C’mon Ride the Train…

And now that song is stuck in my head.


As for the last two episodes of How I Met Your Mother, there are reasons why I haven’t posted recaps for them. The episode with the return of Stripper!Lily was just too boring to hold my interest. I tried to recap it, I really did, but I just couldn’t remember the episode. As for last week’s (2/6) episode, this also goes to my FaceOff followers. I taped the 2/1 episode of FaceOff and meant to recap it before last week’s (2/8) episode. I had also taped Monday’s (2/6) “How I Met Your Mother” and intended to watch it later in the week. Unfortunately, I had a death in the family. So that week was busy. And this week I have finals. I promise to get those episodes up soon.


Anyway, it’s almost Valentine’s Day! Everyone gets to feel the little guy kicking in Lily’s stomach, complete with jokes. Lily and Marshall invite Robin and Kal to join them on a romantic weekend getaway just before it. They agree. Meanwhile, Barney is complaining about the night before. He had to abandon a sure thing (which even the girl in question admits was true in the flashback) when Ted asked him to be his wingman. So he spent the night in a club, where Ted tried to pick up some girl.


This is where Barney and the viewers meet Quinn, played by the amazing Becky Newton. I’ve loved her since “Ugly Betty.” I think her talent convinced the writers to save Amanda from being a one-note caricature. As well as her crazy amounts of chemistry with Michael Urie. Speaking of, when is he coming back to my TV screen? Can he be on Glee? Ooh, can he be Emma’s overzealous wedding planner? Anyway, back to How I Met Your Mother. Quinn is pretty much the female Barney. She sees right through his game and turns him down.


So back in MacLaren’s, Barney insists that Ted had to pay him back. He mentions something about a cub scout event and passing Ted off as a kid…As he goes on, Lily and Marshall excuse themselves. They want to catch an earlier train as the last train out for them is the Drunk Train. And it’s pretty much what you think—a bunch of loud, rowdy drunk people trying desperately to score at least once before going home. Barney loves the idea while Ted tries to salvage the cub scout idea.


And so they end up on a train to Long Island. A beer bottle crashes over their heads but Barney thinks they are in paradise. Minutes later, they’re asleep. So they try again the next day. And it’s mostly drunk women yelling “You think you’re better than me?” at Ted. They bunk at Lily and Marshall’s, trying to figure out where they are going wrong. First, though, Barney wonders why Ted’s there and not looking for “The One.” He says screw it and just wants a one night stand. Barney is very proud.


We then learn that Barney is a mathematical genius who attended MIT. He tries to use formulas to figure everything out—and is that the crazy/hot curve I see? He’s at a loss until Ted figures it…and why do Lily and Marshall have a giant dry erase board in their house? Anyway, their solution is “Get Drunk.” And so they do so the next night and things go smoother. Ted even manages to find some women—but Barney nixes them.
At this point, Ted realizes something important—Barney is still hung up on Quinn. Barney denies it but in the process only reveals that he ended up sleeping with her. But we all know he is intrigued.


Meanwhile, Kal and Robin come to regret going on a trip with Lily and Marshall. All the two do is fight. Well, they had good intentions. But then they tried to prove that they didn’t keep score…by keeping score. Kal and Robin can’t get drunk or away fast enough. Marshall and Lily keep it up the entire vacation until they get home. There, they promise not to keep score as they are going to have to be a team once the baby comes.


Cut to nine months later, Lily and Marshall lying in bed as their child cries. They argue about whose turn it is and we see a dry erase board above their bed showing Marshall has three lines and Lily nearly twenty. Marshall, clearly the loser, gets up as Lily lays back down satisfied.


After escaping to their room, Kal surprises Robin by proposing. She doesn’t have an answer yet and asks to think about it. He agrees. Before she can answer, she finally confides the fact she can’t have children to Lily and Marshall. They comfort her and then advise her to do what she knows she should: Tell Kal. He takes it well, even proposing again to her. He says there are other options. So Robin clarifies that she doesn’t want children either. Kal pauses but still proposes.


When the return back to New York, Kal and Robin dive into wedding preparations. But Robin still has some doubts and wants Kal to be certain he is okay with a future without kids. And it turns out, he isn’t. So, good-bye, Kal!


Our last couple scenes? Barney in a cab with a girl from the drunk train, but abandons her for Quinn. Who is apparently Stripper!Lily’s coworker—shocker!


And then Ted finds Robin on the roof, smoking. She reveals the breakup and the fact she can’t have kids. Ted says he loves her.


We know this will end badly because 1) Ted’s talking to children and How I Met Your Mother has another season so we know there isn’t going to be a “Ted’s talking to imaginary children” fake out. 2) Robin’s always been “Aunt Robin.” And 3) I still believe Robin’s Barney’s bride, damn it!


This was an interesting episode—much better than the last outing I watched. I liked the three storylines—we knew Kal wasn’t in it for the long haul. I liked how they handled his exit—it made sense. I’m not too thrilled with Ted’s backslide regarding Robin though.


I am thrilled to see more of Becky Newton though. Even if I don’t want her to end up with Barney. More Becky, I demand!


Quote of the Episode
“You think you’re better than me?” –oft heard on the drunk train