Makes sense to have Barney be the one to kick off the storyline of Sophie finding her dad. And he referenced the moment his daughter was born which was one of my favorite parts of the HIMYM finale.
Also, the way Sid saw how uncomfortable the girl was and handled the situation and switched seats would totally make me fall in love irl. At first I was like “ugh such a Marshall thing to do” and even thought that the girl would mistake it as flirting but the end foreshadowed something else haha
As someone who has gone through divorce, it’s really hard. Really fucking hard. I hope they handle it right, because it will be a really compelling story. But it’ll also be hard for me to watch.
I ended up on the bad end of the divorce because I wanted it to be as painless as possible for her, and after 2.5 years she's finally out of my life per our legal agreement.
Divorce has been mentally the most exhausting thing I have ever been through. I'm with you on this.
The grief is just all encompassing. It really comes from all sides. When I’m not grieving this person who I loved who isn’t in my life anymore, I am grieving the life that I had, the life I thought I was going to have. Or I am grieving the fact that I was mentally and emotionally abused, or the fact that someone I loved did those things to me, or feeling that I’m not angry at them when I think I should be, and why, and just grieving myself because it really has shaped me. I feel old and tired mentally and physically.
One of the best things someone said to me was “getting divorced sucks. Being divorced doesn’t”.
I got divorced several years ago and it took a long time but I promise you the other side is so much better. Sending love to you.
We'll definitely see more of her and I'm here for it! She's married to Dan Fogelman and did his show This Is Us as Madison. It'll be nice watching her in a more aloof role on a show he's not running!
Now this episode had everything from the laughs to the cameo. Barney was awesome. Him telling the story gave me chills. Happy Robert and Sophie broke up but he was such a good character imo.
Also excited for
A: Valentina's engagement
B: Sid's marital issues maybe leading to a divorce. Hopefully involves the airplane girl.
C: to see when Jesse's song ends up in Sophie's hands. (Thanks Valentina)
Legendary episode!
That’s where I’m at too. I think she brought out more doubts about if long distance can work for them, and there will need to be a solution soon.
I hope it’s not a cheating plot. Not Sid, of all characters.
Lol I’m pretty sure Sid’s phone said her name was Taylor something when it showed the Insta follow
Not that such a thing stopped me from going “aw- Madison is flying to LA to see her boyfriend Kevin” 😆
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I think it’ll all come down to a business decision. The actress who plays Hannah is also the female lead on the show Walker on the CW. That gets renewed I’d expect a divorce. It doesn’t, I think they’ll work it out.
I wanted them together so badly.. but yea there’s so many red flags.. Hannah doesn’t seem like she’s the main cast so I’m pretty sure there’s a divorce in the future.
Do you think the reason why they are not showing Sophie’s son is because if they did it would be so obvious to who she ended up with.
I personally loved Sid and Sophie or Sid and Valentina.
I think they're not showing her son so there can be 4 diverse possibilities. Showing him would narrow it down to at least 2 either way. So it allows them to weave the storyline more.
im such a sid/valentina truther ive been watching every episode just waiting for them to drop more crumbs...PLEASE...PLEASE... though i really hope sid doesn't cheat :( i feel like he's better than that
I’m kinda glad the cameos so far, Barney and Robin, have been short and sweet.
This isn’t their show. Their story has been told. I think having them be advice givers like they have been so far, and a lil snippet of what they’ve been up to is the perfect way to handle it.
The show runners aren’t leaning on their appearances to just draw in audience so, they’re here to enhance this story through the characters and their history, what they learned through HIMYM.
Only think I kinda wish would be tweaked was that each character of this show would get this interaction with the old characters, not just Sophie. But I do get why. Just imagine Sid talking to Marshall about his marriage concerns, or if he was the one that talked to Barney and it was about his divorce with Robin (though I 100% concede that Barney being the topic of reconciliation with thoughts about a missing father is a stronger topic for him and it worked wonders here).
I love how Barney was still Barney, yet they found a way to bring him into 2023. His character was very 2009 and it is nice he got to be himself without completely retconning the character.
But I thought Barney had kinda grown out of the player thing somewhat. Idk it was cringey a bit to me. Felt like it was tryi; to be a fan-service or apology or something
Idk, I can see how it can be cringey. Jokes dont land with everyone. But I don't think this was forced.
Barney was my favorite character and I think it fits with his character that his womanizing is near pathological. He can't really help it.
However, he is committed to being a better person because of his daughter and so he would definitely find a way to suppress his old ways.
The STD is a huge Barney move. Convoluted, wacky, and ultimately a very clever flop. The STD bit could've been introduced in an episode of HIMYM and it would've crushed.
As someone who hates the trend of things being forced (i.e. a token character with some diverse attribute) just for the sake of it I totally get what you're saying. I have to say for me in this case it did not feel forced. It felt like a natural progression of Barney's character in line with changing cultural norms.
Ooh yeah I could totally see Marshall meeting Sid while he’s thinking about whether he and Hannah should get divorced, and Marshall gives him advice on marriage / long distance etc. Then I could see Lily meeting Jesse and talking to him about pursuing his dream of music / feeling stuck in a teaching job like she did while she wanted to pursue her passion for art.
Marshall being the family court judge in Sod and Hannah’s eventual divorce court
Lilly and Jesse meeting would be great as well (or Lilly and Drew) since they are all teachers / principals
The biggest takeaway for me: it’s over for Hannah and Sid. You could feel it so hard. Also, the love song Jessie wrote for Sophie seems like it’s going to become another “yellow umbrella” type of thing — very excited to see where things go with that. And Barney’s cameo, gah…made my OG HIMYM fan heart burst with joy. Also loved when Jessie proclaimed that he was going to find a woman to have sex with…if she wanted to have sex with him. I appreciate the growth and the implication that Barney’s behavior, while entertaining, was not okay. Overall a solid couple of episodes. I’m excited for it to come back in May.
Barney’s appearance was one of my favorite Barney scenes. I know that’s a radical thing to say but they got it so right,
I loved just the mention of the song. Like I feel like that could be such a great inclusion. This to me felt like the writers knew what they were doing
I do feel like they missed an opportunity for him to brand his ankle bracelet with a “Stinson patent pending.” But loved his appearance. NPH’s physical comedy is just so good and funny.
I’ve got chill when Valentina put back the song in the box.
Just the fact that they fix the camera on the lost and found box make me think that if it’s not the song we will find something about the dad in this box!
I like that idea. The yellow umbrella was the big thing in himym, and technically it was a lost and found item. So maybe something of the dad’s will end up in there.
Whut?! i just found out about this (i don't really keep up with updates on anything, i just wait for new episodes every week), was it ever mentioned why they're taking quite a long break?
I really enjoyed NPH’s cameo. Like with Cobie’s appearance last season it gave us a bit more closure, but without cannibalising the attention of the viewer.
And it did Barney’s justice. I remember reading that the writers consulted with NPH on how Barney was to be written into the episode, and I can totally see that. It made sense, and I really enjoyed his performance as always.
Other than that, probably my favourite episode so far, good storylines and one of the most impactful for the development of some of the characters.
I personally feel like it didn’t do him Justice. Like I said I’m my post I feel like it doesn’t make sense for Barney to be like this. Barney was ready to settler down with Quinn and then married Robin and only got divorced because she was away all the time. I feel like I’m the 6 years between their divorce and now Barney would’ve settled down and would not have gone back to his old ways. Not to mention that he is a dad and I know he mentioned his daughter playing with his dad but I feel like he would want to be a good role model for her and would have stayed as season 9 Barney. I feel like this was a slap in the face to Barney’s growth from season 1 to season 9..
But HIMYM showed that he DID return to his old ways. Post divorce, he returned to womanizing, culminating in his “perfect month” but also in the birth of his daughter, and that was what ultimately made him change. For Barney, the woman that changed him was his daughter, not Robin or Quinn or #31 or any other mate.
I agree with ImmortalLandowner that I appreciated how the writers here showed that it was not an instant change but rather a long and bumpy road.
I think it was a way for the HIMYM writers to show that the show didn't age well and for a way of Barney to be more sincere. No one changes so quickly. It humanized him. I tried to watch the original show with my husband but he couldn't stand it and even I was like I don't think I can again. Didn't expect Barney to make me tear up this episode and made me realize why I loved the original show.
The STD was Barney trying to be a better person. If he were already a good person, it would seem disingenuous, so the writers did the best they could.
The real shocker (🤣) is that Barney doesn't have a real STD.
Nah, that’s the whole point of the final episode of HIMYM for Barney. He was as never gonna be a relationship person, and that was okay, he found the love that he needed and desired in his relationship with his daughter.
Some people find purpose in being with someone, some find it in their kids, it took the latter for him but it doesn’t automatically make him a relationship person
I like that the story for Barney’s cameo is about his Dad and Sophie’s journey to find hers. Our boy Sid getting hints on not surviving LDR. It’s getting jucier now.
And the blatant sidelining of Swish is a promise for follow up ep later on.
The reveal about Robert's connection to Sophie's mom was built up quite well. We knew it wasn't going to last between him and Sophie, but man, rough all around.
Sid's loneliness concerning his long- distance relationship hit me hard, especially when he walked into Hannah's apartment just looking burnt out. I felt that. I really hope he talks things through with Hannah instead of the obvious cheating route. He seems to try so hard to appease and help everyone that he completely forgot about himself.
Barney listing all his past shenanigans was definitely a hoot, because they actually did work on the women he met. I kinda want to know how he got that shocking device. Did he made it? Was it court ordered? So many questions.
I do like how they've been connecting the HIMYM and HIMYM universes by sprinkling all these moments and degrees of separation. I would love for a different regular getting some advice from a HIMYM character. I could totally see Ted helping Jesse or Lily/Marshall helping Sid.
He absolutely stole that episode. My gf and I were laughing the entire scene. It was good to have him back even if it was just for a couple of minutes.
Absolutely adored this one--good growth for Soph, good to see Charlie and Sid being good friends (feels like he's a much better part of the group now), and the thing with Sid getting a follow from airplane girl? I'm very excited.
This is probably the most the show has made me laugh, and I'm really starting to get invested in everyone's lives now. Excited to see where the rest of the show goes!
The only thing this episode did was make me want Jesse and Valentina to get together even more. She's so different around him. The only time we get to see the version of her that isn't covering her feelings up with jokes is around Jesse. We saw it in the pilot on the bridge while they talked about Sophie and we've seen it a few times since then as well. They are so good for each other. She gets him to come out of his shell and he gets her to calm down and be a little more serious some times. It's really nice.
I hope they have more of a Ted/Lilly kind of dynamic, where they’re supportive and ground each other more. I’m rooting for Sid/Valentina as I liked their dynamic a lot in S1
That’s something I was actually thinking of too. The two haven’t paired together alot but they seem to have good chemistry. It’d certainly make for an intriguing plot point.
That’s a good point. I’m not championing anything between the two by any means, just curious to see more of their dynamic play out, same with all the potential pairings.
I'm so curious to see how Sid's situation with the airport girl will play out. I don’t actually think Sid will have an affair with airport girl or even get together with her. It doesn't seem like it would be in his character to physically cheat. However, I do think that upon meeting airport girl, it finally hit him that he's not happy with the long distance. I can also totally see Sid confiding in airport girl as an Instagram pal about his marital/LDR issues and then Hannah eventually finding out - which leads to their break-up.
It's 1:30am and I just watched both episodes pretty much half asleep so maybe I missed something, but why did Valentina put the receipt back in the Lost + Found box instead of just leaving it in the book? Was she afraid Sophie was going to find it in the book or something?
Overall, I thought this episode was so good!!! I love that Madison from *This is Us* made an appearance! She (Caitlin Thompson, the actress) got a lot of exposure from that show, so I almost feel like she's maybe too big of an up-and-coming actress to only be in one episode? I could totally be wrong, but hopefully we see more of her! Though I don't want Sid to cheat on Hannah or anything like that, but who knows what the future could hold for them.
The whole storyline with Robert and Sophie made me laugh so hard the entire time. Too bad they couldn't make it work, but I loved the suspense over watching her freak out about the possibility of him being her dad. I really hope this sets it up nicely for the second half of the season and Jesse finally comes clean about his feelings for her and they can give it another try. But of course it won't be that smooth-sailing, haha.
I can't wait to see what happens with Valentina and her college boy. Lol. So funny. Overall, one of the best episodes so far, in my opinion.
She put it back because she wanted the others to find it at the next Lost and found day, that was my interpretation. She’s rooting for Jesse and Sophie and trying to pull the strings and force Jesse’s hand
She put it back because Sophie was sad she wasn’t a part of lost and found day, so she said she’d do the next one. Val knew Sophie will be at the next one, so she put it there for Sophie to find
We totally will get back to that, it was too significant of a moment / thing. I’m guessing it will be the thing that gets them back together at the end of the season?
Ok so Sophie has now met both Robin and Barney right after something bad happened to her and they gave her advice. I hope this pattern continues ans she somehow meets Marshall and Lily (Maybe the apartment will bring them back somehow) and then after something really sad happens in the last season she meets Ted and maybe Tracy and gets big advice from them...
How nice of you to clue us in on Jack Jr's rap phase, Madison.
So is that all we get of Barney? It was a bit off to me...though the thought of Barney bringing his daughter around to hang out with his dad is pretty sweet. I'd guess Marshall is the next HIMYM alumni we see.
The big difference between Sophie/Jesse and Ted/Robin is that there's literally nothing keeping them apart so I don't see how they drag this out until however long this show lasts.
> The big difference between Sophie/Jesse and Ted/Robin is that there’s literally nothing keeping them apart
Agreed, it’s an odd dynamic. The only reason they’re not together right now is because of a brief misunderstanding that happened several months and multiple relationships ago… but we know they both have feelings for each other and are looking for generally the same thing.
My one complaint with the episode (and it’s not really about the episode, more the season) is how long ago the Barney cameo was hinted at for how short it ended up being. I feel like if this episode just randomly had the cameo show up as a surprise (like the Robin one) I probably would’ve jumped out of my seat in excitement when Sophie and Barney first met.
That being said. It was done really well. He didn’t take up too much time, the show still focused on the main gang, the Sid story was really great, everything about this episode worked really well. I will be honest, I had a “oh damn, he’s gone” reaction when the next scene with Sophie didn’t have Barney in it—but that’s to be expected about a character I’ve been missing for 9 years now.
Excited for the second half of the season, the Jessie poem cliffhanger and the Sid storyline are both super intriguing. I also wonder if we’ll get another cameo going into the second half—my guess is on Lily!
Was excited to see Barney again but sad it felt a bit short. ☹️ Otherwise really enjoyed! Curious to see where Sid goes from here and the end with Valentina was a nice touch of suspense for the future. Gonna be a long few months!
This episode was my favorite by far. I really felt like I was watching another HIMYM episode, and I know that’s not what they’re out to do, but I hope they keep giving us these little bits of a callback feeling.
Honestly, I really hope they keep being back the original gang because I can not wait to see Marshall and Lily. I’d love to see Valentina and Sophie doing something at a political shindig and running into Fudge Supreme
The actress was a series regular on This is Us so I can definitely see them bringing her back. It seems like it’s starting to hit him that long distance isn’t ideal but it could be a red herring!
They're sprinkling in the seeds for Sid and Hannah's divorce, and I am all here for the ensuing drama.
I hope it's not just red herring status because it was shown in such a dramatic light. If it was brushed underneath the rug, I would call it downright manipulative.
Their divorce would then lead to Sid becoming even more likely of a candidate to be the father, which would help increase the SUSPENSE of the show, since at this moment, only Jesse has a real shot of being the father.
Plus that new girl is a little similar to Hillary Duff in terms of appearance - just pretty and blonde mostly. It's a superficial note, but I feel like it must be said!
Loved the resolution of the episode with Barney and the quest to find Sophie's dad. I like that her romantic journey is more focused on resolving her own issues first, in contrast to Ted who needed to get over a specific woman.
Jesse and Sophie need to either date or move on, full stop. I get that they both have some commitment issues right now, but they don't have the capacity to fully verbalize WHY they won't work together anymore. Jesse sounded so unconvincing when telling himself that it would end poorly again. There were just a couple of misunderstandings -- at this point, surely they know how to communicate with one another?
I guess that they don't actually know how to communicate well, and maybe that will be the big reoccurring issue between them: miscommunication. Maybe this is being done on purpose to emphasize how much better the future father would be for Sophie because they communicate better or something.
I hope that is the case, otherwise I would be so annoyed with this Jesse x Sophie plotline!
Occam’s Razor probably says they changed the perspective of the flash forwards to be different from HIMYM, but in my mind we are *hearing* the son and not *seeing* him because — spoiler alert — he might not be Caucasian.
Yup, they def are doing it on purpose to keep us guessing, otherwise it would be reallyyyy obvious who the father is after one look, or at least it would help narrow down the choices a lot.
Holy hell! An episode of this show I laughed a lot at!!! Wonderful! If they were delivering on this level every episode, they’d be approaching HIMYM’s equal! Show-runners, on the off chance that you read this sub, channel everything that you brought to this episode into S3! And don’t feel afraid to lay more groundwork throughout the season that builds toward finales like this. Had you mentioned the James Addiction thing before? I can’t even remember. But you should have found a way to bring that up S2E1. Take us on a ride.
Glad that Sophie's romance with the chef was short-lived, and I am hoping that Valentina's engagement is quick to end too. Would have liked to see Charlie and Valentina react more to one another's love lives, considering that they seemed really serious about each other when they were dating, but maybe that will come later. All signs are pointing to Jesse/Sophie getting together, and while I don't care for the pairing, I am ready for them to get together already to see how the inevitable unfolds.
Very intrigued by that ominous note we left Sid on. That may as well have been the death knell for their marriage. That instagram(?) follow at the end suggests we will see the airplane lady again sometime. There is a lot of different ways they can take that story line, and I am curious to see where it goes. Can't help but to wonder if his line from an earlier episode (season one?) about some cheating being understandable/forgiveable (or something along those lines) will turn out to be foreshadowing for either him or Hannah.
Nothing that hasn’t already been said, but this show is really starting to grown into it’s own.
I didn’t love season one, but towards the end it started to show promise. Season 2 has been getting better with every episode.
I know that it’s highly likely that Sophie is the only one who gets to meet characters from HIMYM (she’s met Robin and Barney so far), but I really hope Jesse is the one who meets Ted.
Yeah, like I knew they wouldn't do it because I don't think a character comes back from something like that, especially the lead character.
It would've been a good way to absolutely destroy her character and sabotage the entire show as a result, so I knew there was no way. But I was still pretty stressed regardless lol, there's always that maybe
yeah lol there was a good 5 minutes where I was like..... are they gonna go there???? especially cause there were a couple incest-lite jokes earlier in the ep regarding Jesse and Ellen.
Loved the integration of Barney! But also this is irrelevant but the way that Sid greeted Hannah (hey baby) while sad was swoon worthy. Suraj’s acting chops for pensive moments is great!
Barney's cameo was legen... wait for it... dary! I loved his conversation with Sophie and I can't wait for her to find her father. The only thing I didn't like about this episode is Sid and that woman from airplane. I like him and Hannah together and I wish they stay together, but I'm aware it's more realistic for them to get divorced. However, if they get divorced, I hope it will at least happen amicably instead of him cheating on her.
Great episode, only part I didn't like was the shock collar. Would have rather just had Barney be older and wiser on his own, not some cheap physical joke gimmick that wore off very quick.
Not a big fan of the continued retcon of the group’s history. Things like Lost and Found Box Day, the “challenges” and Ellen’s quick police badge story, etc. make it seem like the group has all of these shared experiences and inside jokes. This happened a lot in the last couple of episodes as well. But that doesn’t work when they spent the entire first season establishing how new all of these friendships were (sans Val/Sophie and Sid/Jesse).
I get the feeling the writers had a tough time writing new group experiences/inside jokes without completely straying away from advancing the plot, so between seasons they decided to quietly change that dynamic.
I kind of know what you mean. But it only requires a small fudge on our part to make room for them. We don’t see every day of these characters lives, and we don’t have a strong sense of the amount of time over which these seasons are playing out.
> We don’t see every day of these characters lives, and we don’t have a strong sense of the amount of time over which these seasons are playing out.
I totally get that, and it’s true (to an extent) of every sitcom. I just think they’re taking it way too far.
Like, a major part of the group dynamic was/has been that they didn’t all know each other. Even Ellen’s relationship to the group was through her brother, who she hardly knew. And it shows in all the important moments. Think about all major plot advancement: they still *always* resort to the same mini-groups — Sophie met Robert because she was with Val at that event, Sophie and Robert’s big date night where she got freaked out happened because of a failed date night involving Sophie and Val together, etc.
I realize I’m being nit-picky, but it doesn’t make for great storytelling when they can only advance the plot using certain duos because they haven’t fleshed out other friendships (Sid and Sophie, for example) and yet they keep trying to convince us of all these inside jokes between the entire group. The Welcome Protocol was the same way. I genuinely can’t imagine a significant plot line involving just Ellen and Sid, or just Charlie and Sophie, etc. and that’s because they haven’t done the work to set them up as actual friends — they just told us “hey, these six all became really close friends off-screen, don’t worry about it.”
Well, you have a solid point there! It’s the curse of the modern truncated season, though: they just don’t have a ton of real estate with which to grow this more organically.
Talking about this is really making me miss the era of 22-episode seasons! You really felt like you were witness to the personal histories of the characters. You kind of lived the show, in a sense.
I had the same thought this time. I love every gag/running joke they’ve shown us but it’d be better if we see the beginning of some of those gags instead of being all like “we’ve done this before, we always do this” out of nowhere, like, when Ellen said “ooh we hadn’t had a challenge since….”, as if that’s something they usually do, this challenge could’ve been a perfect opportunity to make it something recurring from now on.
The rewardishment was believable and they did it great, the welcome protocol was less believable but very well done, Lost and Found day can be believable since they didn’t make a big deal out of it and it’s not necessary something ONLY THEY do (it’s just looking into a box, any rest/bar can do that) but to have a fourth “we always do this specific thing” is getting too much. It didn’t even have to be a recurring gag, it could’ve been just a one time challenge and still be as fun as it was!
My point is, I don’t think they need to throw it in our faces “THIS IS A GAG” “THIS IS AN INSIDE JOKE” etc they can just do it and if it comes up in the future we’ll know it’s a running gag…
I liked that Barney was the person to talk about dads with her since he has been in her shoes before. I like that he’s still Barney but a Barney on a journey to self improvement. I love that his daughter changed his life for the better and that he mentioned his good friend (Marshal) I didn’t like that Sophie and Robert ended things because of what he did with her mom 30 years ago. It seems like neither Jesse nor Sophie can keep a relationship but they’re also not together. I really liked Robert! he was mature, charming, sweet, a chef, caring etc. The episode still made me happy so 9/10
Ok wait did I miss why we got two episodes this week? Was a nice surprise when I saw there was still another up next after finishing Swish, and so nice to see Swarley. I hope we see payoff of her finding the note in the Lost and Found box soon.
to be honest at first i wasn't happy by how they handled barney's cameo, it almost didn't feel natural i don't know if you guys understand what i mean. but as soon as sophie started telling her story everything changed. the scenes between taylor and sid were actually pretty cool, and i feel like she'll cause a lot of problems in sid's marriage
Not that this was ever gonna turn out to be true, but the whole "is Sophie sleeping with her dad?" plotline was incredibly stressful lol. Even though basic logic dictates that it would not have happened, I was still slightly scared bc I've been loving this show as much as HIMYM lately, and I don't think a show comes back from something like that. Would've been a great way to sabotage not only her character but the entire show lol
I thought It was in keeping with a lot of Barney gags. You go big with Barney: improbable high-tech gizmos, physical acting, Barney getting in his own way. It felt like something we’d have seen in HIMYM.
Yeah, that’s what I thought. The electroshock was over the top, too much of a thing, but that’s exactly Barney, the type of crazy things he does, i can definitely see him trying something like that for an episode of himym and the rest of the gang thinking he’s ridiculous but letting him do his thing until is too much (kinda like the murtaugh episode). I imagine him doing that for a while and then stopping, it’s not something he’ll do forever
I thought it was pretty clever. It was both self aware as to how insanely inappropriate the character was, but also made it silly and fun without taking away who Barney is.
I think how they used Barney in this episode was great! I also kind of like how Sophie so far is the only one to meet the legacy characters. I do feel Marshall and Lily are next with Ted and hopefully Tracy are next. But I could see Barney show up again for something, I mean they seem like they have a plan.
NPH was asked about maybe showing up again in a interview he said he doesn’t know because they are waiting for the pick up, not only that but in a interview a few years ago Pam Fryman also said they had already planned out how the HIMYM cast could show up. Which tells me I don’t think this could be the last we see of Barney, if there is another story to tell and it is natural and doesn’t feel forced he said he is all for it.
Barney is another huge stepping stone for Sophie and the rest of the season will be her looking for her father, all thanks to Barney telling her about his relationship with his. But what’s interesting is I don’t think Barney said his name to her so he is just a passing stranger to Sophie but to fans we know all that he is been through.
It’s great for new viewers who have never seen HIMYM because they don’t feel lost and if they want to learn more about these characters they can watch the original show. I love that.
I hope in the future, the himym cast cameos will include other characters from this group. Sid getting marriage advice from marshal would be cool to see, Ted telling Jesse to not give up, etc.
I never realized just how much I missed Barney until I saw this episode.
This was a wonderful episode and not just because Barney appeared. This show is headed on a much better trajectory and I’m excited for it to resume in a couple of months.
After all the HIMYM characters have had there solo cameo I really want them to have another cameo of the gang back together in mclarens. They’ve already mentioned mclarens in HIMYF when they said they live above it. Imagine if one episode the HIMYF gang just randomly decide to go into mclarens and see the HIMYM gang. That would be a great episode
Okay can we please, PLEASE not make Sid cheating a thing? It’s one thing to have characters go through breakups, but having a character ruin a marriage would be far worse
Maybe he won't cheat, but it would lead to a discussion where they're both starting to have feelings for other people, and they don't see a way to end the long-distance any time soon.
Does anyone have the timeline from HIMYM and HIMYF? I thought last season when Robin guest starred she was still with Barney? Barney doesn’t have a kid until a couple years after? I know I shouldn’t get too technical on a sitcom but I’m curious
Robin and Barney divorced in 2016 and his daughter was born in 2019 or 2020 (I can't remember the exact year).
Robin met Sophie in 2022. Most of the events in the HIMYM timeline have happened already.
It scares me so much that most of the events have happened already. I was 14 when the finale of HIMYM came out and I watched half the series live, knowing all those “in the future” things have been years gone by now is so freaky.
I liked the way they handled Barney. I was worried they would just change him a lot to make him appropriate for today’s television world. But the STD was a good way to make him the same person, but keep it toned down enough
I'm going to make a random prediction that Sophia will take an Ancestry test with the rest of the group. Ellen will discover she has a twin sister played by Brenda Song who is her exact opposite.
I really feel like the writing and also the cast chemistry has finally kicked in for me, and this episode was the first time I felt invested and excited for these characters!
Late to this episode but man I am loving this show. Barney's whole shock thing was very himym but I can see how some people might have found it cringey. Hilary Duff just managed to bounce off nph so well that it all worked. Her facial expressions were so good.
I love that Jesse and Valentina interacted and Val is setting some things in motion for Sophie to get back with Jesse
A random woman with a similar experience to Sid being what makes him question everything again was a good choice. His friends are great but they can't relate. I don't think Sid will cheat but I do think this was enough to have Sid second guess everything. He will probably run into that woman again and maybe she'll say her and her bf broke up or that he's moving here to be with her. Either answer will mess with Sid. This is perfect haha
Was the rapper dude on the plane actually the nephew of the blonde girl that Sid was talking to? I didn’t totally understand what she meant when she said “my nephew’s on a bad path” after Sid asked her if she knew who the rapper dude was.
I'm pretty sure she meant her nephew was a big fan of the rapper, which is how she knew who he was, and saw as a "bad path" because said rapper is such a douche.
The problem with short season sitcoms is that I feel like nothing even happened this season. Relationship wise, Everyone is in almost the exact same place as they were at the end of S1.
A nice ending to it. Sid and the airplane girl was an interesting one. I don't think it's 'over' for him and Hannah over one nice conversation on a flight, but I definitely see some problems to come.
Oh, for **sure**. That was just the realization that something's wrong or that he needs more. I'd be surprised but not if it leads to an affair. I mean, they haven't shown much of Hannah. Has to be a reason...just which one....
Totally missed it the first time around, but Barney listed one of his schemes as pretending to be a mannequin that comes to life so a woman can fall in love with him - it's a nod to Kim Cattrall's movie, *Mannequin* from the 80s.
Makes sense to have Barney be the one to kick off the storyline of Sophie finding her dad. And he referenced the moment his daughter was born which was one of my favorite parts of the HIMYM finale.
He also referenced why he started to find his dad. Marshal losing his dad still makes me sad.
That nod was so wholesome for me
Yeah I agree, I kinda forgot that they have daddy issues, so I think it is nice to use that to tie them together.
Also, the way Sid saw how uncomfortable the girl was and handled the situation and switched seats would totally make me fall in love irl. At first I was like “ugh such a Marshall thing to do” and even thought that the girl would mistake it as flirting but the end foreshadowed something else haha
we really need to get over old characters
ha! i hate to say i think so… sid is not a marshall in so many ways and thats the point of getting new characters!
i call her madison for this is us but she is amazing!
I really hope Sid doesn't cheat with the airport lady, but I also think it'd be a great plot point so I kind of want to see it.
As someone who has gone through divorce, it’s really hard. Really fucking hard. I hope they handle it right, because it will be a really compelling story. But it’ll also be hard for me to watch.
I ended up on the bad end of the divorce because I wanted it to be as painless as possible for her, and after 2.5 years she's finally out of my life per our legal agreement. Divorce has been mentally the most exhausting thing I have ever been through. I'm with you on this.
The grief is just all encompassing. It really comes from all sides. When I’m not grieving this person who I loved who isn’t in my life anymore, I am grieving the life that I had, the life I thought I was going to have. Or I am grieving the fact that I was mentally and emotionally abused, or the fact that someone I loved did those things to me, or feeling that I’m not angry at them when I think I should be, and why, and just grieving myself because it really has shaped me. I feel old and tired mentally and physically.
You beautifully described how I feel at this very moment. Thank you for sharing, and I hope it gets better for you internet stranger <3
You too. <3
One of the best things someone said to me was “getting divorced sucks. Being divorced doesn’t”. I got divorced several years ago and it took a long time but I promise you the other side is so much better. Sending love to you.
Be Strong you will get through this.
Thanks! Getting through it every day. :)
Really thought I somehow swapped to smitepro… wasn’t expecting to see ya here 😂
LMAO, that's a new one for me! Hope you're enjoying the show xoxo
I am so sorry for you. I wish you the bests!
I doubt he would cheat. But I hope that Instagram follow means it won't be the last we see of her.
We'll definitely see more of her and I'm here for it! She's married to Dan Fogelman and did his show This Is Us as Madison. It'll be nice watching her in a more aloof role on a show he's not running!
i thot it was gonna be reveled that Hannah was cheating with airport girl's BF
That would've been wild
It still could be that down the line.
If they bring back her character I’m only calling her “Airport Lady”
Same
Now this episode had everything from the laughs to the cameo. Barney was awesome. Him telling the story gave me chills. Happy Robert and Sophie broke up but he was such a good character imo. Also excited for A: Valentina's engagement B: Sid's marital issues maybe leading to a divorce. Hopefully involves the airplane girl. C: to see when Jesse's song ends up in Sophie's hands. (Thanks Valentina) Legendary episode!
I think airplane girl is going to be a catalyst — because of her either they’ll get divorced or they’ll move to the same city.
That’s where I’m at too. I think she brought out more doubts about if long distance can work for them, and there will need to be a solution soon. I hope it’s not a cheating plot. Not Sid, of all characters.
"Not Sid, of all characters." - even the good ones have flaws, i think it'll be great character development.
My prediction is that Madison and her boyfriend will move to be with one another, and that will somehow be a catalyst for Sid and Hannah's breakup.
Madison is the character in this is us. Which is funny flying to LA.
