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« How I Met Your Mother
Episode Recap: "The Bracket"
Tonight’s episode was pretty awesome. I took a surprisingly small amount of notes on it, but the show was on its game tonight. Heh, game. I made a pun, sort of. Moving right along…
Someone is following Barney around and tipping off his future conquests as to his true, dastardly nature. This leads to Barney getting deservedly slapped in a hardware store, a pet store, and a museum. When Lily is approached by our mystery woman, Barney decides to enlist the gang to help him track down his stalker. Here is where March Madness comes in, inspiring Barney to create his very own bracket of the top 64 women he has slept with. With a lot of beer, our courageous crew narrows it down depressing story by depressing story until they have their very own Final Four – Holly, Meg, Kate and Anna. Barney (with Lily’s help and moral guidance) tracks down each woman, looking to “apologize” and stop her slanderous spree. Barney doesn’t really want to talk to any of them (talking to a woman you have already slept with is like “changing the oil in a rented car”), but our sweet little Lilypad bullies him into it. Of course, none of the four are actually the mystery woman, but we do get a present out of the whole thing - a brand new website to play with. I am sure you have all been there by now, but if not you should go right away (well, after finishing my blog, of course).
Dispirited, Barney returns to his friends and Robin jumps in with her own plan (that’s right – Robin had lines! And a part to play! That alone made my night) that includes her pretending to be the newest object of Barney’s libido and the rest of the group scouting the bar for when the mystery women approaches Robin to warn her about Barney. First, Lily positions herself by the juke box and dances around like the spaz we love her to be. Second, the boys sit in their usual booth and try to act casual (which includes Marshall screaming rambling awkwardly to himself). Finally, Robin enters looking smoking and saunters up to the bar trying to act interested in Barney (ha – “act”). She manages to only giggle slightly (Robin giggles when she lies, you see) and then Barney pretends to go to the bathroom. The blond woman who inevitably approaches Robin doesn’t set off any bells of recognition in Barney’s head which leads to a long, desperate apology from Barney where he can’t believe he can’t remember her. And, again, this isn’t the mystery woman. Lily does, however, get a good “Barney’s Redemption” shot.
The best part of tonight’s episode? The little end scene with Barney writing a journal entry to the Doogie Howser theme music. You guys, you are lucky I am here typing this up right now as I was very afraid I was going to fall over from laughter and concuss myself. I have been waiting for something like this for years! He even had the blank blue background and the digitalized letters and it was just perfect! Yes, Barney, you are awesome.
Runner up to best part of tonight’s episode is all of the Barney/Robin implications! Yes, I know that his mystery woman is going to pop up again, but Robin so very clearly and secretly wants Barney that I just don’t know what to do with it anymore. She defended his scrapbook! She knew what ruse he would use at the museum! Come on, writers. Throw us a bone!
And, finally, best quote of the night goes to Marshall for the following quote in reference to Barney saying he doesn’t keep a list of all of the women he has ever slept with:
“I keep a list…it’s called my marriage license.”
And then he and Lily high-fived and were amazing in their adorable dorkitude.
And that’s all I’ve got for you tonight, but I hope you enjoyed as much as I did! We had group interaction, crazy shenanigans, and Barney being Barney. You can’t really go wrong there. In fact, there was even an intricate MacLaren’s scene!
Until next week, then. Don’t forget to stay awesome.
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Mar 31, 2008 10:24 PM
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They're baaaccckkk! And I couldn't be happier. Great episode. So what do you suppose Barney whispers in women's ears that got Robin all hot and bothered??? ![]<img border=](http://community.tvguide.com/images/emoticons/devil.gif) ">
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Mar 31, 2008 10:44 PM
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I was dying during the Doogie scene! I replayed it several times, laughing at the whole scene each time. I wish they could've had the Wanda actress or Ted at his window (ala Vinnie)!!! The whole episode felt classic... up there with Pineapple and Robin Sparkles/Slapbet. I can not wait for Season 3 on DVD!!! (And there'd BETTER be a season 4) 
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Mar 31, 2008 10:47 PM
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I think this is my favorite episode of the entire season. I could not BREATHE I was laughing so hard at everything. I would run through the list of everything I loved, but I won't bother because the whole half hour was just...AWESOME.
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Mar 31, 2008 11:05 PM
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I'm so glad someone else is getting on the Robin/Barney bandwagon! They would be awesome! Tonight's Robin wanting, in combination with Barney's implications last week of him hitting on her and then feeling her leg tonight, has moved them into the not-so-subtle category.
But who is this mystery woman? Is it going to be resolved with the next new episode, or a longer arc? And did she sound like Busy Phillips to anyone else?
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Mar 31, 2008 11:13 PM
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As a March Madness fan, I also LOVED that they used "One Shining Moment" during the montage of Barney's journey.
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Mar 31, 2008 11:44 PM
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alicia Silerstone? ">
Loved the Doogie ending. NPH should really be nominated for something
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Apr 1, 2008 12:08 AM
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the best HIMYM in a long while. i always love it when shows put up websites about their characters. awesome.
i remember chandler doing it on FRIENDS with his site, hahanotsomuch.com...but sadly that's long gone.
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Apr 1, 2008 12:14 AM
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Ok, I just went to the Ted Mosby is a jerk site, and the best part is the really, really insane, 20-minutes song. Jeez.
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Apr 1, 2008 1:06 AM
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Probably the best episode so far this season. See? They don't need Brit at all!
For the first time this season, NPH played Barney as a character, NOT a caricature. The nod to Doogie sure was fun.
Cobie was SMOKIN'!
Fake baby!
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Apr 1, 2008 2:22 AM
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NPH has been nominated for an emmy, people's choice award, and teen choice award for this role.
I was dying on the Doogie ending. So glad they finally referenced it. I too thought it would be even funnier had one of the other actors from the show been in that scene.
I wonder if the writer's even know yet what it is Barney says to women and if they'll ever let us know. I like the pairing of Robin and Barney as well but hope that the writer's take their time with it.
Marshall and Lilly's high five is just too cute.
I'm on my way to the webiste now. When I tried last night it was overwhelmed and I couldn't get on.
So how many people think the "mystery woman" could turn out to be the Mother? Or maybe the woman that broke Barney's heart all those years ago wants him back and is sabotaging his dating life? Or even possibly Barney's future wife?(although that would disappoint some of us fans of Barney/Robin)
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Apr 1, 2008 4:18 AM
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Someone else noticed "One Shining Moment"!
Their increasingly drunk shouting at Barney's board, The "How Does Barney Pick Up Women In A Museum" game, and the "marriage license" line were my highlights. One of the best episodes. Ever.
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Apr 1, 2008 7:39 AM
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I had JUST said to my two boys towards the end of the show, "Ah, little Doogie Howser!" and told my oldest son that it used to be my favorite show when he was born (almost 18(!) years ago) and then THE SCENE came on! I was on the floor laughing, I couldn't even read what he was typing! The kids, of course, were just looking at me like I had two heads.
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Apr 1, 2008 8:13 AM
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Barney slept with the former secretary of state Madeline Albright... or at least some person who looks like her...
There were at least three references: 1) one of the picture of the women shown in the intro was a picture of Albright 2) One of the names listed in the bracket was "Madeline" 3) One of the women in the bracket was in politics
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Apr 1, 2008 8:43 AM
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I loved this episode. It was funny and Barney is crazy.
One thing though, if Lily wanted so badly for Barney to apologize (to anyone apparently) why wouldn't she want Barney to tell the truth about not being Ted.
I still have to say though that the Big Bang Theory needs a blog. I laughed so hard last night at that show that I am sure my neighbors heard me.
Oh and silly me. I kept thinking during the closing scene "where have I heard that music before? What is it?" I would have laughed so hard had I known but Doogie Howser did not occur to me once.
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Apr 1, 2008 9:16 AM
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