How I Met Your Mother

Season 9, Episode 9

Starring Josh Randor, Jason Segal, Alyson Hannigan, Cobie Smulders & Neil Patrick Harris
CBS, Mondays 8pm

By Nick Palumbo

            With only 27 hours left before the wedding, Barney and Robin are still searching for someone who can officiate their wedding due to the death of their previous minister. When it seems like all hope is lost, James (Wayne Brady) Barney’s brother, comes to save the day. James’ father, Sam Gibbs (Ben Vereen), is a minister and agrees to perform the entire ceremony. Upon this good news, Barney’s father Jerome (John Lithgow) arrives at the wedding with his wife. After not seeing each other for many years, Barney begins to wonder how his parents will react to seeing one another. Barney, excited after seeing that Jerome and Loretta still get along well after all these years, thinks there is a possibility of the two actually getting back together.

         After careful thought, Barney put a plan into to action to get his mom and dad back together. The plan consisted of sending his stepmother in a limo ride with Ranjit (Marshall Manesh), and getting Jerome and Loretta trapped on an elevator together. Once Barney had trapped his parents in the elevator he provides them with a champagne dinner and also drenches them in water in an effort to get them to disrobe. Realizing what Barney is trying to do, both his parents refuse to go any further with the game he is playing. Finally, James comes to the rescue and takes Loretta and Jerome out of the elevator. James tells Barney what he is doing is wrong because he is trying to get Sam and Loretta back together. Both Barney and James begin to argue who is better for their mother and only seem to think their own father is better. Soon both James and Barney learn that Loretta and Sam had actually resumed their relationship from when the gang originally found Sam in Long Island. Even though Barney is initially upset with the news, Robin convinces him that James needs his parents to get together after all he is personally going through. After realizing that and the happiness of his mother, Barney agrees and gives Sam and Loretta his blessing.

            As all of that is going on, Barney has entrusted Ted with an autographed photo of Wayne Gretzky, which is to be a gift to Robin at their wedding. Ted leaves it in his room, only to come back to it covered in his calligraphy ink. The ink has covered the entire photo and it must be fixed. Ted not convinced this was an accident, begins his investigation on who spilt his ink. The three main suspects are, Billy Zabka, Robin’s one cousin, and a waiter at the hotel. The number one suspect in Ted’s eyes is Billy Zabka, who he believes did this in order to reclaim the best man position. However we learn that Zabka was getting a massage at the time, and when the other two suspects are discounted, Lily convinces Ted that he is being paranoid and that his own carelessness caused the accident. However, both Ted and Lily discover new information. Lily finds out that the photo covered in ink is actually a picture of Zabka and Ted finds out that Jerome was actually getting a massage in Zabka’s name. They both go to confront Zabka where he confesses that the "bad guy" roles he played in the 1980s led to widespread hate, and being temporarily promoted as best man was a rare affirmation of his character. Zabka intended to be the 'good guy' by finding a replacement for the photo in hopes to regain the best man position. However, even though his intentions were good Zabka realizes that he allowed himself to truly become a bad guy and he apologizes for that. Feeling sympathetic, Ted tells Barney Zabka’s version of the story, however Barney doesn’t reassign the best man duties.

            Now away from the wedding, Daphne and Marshall seem to finally get along well together. However things change when Daphne’s daughter tells her not to attend her Model UN speech upon hearing her mother might not make it anyway. Daphne explains that her daughter, who lives with her ex-husband, doesn't understand that Daphne spends time away to support the family. Marshall insists that they go to speech because if her daughter sees her she will forgive her. Daphne however, thinks differently and says it would just upset her more now because she asked me not to come. Eventually Marshall drives to the school that Daphne’s daughter’s speech is at and tells Daphne she made it and has to go in. When they get inside they see Daphne’s daughter about to give her speech. Daphne is proud when her daughter gives an aggressive speech that praises oil and denounces environmentalism. Marshall, feeling uneasy, says farewell to Daphne and excuses himself and Marvin to continue their journey to Farhampton.

            Overall this episode is one of many “filler” episodes in the last two seasons. Of course you get your typical comedy and things you love out of the show but moving forward this episode only told you two major things. One that Barney wants Ted to be his best man no matter what and two Marshall is that much closer to the wedding. Personally I thought the episode was just ok. I really looked forward to Season Nine having a bigger story with “The Mother”, but only three episodes have actually had her in it. I think that eventually “The Mother” will become a bigger part of the season but until then we might have to see some “fillers” till then.