(SPOILERS AHEAD, so proceed with caution, you Mother lovers!)
Season Nine, Episode 19: “Vesuvius”
Written by: Barbara Adler; Directed by Pamela Fryman
Stories, stories, stories. This week’s HIMYM addresses all the stories that have comprised the entire series. And we get a hint at the potential reason why Future Ted has been telling all his stories to Luke and Penny. Oh, and some wedding stuff happens, too, I guess.
Quick Breakdown
It’s a snowy winter at the Farhampton Inn and Future Ted is inspired to tell his wife about other epic snowstorms. Like the time he snuggled in the car with Marshall in “Arrivederci, Fiero,” but she is quick to point out that she’s heard this story. Well, what about that time that Ted ran the bar with Barney in “Three Days of Snow?” Yep, heard that one, too. And she’s heard the one about when Marshall was stuck on the roof of his house in “Symphony of Illumination.” Sounds like Ted has run out of stories to tell her. The Mother tries to tell a story of her own, but Ted has heard all her stories as well. Looks like they’ve finally achieved the status of “old married couple.” They high five at that accomplishment.
The front desk attendant Curtis pops in, so elated to see the Mosbys at the Inn again (apparently they don’t live there, despite all evidence to the contrary). He’s hoping they’ll be making such loud whoopee tonight that they’ll break a lamp like Robin did on her wedding day. Somehow, The Mother does not remember the story of Robin breaking the lamp; and Ted gets overly excited about having a new yarn to spin about “intrigue, betrayal, and lamps.”
It’s Sunday morning at an indeterminate hour before the wedding. (This is the first episode to not give us the countdown titles.) Robin broke a lamp, playing hockey in her room with her sister Katie (return guest star Lucy Hale). Lily puts a stop to the game, trying to infect Robin with some wedding fever. She pulls out a photo book she made titled Barney & Robin, Lovers Forever and Ever and Ever: A Love Story. Robin is not amused by the photos, but she is amused when she discovers that The Wedding Bride Too! is on Pay Per View. Ted had forbidden the gang from watching the movie, but that doesn’t stop them from indulging in it when he’s not around.
Meanwhile, Ted spots Barney sneaking into a room that is not his own. Being the sly spy that he is, Ted ineptly brides Curtis into divulging the name of the person who is in the room. The name is Susan Tupp, and Ted is quick to break up any hanky panky going on in there. Except, Barney is alone in the room. Well, not exactly alone: There are six racks of suits filling up the room. Barney begs Ted into helping him chose the suit for his wedding (because he apparently waited until the very last minute to make this choice). (The name Susan Tupp, when shortened, becomes “Sue Tupp” or “Suit up!”)
Lily goes to Marshall to enlist his help in getting Robin excited for her wedding, but Marshall, too, gets distracted by The Wedding Bride Too! Lily sulks as they enjoy the movie. Robin’s grandmother interrupts with a story about her own wedding day, but Robin is quick to dismiss her. Lily gets extra frustrated and throws a fit. She tells Robin that if she doesn’t give a crap about her wedding then she’s going to wear a different dress in the wedding. Robin shrugs and returns to that awful movie.
Oh, wait, the Mother has heard this story. She knows that Lily shows up at the door in a wedding dress. She apparently didn’t realize that the entire story was based on “That Time Robin Broke a Lamp.” I’ll forgive her for her lapse in memory; Ted’s had a very rich life.
Lily does show up in a wedding dress. She brought it along so she and Marshall could borrow Robin’s photographer and reshoot their wedding photos (because Marshall had that terrible hair debacle during the wedding). Robin is blasé about the whole thing, and Lily gives up.
Ted, though, is getting fed up trying to pick out Barney’s suit. Each one he grabs has at least a story or two attached to it. “I stuffed a lot of bunnies in that suit.” He says, referring to actual bunnies for magic tricks—although he did go to a Playboy Holiday Party in that suit. Finally, Ted has a solution. He finds a brand new suit for Barney to wear, claiming that he can make new memories in this untainted jacket. The jacket is ill-fitting when Barney puts it on, but he imagines it into the “perfect fit” as Ted paints a picture of the beautiful marriage he’s entering into.
Ted and Barney join everyone watching the movie. Lily makes one last speech about the importance of the wedding that day, citing Ted’s imminent move to Chicago the next day as a monumental change for everyone. Ted is at first angry at Lily for letting his secret slip, until he remembers that he’s told Barney and Robin and he assumes that Marshall already knows because he’s married to Lily. (“She pocket texted me while you were telling her,” he confirms.) Once he realizes that everyone knows, they all grow sad. This is the last time they know they’ll all be together. Suddenly, the day has taken on far greater importance for everyone.
Later, Robin goes out to get some more ice. On her way to the machine, she runs into her mother.
In the future, Ted is proud of the plot twist that is Robin’s mother’s appearance. The Mother, however, says it was pretty obvious it would happen. A mother wouldn’t miss her daughter’s wedding. Her statement brings instant tears to Ted’s eyes. The implication gives fuel to the theory that the Mother is dead (or dying) and that’s why Ted is telling the story of how he met the mother to his children. She comforts Ted and tells him she doesn’t want him to be “the guy who lives in his stories.” Unfortunately, it’s way too late for that.
Rating
C
This episode had some funny moments (and that tender, final moment), but the weariness of this season has fully set in (even for me). With a full month of episodes left before the season finale, something interesting better happen or the show may run out of viewers (the way it’s run out of momentum) before it ends forever.
Now for some random thoughts and my favorite moments of the night…
FAIR ISLE SWEATER ALERT: Future Ted is wearing a purple Fair Isle sweater throughout the episode. (I have a Fair Isle sweater obsession — see also: The Carrie Diaries.)
Katie, after seeing Lily’s photo book of Barney & Robin: “Sounds cheesy. I’m gonna go barf forever and ever and ever.”
Ted’s lame attempt at bribery: “Maybe my old friend Lincoln can emancipate that information.”
Curtis is a fan of the smash musical version of The Wedding Bride that ran on Broadway for 96 weeks. Ted is not.
In the film, there is a Marshall knock-off character named “Narshall.” Looks like someone has a new nickname.
Speaking of nicknames, the mother refers to Ted as “Pooh bear.” How gross.
Katie, unsurprised at Robin’s blasé wedding attitude: “She’s not gonna lose her Timbits just cause she’s getting married.”
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