Monsters of Television

“Anti-awesometic.”

So this was an interesting episode in that it is pretty funny but still feels like a bit of a rehash of past episodes (particularly “Okay Awesome” (mentioned in passing) and “The Pineapple Incident”), which is something I’ve tagged the show for before. I’m trying to figure out if the series is doing the rehashing of past seasons purposefully, carrying through with its idea of “new is awesome” this season, or if the show is just getting wheezy as it ages.

Part of me worries that I’m rationalizing my continued commitment to the show (and am now set up for two more seasons! Two! At least!). In that sense, I’m pretty hopeless, aren’t I? I’ve talked about this before, how I, as a viewer, am trapped in an idea of what the show should be, unwilling to let it grow past its previous seasons (and I talk a little bit about those reasons in a forthcoming podcast). Does this limit my enjoyment of the show, or is the show just genuinely not working any longer? Last week, I think, was clearly a case of the latter, but is there an instance where the former is happening?

I can’t say for sure, so let’s talk about this episode a bit while I try and work it out.

As I said before the jump, this episode hits some previous episodes’ beats. Going off to club, and having various hijinks occur revisits the “Okay Awesome” (a favorite) and “No Tomorrow”; Barney’s memory being a bit hazy about his night out on the streets with “Crazy” Gerry hits a little bit on “The Pineapple Incident” (also a favorite); and some of the relationship play in the club felt reminiscent of some stuff in “Singles Stamina” (maybe a bit of a stretch, but it triggered in my brain for some reason); likewise the intro of Anders (poor Michael Trucco will always be Anders (and it doesn’t help when the show doesn’t give him a name beyond Crush)) worked a little bit like Don’s intro, at the hint that there’s more to his role in Robin’s story.

And, largely, these beats here in “Hopeless” work. Even though they’re dusting off the ideas, I still enjoyed this dusting off more. Perhaps because they dust off a number of episodes I really like, and that’s influencing my perception of things.

I love that the episode allowed Gerry to “cut loose” (Lithgow is a riot, of course) and then that his cutting loose ties back to a number of nice emotional beats, including the connection between both he and Barney being skilled magicians. It’s those types of connections that the series has always excelled at (and that episodes like last week’s completely undermines). That Gerry wants to badly to be accepted by Barney is a great moment, and allows for some common emotional ground between the two.

Which leads to the car scene that finishes the episode. Another instance of the show revisiting its history, albeit in an oh-so-subtle way, that reminds me why I used to love this show. Barney doesn’t know how to drive. His dad is a driving instructor. And there we are, in the car, with Gerry teaching Barney about settling down (not the first time a driving metaphor has been used through a father this season). It’s a nice moment, one that works without the knowledge of Barney’s driving skills, but one that is enhanced all the more if you draw that connection.

And I love when the show cares about these moments. It has cared about them this season, but has failed to be consistent with those moments, or undermines them in truly horrible ways. As a result, everything feels a little tarnished, a little uneven. Yes, this is the nature of sitcoms, wacky one week, sentimental the next, but the nice thing about this sitcom has been its ability to balance those needs in ways that serve its characters, its plot, and its audience.

The rest of the episode worked okay. There was no investment in Marshall and Lily’s contest, and I didn’t find the call the backs to Ted’s red boots (and the plot developments around them) to be particularly revelatory as the show has executed such twists/retcons in more effective and subtle ways (like “The Front Porch”). I liked that the roles Marshall and Lily assumed actually mirrored their current status. I wish it had been played a bit more, especially after last week’s far-too-quick resolution.

Even after this, I’m not sure how much of was influenced by the haze of nostalgia of past episodes, particularly ones I enjoy. Obviously our experiences with the shows in the past, especially one that I remain as engaged in as this one despite my qualms, influence our perceptions. Perhaps this should be what I focus on as we go through the rest of the season, attempting to work these nostalgic anxieties with the series.

FINAL THOUGHTS

• Footloose reference for the win.
• The gang doing the club names game was beautifully executed. I wish it had been in one take, but thems the breaks. Also: “I don’t know third base!” YES.
• So how great was the cast performing the theme song? I believe the word you’re looking for is legendary.
• “Many of my plays are about the bourgeois, and ennui, and one rock opera about a frozen yogurt shop.”
• “Okay, Gerry’s gone. Let’s break up.”
• Fishing does suck: “Let me check out my personality. No, I would never do that.”