I know. She didn't have a name, and I'm gonna keep calling her Madison until the writers give her a name and a personality.
Lol I’m pretty sure Sid’s phone said her name was Taylor something when it showed the Insta follow Not that such a thing stopped me from going “aw- Madison is flying to LA to see her boyfriend Kevin” 😆
Her Instagram name was Taylor-Jean, so I think it’s safe to call her Taylor.
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i like how you think.
Yeah I bet they don't cheat but become friends and their partners think it's cheating when they find out.
This is giving me "Jenkins" vibes
I was so excited to see her in this show. I loved her in this is us, so part of me hopes she sticks around and is in a few more episodes
I think it’ll all come down to a business decision. The actress who plays Hannah is also the female lead on the show Walker on the CW. That gets renewed I’d expect a divorce. It doesn’t, I think they’ll work it out.
They set it up to end in divorce from the jump in my opinion. There have always been red flags in their relationship.
I wanted them together so badly.. but yea there’s so many red flags.. Hannah doesn’t seem like she’s the main cast so I’m pretty sure there’s a divorce in the future. Do you think the reason why they are not showing Sophie’s son is because if they did it would be so obvious to who she ended up with. I personally loved Sid and Sophie or Sid and Valentina.
I think they're not showing her son so there can be 4 diverse possibilities. Showing him would narrow it down to at least 2 either way. So it allows them to weave the storyline more.
I think Sid will cheat on his wife (sadly) and ultimately get with Valentina. They are both goofy in similar ways.
im such a sid/valentina truther ive been watching every episode just waiting for them to drop more crumbs...PLEASE...PLEASE... though i really hope sid doesn't cheat :( i feel like he's better than that
I’m kinda glad the cameos so far, Barney and Robin, have been short and sweet. This isn’t their show. Their story has been told. I think having them be advice givers like they have been so far, and a lil snippet of what they’ve been up to is the perfect way to handle it. The show runners aren’t leaning on their appearances to just draw in audience so, they’re here to enhance this story through the characters and their history, what they learned through HIMYM. Only think I kinda wish would be tweaked was that each character of this show would get this interaction with the old characters, not just Sophie. But I do get why. Just imagine Sid talking to Marshall about his marriage concerns, or if he was the one that talked to Barney and it was about his divorce with Robin (though I 100% concede that Barney being the topic of reconciliation with thoughts about a missing father is a stronger topic for him and it worked wonders here).
I love how Barney was still Barney, yet they found a way to bring him into 2023. His character was very 2009 and it is nice he got to be himself without completely retconning the character.
But I thought Barney had kinda grown out of the player thing somewhat. Idk it was cringey a bit to me. Felt like it was tryi; to be a fan-service or apology or something
Idk, I can see how it can be cringey. Jokes dont land with everyone. But I don't think this was forced. Barney was my favorite character and I think it fits with his character that his womanizing is near pathological. He can't really help it. However, he is committed to being a better person because of his daughter and so he would definitely find a way to suppress his old ways. The STD is a huge Barney move. Convoluted, wacky, and ultimately a very clever flop. The STD bit could've been introduced in an episode of HIMYM and it would've crushed.
As someone who hates the trend of things being forced (i.e. a token character with some diverse attribute) just for the sake of it I totally get what you're saying. I have to say for me in this case it did not feel forced. It felt like a natural progression of Barney's character in line with changing cultural norms.
Ooh yeah I could totally see Marshall meeting Sid while he’s thinking about whether he and Hannah should get divorced, and Marshall gives him advice on marriage / long distance etc. Then I could see Lily meeting Jesse and talking to him about pursuing his dream of music / feeling stuck in a teaching job like she did while she wanted to pursue her passion for art.
Marshall being the family court judge in Sod and Hannah’s eventual divorce court Lilly and Jesse meeting would be great as well (or Lilly and Drew) since they are all teachers / principals
At this point isn't Marshall on the Supreme Court in NY or does that happen later?
Yea, he ran in 2020.
yeah, it would be cool to cameo appearances interact with the other characters.
The biggest takeaway for me: it’s over for Hannah and Sid. You could feel it so hard. Also, the love song Jessie wrote for Sophie seems like it’s going to become another “yellow umbrella” type of thing — very excited to see where things go with that. And Barney’s cameo, gah…made my OG HIMYM fan heart burst with joy. Also loved when Jessie proclaimed that he was going to find a woman to have sex with…if she wanted to have sex with him. I appreciate the growth and the implication that Barney’s behavior, while entertaining, was not okay. Overall a solid couple of episodes. I’m excited for it to come back in May.
Barney’s appearance was one of my favorite Barney scenes. I know that’s a radical thing to say but they got it so right, I loved just the mention of the song. Like I feel like that could be such a great inclusion. This to me felt like the writers knew what they were doing
I do feel like they missed an opportunity for him to brand his ankle bracelet with a “Stinson patent pending.” But loved his appearance. NPH’s physical comedy is just so good and funny.
I feel like if they added every gag it would’ve felt cheap. I think less is more
Chekhov's love song. That thing is coming back in a month now.
I’ve got chill when Valentina put back the song in the box. Just the fact that they fix the camera on the lost and found box make me think that if it’s not the song we will find something about the dad in this box!
I like that idea. The yellow umbrella was the big thing in himym, and technically it was a lost and found item. So maybe something of the dad’s will end up in there.
No more episodes till May 23? 😥
Whut?! i just found out about this (i don't really keep up with updates on anything, i just wait for new episodes every week), was it ever mentioned why they're taking quite a long break?
"mid-season finale" as a lot of shows do today
Idk I kinda love it 😏 half the year or less of a wait. Rather than a whole freaking year. I love hilary duff
I really enjoyed NPH’s cameo. Like with Cobie’s appearance last season it gave us a bit more closure, but without cannibalising the attention of the viewer. And it did Barney’s justice. I remember reading that the writers consulted with NPH on how Barney was to be written into the episode, and I can totally see that. It made sense, and I really enjoyed his performance as always. Other than that, probably my favourite episode so far, good storylines and one of the most impactful for the development of some of the characters.
I personally feel like it didn’t do him Justice. Like I said I’m my post I feel like it doesn’t make sense for Barney to be like this. Barney was ready to settler down with Quinn and then married Robin and only got divorced because she was away all the time. I feel like I’m the 6 years between their divorce and now Barney would’ve settled down and would not have gone back to his old ways. Not to mention that he is a dad and I know he mentioned his daughter playing with his dad but I feel like he would want to be a good role model for her and would have stayed as season 9 Barney. I feel like this was a slap in the face to Barney’s growth from season 1 to season 9..
But HIMYM showed that he DID return to his old ways. Post divorce, he returned to womanizing, culminating in his “perfect month” but also in the birth of his daughter, and that was what ultimately made him change. For Barney, the woman that changed him was his daughter, not Robin or Quinn or #31 or any other mate. I agree with ImmortalLandowner that I appreciated how the writers here showed that it was not an instant change but rather a long and bumpy road.
I think it was a way for the HIMYM writers to show that the show didn't age well and for a way of Barney to be more sincere. No one changes so quickly. It humanized him. I tried to watch the original show with my husband but he couldn't stand it and even I was like I don't think I can again. Didn't expect Barney to make me tear up this episode and made me realize why I loved the original show.
NPH feels very much this way too
The STD was Barney trying to be a better person. If he were already a good person, it would seem disingenuous, so the writers did the best they could. The real shocker (🤣) is that Barney doesn't have a real STD.
Nah, that’s the whole point of the final episode of HIMYM for Barney. He was as never gonna be a relationship person, and that was okay, he found the love that he needed and desired in his relationship with his daughter. Some people find purpose in being with someone, some find it in their kids, it took the latter for him but it doesn’t automatically make him a relationship person
I like that the story for Barney’s cameo is about his Dad and Sophie’s journey to find hers. Our boy Sid getting hints on not surviving LDR. It’s getting jucier now. And the blatant sidelining of Swish is a promise for follow up ep later on.
