a sign. They’ll confess for real and meet up later. And then Kevin says “I love you” while Nora’s parents show up early. Bad timing is becoming a theme for them.
Ted eventually gets some nachos from the guitar guy, but he and Marshall are both convinced they’re doomed to be lost forever until Lily finally finds them two long minutes later. But what remains for the star-crossed lovers? Barney finally decides to tell Nora the truth, even with her parents there. His admission that it wasn’t just a fling seals their fate. Robin, however, is seconds from confession when Kevin says he doesn’t want to know the truth about any of her past transgressions. He’s kind and romantic, and he shows up with her to McLaren’s at midnight. Later, Ted finds Barney cleaning up the rose petals he had waiting for her.
Now, both Barney and Robin both deserved some pain after what they did to their partners. But they deserved that pain from Kevin and Nora. Now Robin is not only still lying to Kevin, she’s probably leading both him and herself on by falling for everything he said to her. And Barney, who actually did do the right thing eventually, is probably as heartbroken as we’ve ever seen him. Maybe the writers thought we wanted to feel like we’d been kicked in the gut again after Marshall’s father’s death last season? If so, they did very well in their efforts, at least for me. I know not everyone’s a shipper, though. At least Ted and Marshall’s bits were hilarious, right?
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The Ted and Marshall thing was hilarious but the stuff with Barney and Robin was heavy. I expected Barney to be the one to stand Robin up. I loved the flashbacks Barney had when Nora had asked if it meant anything, which just makes the fact that Robin didn’t tell Kevin and break it off with him even more heartbreaking. I’m sure Kevin will figure it out though but I do think Robin should confess.