KT wonders if bagpipers of the world are amused or annoyed today.
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: 5.06 “Bagpipes”
Couples fight. It happens. They argue and they debate and they compromise. This week we see Marshall and Lily show Barney and Robin how it’s done — or maybe the other way round — while Ted suffers from upstairs neighbors who are clearly not fighting. They are… playing the bagpipes. You know, together. A fun addition to the HIMYM lexicon, right next to the “sandwiches” the gang “ate” in college. I think my favorite use of the title was Ted’s “You have neighbors! Shut the bagpipes up!”
Barney really can’t bear to be second best, and that definitely led to some good jokes. I found the cutesy act as nauseating as Ted did, but I did feel for Barney and Robin a little when they complained it was nice to not have everyone pointing out all their emotional inadequacies for a minute. In the end, though, it looks like we could revisit “Barney and Robin learn to compromise.”
Interesting how people act differently when they’re in different relationships. I don’t remember Robin being particularly conflict avoidance-y when she was dating Ted, do you?
I did love Marshall’s initial “you think you can play with the big boys” speech. He and Lily have been together for a ridiculously long time so of course he’s the expert on being part of a lasting relationship. And the way he slipped in a call-back to Barney’s ponytailed hippie days was awesome.
I hate to see Marshall and Lily really fighting, though — it’s like watching your parents argue. But of course Marshall falls victim to the allure of not having to satisfy Lily’s pet peeve about the dishes, and of course he trips into the most dangerous line of argument possible: I work harder and make more money than you. Oh, Marshall. Suggesting that the person who wants it done should get it done might almost have worked — or at least it wouldn’t have spawned a mega fight. Did you catch the mention of his mother? That’s when you know it’s gotten ugly.
On the other hand: “Marshall, dinner’s ready!” “Is there any for me?” “No, but it’s your favorite!” Wow, Lily fights dirty. Still, given the absurd way Marshall stumbled into the fight, though, I’d say he deserved it.
Also, I loved that they slipped a slap bet in there. Hee!
[...] fights throughout the rest of the characters. And honestly, I kinda wish it had been paired with How I Met Your Mother’s “Bagpipes,” because they would have gone hand in hand. Trust me, I know. I watched “Bagpipes” the [...]