HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: “Tick Tick Tick” – RECAP

Barney and Robin’s brief relapse in “Tick Tick Tick” has been a long time coming, with the set up seeded through out Season 6 and the beginning of the current season. The way the couple were brutally mishandled the first time around gave me pause to when they started kissing last week. I wasn’t prepared for emotional knee to the stomach I would receive, believing this would be a more by the numbers approach to the situation. I didn’t expect them to immediately get back together, but I wasn’t at all ready for Barney’s grown up response and the overall courage he would have needed to make the decision he did. When it all blew up in his face, I wanted to give him a hug. Alas, I could not. He lives in my television, a place I cannot go.

“Tick Tick Tick” brings up the question of knowing what we want in a lover. It’s very easy to fall in to a relationship with somebody who’s an adequate match for you and be content. But when there’s that special someone, that “soulmate”, how do you respond? Do you act like the immediate, natural connection you felt isn’t real, preferring not to upset your current paramour? Or do you take a look at yourself and ask, “Am I with the right person?” That takes a lot of bravery, and a younger Barney would not have been able to make the very difficult choice that he did. If only Robin had felt as confident about her feelings for Barney as he felt for her. It didn’t help that Kevin chose this episode to show reasons why someone would want to date him. His speech at the end won me over, which is saying a lot. I have not enjoyed Kevin since his inception, but darn it, he used his words well. I totally understand why Robin would have seconds thoughts about confessing.

I know this sounds like a pretty not funny sitcom episode, and toward the end there were next to no laughs in regard to Robin and Barney’s storyline, but fear not, while on the boat many a laugh was had. Sandy Rivers popped in again to be his usual narcissist self. I laughed the most at the entertainment as the singer sang about infidelity, seemingly (more likely actually) singing directly to Robin and Barney as they danced with their partners. I would say I laughed more with Robin and Barney than I did with Ted and Marshall, and their story was clearly intended to be the gut buster.

The way Future Ted opened the episode talking about how time can feel slow or fast ruined the punch line of Ted and Marshall having only been away from the concert for two minutes. What made up for it was the security camera footage allowing us to see the two minutes as they actually occurred instead of the slowed down version Ted and Marshall experienced. So it sort of saved itself. As fun as it was to have Marshall and Ted high as kites, and it was fun, after seven seasons the whole joint/sandwich joke has run its course. It didn’t help matters that Future Ted acted as if this joke was never told before. We know when you say sandwich you mean joint so why bother re-explaining it? I think its time this joke gets abandoned or replaced with something different.

This wasn’t the most laugh out loud episode of HIMYM, but it had heart to it to make up for the comedy. The ending shot of Barney covering Robin’s bed with roses let us know he’s not through pursuing Robin, strongly implying she’s the one he marries. I’ve always believed she would be the one. Nora never really clicked for me. It would be more likely Barney marries someone we haven’t met yet than Nora. Well, whoever it is, I’m starting to like the direction things are going for Barney. Now if only Ted would receive the same kind of momentum.