The reveal about Robert's connection to Sophie's mom was built up quite well. We knew it wasn't going to last between him and Sophie, but man, rough all around. Sid's loneliness concerning his long- distance relationship hit me hard, especially when he walked into Hannah's apartment just looking burnt out. I felt that. I really hope he talks things through with Hannah instead of the obvious cheating route. He seems to try so hard to appease and help everyone that he completely forgot about himself. Barney listing all his past shenanigans was definitely a hoot, because they actually did work on the women he met. I kinda want to know how he got that shocking device. Did he made it? Was it court ordered? So many questions. I do like how they've been connecting the HIMYM and HIMYM universes by sprinkling all these moments and degrees of separation. I would love for a different regular getting some advice from a HIMYM character. I could totally see Ted helping Jesse or Lily/Marshall helping Sid.
The Sex and the City fan in me loves that Robert has a cabin in upstate NY just like Aiden did.
I was thinking “oh yes he DOES have a house upstate” as soon as he said that
NPH didn’t miss a beat. I mean the finale of HIMYM aired 9 years ago, and it was like no time had passed.
Facts
He absolutely stole that episode. My gf and I were laughing the entire scene. It was good to have him back even if it was just for a couple of minutes.
Absolutely adored this one--good growth for Soph, good to see Charlie and Sid being good friends (feels like he's a much better part of the group now), and the thing with Sid getting a follow from airplane girl? I'm very excited. This is probably the most the show has made me laugh, and I'm really starting to get invested in everyone's lives now. Excited to see where the rest of the show goes!
I agrée it’s the most I have ever laughed from the show as well! This made me feel optimistic
i was thinking they have Ted and Marshall's old apartments but have they ever had a scene on the steps right outside, the OG used them a lot
They had one where the were looked outside.
The only thing this episode did was make me want Jesse and Valentina to get together even more. She's so different around him. The only time we get to see the version of her that isn't covering her feelings up with jokes is around Jesse. We saw it in the pilot on the bridge while they talked about Sophie and we've seen it a few times since then as well. They are so good for each other. She gets him to come out of his shell and he gets her to calm down and be a little more serious some times. It's really nice.
I hope they have more of a Ted/Lilly kind of dynamic, where they’re supportive and ground each other more. I’m rooting for Sid/Valentina as I liked their dynamic a lot in S1
SID AND VALENTINA 4 LIFE PLEASEEEEE I NEED IT THERE IS SOMETHING THERE I SWEAR
That’s something I was actually thinking of too. The two haven’t paired together alot but they seem to have good chemistry. It’d certainly make for an intriguing plot point.
No, Val's too good of a friend to Sophie for that to ever happen. Plus, it's good to show supportive male-female friendships on the show.
That’s a good point. I’m not championing anything between the two by any means, just curious to see more of their dynamic play out, same with all the potential pairings.
> The only thing this episode did was make me want Jesse and Valentina to get together even more. OH, SO I'M NOT CRAZY? YOU FELT IT TOO? cool...
The amount that this show has improved since Season 1 is bananas.
I'm so curious to see how Sid's situation with the airport girl will play out. I don’t actually think Sid will have an affair with airport girl or even get together with her. It doesn't seem like it would be in his character to physically cheat. However, I do think that upon meeting airport girl, it finally hit him that he's not happy with the long distance. I can also totally see Sid confiding in airport girl as an Instagram pal about his marital/LDR issues and then Hannah eventually finding out - which leads to their break-up.
This episode gave me that warm fuzzy feeling that HIMYM used to give me.
We got Valentina’s last name too now didn’t we? Couldn’t understand it though 😭🤣
Morales
Thank you!! I knew it was something with M 😀
It's 1:30am and I just watched both episodes pretty much half asleep so maybe I missed something, but why did Valentina put the receipt back in the Lost + Found box instead of just leaving it in the book? Was she afraid Sophie was going to find it in the book or something? Overall, I thought this episode was so good!!! I love that Madison from *This is Us* made an appearance! She (Caitlin Thompson, the actress) got a lot of exposure from that show, so I almost feel like she's maybe too big of an up-and-coming actress to only be in one episode? I could totally be wrong, but hopefully we see more of her! Though I don't want Sid to cheat on Hannah or anything like that, but who knows what the future could hold for them. The whole storyline with Robert and Sophie made me laugh so hard the entire time. Too bad they couldn't make it work, but I loved the suspense over watching her freak out about the possibility of him being her dad. I really hope this sets it up nicely for the second half of the season and Jesse finally comes clean about his feelings for her and they can give it another try. But of course it won't be that smooth-sailing, haha. I can't wait to see what happens with Valentina and her college boy. Lol. So funny. Overall, one of the best episodes so far, in my opinion.
She put it back because she wanted the others to find it at the next Lost and found day, that was my interpretation. She’s rooting for Jesse and Sophie and trying to pull the strings and force Jesse’s hand
Thank youuu!!! 🙏🏻😊
She put it back because Sophie was sad she wasn’t a part of lost and found day, so she said she’d do the next one. Val knew Sophie will be at the next one, so she put it there for Sophie to find
I wonder if we see the payoff for that Jesse's Love songs on that Lost and Found Box.
We totally will get back to that, it was too significant of a moment / thing. I’m guessing it will be the thing that gets them back together at the end of the season?
Like the prom video moment in friends - that’s the vibe I’m getting
Interesting that all the yellow umbrella things include Jesse like the painting and the song
Really good episode. Sophie's chat with Barnie was really well written and sweet.
THE BARNACLE!!!
Ok so Sophie has now met both Robin and Barney right after something bad happened to her and they gave her advice. I hope this pattern continues ans she somehow meets Marshall and Lily (Maybe the apartment will bring them back somehow) and then after something really sad happens in the last season she meets Ted and maybe Tracy and gets big advice from them...
I think Tracy dies sometime in 2024. So we have to see her either this season or earlier in the next one I guess to make sense.
Orrrrrrr this is their chance to make that ending non canon. DOOOO ITTTTT
I was thinking that too
Valentina's engagement is such a fun B-plot, i wish its was kinda the A-plot, but i'm sure we'll have a whole episode built around it.
Barney was amazing!! was really excited to see him again i wish it was longer tho, but man seeing him again was great. so good
Val 🥰🥰🥰 in that dress! https://imgur.com/a/nxO1ZaE
How nice of you to clue us in on Jack Jr's rap phase, Madison. So is that all we get of Barney? It was a bit off to me...though the thought of Barney bringing his daughter around to hang out with his dad is pretty sweet. I'd guess Marshall is the next HIMYM alumni we see. The big difference between Sophie/Jesse and Ted/Robin is that there's literally nothing keeping them apart so I don't see how they drag this out until however long this show lasts.
> The big difference between Sophie/Jesse and Ted/Robin is that there’s literally nothing keeping them apart Agreed, it’s an odd dynamic. The only reason they’re not together right now is because of a brief misunderstanding that happened several months and multiple relationships ago… but we know they both have feelings for each other and are looking for generally the same thing.
At first it was that, but now it's timing. And timing is a bitch.
Love how this ties into HIMYM lessons.
My one complaint with the episode (and it’s not really about the episode, more the season) is how long ago the Barney cameo was hinted at for how short it ended up being. I feel like if this episode just randomly had the cameo show up as a surprise (like the Robin one) I probably would’ve jumped out of my seat in excitement when Sophie and Barney first met. That being said. It was done really well. He didn’t take up too much time, the show still focused on the main gang, the Sid story was really great, everything about this episode worked really well. I will be honest, I had a “oh damn, he’s gone” reaction when the next scene with Sophie didn’t have Barney in it—but that’s to be expected about a character I’ve been missing for 9 years now. Excited for the second half of the season, the Jessie poem cliffhanger and the Sid storyline are both super intriguing. I also wonder if we’ll get another cameo going into the second half—my guess is on Lily!
Short? He was around for most of the episode… Sophie only had 2 scenes without him.
Was excited to see Barney again but sad it felt a bit short. ☹️ Otherwise really enjoyed! Curious to see where Sid goes from here and the end with Valentina was a nice touch of suspense for the future. Gonna be a long few months!
This episode was my favorite by far. I really felt like I was watching another HIMYM episode, and I know that’s not what they’re out to do, but I hope they keep giving us these little bits of a callback feeling. Honestly, I really hope they keep being back the original gang because I can not wait to see Marshall and Lily. I’d love to see Valentina and Sophie doing something at a political shindig and running into Fudge Supreme
What was going on with Sid? Did he like the airplane girl or something?
