'The Fortress'

Barney's Apartment is Up for Grabs and the Others Get into a TV Show called 'Downtown Abbey' 'Woodworthy Manor'

Oh, what would I do with the ability to appear as a giant, floating head!

HIMYM after two weeks of no show is always one of the highlights of my week, so let's get into it!

 

After Barney and Robin discuss if adoption would work try to solve a crossword, the topic turns to where they are going to live once they're married. Barney feels his apartment is fine, but the apartment's vibe and history doesn't quite sit well with Robin so Barney agrees to give away the "Fortress of Barnitude". Unfortunately, Barney imagined passing the apartment on to someone "worthy", even Ted (who of course said no despite the awesome Jol-El head hologram effect that Barney pulled off. Just like Barney, I wanted to tell Ted, "Oh my God, can you just be cool? ONCE? PLEASE! JUST ONCE! Can you just once be cool? ONCE? PLEASE?"). Rejected, Barney insists they have to keep the apartment, to Robin's displeasure. After saying they need to trust each other as a couple (again?), Robin of course authorises an open house without Barney's knowledge (talk about trust). Barney attempts to drive the interested invaders away by showing off the neat, if inappropriate, tricks the apartment holds, including a doormat that calculates a girl's body weight, a green-screen on the balcony to fool a girl on their "romantic" whereabouts (Paris, the African savanna where it's perfectly normal to witness lions having intercourse, end of the world scenario, etc.), and an escape chute for when a girl has over-stayed her welcome (that would be a pretty wicked ride!). In the end though, Robin is able to snag an offer from one couple. Later at the bar, Barney admits to her that "the Fortress of Solitude is where Superman went to be alone, and I never want to be alone again" and agrees to give up the apartment for her, but Robin confesses that she drove the couple away once she'd realised they were planning to destroy the apartment. Robin, like Barney, does actually appreciate the genius behind the Fortress of Barnitude and that those wacky features are a part of the crazy sociopath that is the Barney she fell in love with. Thus, they end on good terms.

 

Meanwhile, in a less interesting side-plot, Marshall is struggling with Lily's absence (since the Captain requires her needs whenever he hears about artworks of about nearly any kind) not only because of the care of baby Marvin, but has been itching to watch a posh, British soap opera called 'Woodworthy Manor'. Since Lily insists they have to watch the show together, Marshall cannot watch it at all until he eventually gives in to Ted, also a fan, to watching a crucial episode without her. At the open house, Ted and Marshall get mistaken for a posh homosexual couple (due to their inspired accents) and play along with it, much to Lily's annoyance. However Ted is awkwardly discovered making out with a girl in Barney's closet (hint: it's the same closet Barney uses for the Jol-El hologram). Back at the bar, Marshal and Lily forgive each other when Lily refuses a call from the Captain to spend more time with her Marshmallow, and Ted ends up walking out with the girl he made out with, who still thinks he is gay and never has been with a woman.

 

At the very end, the others try to convince Barney and Robin to watch 'Woodworthy Manor' (complete with pastries and tea) but the couple know they are too cool for that and escape through Barney's kitchen chute together.

 

I by far enjoyed the apartment plot the most, which earned most of my laughs. Reading about some internet opinion, I heard some people didn't enjoy this aspect of the episode and thought the apartment's gimmicks were over-the-top, and were dissatisfied with some repetitive or continuity issues this episode addressed. Yes, I agree that Ted making out with a random girl right after the episode he clearly stated he was ready to settle down is a bit weird (but he is that hopeless, abrupt romantic Ted) and that the whole Barney-and-Robin-learn-to-trust-each-other-yet-accept-the-other's-differences thing is getting old: even though I was aware of this topic more than enough by the end, it didn't push me over the edge (but if the next episode does the same thing, then it will definitely become annoying). However I hope if the show ever does a similar sort of thing again, will the roles please be switched? Yes, Barney's a difficult guy to be in love with but shouldn't Barney be challenged by Robin as well for once? Thinking about that, maybe that time will come at the wedding (the adoption tense at the start of this episode has me more convinced that the kids issue won't come out until the wedding happens). Plus, for anyone who didn't like the apartment's gimmicks at all: we're talking about one of the most ridiculous, over-the-top characters in a comedy TV show; not everything in HIMYM can be taken seriously or realistically.

I loved the last scene when we see Barney and Robin as a fun, awesome duo. I definitely want to see more of that, especially in Season 9.

As for Plot B, although the 'Woodworthy Manor' joke was funny at first, it got a bit tiring later. 

 

Pre-episode prediction: Seeing the title 'The Fortress', I, for once, was correct when I had guessed it had something to do with Barney's apartment and that Robin would have a problem with it. Self-five!

 

If you haven't seen the episode yet, have a taste here: