Natural History (How I Met Your Mother): Difference between revisions
→Plot: at the end, camera pulls back to reveal an exhibit showing extinct Corporate Marshall |
|||
| Line 15: | Line 15: | ||
== Plot == |
== Plot == |
||
Ted is enraged to see that Zoey has written a Front Page article about Ted & GNB(especially since the article was published on Saturday, which he says is his Crossword Puzzle Day). |
|||
Ted and the gang are invited to a gala party at the National History Museum thrown by George van Smoot, also known as "The Captain." While hobnobbing, Ted sees Zoey, with whom he is angry at for writing a column criticizing his work at GNB regarding the Arcadian. It is usually positioned near crossword puzzles, which Future Ted solves every Saturday. At the party, Zoey introduces Ted to the Captain, who is her husband. The Captain is not only old but also overly obsessed with 'boats'. Later, Ted corners Zoey and berates her for trying to ruin other people's lives and careers owing to her own misplaced sense of activism. At this, Zoey starts crying. The sympathy card works on Ted and he begins ranting against GNB and their obnoxious work-culture, at one point even calling them a bunch of 'wieners and gonads'. All this is recorded and Zoey promises Ted that his remarks would be given prime space in the next day's newspaper. However, because of the museum's acoustic capabilities, Zoey overhears Ted's remark to The Captain about his respect for her activism and also how Ted feels that she has betrayed his trust. The Captain tells Ted that even he feels that Zoey's habit of recording statements made by people including himself on tape and then using the recordings against the maker of the statement extremely irritating. He promises to erase the tape for Ted as he is impressed by the fact that like a 'real man' even Ted has given himself a made-up name. After overhearing the conversation Zoey breaks into real tears. She promises to erase the conversation herself and promises to beat Ted fair and square. |
|||
Meanwhile, Barney goes on the prowl in the museum, pulling off pranks using various exhibits along with Robin. He admits being in the museum many years before when he accidentally damaged a [[blue whale]] exhibit. After catching Robin by surprise disguised as an Egyptian pharaoh, a security guard catches them in the act and brings them to the security office. Robin's skepticism about the blue whale incident prompts the security officer to check old records. One file, dated July 23, 1981, recounts the incident in full, but a check of the document reveals that Barney's guardian that day- his uncle, Jerome Whittaker - checked the father box on the form. Barney realizes that he may have been with his real father that day, who disappeared after. He asks Robin to keep quiet. |
Meanwhile, Barney goes on the prowl in the museum, pulling off pranks using various exhibits along with Robin. He admits being in the museum many years before when he accidentally damaged a [[blue whale]] exhibit. After catching Robin by surprise disguised as an Egyptian pharaoh, a security guard catches them in the act and brings them to the security office. Robin's skepticism about the blue whale incident prompts the security officer to check old records. One file, dated July 23, 1981, recounts the incident in full, but a check of the document reveals that Barney's guardian that day- his uncle, Jerome Whittaker - checked the father box on the form. Barney realizes that he may have been with his real father that day, who disappeared after. He asks Robin to keep quiet. |
||
Revision as of 16:36, 11 November 2010
| "Natural History (How I Met Your Mother)" |
|---|
"Natural History" is the eighth episode of the sixth season of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and the 120th episode overall. It aired on November 8, 2010.
Plot
Ted is enraged to see that Zoey has written a Front Page article about Ted & GNB(especially since the article was published on Saturday, which he says is his Crossword Puzzle Day).
Meanwhile, Barney goes on the prowl in the museum, pulling off pranks using various exhibits along with Robin. He admits being in the museum many years before when he accidentally damaged a blue whale exhibit. After catching Robin by surprise disguised as an Egyptian pharaoh, a security guard catches them in the act and brings them to the security office. Robin's skepticism about the blue whale incident prompts the security officer to check old records. One file, dated July 23, 1981, recounts the incident in full, but a check of the document reveals that Barney's guardian that day- his uncle, Jerome Whittaker - checked the father box on the form. Barney realizes that he may have been with his real father that day, who disappeared after. He asks Robin to keep quiet.
Marshall tells Lily that GNB has offered him a five-year contract. Lily, however, is still firm on her belief that Marshall will resign and pursue his dream of being an environmental lawyer. Lily also realizes that whenever she had asked Marshall about whether he would quit his job at GNB, he always responded with made-up words so that he could not be held culpable as a liar. Subsequently an argument where Marshall insists on staying in the company for financial reasons forces Lily to walk out. While in another part of the museum, Lily visualizes an exhibit showing extinct College Marshall at their old Wesleyan dorm. She talks with College Marshall, telling him that his persona was the one she fell in love with many years ago and Corporate Marshall embodied everything he despised. Just then, the real Marshall appears and promises to work harder to provide a stable future for their family. Future Ted later reveals that Marshall does leave GNB in the future (with the camera pulling back to reveal an exhibit showing extinct Corporate Marshall), but the episode ends with Future Ted just saying, "but that's another story".
Continuity
- The episode continues the story arc about Ted's GNB headquarters project and Zoey's efforts to stop him.
- College Marshall is "eating a sandwich," the show's euphemism for smoking marijuana, first revealed in the Season 3 episode "How I Met Everyone Else."
- The newspaper page where Ted discovers Zoey's op-ed piece against his work also includes articles about the Dowisetrepla neighborhood and the Cockamouse.
- The revelation about Jerome Whittaker refers to Barney's search for his real father in the episode Cleaning House.
- Ted mentions an architecture "fun fact". Ted loves Architecture "fun facts" as is first seen in "First Time in New York"
- Though the line "legen... wait for it... dary" is iconic of the show, this is the first time it is said by accident, with a genuine interruption. It is also the first time it is used by someone other than one of the main chartacters
Cultural references
- Ted encounters an old man with a monocle. His line, "Good luck killing James Bond," refers to SPECTRE boss Blofeld.
- George van Smoot and Arthur Hobbs have a history, having worked on the musical Guys and Dolls.
- Ted mentions Phish; Lily and "College Marshall" discuss Jane's Addiction.
Critical response
Reviews of the episode have been positive. Donna Bowman of the AV Club gave the episode a B+ score, saying the episode tackled people's thoughts about their past and how they should let things go, which were explained well during the third part. [1]. DeAnn Welker of Television Without Pity gave the episode an A- score. [2]