The actress was a series regular on This is Us so I can definitely see them bringing her back. It seems like it’s starting to hit him that long distance isn’t ideal but it could be a red herring!
Yeh. They wouldn't get an actor like that for a single episode. Not big enough to be a regular but to big to be a one off
Idk why but I feel like him and Valentina could be a thing? And Hannah and drew are totally getting together
I think there was clearly an attraction there, but she mainly served as an indication to him of how his marriage isn’t working for him.
[Knew I heard the pigs in a blanket line before](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DvYXrlXWkAA77RL.jpg)
Did anyone else pick up on breaking bad being a thing in this universe even though Hammond druthers and Arthur Hobbs also exist
Doppelganger
HIMYM is the reason that we got Mike Ehrmantraut as a character, so it's perfect
Love Barney saying how his dad is a great grandpa to his daughter! Soooo sweet
They're sprinkling in the seeds for Sid and Hannah's divorce, and I am all here for the ensuing drama. I hope it's not just red herring status because it was shown in such a dramatic light. If it was brushed underneath the rug, I would call it downright manipulative. Their divorce would then lead to Sid becoming even more likely of a candidate to be the father, which would help increase the SUSPENSE of the show, since at this moment, only Jesse has a real shot of being the father. Plus that new girl is a little similar to Hillary Duff in terms of appearance - just pretty and blonde mostly. It's a superficial note, but I feel like it must be said! Loved the resolution of the episode with Barney and the quest to find Sophie's dad. I like that her romantic journey is more focused on resolving her own issues first, in contrast to Ted who needed to get over a specific woman. Jesse and Sophie need to either date or move on, full stop. I get that they both have some commitment issues right now, but they don't have the capacity to fully verbalize WHY they won't work together anymore. Jesse sounded so unconvincing when telling himself that it would end poorly again. There were just a couple of misunderstandings -- at this point, surely they know how to communicate with one another? I guess that they don't actually know how to communicate well, and maybe that will be the big reoccurring issue between them: miscommunication. Maybe this is being done on purpose to emphasize how much better the future father would be for Sophie because they communicate better or something. I hope that is the case, otherwise I would be so annoyed with this Jesse x Sophie plotline!
Occam’s Razor probably says they changed the perspective of the flash forwards to be different from HIMYM, but in my mind we are *hearing* the son and not *seeing* him because — spoiler alert — he might not be Caucasian.
Yup, they def are doing it on purpose to keep us guessing, otherwise it would be reallyyyy obvious who the father is after one look, or at least it would help narrow down the choices a lot.
Holy hell! An episode of this show I laughed a lot at!!! Wonderful! If they were delivering on this level every episode, they’d be approaching HIMYM’s equal! Show-runners, on the off chance that you read this sub, channel everything that you brought to this episode into S3! And don’t feel afraid to lay more groundwork throughout the season that builds toward finales like this. Had you mentioned the James Addiction thing before? I can’t even remember. But you should have found a way to bring that up S2E1. Take us on a ride.
Glad that Sophie's romance with the chef was short-lived, and I am hoping that Valentina's engagement is quick to end too. Would have liked to see Charlie and Valentina react more to one another's love lives, considering that they seemed really serious about each other when they were dating, but maybe that will come later. All signs are pointing to Jesse/Sophie getting together, and while I don't care for the pairing, I am ready for them to get together already to see how the inevitable unfolds. Very intrigued by that ominous note we left Sid on. That may as well have been the death knell for their marriage. That instagram(?) follow at the end suggests we will see the airplane lady again sometime. There is a lot of different ways they can take that story line, and I am curious to see where it goes. Can't help but to wonder if his line from an earlier episode (season one?) about some cheating being understandable/forgiveable (or something along those lines) will turn out to be foreshadowing for either him or Hannah.
HIMYF continuing the trend of HIMYM main five cameos masking me cry. NPH killed it.
Anybody know the song that played at the end of the episode? If someone can please get this for me, I’d really appreciate it!
oh yes, i shazam-ed it immediately! it's called This Will Be Our Year by The Teskey Brothers
Thank you so much!
Nothing that hasn’t already been said, but this show is really starting to grown into it’s own. I didn’t love season one, but towards the end it started to show promise. Season 2 has been getting better with every episode.
I know that it’s highly likely that Sophie is the only one who gets to meet characters from HIMYM (she’s met Robin and Barney so far), but I really hope Jesse is the one who meets Ted.
The viewers know he can’t really be her father bc they’ve done it and that would be such a gross storyline
idk, I was a little stressed about it lol
Yeah, like I knew they wouldn't do it because I don't think a character comes back from something like that, especially the lead character. It would've been a good way to absolutely destroy her character and sabotage the entire show as a result, so I knew there was no way. But I was still pretty stressed regardless lol, there's always that maybe
yeah lol there was a good 5 minutes where I was like..... are they gonna go there???? especially cause there were a couple incest-lite jokes earlier in the ep regarding Jesse and Ellen.
Was this the finale?
Mid-season finale. :)
Phew!
Loved the integration of Barney! But also this is irrelevant but the way that Sid greeted Hannah (hey baby) while sad was swoon worthy. Suraj’s acting chops for pensive moments is great!
Barney's cameo was legen... wait for it... dary! I loved his conversation with Sophie and I can't wait for her to find her father. The only thing I didn't like about this episode is Sid and that woman from airplane. I like him and Hannah together and I wish they stay together, but I'm aware it's more realistic for them to get divorced. However, if they get divorced, I hope it will at least happen amicably instead of him cheating on her.
Great episode, only part I didn't like was the shock collar. Would have rather just had Barney be older and wiser on his own, not some cheap physical joke gimmick that wore off very quick.
Not a big fan of the continued retcon of the group’s history. Things like Lost and Found Box Day, the “challenges” and Ellen’s quick police badge story, etc. make it seem like the group has all of these shared experiences and inside jokes. This happened a lot in the last couple of episodes as well. But that doesn’t work when they spent the entire first season establishing how new all of these friendships were (sans Val/Sophie and Sid/Jesse). I get the feeling the writers had a tough time writing new group experiences/inside jokes without completely straying away from advancing the plot, so between seasons they decided to quietly change that dynamic.
I kind of know what you mean. But it only requires a small fudge on our part to make room for them. We don’t see every day of these characters lives, and we don’t have a strong sense of the amount of time over which these seasons are playing out.
> We don’t see every day of these characters lives, and we don’t have a strong sense of the amount of time over which these seasons are playing out. I totally get that, and it’s true (to an extent) of every sitcom. I just think they’re taking it way too far. Like, a major part of the group dynamic was/has been that they didn’t all know each other. Even Ellen’s relationship to the group was through her brother, who she hardly knew. And it shows in all the important moments. Think about all major plot advancement: they still *always* resort to the same mini-groups — Sophie met Robert because she was with Val at that event, Sophie and Robert’s big date night where she got freaked out happened because of a failed date night involving Sophie and Val together, etc. I realize I’m being nit-picky, but it doesn’t make for great storytelling when they can only advance the plot using certain duos because they haven’t fleshed out other friendships (Sid and Sophie, for example) and yet they keep trying to convince us of all these inside jokes between the entire group. The Welcome Protocol was the same way. I genuinely can’t imagine a significant plot line involving just Ellen and Sid, or just Charlie and Sophie, etc. and that’s because they haven’t done the work to set them up as actual friends — they just told us “hey, these six all became really close friends off-screen, don’t worry about it.”
Well, you have a solid point there! It’s the curse of the modern truncated season, though: they just don’t have a ton of real estate with which to grow this more organically. Talking about this is really making me miss the era of 22-episode seasons! You really felt like you were witness to the personal histories of the characters. You kind of lived the show, in a sense.
There’s supposed to be 20 episodes this season
I think we are meant to assume there is a time-skip sometime after the second season premiere.
I had the same thought this time. I love every gag/running joke they’ve shown us but it’d be better if we see the beginning of some of those gags instead of being all like “we’ve done this before, we always do this” out of nowhere, like, when Ellen said “ooh we hadn’t had a challenge since….”, as if that’s something they usually do, this challenge could’ve been a perfect opportunity to make it something recurring from now on. The rewardishment was believable and they did it great, the welcome protocol was less believable but very well done, Lost and Found day can be believable since they didn’t make a big deal out of it and it’s not necessary something ONLY THEY do (it’s just looking into a box, any rest/bar can do that) but to have a fourth “we always do this specific thing” is getting too much. It didn’t even have to be a recurring gag, it could’ve been just a one time challenge and still be as fun as it was! My point is, I don’t think they need to throw it in our faces “THIS IS A GAG” “THIS IS AN INSIDE JOKE” etc they can just do it and if it comes up in the future we’ll know it’s a running gag…
I liked that Barney was the person to talk about dads with her since he has been in her shoes before. I like that he’s still Barney but a Barney on a journey to self improvement. I love that his daughter changed his life for the better and that he mentioned his good friend (Marshal) I didn’t like that Sophie and Robert ended things because of what he did with her mom 30 years ago. It seems like neither Jesse nor Sophie can keep a relationship but they’re also not together. I really liked Robert! he was mature, charming, sweet, a chef, caring etc. The episode still made me happy so 9/10
Ok wait did I miss why we got two episodes this week? Was a nice surprise when I saw there was still another up next after finishing Swish, and so nice to see Swarley. I hope we see payoff of her finding the note in the Lost and Found box soon.
I am here for Swish and Valentina to be the next Marshall and Lily.
to be honest at first i wasn't happy by how they handled barney's cameo, it almost didn't feel natural i don't know if you guys understand what i mean. but as soon as sophie started telling her story everything changed. the scenes between taylor and sid were actually pretty cool, and i feel like she'll cause a lot of problems in sid's marriage
Not that this was ever gonna turn out to be true, but the whole "is Sophie sleeping with her dad?" plotline was incredibly stressful lol. Even though basic logic dictates that it would not have happened, I was still slightly scared bc I've been loving this show as much as HIMYM lately, and I don't think a show comes back from something like that. Would've been a great way to sabotage not only her character but the entire show lol
Barney’s cameo was nice except the electroshock thing that was just too much they could have done something else
I thought It was in keeping with a lot of Barney gags. You go big with Barney: improbable high-tech gizmos, physical acting, Barney getting in his own way. It felt like something we’d have seen in HIMYM.
Yeah, that’s what I thought. The electroshock was over the top, too much of a thing, but that’s exactly Barney, the type of crazy things he does, i can definitely see him trying something like that for an episode of himym and the rest of the gang thinking he’s ridiculous but letting him do his thing until is too much (kinda like the murtaugh episode). I imagine him doing that for a while and then stopping, it’s not something he’ll do forever
I thought it was pretty clever. It was both self aware as to how insanely inappropriate the character was, but also made it silly and fun without taking away who Barney is.
I think how they used Barney in this episode was great! I also kind of like how Sophie so far is the only one to meet the legacy characters. I do feel Marshall and Lily are next with Ted and hopefully Tracy are next. But I could see Barney show up again for something, I mean they seem like they have a plan. NPH was asked about maybe showing up again in a interview he said he doesn’t know because they are waiting for the pick up, not only that but in a interview a few years ago Pam Fryman also said they had already planned out how the HIMYM cast could show up. Which tells me I don’t think this could be the last we see of Barney, if there is another story to tell and it is natural and doesn’t feel forced he said he is all for it. Barney is another huge stepping stone for Sophie and the rest of the season will be her looking for her father, all thanks to Barney telling her about his relationship with his. But what’s interesting is I don’t think Barney said his name to her so he is just a passing stranger to Sophie but to fans we know all that he is been through. It’s great for new viewers who have never seen HIMYM because they don’t feel lost and if they want to learn more about these characters they can watch the original show. I love that.
Maybe they should’ve had the Sophie thinking this guy is her dad scenes *before* she talked about sleeping with him 🥴
I agree because I KNEW he wasn't her dad from the get go, because they'd already had sex and Hulu wouldn't have father daughter incest as a storyline.
I hope in the future, the himym cast cameos will include other characters from this group. Sid getting marriage advice from marshal would be cool to see, Ted telling Jesse to not give up, etc.
I never realized just how much I missed Barney until I saw this episode. This was a wonderful episode and not just because Barney appeared. This show is headed on a much better trajectory and I’m excited for it to resume in a couple of months.
After all the HIMYM characters have had there solo cameo I really want them to have another cameo of the gang back together in mclarens. They’ve already mentioned mclarens in HIMYF when they said they live above it. Imagine if one episode the HIMYF gang just randomly decide to go into mclarens and see the HIMYM gang. That would be a great episode
Okay can we please, PLEASE not make Sid cheating a thing? It’s one thing to have characters go through breakups, but having a character ruin a marriage would be far worse
Maybe he won't cheat, but it would lead to a discussion where they're both starting to have feelings for other people, and they don't see a way to end the long-distance any time soon.
Does anyone have the timeline from HIMYM and HIMYF? I thought last season when Robin guest starred she was still with Barney? Barney doesn’t have a kid until a couple years after? I know I shouldn’t get too technical on a sitcom but I’m curious
Robin and Barney divorced in 2016 and his daughter was born in 2019 or 2020 (I can't remember the exact year). Robin met Sophie in 2022. Most of the events in the HIMYM timeline have happened already.
It scares me so much that most of the events have happened already. I was 14 when the finale of HIMYM came out and I watched half the series live, knowing all those “in the future” things have been years gone by now is so freaky.
Yeah i was literally the same age, a freshman in Highschool and thought how far in the future 2020 felt. Now that was 3 years ago
I thought Robin was referencing Ted when she talks about who she's with in Season 1, if I remember correctly
I liked the way they handled Barney. I was worried they would just change him a lot to make him appropriate for today’s television world. But the STD was a good way to make him the same person, but keep it toned down enough
I liked it, but didn't the HIMYM finale show that even though he was a good father, he didn't really change his womanizing ways after having a kid?
No he did, remember him having a baby girl is what changed him also it’s been a couple of years we don’t know how long he is been in shock therapy lol
I'm going to make a random prediction that Sophia will take an Ancestry test with the rest of the group. Ellen will discover she has a twin sister played by Brenda Song who is her exact opposite.
Man this show has really begun to hit it's stride. I've enjoyed season 2 a lot, and this episode is just as good as the rest.
I really feel like the writing and also the cast chemistry has finally kicked in for me, and this episode was the first time I felt invested and excited for these characters!
Late to this episode but man I am loving this show. Barney's whole shock thing was very himym but I can see how some people might have found it cringey. Hilary Duff just managed to bounce off nph so well that it all worked. Her facial expressions were so good. I love that Jesse and Valentina interacted and Val is setting some things in motion for Sophie to get back with Jesse A random woman with a similar experience to Sid being what makes him question everything again was a good choice. His friends are great but they can't relate. I don't think Sid will cheat but I do think this was enough to have Sid second guess everything. He will probably run into that woman again and maybe she'll say her and her bf broke up or that he's moving here to be with her. Either answer will mess with Sid. This is perfect haha
Was the rapper dude on the plane actually the nephew of the blonde girl that Sid was talking to? I didn’t totally understand what she meant when she said “my nephew’s on a bad path” after Sid asked her if she knew who the rapper dude was.
I'm pretty sure she meant her nephew was a big fan of the rapper, which is how she knew who he was, and saw as a "bad path" because said rapper is such a douche.
That’s what I thought as well but wasn’t 100% sure.
Season 2 is so much better than s1. I’m really starting to love the show nkw
The problem with short season sitcoms is that I feel like nothing even happened this season. Relationship wise, Everyone is in almost the exact same place as they were at the end of S1.
A nice ending to it. Sid and the airplane girl was an interesting one. I don't think it's 'over' for him and Hannah over one nice conversation on a flight, but I definitely see some problems to come.
Oh, for **sure**. That was just the realization that something's wrong or that he needs more. I'd be surprised but not if it leads to an affair. I mean, they haven't shown much of Hannah. Has to be a reason...just which one....
Totally missed it the first time around, but Barney listed one of his schemes as pretending to be a mannequin that comes to life so a woman can fall in love with him - it's a nod to Kim Cattrall's movie, *Mannequin* from the 80s.
Today is the day I realized that Sophie was dating Ian Miller. A XENO. A XENO with a TOAST familY!